Martin Whitfield

UK political parties and campaigners can only receive donations (including donations in kind) from permissible sources. These sources are set out in legislation and include individuals on the electoral roll, companies registered in the UK and carrying on business here, and a number of other UK-registered bodies. Separate provisions apply in Northern Ireland. Accepting donations from any impermissible donor is an offence.

Under the Communications Act 2003, other than party political broadcasts, political advertising is prohibited on TV and radio. However, the Government recognises the problems caused by misleading and false information online, and we take the security and integrity of our democratic processes very seriously.

The Government’s manifesto includes a commitment to take steps to protect the reliability and objectivity of information that is essential to our democracy and a free, independent press. Therefore we are working with the broadcast and press sectors, social media and the broader tech industry, academics and international partner governments to ensure we have a news environment where accurate content can prevail. We are also working to improve the critical analysis and digital literacy skills of the wider population.

As is the case with other Public Sector employees, the Civil Nuclear Police Authority’s employees will move into the Alpha Pensions scheme. A decision to modify the statutory scheme ultimately rests with HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office. BEIS officials are engaging with all interested parties to provide certainty for CNPA and its staff.

There have been no discussions about expanding the roles and responsibilities of the CNC in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

The CNC is part of long-standing arrangements to provide mutual aid to other police forces, and will provide support, when requested, provided there is no impact on meeting their core civil nuclear security mission.

The BEIS Equality Analysis on the CNC pension age will be published once all policy discussions on this matter are complete.

I was delighted to be able to visit the Griffin Park Tactical Training Facility in April this year. As I saw, this is a world class facility which will ensure that the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) are able to continue to effectively deliver their mission of protecting civil nuclear sites and materials. The CNC are planning to take full occupancy of the building in early 2019, and to commence firearms training there in spring.

The equality analysis will be published in due course.

The government expects the BBC to collect the licence fee in an efficient and proportionate way to reduce costs and evasion. We continue to explore the feasibility of subscription data sharing.

Wave 2 of the Challenge Fund closed to applications on 26th January 2018. We expect to notify applicants about the successful applications in March 2018 and we anticipate that the next wave of the Challenge Fund will open to applications in the summer of 2018.

Ensuring that the UK's digital and technology sectors remain strong and at the forefront of international innovation and enterprise are priorities for this Government

Since the 2016 referendum, we have carried out extensive and diverse engagement with hundreds of businesses of all sizes across the UK on the potential implications of our withdrawal from the EU, alongside extensive wider analysis and engagement.

Investment continues to flow into the UK’s tech businesses as they go from strength to strength. Only yesterday, FinTech start-up Neyber received a huge £100m boost.

The Scotch Whisky industry provides vital employment and investment to communities across Scotland. It is estimated that 7,000 people are directly employed by the industry in rural areas of Scotland.

More than 10,500 people are directly employed in the Scotch Whisky industry in Scotland, and over 42,000 jobs across the UK are supported by the industry.

DFID led the development of the new HMG Strategic Coherence of ODA-funded Research (SCOR) Board within the UK Collaborative for Development Sciences UKCDS (DFID is the major funder of UKCDS). SCOR has been established as a cross-HMG mechanism to ensure that UK’s ODA-funded science and research is coherent across HMG departments and is having maximum impact on international development objectives and outcomes in developing countries.

The Board’s first meeting was held on the 17 Nov 2017. DFID is represented on by Board through the departmental Chief Scientific Adviser who is also responsible for DFID research budget. The SCOR Board is planning to meet four times in 2018, starting in January.

DFID led the development of the new HMG Strategic Coherence of ODA-funded Research (SCOR) Board within the UK Collaborative for Development Sciences UKCDS (DFID is the major funder of UKCDS). SCOR has been established as a cross-HMG mechanism to ensure that UK’s ODA-funded science and research is coherent across HMG departments and is having maximum impact on international development objectives and outcomes in developing countries.

The Board’s first meeting was held on the 17 Nov 2017. DFID is represented on by Board through the departmental Chief Scientific Adviser who is also responsible for DFID research budget. The SCOR Board is planning to meet four times in 2018, starting in January.

Scotch whisky is a significant contributor to the UK’s overall food and drink exports. In 2018, whisky exports reached a record £4.8bn, representing over 21% of total food and drink exports. This is an increase of 9.1% on 2017. The largest export market, USA, recorded export sales of £1.06bn, an increase of 12.4%.

As outlined in the Government’s White Paper ‘Preparing for our future UK trade policy’, we remain committed to a transparent, fair, and rules-based approach to international trade and invited views on the UK’s approach to its future trade policy.

We are reviewing responses and continue to engage with stakeholders on these issues.

After March 2019, the Government will ensure that Parliament has an appropriate role to play in the scrutiny of new UK trade treaties.

I have raised the US anti-dumping and subsidies investigation into Bombardier personally with Trade Commissioner Malmström, just prior to the Department of Commerce’s preliminary determination of 26 September.

The Government understands the importance of accessible on-board information in helping bus passengers to travel with confidence, and in Summer 2018 published a public consultation on proposals to require its provision on local bus services throughout Great Britain.

We continue to analyse responses to the consultation and expect to announce our next steps regarding the making of Regulations and publication of guidance later in the year.

