Julian Knight Alert Sample


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Information between 15th January 2024 - 15th March 2024

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Speeches
Julian Knight speeches from: Budget Resolutions
Julian Knight contributed 1 speech (698 words)
Wednesday 6th March 2024 - Commons Chamber
Department for Business and Trade


Written Answers
Water: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Wednesday 24th January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve water quality in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Rivers in the West Midlands urban centres are affected by historical industrial development and physical modification of water courses and food plains. The Environment Agency (EA) has generously contributed to funding Warwickshire Wildlife’s Tame Valley Wetlands project. Working alongside Natural England, the project will enhance biodiversity and improve the ecological status of the River Blythe by creating a wide range of habitats on over 140 hectares of land within the River Blythe SSSI (Site of special Scientific Interest). The restoration work will include bank re-profiling, floodplain reconnection, in-channel habitat creation, invasive species management and the creation of new terrestrial habitats to enhance biodiversity.

Nationally, the Government published the Plan for Water in April 2023 – our comprehensive strategy for managing our water environment, including our rivers. It brings together the significant steps we have already taken with a suite of new policy actions. The Plan is underpinned by Increased investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement.

River Thames: Boats
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 22nd January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, how many boats were registered to use the River Thames in 2023.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In 2023 the Environment Agency (EA) has issued 12,790 boat registrations for boats used or kept on the non-tidal Thames. The Canal and River Trust (CRT)/EA operate a Gold Licence scheme which allows boaters to use all EA and CRT waterways for a single fee.

The data for figure of CRT/EA Gold licences issued in 2023 will be available in March 2024. As a guide, in 2022, the CRT/EA Gold scheme equated to a further 1,265 registrations for boats on the non-tidal Thames.

Water Supply: Licensing
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 22nd January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, how many licences for impounding water were issued by the Environment Agency in 2023.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In 2023 the Environment Agency (EA) issued 11 new impoundment licences. The EA also issued 1 normal variation to an existing impoundment license in 2023. Please note that the data may not be complete for December 2023.

NHS: Protective Clothing
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Friday 26th January 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department investigated the alleged leaking of confidential information to companies bidding for PPE contracts in 2020.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

All offers to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including that from I Love Cosmetics Ltd for hand sanitiser, were evaluated by Departmental officials on the supplier’s financial standing, compliance with minimum product, service and technical specifications and ability to perform the contract. Contracts were awarded by the appropriate Departmental accounting officer in line with the Department’s standard terms and conditions.

The Department is not aware of any allegations regarding the leaking of confidential information to companies offering to supply PPE.

NHS: Protective Clothing
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Friday 26th January 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment criteria her Department used when awarding a contract for supply of PPE to ILC UK Ltd in 2020.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

All offers to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including that from I Love Cosmetics Ltd for hand sanitiser, were evaluated by Departmental officials on the supplier’s financial standing, compliance with minimum product, service and technical specifications and ability to perform the contract. Contracts were awarded by the appropriate Departmental accounting officer in line with the Department’s standard terms and conditions.

The Department is not aware of any allegations regarding the leaking of confidential information to companies offering to supply PPE.

Roads: Closures
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps help to prevent road closures during periods in which roadworks are not taking place.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Works by utility companies are necessary to repair or maintain their apparatus, but they should be completed as soon as possible to minimise disruption to traffic. Highway authorities have a duty under section 59 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to co-ordinate works taking place on their roads to manage their networks effectively and safely. The Government published updated guidance to them on this in April 2023.

Part of this coordination requires that undertakers, mostly utility companies, must give notice to the relevant highway authority in advance of non-emergency works and proposed traffic management. Any utility overstaying their agreed period in the highway is subject to overrun charges up to £10,000 per day subject to certain criteria.

We announced in the Plan for Drivers ( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plan-for-drivers/the-plan-for-drivers) proposals to introduce weekend overrun charges, to close the loophole that means no charges can be imposed for works that overrun at the weekend, and an increase in the fines for utility companies pay for not complying with the law.

We are also supporting further roll out of lane rental, a charging regime highway authorities can use to help reduce congestion on the busiest roads at the busiest times. We look forward to seeing more schemes being developed this year.

Building Inspectors
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many qualified building inspectors are (a) registered and (b) approved with the Construction Industry Council.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The Construction Industry Council Approved Inspectors Register (CICAIR), a separate company owned by the Construction Industry Council (CIC), is currently the designated body for the registration of approved inspectors. There are currently 82 approved inspector companies registered in England and Wales.

Undocumented Migrants: Deportation
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal migrants his Department deported in 2023.

Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)

The Home Office published provisional data on returns of migrants who do not have a legal right to stay in the UK in the ad-hoc ‘Statistics relating to Illegal Migration’ release. Total numbers of returns by month and return type (including enforced returns of which ‘deportations’ are a subset) are published in table IMB_05 of the accompanying data tables. The latest data relates to 27 December 2023.

The term ‘deportations’ refers to a legally defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is beneficial to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws, and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

Alongside the above ad-hoc statistical release, the Home Office publishes quarterly data on returns in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The latest data go up to the end of September 2023. Data to end December will be published in the next release on 29 February.

Immigration: Enforcement
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many raids were carried out by Border Force in each local authority area in 2023.

Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)

We do not routinely publish the information you have requested, and we are unable to provide this information, as it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Planning Permission: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the administration of planning applications at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The performance of all local planning authorities in relation to speed and quality of decision-making are continuously monitored and reported quarterly through the Department’s live tables on planning application statistics. These can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-planning-application-statistics.

5G: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what data her Department holds on the number of 5G mobile signal towers that have been constructed in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government published the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy in April 2023, which set out the steps we will take to ensure that all parts of the UK have the wireless connectivity they need to unlock opportunities for growth and prosperity. This included setting out our new nationwide ambition to deliver high-quality, standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030.

Information relating to the number and location of mast sites is not held by the Government.

However, under planning regulations, local authorities must grant permission for the installation of new masts; some local authorities may keep a register of mast sites.

Public Transport: Bed Bugs
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether officials in his Department have had discussions with the UK Health Security Agency on the spread of Cimicosis on public transport.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Department for Transport officials regularly engage with Health Security Agency officials on a range of issues.

Asylum: Rwanda
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether officials in his Department have had discussions with charter airlines on the possibility of providing flights between the UK and Rwanda for the purposes of transporting asylum seekers to that country in the last six months.

Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)

The Department engages with commercial partners where required to deliver on its responsibilities. The details of any such discussions are commercially confidential.

Cornish Language
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to protect the Cornish language.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government is committed to supporting and preserving Cornwall’s rich language, heritage and culture. This is reflected through the recent devolution deal agreed with Cornwall in December 2023, which provides £500,000 of funding to support Cornish distinctiveness through the protection and promotion of the Cornish language.

World Health Organization
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much from the public purse the Government spent on the UK's membership subscription to the World Health Organization in 2023.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The United Kingdom and all Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) pay an annual membership fee known as an assessed contribution. The scale of the contribution is calculated by the United Nations based mainly on the country’s GDP and the contribution is used to fund the WHO’s functions. In 2023, the UK paid £20,241,404 in assessed contributions.

London Underground: WiFi
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with Transport for London on the potential impact of free wi-fi in underground services on the security of Government buildings in central London.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

No discussions have taken place.

Revenue and Customs: Offices
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average level of occupancy was at HM Revenue and Customs offices in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The latest data for HMRC’s headquarters occupancy is published on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-headquarters-occupancy-data)

HMRC is working closely with the Government Property Agency to ensure that the department’s estate is used efficiently, responding to demand for space in its regional centres. This will improve estates utilisation as well as bringing wider benefits.
Railways: Fares
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department carried out an equality impact assessment before announcing that railway fares would increase by 4.9% in 2024.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Yes.

Electronic Cigarettes
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation, published on 8 November 2023, whether it is her policy to include vaping products in these proposals.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes approximately one in four cancer deaths. It also costs our country £17 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. That is why we will introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in this parliamentary session to create the first smokefree generation and crack down on youth vaping


In October 2023, the Government and devolved administrations launched a public consultation on the smokefree generation and youth vaping. For the smokefree generation policy, where tobacco products would not be sold to those who turned 15 years old or younger this year, the consultation included a question on whether respondents agreed with the proposed approach to mirror the existing age of sale legislation in England and Wales. This included:

- cigarettes;

- cigarette papers;

- hand rolled tobacco;

- cigars;

- cigarillos;

- pipe tobacco;

- waterpipe tobacco products, for example, shisha;

- chewing tobacco;

- heated tobacco;

- nasal tobacco; and

- herbal smoking products.

The consultation response will be published shortly


As outlined in command paper published on 4 October 2023, our position is that all tobacco products are harmful, and the evidence is clear that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. Tobacco smoke from shisha and cigars lead to the same types of diseases as cigarette smoke. Snus is banned in the UK and we have no plans to introduce additional tobacco products to the UK market.

Vapes are tobacco-free so outside the proposed scope of the smokefree generation policy. In our consultation, we asked questions about policies which have the potential to reduce the appeal, availability, and affordability of vaping to children. It is clear that vaping is totally unsuitable for children. However, we want to ensure that vapes remain available as a smoking cessation tool for adult smokers given the lesser harms posed to smokers from vaping.

Smoking
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation, published on 8 November 2023, whether it is her policy to include shisha-based products in these proposals.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes approximately one in four cancer deaths. It also costs our country £17 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. That is why we will introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in this parliamentary session to create the first smokefree generation and crack down on youth vaping


In October 2023, the Government and devolved administrations launched a public consultation on the smokefree generation and youth vaping. For the smokefree generation policy, where tobacco products would not be sold to those who turned 15 years old or younger this year, the consultation included a question on whether respondents agreed with the proposed approach to mirror the existing age of sale legislation in England and Wales. This included:

- cigarettes;

- cigarette papers;

- hand rolled tobacco;

- cigars;

- cigarillos;

- pipe tobacco;

- waterpipe tobacco products, for example, shisha;

- chewing tobacco;

- heated tobacco;

- nasal tobacco; and

- herbal smoking products.

The consultation response will be published shortly


As outlined in command paper published on 4 October 2023, our position is that all tobacco products are harmful, and the evidence is clear that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. Tobacco smoke from shisha and cigars lead to the same types of diseases as cigarette smoke. Snus is banned in the UK and we have no plans to introduce additional tobacco products to the UK market.

Vapes are tobacco-free so outside the proposed scope of the smokefree generation policy. In our consultation, we asked questions about policies which have the potential to reduce the appeal, availability, and affordability of vaping to children. It is clear that vaping is totally unsuitable for children. However, we want to ensure that vapes remain available as a smoking cessation tool for adult smokers given the lesser harms posed to smokers from vaping.

Oral Tobacco
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation, published on 8 November 2023, whether it is her policy to include snus tobacco products in these proposals.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes approximately one in four cancer deaths. It also costs our country £17 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. That is why we will introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in this parliamentary session to create the first smokefree generation and crack down on youth vaping


In October 2023, the Government and devolved administrations launched a public consultation on the smokefree generation and youth vaping. For the smokefree generation policy, where tobacco products would not be sold to those who turned 15 years old or younger this year, the consultation included a question on whether respondents agreed with the proposed approach to mirror the existing age of sale legislation in England and Wales. This included:

- cigarettes;

- cigarette papers;

- hand rolled tobacco;

- cigars;

- cigarillos;

- pipe tobacco;

- waterpipe tobacco products, for example, shisha;

- chewing tobacco;

- heated tobacco;

- nasal tobacco; and

- herbal smoking products.

The consultation response will be published shortly


As outlined in command paper published on 4 October 2023, our position is that all tobacco products are harmful, and the evidence is clear that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. Tobacco smoke from shisha and cigars lead to the same types of diseases as cigarette smoke. Snus is banned in the UK and we have no plans to introduce additional tobacco products to the UK market.

Vapes are tobacco-free so outside the proposed scope of the smokefree generation policy. In our consultation, we asked questions about policies which have the potential to reduce the appeal, availability, and affordability of vaping to children. It is clear that vaping is totally unsuitable for children. However, we want to ensure that vapes remain available as a smoking cessation tool for adult smokers given the lesser harms posed to smokers from vaping.

