Kevin Foster

At parish and diocesan level the Church is closely involved in providing support to homeless people through night shelters and other activities, and raising funds and awareness. Recently in the House of Lords bishops supported the Homelessness Reduction Bill.

In the Torbay area the Vicar on the Streets initiative undertaken by Revd Gary Deighton of St George's Church, Goodrington, and the Winter Night Shelter run by local churches have both made a real difference to the issues of homelessness. The clergy and parishioners of Goodrington and Torbay have raised nearly five thousand pounds over the period of Lent to support the Shekinah Mission, which works across Devon to provide a safe space for people to develop their skills, regain their self-worth and go on to live independent and fulfilling lives.

We have committed to a review of the Gender Recognition Act to streamline and demedicalise the gender recognition process.

We have begun our programme of work on reviewing the gender recognition process, and we will provide an update on the Government’s progress in 2017.

A number of terrorist murders from the Troubles are actively under investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other police forces. But I am clear that under current mechanisms for investigating the past there is a disproportionate focus on former members of the armed forces and the Police. The Government is committed to ensuring that all outstanding deaths in Northern Ireland should be investigated in ways that are fair, balanced and proportionate.

I would like to thank my hon Friend the Member for Torbay for his tireless work to support the hospitality and tourism sector across his constituency.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme has provided much needed support with high energy costs over the winter. We continue to work closely with the sector, including through the newly-established Hospitality Sector Council and across Government to ensure a successful future for these important industries.

High quality, well paid jobs are a crucial part of our economy and are underpinned by productivity. Our Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term plan to boost productivity by investing in skills, industries and infrastructure.

We have overseen the biggest increase in R&D funding in the last 40 years, committing £7 billion by 2023/2024; have the fastest growing infrastructure investment across the G7; and are providing £37bn of additional capital spending, all of which contribute to the creation of high-quality jobs across the UK.

The Government has no plans to amend current legislation as a result of this judgment. However, clear guidance on the issue is available on the GOV.UK and ACAS websites.

Current superfast broadband coverage is over 80% of UK premises and the Government remains committed to providing 95% coverage to homes and businesses by December 2017. This is an increase from 45% coverage in 2010.

Commercial broadband delivery is expected to cover 44,575 premises in the Torbay constituency. By the end of the Connecting Devon and Somerset project, coverage is expected to have increased to 49,101 premises.

This data is included in the table in the House of Commons Library: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/?house=1&search_term=Department+for+Culture%2c+Media+and+Sport&itemId=122028#toggle-163

Current superfast broadband coverage is over 80% of UK premises and the Government remains committed to providing 95% coverage to homes and businesses by December 2017. This is an increase from 45% coverage in 2010.

Commercial broadband delivery is expected to cover 44,575 premises in the Torbay constituency. By the end of the Connecting Devon and Somerset project, coverage is expected to have increased to 49,101 premises.

This data is included in the table in the House of Commons Library: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/?house=1&search_term=Department+for+Culture%2c+Media+and+Sport&itemId=122028#toggle-163

Local authorities are responsible for planning and securing sufficient school places in their area, and supporting them in doing so is one of this government’s top priorities.

Basic need funding is allocated to local authorities to support them in their work creating new school places. We use data provided by authorities to ensure funding is targeted according to levels of need in each area. Torbay has received £6 million of basic need funding for 2011-15, helping to create 147 new school places by the end of the academic year 2014-15, with many more in the pipeline. The 2015-18 basic need funding allocation for Torbay is £10 million.

The previous government published the first primary basic need scorecards to hold local authorities to account for the quality of the places they create. Torbay’s scorecard showed that as of summer 2013, 94% of primary places were created in ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ schools.

In England, the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme invests at least £6 million in the sector annually. Last year, it approved around 240 projects worth almost £4 million in Devon and Cornwall investing in health and safety, limiting the environmental impact of fishing and improving the value and quality of fisheries products. Wider support via the £100 million United Kingdom Seafood Fund is also available.

We have made clear in the recently updated statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs that the use of any training method that includes physical punishment may cause can cause pain, injury and distress, lead to aggressive responses and worsen the problems they aim to address. However, we keep legislation in this area under review.

During his visit to Iceland in August, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs raised the UK's continued opposition to commercial whaling with the Icelandic Prime Minister.

We hope to publish draft legislation for consultation around the turn of the year, as announced on 30 September.

On leaving the EU, the UK will under international law become an independent coastal state with responsibility for controlling and managing its Exclusive Economic Zone. This will provide an opportunity to reach new fairer agreements on access and quota arrangements which will benefit West Country fishermen. .

