Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government last held discussions with the European Commission on the potential merits of negotiating a mutual recognition of professional qualifications agreement for the aviation sector.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We have already begun working to reset the UK-EU relationship. The Prime Minister has had positive early calls and meetings, including with Ursula von der Leyen, and key leaders in Member States. The Minister for the Cabinet Office has visited Brussels twice in the first two weeks of the new Government and met with his counterpart, Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.
We want to improve the trading relationship with the EU, including on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and we look forward to exploring this further with our European partners.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to commence negotiations on a future reciprocal agreement with the European Commission for professional qualifications.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We have already begun working to reset the UK-EU relationship. The Prime Minister has had positive early calls and meetings, including with Ursula von der Leyen, and key leaders in Member States. The Minister for the Cabinet Office has visited Brussels twice in the first two weeks of the new Government and met with his counterpart, Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.
We want to improve the trading relationship with the EU, including on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and we look forward to exploring this further with our European partners.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to publish an updated Transparency Report on the Government's land and property disposals in (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2022-23.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In recent years, the Cabinet Office has reported information on receipts from property disposals through its annual State of the Estate report which is laid before Parliament (SOFTE 2020-21; SOFTE 2021-22). The Department plans to continue to do this.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Office of Government Property's policy is on the disposal of surplus land following the withdrawal of that office's previous guidance on that matter on 1 June 2021.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The new Government Property Strategy, which was published in the Summer, sets out the policy to achieve a smaller, better, greener government estate, disposing of surplus, underutilised and poor quality property to enable efficiency savings and bring in capital receipts. When disposing of surplus sites, organisations should assess alternative uses and Government policy priorities to identify the most appropriate disposal mechanism.
Work has been underway to revise guidance for the disposal of government property to reflect the aims of the new Strategy. It is intended to reissue this guidance in the New Year.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government has spent on campaigns to encourage better ventilation in buildings across the UK in (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 33512 on 23 March 2020.
The Government has promoted the importance of ventilation in homes and businesses in its coronavirus (COVID-19) behaviour change campaigns throughout 2020 and 2021. The fresh air message has been integrated into other important behaviours for individuals and businesses to take and as such it is not possible to identify a specific amount focused solely on ventilation.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what reports he has received of the Office for National Statistics sending out negative covid-19 test results for tests taken six or more weeks ago.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether door-to-door carol singing is permitted under the new national covid-19 lockdown restrictions in operation from 5 November 2020.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
On 5 November, the Government acted swiftly in accordance with growing evidence of virus prevalence to put in place new national COVID-19 restrictions in England. Under these new restrictions from 5 November until 2 December you must stay at home and avoid meeting people you do not live with (except for specific purposes).
From 2 December, we will return to a regional approach and any guidance on carol singing will be updated depending on the Local COVID alert level of the area in which you live. For further information on COVID-19 restrictions, please see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of publishing the total number of UK deaths alongside the daily number of covid-19 related deaths.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the Government chose not to provide a live British Sign Language interpreter at each daily covid-19 briefing.
Answered by Chloe Smith
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQs 39766 and 41529 on 4 May 2020.