Snuff
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation, published on 8 November 2023, whether it is her policy to include snuff tobacco products in these proposals.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes approximately one in four cancer deaths. It also costs our country £17 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. That is why we will introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in this parliamentary session to create the first smokefree generation and crack down on youth vaping


In October 2023, the Government and devolved administrations launched a public consultation on the smokefree generation and youth vaping. For the smokefree generation policy, where tobacco products would not be sold to those who turned 15 years old or younger this year, the consultation included a question on whether respondents agreed with the proposed approach to mirror the existing age of sale legislation in England and Wales. This included:

- cigarettes;

- cigarette papers;

- hand rolled tobacco;

- cigars;

- cigarillos;

- pipe tobacco;

- waterpipe tobacco products, for example, shisha;

- chewing tobacco;

- heated tobacco;

- nasal tobacco; and

- herbal smoking products.

The consultation response will be published shortly


As outlined in command paper published on 4 October 2023, our position is that all tobacco products are harmful, and the evidence is clear that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. Tobacco smoke from shisha and cigars lead to the same types of diseases as cigarette smoke. Snus is banned in the UK and we have no plans to introduce additional tobacco products to the UK market.

Vapes are tobacco-free so outside the proposed scope of the smokefree generation policy. In our consultation, we asked questions about policies which have the potential to reduce the appeal, availability, and affordability of vaping to children. It is clear that vaping is totally unsuitable for children. However, we want to ensure that vapes remain available as a smoking cessation tool for adult smokers given the lesser harms posed to smokers from vaping.

Tobacco
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2023 to Question 3251 on Smoking, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting cigar based products from the proposals.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes approximately one in four cancer deaths. It also costs our country £17 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. That is why we will introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in this parliamentary session to create the first smokefree generation and crack down on youth vaping


In October 2023, the Government and devolved administrations launched a public consultation on the smokefree generation and youth vaping. For the smokefree generation policy, where tobacco products would not be sold to those who turned 15 years old or younger this year, the consultation included a question on whether respondents agreed with the proposed approach to mirror the existing age of sale legislation in England and Wales. This included:

- cigarettes;

- cigarette papers;

- hand rolled tobacco;

- cigars;

- cigarillos;

- pipe tobacco;

- waterpipe tobacco products, for example, shisha;

- chewing tobacco;

- heated tobacco;

- nasal tobacco; and

- herbal smoking products.

The consultation response will be published shortly


As outlined in command paper published on 4 October 2023, our position is that all tobacco products are harmful, and the evidence is clear that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. Tobacco smoke from shisha and cigars lead to the same types of diseases as cigarette smoke. Snus is banned in the UK and we have no plans to introduce additional tobacco products to the UK market.

Vapes are tobacco-free so outside the proposed scope of the smokefree generation policy. In our consultation, we asked questions about policies which have the potential to reduce the appeal, availability, and affordability of vaping to children. It is clear that vaping is totally unsuitable for children. However, we want to ensure that vapes remain available as a smoking cessation tool for adult smokers given the lesser harms posed to smokers from vaping.

Railways: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with rail service providers on tackling anti-social behaviour on railway services in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government takes anti-social behaviour (ASB) very seriously and published its ASB Action Plan in March 2023.

The British Transport Police (BTP) recorded 19 offences between April and December 23 in Solihull, made up of cycle theft, public order offences and theft of personal property. This figure (19) was the same for the same time frame last year.

BTP have worked with Chiltern Railways to get officers CCTV access remotely covering Solihull from Birmingham Moor Street.

Officers have attended Solihull College and delivered an educational input as well as advertising BTP and the recruitment process.

Plans are in place to install a knife bin in the carpark at Solihull Station after consultation with BTP, West Midlands Police and the local Policing and Crime Commissioner.

Driving Licences: Applications
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many D777B application forms were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in 2023; and what the average waiting time was for approving those applications.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the total number and average waiting time of manual and digital applications processed in 2023.

Manual applications

Digital applications

Total number processed

Average processing time (in working days)

Total number processed

Average processing time

V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate

2,541,989

4

14,497,650 These transactions are not available separately

The average waiting time to process digital applications is not readily available but is typically one day if the transaction is successful and casework or medical enquiries are not required.

V62 Application for a Vehicle Registration Certificate

1,499,893

9

V890 Statutory Off Road Notification

62,769

1

2,381,559

V317 Application to keep/transfer a vehicle registration number

115,168

4

1,002,687

D1 – non medical Application for a driving licence

1,716,073

6

7,622,328

D2 – non medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

284,980

5

62,982

D1 - medical Application for a driving licence

309,395

63

55,802

D2 - medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

90,273

55

This service is not offered online

D777B Application for a driver digital tachograph card

22,488

3

159,888

For the figures above, the mode average has been used to calculate the number of average processing days.

Driving Licences: Applications
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many D2 application forms were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in 2023; and what the average waiting time was for approving those applications.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the total number and average waiting time of manual and digital applications processed in 2023.

Manual applications

Digital applications

Total number processed

Average processing time (in working days)

Total number processed

Average processing time

V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate

2,541,989

4

14,497,650 These transactions are not available separately

The average waiting time to process digital applications is not readily available but is typically one day if the transaction is successful and casework or medical enquiries are not required.

V62 Application for a Vehicle Registration Certificate

1,499,893

9

V890 Statutory Off Road Notification

62,769

1

2,381,559

V317 Application to keep/transfer a vehicle registration number

115,168

4

1,002,687

D1 – non medical Application for a driving licence

1,716,073

6

7,622,328

D2 – non medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

284,980

5

62,982

D1 - medical Application for a driving licence

309,395

63

55,802

D2 - medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

90,273

55

This service is not offered online

D777B Application for a driver digital tachograph card

22,488

3

159,888

For the figures above, the mode average has been used to calculate the number of average processing days.

Driving Licences: Applications
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many D1 application forms were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in 2023; and what the average waiting time was for approving those applications.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the total number and average waiting time of manual and digital applications processed in 2023.

Manual applications

Digital applications

Total number processed

Average processing time (in working days)

Total number processed

Average processing time

V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate

2,541,989

4

14,497,650 These transactions are not available separately

The average waiting time to process digital applications is not readily available but is typically one day if the transaction is successful and casework or medical enquiries are not required.

V62 Application for a Vehicle Registration Certificate

1,499,893

9

V890 Statutory Off Road Notification

62,769

1

2,381,559

V317 Application to keep/transfer a vehicle registration number

115,168

4

1,002,687

D1 – non medical Application for a driving licence

1,716,073

6

7,622,328

D2 – non medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

284,980

5

62,982

D1 - medical Application for a driving licence

309,395

63

55,802

D2 - medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

90,273

55

This service is not offered online

D777B Application for a driver digital tachograph card

22,488

3

159,888

For the figures above, the mode average has been used to calculate the number of average processing days.

