Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support people working in education who experience mental health issues.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Didcot and Wantage to the answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 19632.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the length of paternity leave taken by men on women.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is really important that parents are able to spend sufficient time with their children without it negatively affecting their careers.
The Parental Rights Survey found that 70% of employee fathers took Paternity Leave.
More work needs to be done to support working parents, and we have committed to a review of the parental leave system. Work is underway planning its delivery.
The Employment Rights Bill will make Parental and Paternity Leave ‘day one’ rights, bringing 1.5 million parents into scope for Parental Leave, and 32,300 into scope for Paternity Leave.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of reforming the electoral system used to elect Members of Parliament.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has no plans to change the voting system for Parliamentary elections.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions, as announced in the Autumn Budget 2024, on the the cost of nursery provision for parents.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage to the answer of 11 November 2024 to Question 12804.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of reforming the electoral system used to elect Members of Parliament.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 5974 on 14 October 2024.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the initial findings of the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) relating to the import of e-bikes, whether he plans to accept the TRA's recommendations on that matter; and what his planned timetable is for making a decision on potential UK trade defence measures against e-bikes from China.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 22 May 2023 the Trade Remedies Authority initiated transition reviews of the existing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy trade remedy measures on electric bicycles originating from China.
As both reviews remain ongoing, I cannot comment further. The Trade Remedies Authority will publish relevant information on the public file as the review progresses.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much and what proportion of the £500 million funding announced for the Restoring Your Railway Fund in January 2020 (a) has been fully allocated, (b) is still to be allocated and cannot be cancelled for contractual reasons and (c) remains unallocated.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Ideas Fund element of RYR supported the development of early-stage business cases. As of 4 July 2024, £21.24m has been spent. The allocated funds were £50.84m.
Advanced Proposals refer to proposed lines and stations that were already being considered by the Department for Transport prior to the launch of Restoring Your Railway. As of 4 July 2024, £307.36m has been spent. The allocated funds were £322.59m.
The New Stations Fund is intended to fund new stations, with eight new stations across England and Wales being delivered. As of 4 July 2024, £20.58m has been spent. The allocated funds were £32m.
Following the Chancellor’s 29 July announcement, the Restoring Your Railway programme will be brought to a close.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the £500 million of funding announced for the Restoring Your Railway Fund in January 2020 has been allocated to (a) the Ideas Fund, (b) support advanced proposals for re-opening of railway lines, (c) support advanced proposals for re-opening of train stations and (d) support advanced proposals for new train stations.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Ideas Fund element of RYR supported the development of early-stage business cases. As of 4 July 2024, £21.24m has been spent. The allocated funds were £50.84m.
Advanced Proposals refer to proposed lines and stations that were already being considered by the Department for Transport prior to the launch of Restoring Your Railway. As of 4 July 2024, £307.36m has been spent. The allocated funds were £322.59m.
The New Stations Fund is intended to fund new stations, with eight new stations across England and Wales being delivered. As of 4 July 2024, £20.58m has been spent. The allocated funds were £32m.
Following the Chancellor’s 29 July announcement, the Restoring Your Railway programme will be brought to a close.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on the Northumberland Line; and what estimate she has made of the date by which that work will be completed.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Recent progress on the Northumberland Line includes completion of track and signalling upgrades which have allowed driver training to commence, and the stations at Ashington, Newsham and Seaton Delaval nearing construction completion ahead of undergoing authorisation to operate a passenger service.
Based on information from the Northumberland County Council project team we currently estimate that passenger services will commence in December 2024 between those three stations and Newcastle. The remaining stations will open as soon as possible after this.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer of 29 July 2024, Official Report, column 1037, which projects under the Restoring Your Railway programme will not go ahead.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Aside from Restore Your Railway projects currently at the RNEP ‘Deliver’ stage or in delivery/construction, all remaining Restore Your Railway originated projects are now being considered as part of preparations for the Spending Review. Ministers have been clear that not all projects will be able to proceed to delivery due to the challenging financial situation facing the Department.