Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of making changes to police pension regulations to equalise survivor benefits for people in same sex and heterosexual marriages.
Answered by David Gauke
In 2014, a review of Survivor Benefits in occupational pension schemes was conducted jointly by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Treasury (HMT) which considered the differences in benefits provided to widows, widowers and same-sex survivors. Details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/occupational-pension-schemes-review-of-survivor-benefits. A decision will be made in due course, and the outcome will apply to the police pension scheme.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what restrictions the Government has put in place to prevent threatening and intimidating behaviour on the part of bailiffs.
Answered by Oliver Heald
The Government is clear that aggressive enforcement action is not acceptable. In April 2014 reforms were introduced to protect people from threatening and intimidating behaviour by enforcement agents. The reforms introduced, amongst other things, safeguards to prevent the use of force against debtors, mandatory training and a certification process for enforcement agents to ensure that they are the right people for the job.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy to expand London's transport zones to include (a) Spelthorne constituency and (b) other new areas inside the M25 orbital that do not use the oyster system.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Travelcard map, showing the zone in which each station falls, is set out as part of the Travelcard Agreement between the Train Operating Companies and Transport for London (TfL). Any changes to station zones must be proposed by a signatory to the Agreement and then agreed by the remaining signatories. The government is not a signatory to the Agreement and therefore has no role in proposing such changes to station zones.
Once a change is proposed by TfL and the Train Operating Companies, the Department for Transport can approve or reject the change proposals. This decision is made by the Secretary of State for Transport, on the basis of a business case and other wider policy and initiatives that may be considered at the time. If the proposal does not represent good value for money, it would be unlikely to get approval. It would be inappropriate for the Government to promote or back any proposals outside of this established process.
In the current rail franchising contracts there are commitments for train operators to bring forward proposals to extend Oyster and Contactless to Swanley, Epsom, Hertford North, Luton Airport Parkway and Welwyn Garden City. The Secretary of State will consider these proposals on their individual merits when they have been developed and submitted in accordance with the process set out above.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether land at the rear of number 243, Thames Side, Chertsey, or land within a two mile radius of it, has been used by his Department in the last 30 years.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The MOD holds no records showing the use of any land at the rear of number 243 Thames Side, Chertsey or within a two mile radius of that address.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will provide assistance to farmers in Zimbabwe who are forced from their land by the policies of the government of that country.
Answered by James Duddridge
I share My Right Honourable Friend’s concerns about the devastating impact of land seizures in Zimbabwe. The British Embassy in Harare frequently raises land security – and the importance of upholding the rule of law – with the Government of Zimbabwe. Most recently, they highlighted the British Government’s serious concerns that the seizure of the land of Zimbabwean farmer, Mr Philip Rankin, did not follow the provisions of the Zimbabwean constitution. The British Government has always said that it would support a fair, transparent and pro-poor land reform programme in Zimbabwe. This is vital if Zimbabwe is to realise its great economic and social potential.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will exempt companies which show a serious and sustained commitment to measurable and successful training from additional application and reporting requirements under the apprenticeship grant scheme.
Answered by Nick Boles
The Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) is a £1,500 grant per apprentice payable to eligible businesses with fewer than 50 employees who hire an apprentice aged 16 to 24.
To minimise burdens on employers, AGE is claimed through the training provider.
AGE funding has been devolved to some city regions as part of increasing local decision-making powers.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding the Government plans to provide for research on diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma brain tumours.
Answered by George Freeman
The usual practice of the Department's National Institute for Health Research and of the Medical Research Council is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. Both funders welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma and other brain tumours. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the Government plans to give to authorities in South Africa to help tackle high levels of crime in (a) rural and (b) other areas of that country.
Answered by James Duddridge
Her Majesty's Government provides assistance to South Africa to help tackle organised crime networks and minimise the threat they pose to the UK. This co-operation includes the sharing of information and expertise and the provision of capacity building. It does not differentiate between rural and other areas of the country.
These activities form part of the UK's contribution to counter organised crime and it is our policy not to disclose specific details about assistance given.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on securing funding for patients infected with contaminated blood and for their families.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Department is considering wider reform of financial assistance and other support for those affected with HIV and/or hepatitis C by infected NHS-supplied blood or blood products. We are doing this within the context of the spending review and in a way that is sustainable for the future. We plan to consult on a way forward before the end of the year.
Before the election, the Prime Minister announced an additional one-off £25 million to ease transition to a reformed system of payments for affected individuals. The Department is currently considering how that money will be used.
Asked by: Kwasi Kwarteng (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on aircraft not adhering to the Compton easterly departure route from Heathrow; and what plans he plans to address (a) that issue and (b) noise pollution arising from such non-adherence.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Department receives regular correspondence from the public on Heathrow noise matters and this has included occasional representations on questions about the Compton routes.
The Government are aware that some aircraft are unable to follow accurately the long established easterly Compton Noise Preferential Route at Heathrow. It is expected that as part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Future Airspace Strategy, existing departure routes at Heathrow will need to be reviewed and updated so that aircraft can use more accurate satellite-based navigation. Any such proposal will be subject to the CAA’s airspace change process which includes consultation requirements.