Motor Vehicles: Registration
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many V62 application forms were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in 2023; and what the average waiting time was for approving those applications.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the total number and average waiting time of manual and digital applications processed in 2023.

Manual applications

Digital applications

Total number processed

Average processing time (in working days)

Total number processed

Average processing time

V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate

2,541,989

4

14,497,650 These transactions are not available separately

The average waiting time to process digital applications is not readily available but is typically one day if the transaction is successful and casework or medical enquiries are not required.

V62 Application for a Vehicle Registration Certificate

1,499,893

9

V890 Statutory Off Road Notification

62,769

1

2,381,559

V317 Application to keep/transfer a vehicle registration number

115,168

4

1,002,687

D1 – non medical Application for a driving licence

1,716,073

6

7,622,328

D2 – non medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

284,980

5

62,982

D1 - medical Application for a driving licence

309,395

63

55,802

D2 - medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

90,273

55

This service is not offered online

D777B Application for a driver digital tachograph card

22,488

3

159,888

For the figures above, the mode average has been used to calculate the number of average processing days.

Motor Vehicles: Registration
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many V317 application forms were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in 2023; and what the average waiting time was for approving those applications.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the total number and average waiting time of manual and digital applications processed in 2023.

Manual applications

Digital applications

Total number processed

Average processing time (in working days)

Total number processed

Average processing time

V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate

2,541,989

4

14,497,650 These transactions are not available separately

The average waiting time to process digital applications is not readily available but is typically one day if the transaction is successful and casework or medical enquiries are not required.

V62 Application for a Vehicle Registration Certificate

1,499,893

9

V890 Statutory Off Road Notification

62,769

1

2,381,559

V317 Application to keep/transfer a vehicle registration number

115,168

4

1,002,687

D1 – non medical Application for a driving licence

1,716,073

6

7,622,328

D2 – non medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

284,980

5

62,982

D1 - medical Application for a driving licence

309,395

63

55,802

D2 - medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

90,273

55

This service is not offered online

D777B Application for a driver digital tachograph card

22,488

3

159,888

For the figures above, the mode average has been used to calculate the number of average processing days.

Anti-social Behaviour: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB) and arson. We know the serious impact that arson and persistent ASB can have on both individuals and the wider community.

On 27 March 2023, the Government launched the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anti-social-behaviour-action-plan) ensuring the police, local authorities and other relevant agencies have the powers and tools they need to tackle the blight of anti-social behaviour facing communities across England and Wales.

The plan is backed by £160m of funding. This includes up to £60m to fund an increased police and other uniformed presence to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, targeting hotspots. Initially we are working with 10 police force areas, but from 2024 we will support a hotspot approach across every police force area in England and Wales. West Midlands Police is one of the pilot forces for the hotspot response funding. We are also providing up to £50m to support the provision of Immediate Justice, by issuing out of court disposals with conditions to swiftly repair any damage – the aim being for them to start within 48 hours of referral. This will start in 10 initial trailblazer police force areas and be rolled out across England and Wales from 2024.

On 6 July 2023, we launched the fifth round of the Safer Streets Fund. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales will receive a total of £43 million on top of the £120 million already awarded for the previous four rounds of the Safer Streets Fund to continue to deliver crime and anti-social behaviour prevention measures.

Furthermore, the government is committed to ensuring fire services have the resources they need to do their vital work and to keep the public safe from fires, including those caused by arson. In 2023/24, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.6 billion. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority.

Arson: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle arson in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB) and arson. We know the serious impact that arson and persistent ASB can have on both individuals and the wider community.

On 27 March 2023, the Government launched the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anti-social-behaviour-action-plan) ensuring the police, local authorities and other relevant agencies have the powers and tools they need to tackle the blight of anti-social behaviour facing communities across England and Wales.

The plan is backed by £160m of funding. This includes up to £60m to fund an increased police and other uniformed presence to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, targeting hotspots. Initially we are working with 10 police force areas, but from 2024 we will support a hotspot approach across every police force area in England and Wales. West Midlands Police is one of the pilot forces for the hotspot response funding. We are also providing up to £50m to support the provision of Immediate Justice, by issuing out of court disposals with conditions to swiftly repair any damage – the aim being for them to start within 48 hours of referral. This will start in 10 initial trailblazer police force areas and be rolled out across England and Wales from 2024.

On 6 July 2023, we launched the fifth round of the Safer Streets Fund. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales will receive a total of £43 million on top of the £120 million already awarded for the previous four rounds of the Safer Streets Fund to continue to deliver crime and anti-social behaviour prevention measures.

Furthermore, the government is committed to ensuring fire services have the resources they need to do their vital work and to keep the public safe from fires, including those caused by arson. In 2023/24, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.6 billion. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority.

Knives: Crime
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle knife crime in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Tackling knife crime and violent assaults is a priority and the Government is determined to crack down on the scourge of violence devastating our communities.

As a result of the Government’s Police Uplift Programme (PUP) the West Midlands Force recruited 1,376 additional uplift officers against a total three-year allocation of 1,218 officers. On 31 March 2023, there were 8,067 police officers in West Midlands, a total growth of 1,376 additional officers against the baseline (6,691) at the start of the Police Uplift Programme.

The Government is proposing a total police funding settlement of up to £18.4 billion in 2024-25, an increase of up to £842.9 million when compared to 2023-24. Assuming full take up of precept flexibility, overall police funding available to PCCs will increase by up to £922.2 million (6.0% in cash terms). West Midlands funding will be up to £789.4 million for 2024/25, an increase of up to £50 million when compared to 2023/24.

West Midlands Police are delivering additional policing in their areas worst affected by serious violence via the Grip programme funding, including in Solihull City Centre. This is a combination of regular visible patrols in the streets and neighbourhoods (‘hotspot areas’) experiencing the highest volumes of serious violence to immediately suppress violence and provide community reassurance, and problem-oriented policing. Problem-oriented policing is bespoke to the local areas to tackle the local underlying drivers of crime, using a more comprehensive menu of policing interventions and enforcement. Interventions in the Force area have included targeted open space knife sweeps, knife crime education in schools, and conducting safeguarding referrals. Grip-funded analysts monitor operational police activity within the hotspots, as well as crime levels, to understand the effects of additional patrols on violent crime.

Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) bring together local partners to understand and tackle the drivers of serious violence in their area. They facilitate the sharing of data across organisational boundaries to build a shared understanding of the root causes of violence locally.