DFID supported the World Health Organisation to send 114 experts, mobilise 1.2 million doses of antibiotics and establish nine treatment centres to assist the Government of Madagascar, where the plague outbreak occurred. Three experts from the UK’s Public Health Rapid Support Team also provided vital support to contain the outbreak.

• On 28 February we published further proposals on transparency and scrutiny of FTAs. We confirmed we will publish our approach to negotiations, including objectives and initial economic analysis, and progress reports after each negotiating round.

• We announced our intention to work closely with a parliamentary committee to put in place measures to ensure effective parliamentary scrutiny throughout the process.

The UK has long supported the promotion of our values globally and this will continue as we leave the EU. The UK government’s position on the hunting of cetaceans is clear; we remain strongly opposed to it and strongly support the global moratorium on commercial whaling. We have committed publically on a number of occasions to raising the UK’s opposition to whaling with the relevant nations at every appropriate opportunity. We are exploring all options in the design of future bilateral trade and investment agreements and we want to ensure economic growth and environmental protection go hand-in-hand.

Anyone who uses a vehicle in such as manner as to cause excessive noise, but which is avoidable through reasonable driver care, is guilty of an offence under Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986, as amended. Enforcement Authorities also have powers to address noise nuisance under the Police Reform Act 2002 and the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

The Road Investment Strategy announced Government’s intention to upgrade the remaining sections of the A303 between the M3 and the A358 near Ilminster to dual carriageway standard, together with creating a dual carriageway link from the M5 at Taunton to the A303. It also set aside funding for smaller-scale improvements to the A303/A30 section between Ilminster and Honiton, for which Highways England has commissioned a study.

Three major schemes have commenced, including improvement of the section past Stonehenge between Amesbury and Berwick Down. Highways England launched a consultation on the Stonehenge tunnel proposal on 12 January 2017.

Implementation of the programme to transform the A303 route will run beyond the first Road Period (2015-2020) and subsequent Road Investment Strategies will fund the remaining improvements.

The CrossCountry Direct Award commenced on 16 October 2016 and expires on 13 October 2019. The Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route would then be considered as part of the next franchise.

As the CrossCountry franchise has recently been awarded, officials are not in negotiation with CrossCountry about renewing the franchise for the Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route.

The Franchise Agreement specifies the minimum requirements for train operators to conduct public consultations on significant alterations to train services (which can be additions or reductions). These are usually aligned to timetable change dates in May and December each year and are associated with major changes to the Timetable, with length of consultation related to the nature of the complexity of any proposed changes. Major proposed changes to the permanent train service specification (and associated timetable) require longer periods for consultation with stakeholders (usually at least 12 weeks) and must include bodies statutorily defined within the Railways Act 2005, such as Transport Focus.

Temporary, short-term changes to the timetable, due to restrictions of use imposed by the need of Network Rail to undertake engineering work (planned and unplanned) to the rail network, are not subject to consultation requirements. However, the Franchise Agreement specifies requirements upon train operating companies to advise passengers of amended timetable information well in advance to enable them to plan their journeys accordingly.

DWP announced the decommissioning of the Torquay Temporary Jobcentre on 17 May 2023. Customers and staff exited the site by June. The Department is in the process of preparing the site ready to hand back to the landlord.

We sincerely apologise that this work has taken so long. Since this issue was brought to our attention, we have escalated this to ensure the contractor completes the work as a matter of urgency.

The Department has provided the honourable member with a letter from DWP Estates with further information and a full explanation of the delay, which resulted from a combination of supplier failure and the transition to decommissioning this site.

We can confirm that replacement glazing units have been ordered and the Department will ensure installation is completed as quickly as possible.

Statistics on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Award Rates split by Parliamentary Constituency and Re-assessment indicator can be found in published statistics in data table 4Ci of: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics

Where a separated couple have joint custody for their children, only one of them will receive financial assistance for those children through Universal Credit. The separated couple may jointly nominate which of them that will be. The parent who receives financial support is the one whom the child normally lives with, but if the child normally lives with both, then it is the parent who has main responsibility for the child. This is to be decided by the parents, or failing that, the Secretary of State if the parents cannot agree or if the Secretary of State does not think that the nomination accurately reflects the arrangement. HM Revenue & Customs administer Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit and the rules similarly require that payment is directed towards the person who is mainly responsible for the child, so that at any one time, only one person can be entitled to receive payments in respect of a particular child.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a non-means-tested, non-taxable cash benefit that is paid regardless of the employment status of the claimant. It has been designed to take full account of fluctuating and variable conditions.