The Government is considering all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for the continued recognition of Blue Badges. Whilst we are confident of agreeing continued mutual recognition, as this would be in the interest of both the UK and the EU, the negotiation of the arrangements for our exit from the EU are ongoing and no decisions on this topic have yet been taken.

Regulations are already in place to help prevent headlights from causing glare, and there are no plans to change national law.

Before vehicles can be sold or registered in the United Kingdom manufacturers must ensure compliance with international vehicle approval requirements, which include defined beam patterns and intensities to minimise the occurrence of glare. The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 prohibit the use of headlights that can cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other road users. Vehicle users have a responsibility to ensure their vehicles are maintained correctly, and headlight aim is checked at the annual roadworthiness inspection (MOT test) to ensure it is within acceptable limits.

My officials meet regularly with Cross Country to discuss a range of issues including crowding on trains. Currently, there is no suitable rolling stock available that could be used on this franchise to alleviate the services which suffer overcrowding. We are, however, working with Cross Country to see what other opportunities might exist to reduce overcrowding.

The Department has no current plans to commission a report on the effect of driving with impaired vision on the safety of motorcyclists.

All drivers and riders must be able to meet the required visual acuity and visual field standards, which includes being able to read a number plate from 20 metres. Drivers are also legally responsible for notifying the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) at any time of a change in their health or vision which may affect their ability to meet the appropriate standards.

The Government fully supports the NHS’s recommendation that adults should have their eyes tested every two years. The DVLA has changed its driving licence application forms to highlight the importance of having regular eyesight tests. The photo card driving licence renewal letter that the DVLA sends to drivers has also been amended to include this important message.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Informal observations form part of the suite of evidence used by Health Professionals at the face to face assessment to help Case Managers determine entitlement to benefit, along with medical evidence, history of conditions, social and occupational history, functional history including the ‘typical day’ and the functional examination.

More information can be found at paragraph 1.6 in the Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-1-the-assessment-process#carrying-out-pip-assessments

The information requested on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) mandatory reconsiderations (MR) and appeals for claimants with a primary disabling condition of Multiple Sclerosis in Scotland, Wales and England can be found in the tables below.

The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities: http://www.communities-ni.gov.uk

Since PIP was introduced 4.1m decisions have been made up to March 2019, of these 10% have been appealed and 5% have been overturned.

Reassessments from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP.

Table 1: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for reassessment claims to PIP with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, Scotland.

Table 2: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for reassessment claims to PIP with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, Wales.

Table 3: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for reassessment claims to PIP with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, England.

New Claims to PIP.

Table 4: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for PIP new claims with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, Scotland.

Table 5: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for PIP new claims with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, Wales.

Table 6: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for PIP new claims with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, England.

Source: PIP Computer System

All data rounded to the nearest 10. # refers to where there are less than 5 cases.

Components may not sum to totals due to rounding.

In the application process, claimants’ primary disabling condition is only recorded for collation by the Department at assessment.

Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer systems. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.

The geography relates to the origin of the claim (i.e. derived from claimant’s postcode).

PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants.

Some decisions which are changed at MR, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal. Therefore the number of people who had a decision changed at MR and the number of people who had a decision changed at tribunal appeal cannot be added together.

Lapsed appeals are where DWP changed the decision after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at Tribunal.

Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to an MR and appeal.

The information requested on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) mandatory reconsiderations (MR) and appeals for claimants with a primary disabling condition of Multiple Sclerosis in Scotland, Wales and England can be found in the tables below.

The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities: http://www.communities-ni.gov.uk

Since PIP was introduced 4.1m decisions have been made up to March 2019, of these 10% have been appealed and 5% have been overturned.

Reassessments from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP.

Table 1: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for reassessment claims to PIP with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, Scotland.

Table 2: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for reassessment claims to PIP with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, Wales.

Table 3: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for reassessment claims to PIP with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, England.

New Claims to PIP.

Table 4: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for PIP new claims with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, Scotland.

Table 5: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for PIP new claims with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, Wales.

Table 6: The number of Initial Decisions, MRs and appeals for PIP new claims with a main disabling condition of multiple sclerosis, England.

Source: PIP Computer System

All data rounded to the nearest 10. # refers to where there are less than 5 cases.

Components may not sum to totals due to rounding.

In the application process, claimants’ primary disabling condition is only recorded for collation by the Department at assessment.

Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer systems. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.

The geography relates to the origin of the claim (i.e. derived from claimant’s postcode).

PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants.

Some decisions which are changed at MR, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal. Therefore the number of people who had a decision changed at MR and the number of people who had a decision changed at tribunal appeal cannot be added together.

Lapsed appeals are where DWP changed the decision after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at Tribunal.

Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to an MR and appeal.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Informal observations form part of the suite of evidence used by Health Professionals at the face to face assessment to help Case Managers determine entitlement to benefit, along with medical evidence, history of conditions, social and occupational history, functional history including the ‘typical day’ and the functional examination.

More information can be found at paragraph 1.6 in the Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-1-the-assessment-process#carrying-out-pip-assessments

To gather this information, each claim would have to be looked at individually, therefore could only be provided at disproportionate cost.