In the West Midlands its VRU delivers a range of preventative interventions, including Hospital and Custody Navigators (youth workers in settings steering young people away from violence at a ‘teachable moment’), cognitive behavioural therapy programmes and sports-based diversionary programmes.

Violence Reduction Units, in combination with Grip, have delivered a statistically significant reduction in hospital admissions for violent injuries since funding began in 2019 (an estimated 3,220 admissions have been prevented in areas where the programmes operate). VRUs have supported over 271,000 young people through funded initiatives in in their fourth year of operation alone.

We also recently consulted on new legislative proposals to tackle knife crime and as a result, in the Criminal Justice Bill, we have introduced provisions to provide more powers for police to seize knives held in private that could be used in crimes, increase the maximum penalty for the offences of selling prohibited weapons and selling knives to under 18s. When Parliamentary time allows, the Government intends to introduce a new ban on zombie-style machetes and knives.

Motor Vehicles: Registration
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many V5C application forms were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in 2023; and what the average waiting time was for approving those applications.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the total number and average waiting time of manual and digital applications processed in 2023.

Manual applications

Digital applications

Total number processed

Average processing time (in working days)

Total number processed

Average processing time

V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate

2,541,989

4

14,497,650 These transactions are not available separately

The average waiting time to process digital applications is not readily available but is typically one day if the transaction is successful and casework or medical enquiries are not required.

V62 Application for a Vehicle Registration Certificate

1,499,893

9

V890 Statutory Off Road Notification

62,769

1

2,381,559

V317 Application to keep/transfer a vehicle registration number

115,168

4

1,002,687

D1 – non medical Application for a driving licence

1,716,073

6

7,622,328

D2 – non medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

284,980

5

62,982

D1 - medical Application for a driving licence

309,395

63

55,802

D2 - medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

90,273

55

This service is not offered online

D777B Application for a driver digital tachograph card

22,488

3

159,888

For the figures above, the mode average has been used to calculate the number of average processing days.

Motor Vehicles: Registration
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many V890 application forms were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority in 2023; and what the average waiting time was for approving those applications.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The table below shows the total number and average waiting time of manual and digital applications processed in 2023.

Manual applications

Digital applications

Total number processed

Average processing time (in working days)

Total number processed

Average processing time

V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate

2,541,989

4

14,497,650 These transactions are not available separately

The average waiting time to process digital applications is not readily available but is typically one day if the transaction is successful and casework or medical enquiries are not required.

V62 Application for a Vehicle Registration Certificate

1,499,893

9

V890 Statutory Off Road Notification

62,769

1

2,381,559

V317 Application to keep/transfer a vehicle registration number

115,168

4

1,002,687

D1 – non medical Application for a driving licence

1,716,073

6

7,622,328

D2 – non medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

284,980

5

62,982

D1 - medical Application for a driving licence

309,395

63

55,802

D2 - medical Application for lorry, bus or minibus driving licence

90,273

55

This service is not offered online

D777B Application for a driver digital tachograph card

22,488

3

159,888

For the figures above, the mode average has been used to calculate the number of average processing days.

Crimes of Violence: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle violent assaults in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Tackling knife crime and violent assaults is a priority and the Government is determined to crack down on the scourge of violence devastating our communities.

As a result of the Government’s Police Uplift Programme (PUP) the West Midlands Force recruited 1,376 additional uplift officers against a total three-year allocation of 1,218 officers. On 31 March 2023, there were 8,067 police officers in West Midlands, a total growth of 1,376 additional officers against the baseline (6,691) at the start of the Police Uplift Programme.

The Government is proposing a total police funding settlement of up to £18.4 billion in 2024-25, an increase of up to £842.9 million when compared to 2023-24. Assuming full take up of precept flexibility, overall police funding available to PCCs will increase by up to £922.2 million (6.0% in cash terms). West Midlands funding will be up to £789.4 million for 2024/25, an increase of up to £50 million when compared to 2023/24.

West Midlands Police are delivering additional policing in their areas worst affected by serious violence via the Grip programme funding, including in Solihull City Centre. This is a combination of regular visible patrols in the streets and neighbourhoods (‘hotspot areas’) experiencing the highest volumes of serious violence to immediately suppress violence and provide community reassurance, and problem-oriented policing. Problem-oriented policing is bespoke to the local areas to tackle the local underlying drivers of crime, using a more comprehensive menu of policing interventions and enforcement. Interventions in the Force area have included targeted open space knife sweeps, knife crime education in schools, and conducting safeguarding referrals. Grip-funded analysts monitor operational police activity within the hotspots, as well as crime levels, to understand the effects of additional patrols on violent crime.

Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) bring together local partners to understand and tackle the drivers of serious violence in their area. They facilitate the sharing of data across organisational boundaries to build a shared understanding of the root causes of violence locally.

In the West Midlands its VRU delivers a range of preventative interventions, including Hospital and Custody Navigators (youth workers in settings steering young people away from violence at a ‘teachable moment’), cognitive behavioural therapy programmes and sports-based diversionary programmes.

Violence Reduction Units, in combination with Grip, have delivered a statistically significant reduction in hospital admissions for violent injuries since funding began in 2019 (an estimated 3,220 admissions have been prevented in areas where the programmes operate). VRUs have supported over 271,000 young people through funded initiatives in in their fourth year of operation alone.

We also recently consulted on new legislative proposals to tackle knife crime and as a result, in the Criminal Justice Bill, we have introduced provisions to provide more powers for police to seize knives held in private that could be used in crimes, increase the maximum penalty for the offences of selling prohibited weapons and selling knives to under 18s. When Parliamentary time allows, the Government intends to introduce a new ban on zombie-style machetes and knives.

Burglary: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle burglaries in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Crime Survey for England and Wales data shows a 57% per cent fall in domestic burglaries when comparing the year ending June 2023 with year ending March 2010 Crime Surveys; representing a fall from 917,000 to 394,000 incidents. This is clearly good news; however, we recognise the significant impact invasive crimes such as domestic burglary can have on individuals and the wider community, and we are committed to tackling and preventing these crimes.

