Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Union connectivity review: final report, published on 26 November 2021, what progress he has made in implementing recommendation 3.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Union Connectivity Review was an independent review, led by Lord Peter Hendy of Richmond Hill. We agree that high quality data across all transport modes in the UK are vital for managing capacity, ensuring safety and future transport planning. We are considering the current scope of data collection with a view to expanding it where possible and beneficial. This will include improving collaborative working with the devolved administrations on data sharing.
For example, improving the collection of UK-wide data was discussed at the Transport Inter-Ministerial Group in May. Ministers have asked officials from all administrations to conduct an audit of existing data sharing arrangements and look for areas of improvement and further collaboration.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland on the union connectivity review.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Officials from the Department for Transport regularly engage with their counterparts in Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure on the recommendations made by Lord Peter Hendy’s Union Connectivity Review (UCR). The UK Government’s response to the UCR was published on 7 December 2023 and outlined UK Government funding of £4.8m to support the recommendations made for improved rail connections in Northern Ireland, including £700k for a feasibility study on reopening the Antrim to Lisburn railway line with an additional stop at Belfast International Airport.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland on (a) its consultation on inconsiderate pavement parking, which closed on 18 March 2022 and (b) when it plans to publish a response to the consultation.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
Policy regarding pavement parking and its enforcement in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Infrastructure. Any decision around the publication of the results of the ‘Inconsiderate pavement parking - Options Paper’ and the potential implementation of its recommendations rest with the Department of Infrastructure.
A devolved power-sharing government, in line with the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, is the best way to deliver good governance and prosperity in Northern Ireland. It is vital that the Northern Ireland Executive is restored so that locally elected representatives are in place to continue important policy development relating to issues such as parking and enforcement.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to provide funding to small hauliers to incentivise the transition to zero emission vehicles.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Government grants have been in place for over a decade to help reduce the up-front purchase price of electric vehicles. Since 2011, the Government has provided over £1.8 billion in grant funding to bring ultra-low emission vehicles onto UK roads, which has supported over 500,000 ULEVs. 355,000 of which are zero emission vehicles.
The Plug-in Van and Truck Grants remain available until at least the financial year 2024/25. Through these grants, customers can secure funds of up to £2,500 for small vans and £5,000 for large vans.
All Plug-in Vehicle grants are kept under continual review to ensure best value for money for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the cost to the public purse of damage to pavements caused by pavement parking in each of the last five years.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is fully aware that pavement parking can pose problems for all pedestrians, including from damage to pavements. Local authorities are responsible for pavement maintenance and already have powers to tackle pavement parking by implementing Traffic Regulation Orders. The Department has consulted on further options to help local authorities outside London tackle this issue and will publish a formal response when final decisions have been taken. Any new measures will be accompanied by an impact assessment, which will include an estimate of the cost of damage to pavements caused by pavement parking.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has taken recent steps to withdraw British citizenship from people who are members of Hamas.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We cannot comment on any individual cases.
We have made clear, those who promote genocide, glorify terrorism and revel in the murder of innocent people must know that they will experience the full force of the law, including those who may hold British citizenship.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to (a) schools and (b) other educational establishments to help ensure political impartiality in messaging shared with (i) students and (ii) the wider community.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken from an urgent GP referral to the commencement of treatment for cancer for patients in South Antrim constituency.
Answered by Will Quince
As health in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter, the Department does not hold this information centrally.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Faster Diagnosis Standard.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department has not made a formal assessment of the effectiveness of the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) but works closely with NHS England who are responsible for managing performance of National Health Service providers. National performance of the FDS, which aims to ensure patients have cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days of referral from a general practitioner or screening services, was at 73.5% performance in June 2023. FDS performance has averaged over 71% since collection started in April 2021, and we are confident the NHS will meet the ambition of 75% by March 2024.
NHS England plans to streamline cancer pathways to support diagnosis within 28 days by implementing non-symptom specific (NSS) pathways for patients who present with non-specific symptoms that can indicate several cancers, as well as implementing timed cancer pathways. By March 2024, the NSS programme will achieve full population coverage across England for non-specific symptom pathways as set out in the 2023/24 NHS Planning Guidance.
Diagnostic checks are a key part of many elective care pathways. NHS England’s ambition is that 95% of patients needing a diagnostic check receive it within six weeks by March 2025. £2.3 billion was awarded at the 2021 Spending Review to transform diagnostic services over the next three years. Most of this will help increase the number of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) up to 160 by March 2025, expanding and protecting elective planned diagnostic services. There are 116 CDCs currently operational that have delivered over four million tests since July 2021.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to permit people with terminal illness to try medications approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence but not for their condition.
Answered by Will Quince
Prescribers are able to offer any treatment that they consider to be the most clinically appropriate care for the individual, subject to the NHS commissioner agreeing to funding. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the NHS on whether all new medicines and significant licence extensions for existing medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of their costs and benefits.
The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE. In the absence of NICE guidance on the use of a medicine, NHS commissioners are expected to make funding decisions on individual treatments based on an assessment of the available evidence.