The Department encourages claimants to provide as much relevant evidence as necessary to support their claim. The “How your disability affects you” form and accompanying guidance sets out the range of information that can help the Department reach a decision. The guidance for Health Professionals also sets out sources of further evidence which could help inform their advice to the Department (Section 2.3 Further Evidence); this includes family members, carers or anyone else who supports them.

This guidance can be accessed on the gov.uk website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/547146/pip-assessment-guide.pdf

Jobcentre Plus work coaches are delivering a personalised service to best meet the needs of the claimant and the local labour market. The flexible model of support available through the Jobcentre Plus offer includes, Sector Based Work Academies, New Enterprise Allowance, Work Experience and access to skills provision.

In addition, the Work Programme offers tailored support to those people who are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed.

The information requested is not held centrally. Integrated care boards are encouraged to work with health providers in their area, including general practice (GP) surgeries, to ensure patient needs are met. The 2024/25 GP contract will introduce a requirement that GPs must have due regard for the requirements, needs, and circumstances of Armed Forces Veterans, when offering services and making onward referrals. In addition, the Veteran Friendly GP Practices, launched in 2018, is a voluntary scheme which enables GPs to deliver the best possible care and treatment for veterans and their families, including signposting and referrals to specialist services. As of March 2024, 85% of primary care networks have a veteran-friendly accredited GP in their area, and 83% of acute trusts have been accredited as veteran-aware.

The average pay of junior doctors will not change. The cost neutrality of the new contract means that the contract cannot in anyway be used to save money – it maintains the current spend for the current number of full-time equivalent doctors working the current average working week. The British Medical Association itself acknowledged this commitment and communicated it to its junior doctor members before the vote on the contract. Any growth in the junior doctor workforce/commitment will be funded from outside that envelope and the same average pay would apply to new juniors working the same working patterns.

Relevant information is shown in the following table. This includes deciles of total National Health Service earnings and non-basic pay per person received by consultants for the 12 months ending December 2015. These figures use the earnings of only those staff who worked all 12 months in this period and will not include consultants’ private income.

The following table sets out mean annual NHS earnings and mean annual non-basic pay NHS earnings per person received by consultants for the 12 months ending December 2015.

Source: NHS Digital, Provisional NHS Staff Earnings Estimates, Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). NHS Digital is the trading name for HSCIC.

Notes:

1. Mean annual non-basic pay per person is the mean amount, over and above of basic pay, paid to an individual in a 12 month period, regardless of the contracted full time equivalent (FTE) and including additional programmed activities.
2. Figures in the table are provisional NHS Staff Earnings estimates.
3. As expected with provisional data, some figures may be revised prior to the next publication as issues are uncovered and resolved.
4. Figures rounded to the nearest pound.
5. These figures represent payments made using the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system to NHS staff who are employed and directly paid by NHS organisations.
6. Figures based on data from all English NHS organisations who are using ESR (two Foundation Trusts do not use ESR).
7. These figures include all payments made through the ESR.
8. NHS Digital seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data.
9. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published, this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.

The career earnings of a doctor will depend on many factors and are therefore highly specific to individual circumstances. They will depend on decisions around gap years and career breaks, part-time working, the choice between general practice and other specialties, when they leave the National Health Service or retire and on the speed of progression through training. However, indications can be provided by constructing a hypothetical career based on reasonable assumptions in-line with current data.

It is estimated that assuming a 40 year full time career from Foundation Programme up to consultant or partner in General Practice, a junior doctor starting training in August 2016 could expect to earn around £4 million or an average of around £100,000 per year in 2016/17 prices.

Comparisons of pay across industries and sectors are notoriously difficult, capturing differences in pressures and working patterns is particularly complicated. Comparison of recent earnings growth for doctors compared with other high-earning occupations shows that doctors remain one of the very highest-earning occupations in the United Kingdom.

Under the new contract, which is based on the principle of equal pay for work of equal value and pay for hours worked, full time trainees working at the same level of responsibility will receive the same basic pay and will be paid the same unsocial hours and weekend allowances depending on how many they work. Less than full time trainees working at the same level of responsibility will receive equal pay to full timers pro-rated to the number of hours that they work. Weekend and on-call allowances are also pro–rated.

Those trainees working at ST4 and above will continue to be paid under the terms of the old contract, under transitional arrangements.

At the British Medical Association’s request, it was agreed that there would be four levels of responsibility within the junior doctor training path for pay purposes.