The public want to know the police will visit them when a home burglary has been committed, which is why we welcome the announcement made by the National Police Chiefs’ Council on the 8 June that all 43 police forces in England and Wales have been implementing this policy since March last year. We are working with police leaders to ensure forces are making their attendance data available to the public. https://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/police-now-attending-scene-of-every-home-burglary

The police commitment to attend home burglaries is supported by specific College of Policing good practice guidance on conducting residential burglary investigations. https://www.college.police.uk/guidance/residential-burglary Setting the standard in respect of the initial response and the subsequent investigation, the guidance sits alongside the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice on Investigations.

As part of this back-to-basics approach, police forces across England and Wales have committed to pursue all lines of enquiry where there is a reasonable chance it could lead them to catching a perpetrator and solving a crime. This commitment, announced on 28 August, has been worked up and agreed by the Home Office, in tandem with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pursuing-all-reasonable-lines-of-enquiry-letter-to-police-leaders/pursuing-all-reasonable-lines-of-enquiry-letter-to-police-leaders

To help ensure the police have the resources they need to fight crime and tackle anti-social behaviour, we have delivered on our commitment to recruit 20,000 additional police officers by the end of March 2023.As of 31 March, a total of 20,947 additional officers had been recruited across England and Wales through the Police Uplift Programme (PUP), raising the number of police officers in England and Wales to 149,566, the highest number on record since comparable records began.

As a result of the PUP, on 31 March 2023 West Midlands Police Force had a headcount of 8,067 police officers, an increase of 1,376 additional officers against the baseline (6,691) at the start of the PUP.

Public Buildings: Flags
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has issued recent guidance to local authorities on the flying foreign flags on public buildings.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

In England, flags are treated as advertisements for the purposes of the planning system and are controlled under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisement)(England) Regulations 2007. The Government publishes general guidance, the Plain English Guide to Flag Flying, for local planning authorities and others on the need for advertisement consent to display flags. This was last updated in July 2021. In broad terms, the Regulations permit certain types of flags, including any country’s national flag, to be flown without the need for consent from a local planning authority.

Should there be a perceived misuse of this flexibility, the department is open to reviewing this guidance once again, and we would welcome examples of concern.

Conveyancing
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many conveyancers are registered with the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.

Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The latest figures provided by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) on 8 January 2024 show that there are currently 1804 individual conveyancers who are registered with the CLC.

Schools: Defibrillators
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on ensuring that schools in Solihull constituency have defibrillators.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

On 26 July 2023, the department announced that the Automated External Defibrillator programme had successfully completed the rollout of over 20,000 defibrillators to almost 18,000 schools, ensuring that all stand-funded schools in England have access to this life saving first-aid equipment, this includes schools in Solihull. More information about this programme can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/millions-of-children-get-access-to-life-saving-defibrillators.

Slavery: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle modern slavery in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)

The Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery; ensuring that victims are provided with the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives and that those responsible are prosecuted.

We work closely with law enforcement, the criminal justice system, business, civil society and local government. The UK response is underpinned by the Modern Slavery Strategy 2014 and the Modern Slavery Act 2015; this legislation gives law enforcement agencies the tools to tackle modern slavery offences, including a maximum life sentence for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims.

Since 2016, in addition to core police funding, we have invested £17.8 million in the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit, a specialist police unit which supports all police forces in England and Wales, including West Midlands Police, to improve their response to modern slavery.

The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery and ensuring they receive the appropriate support. If a First Responder thinks that modern slavery has taken place, the case should be referred to the NRM so that the relevant competent authority can fully consider the case. This process operates across all of England and Wales.

The Home Office also funds the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) to provide specialist support to adult victims of modern slavery in England and Wales. A total of 10,704 adults in England and Wales received support through the MSVCC during the year ending June 2023, the largest number supported for any year since the contract began.

Hate Crime: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle hate crime in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)

The Government is clear that all forms of hate crime are completely unacceptable. We have a robust legislative framework in place to respond to hate crimes which target race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and transgender identity and expect the police to fully investigate these abhorrent offences and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

Our absolute priority is to get more police onto our streets, cut crime, protect the public and bring more criminals to justice. We are supporting the police by providing them with the resources they need. Part of this necessitates police recruitment and training – that is why we have the highest number of police officers on record in England and Wales. Funding for West Midlands Police will be up to £789.4 million for 2024/25, an increase of up to £50 million when compared to 2023/24. As of 31 March 2023, West Midlands Force recruited 1,376 additional uplift officers against a total three-year allocation of 1,218 officers. The deployment of all officers is an operational decision for Chief Constables.

The Government continues to fund True Vision, an online hate crime reporting portal, designed so that victims of all forms of hate crime do not have to visit a police station to report. We also continue to fund the National Online Hate Crime Hub, a central capability designed to support individual local police forces in dealing with online hate crime. The Hub provides expert advice to police forces to support them in investigating these despicable offences.

Jobcentres: Armed Forces
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobcentre clients have been assisted by an Armed Forces Champion in Solihull constituency in the last year.

Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Since January 2023, 12 members of the local Armed Forces community have been supported in Solihull constituency.

The Armed Forces Champions have specific responsibilities for supporting members of the Armed Forces community and their role involves front line responsibilities including building staff capability within their districts, personally handling some claims, supporting veterans into work and helping resolve complex cases where necessary.

Every Work coach is trained on how to provide tailored and personalised support to members of the Armed Forces community and their families, working in partnership with their Armed Forces Champions. In those areas where there are particularly high levels of demand, for example garrison towns, this will form a significant part of the work done in individual Jobcentres.

Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal departmental use only, and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.

Warehouses: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 15th January 2024

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help support the warehouse sector in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Warehousing is a key part of the country’s supply chains, ensuring vital goods are available to businesses and consumers.

My department will continue to work with the sector to support its continued success as part of the work this government has been pursuing with the transport and logistics sector.

Explosives: Licensing
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many licences the Health and Safety Executive has issued for the purposes of manufacturing and storing explosives in each year since 2015.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Under the provisions of the Explosives Regulations 2014 (as amended), the Health and Safety Executive has issued 470 licences for the purposes of manufacturing and storing explosives since 2015. The table details the number of licences issued by year:

Year

Licences issued

2015

74

2016

53

2017

48

2018

40

2019

45

2020

53

2021

64

2022

50

2023

43

Total

470

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: Complaints
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints about his Department were submitted to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in 2023; and how many and what proportion of those complaints were upheld.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Although the DWP holds some information relating to complaints received within the Department, which are submitted to the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), the PHSO holds all the information being sought in this question.

The information can be found here: https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications/complaints-parliamentary-and-health-service-ombudsman-2022-23

Dangerous Dogs: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications his Department has received for certificates of exemption to keep an XL Bully dog in (a) Solihull constituency and (b) England.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since opening the scheme to apply for a certificate of exemption to keep an XL Bully Dog in November 2023, Defra has received 21277 applications from dog owners in England and Wales as of the 8th January 2024. These applications are still being processed and may include duplicates, errors or ineligible applications. Defra does not collate this data by constituency. Therefore, we are unable to provide the number of applications received from Solihull.

Animals: Diseases
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of recent outbreaks of epizootic haemorrhagic disease in Europe.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is a midge-borne emerging disease in Europe. The UK has never had an outbreak of EHD which most acutely affects deer, but ruminants and camelids are also susceptible. With the recent movement of EHD across mainland Europe, we have stepped up our surveillance and import controls. Countries with co-existing outbreaks of bluetongue and EHD cannot export live animals to the UK and additional guarantees regarding testing are required for imports of germplasm (semen, ova, embryos) from EHD affected countries.

We are working with industry stakeholders to raise awareness of EHD, encouraging increased vigilance, responsible sourcing of live animals and germplasm, and stressing the importance of early reporting.

Dangerous Dogs: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has issued in compensation to people who have given up their XL Bully dog to be euthanised in (a) Solihull constituency and (b) England.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has issued £12,200 in compensation for the euthanasia of XL Bully Dogs in England and Wales as of the 8th January 2024. Defra does not collate this data by constituency. Therefore, we are unable to provide the number of applications received from Solihull.

India: Development Aid
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of continuing to send Foreign Aid to India.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The British Government stopped providing traditional development aid to India in 2015. Most UK funding to India is in the form of investments in priority areas like climate change. These investments have the dual aims of supporting development and backing private enterprises with the potential to be commercially viable, creating new partners, markets and jobs for the UK as well as India. They also generate returns which the British Government can reinvest in India or elsewhere. To date we have invested £330 million and over £100 million has been returned. We expect to get all our investments back over time.

Flood Control: Licensing
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many environmental permits were issued by the Environment Agency for the purposes of carrying out work (a) in and (b) by (i) a main river, (ii) flood defence structures, (iii) sea defence and (iv) flood plains in each year since 2015.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency does not differentiate permits by the breakdown requested but keeps a record of all permits issued. The following number of flood risk activity permits have been issued per year since 2016.

In 2015 the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations did not include permits for activities taking place in or near main rivers, flood defences or within the flood plain. This was under the Water Resources Act 1991 and Regional Byelaws and issued as consents.

Year

Number of Flood Risk Activity Permits

2016

1237

2017

1437

2018

1495

2019

1275

2020

1101

2021

1249

2022

1388

2023

1185

Metropolitan Police: Complaints
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints were received by the Independent Office for Police Conduct about the Metropolitan Police in 2023; and how many of those complaints were upheld.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Independent Office of Police Conduct routinely publishes statistics on complaints they have received on their website: Police complaints statistics | Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)

Police: Complaints
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of the complaints submitted to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in 2023 were upheld.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Independent Office of Police Conduct routinely publishes statistics on complaints they have received on their website: Police complaints statistics | Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)

Police: Complaints
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 16th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints were submitted to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in 2023.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Independent Office of Police Conduct routinely publishes statistics on complaints they have received on their website: Police complaints statistics | Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)

Fraud: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Wednesday 17th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle fraud-related crime in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

In May 2023, the Government published the Fraud Strategy which set out a national response to combat the threat.

Through the new Online Safety Act and the Online Fraud Charter the Government is working to prevent the British public encountering fraud at source. The Fraud Strategy also committed £100m of investment in law enforcement, and created a new National Fraud Squad, to increase the disruption and prosecution of fraudsters. Furthermore, fraud will be made a priority for local police forces through the Strategic Policing Requirement.

Overall, fraud in England and Wales has reduced 13% compared to last year. There has also been a 5% decrease in the number of fraud reports made in the West Midlands, demonstrating progress on the Fraud Strategy’s commitment to protecting the public’s hard-earned money.

We will shortly be launching a new national Anti-Fraud campaign, which will further equip the public with the tools they need to spot and take preventative action to avoid fraud.

Beavers: Conservation
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Thursday 18th January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many CL51 licenses were issued by Natural England in 2023.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Here are the number of class licence registrations issued during 2023:

CL50: 34 licences issued

CL51: 52 licences issued

CL52: 30 licences issued

Total: 116 class licence registrations issued in 2023

Beavers: Conservation
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Thursday 18th January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many CL50 licenses were issued by Natural England in 2023.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Here are the number of class licence registrations issued during 2023:

CL50: 34 licences issued

CL51: 52 licences issued

CL52: 30 licences issued

Total: 116 class licence registrations issued in 2023

Beavers: Conservation
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Thursday 18th January 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many CL52 licenses were issued by Natural England in 2023.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Here are the number of class licence registrations issued during 2023:

CL50: 34 licences issued

CL51: 52 licences issued

CL52: 30 licences issued

Total: 116 class licence registrations issued in 2023

Cybercrime: Solihull
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Thursday 18th January 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle cyber-related crime in Solihull constituency.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

Tackling cyber crime is at the heart of the Government’s National Cyber Strategy 2022-25, which is supported by £2.6 billion of investment through the National Cyber Fund.

Key to delivery is ensuring that local policing has the resources needed to deal with the cyber threats we face. In 2023/24, the Home Office is receiving £18 million from the National Cyber Fund to provide a range of capabilities and resource to tackle and respond to cyber crime. This funding is supplemented by a further £16 million of Home Office funding through the Police Settlement Programme.

This funding continues to build law enforcement capabilities at the national, regional, and local levels to ensure they have the capacity and expertise to deal with the perpetrators and victims of cyber crime. We directly fund a specialist Cyber Crime Unit at West Midlands Police, which covers Solihull, and another, more specialist team, at the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU). This ROCU team is integral to our response to high-harm, high-impact crimes like cyber extortion.

This Regional Cyber Crime Unit for West Midlands (RCCUWM) also works with businesses and organisations based in Solihull, across the private and public sectors, and at community level. Under the Local Resilience Forum, RCCUWM work with Solihull Council, amongst others, to build stronger cyber security and resilience. A key part of RCCUWM’s work is to ensure the integrity of our Critical National Infrastructure providers, and they have a long-standing partnership with NHS Birmingham Solihull (BSOL) Integrated Care System and NHS England.

We have also rolled out Regional Cyber Resilience Centres in London and each of the nine policing regions, including the West Midlands.  These are a collaboration between the police, public, private sector and academic partners to provide cyber security advice to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises so that they can protect themselves better in a digital age. Details of the Cyber Resilience Centre for the West Midlands can be found at Cyber Resilience | The Cyber Resilience Centre For The West Midlands (wmcrc.co.uk)

All vulnerable victims of fraud and cyber crime in Solihull receive contact and Protect advice from law enforcement, specifically aimed at helping them to protect themselves in future from revictimization.

The specialist RCCUWM Prevent Team also work to intervene if people are deemed at risk of becoming involved in cyber offending. RCCUWM deliver the National Cyber Choices programme and have delivered multiple initiatives across Solihull, including working with schools to help them identify those at risk. Solihull local police officers support these important safeguarding interventions.

Water Abstraction: Licensing
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Wednesday 7th February 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department holds data on the number of water abstraction licences that have been issued by the Environment Agency in each year since 2015.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The number of new water abstraction licences that have been issued by the Environment Agency (EA) in each year since 2015 is as follows (the data set may not be complete for December 2023):

Year

Number of abstraction licences

2015

931

2016

815

2017

931

2018

815

2019

1357

2020

1014

2021

377

2022

369

2023

536

Grand Total

7145

In addition to issuing new licences, the Environment Agency also processes applications to vary, revoke, reduce, lapse, vest, apportion and transfer abstraction licences. Under the Water Resources Regulatory Regime, as well as abstraction licences the EA also processes impoundment licence applications. In total the EA has processed 13,844 applications since 2015.

The number of water abstraction licences issued each year varies due to the number of time limited licences that are due to expire in each year. If a licence holder wants to continue to abstract water after the date the licence expires, they must apply to the EA to renew the licence.

New regulations came into effect on 1 January 2018 to improve the management of water resources and to ensure protection of the environment. Licensing exemptions that previously allowed the use of water from ground or surface water sources without the need for a licence were mostly removed. This process is known as New Authorisations. Between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022, the EA issued 1,322 New Authorisations licences. These are included in the table above.

Waste Disposal
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Wednesday 14th February 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department holds data on the number of environmental permits issued by the Environment Agency for the purposes of discharging (a) liquid effluent and (b) waste water to (i) surface water and (ii) the ground in each year since 2015.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The number of environmental permits issued by the Environment Agency for the purposes of discharging liquid effluent and waste water (both surface and ground) each year since 2015 is as follows. Note that the figure for 2023 does not represent the total for that year as the data set is incomplete.


2015 – 943
2016 – 1206
2017 – 1134
2018 – 1108
2019 – 1085
2020 – 1245
2021 – 1208
2022 – 1388
2023 – 1370
Total – 10687

These figures indicate the number of new water quality permits issued by year.

Under Section 22 of ‘the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, the Environment Agency has the power to revoke an environmental permit in whole or in part. This can happen for several reasons including operator competence or poor compliance with regulatory (permit) requirements, which means not all permits issued remain in place.


More widely the Environment Agency is strengthening the way it regulates the water industry, with 100% of storm overflows in England now monitored and more than 12,000 storm overflow permits updated with stricter conditions since 2015. This ongoing work to modernise our permit stock will ensure the unacceptable number of spills into our waterways is reduced.

Telecommunications: Empty Property
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 11th March 2024

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether officials in her Department have had discussions with British Telecom on the potential use of former telephone exchange buildings that are vacant and derelict.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) engages with Openreach on a regular basis to discuss their digital infrastructure plans. DSIT have not had discussions with Openreach about the potential use of former telephone exchange buildings that are vacant and derelict. Exiting exchanges is a long-term endeavour and most exits are expected to happen in early 2030s. Five exchanges are planned to close as part of a trial in the 2024-2025 period. DIST officials remain in contact with Openreach and will aim to discuss how exchange buildings will be repurposed.

Food: Hygiene
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Monday 11th March 2024

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department holds data on the number of (a) establishments that received food hygiene inspections in 2023 and (b) ratings that were issued by each category defined by the Food Standards Agency.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Food Standards Agency does not hold data on the number of establishments receiving a food hygiene inspection in 2023. However, the attached tables show the number of food hygiene interventions carried out by local authorities in each country, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, for the periods 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 and 1 April 2023 to 30 September 2023. This includes interventions other than inspections and audits, such as visits to monitor and verify the standards of food hygiene, visits to take samples, visits to give advice, or the assessment of documents provided by the food business. It also includes the number of food hygiene inspections and audits carried out by local authorities in each country, for the period 1 April 2023 to 30 September 2023.

Local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland issued 199,262 food hygiene ratings from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023. The attached tables show the data for each country by each category of food establishment, and the aggregate totals for the three countries. A food establishment may have been subject to more than one intervention, or may have received more than one food hygiene rating during 2023.

Incinerators
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department holds data on the number of Industrial Emissions Directive environmental permits that have been issued by the Environment Agency in each year since 2015.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Environmental permits are issued under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) 2016, which implement the Industrial Emissions Directive. Of the activities listed in the Industrial Emissions Directive, the Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for regulating larger (known as A1) sites under the 2016 Regulations in England, whereas local authorities regulate smaller sized (known as A2) sites.

The number of permits issued by the EA under the 2016 Regulations relating to activities in the Industrial Emissions Directive is set out below. Data for the whole year 2023 is incomplete.

Year

Total issued

2015

236

2016

303

2017

284

2018

265

2019

161

2020

167

2021

178

2022

118

2023

70

The number of permits issued is governed by regulatory, economic and social drivers. The capacity of the regulator and application quality and application size and complexity are all relevant factors.

Some drivers that may have affected the number of new applications:

  • Greater numbers in 2015, 2016 etc driven by new activities being prescribed under the Industrial Emissions Directive and subject to environmental permitting.
  • There is a general trend of fewer applications being made over recent years.
  • Fewer applications were received and processed during 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic and capacity issues.




Julian Knight mentioned

Parliamentary Debates
Budget Resolutions
131 speeches (43,925 words)
Wednesday 6th March 2024 - Commons Chamber
Department for Business and Trade
Mentions:
1: Jacob Rees-Mogg (Con - North East Somerset) Member for Solihull (Julian Knight) mentioned the tourist tax. - Link to Speech