Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the potential annual cost of tariffs which will be paid by UK businesses to the EU in the event that a free trade agreement is not signed.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The UK wants a relationship with the EU which is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals, and centred on free trade. The Government believes that it is still possible to reach an agreement with a Free Trade Agreement at the core, like those the EU has agreed with other close partners around the world, and that this could be done quickly.
A negotiated outcome remains the Government’s clear preference. It has put forward proposals and is working hard to reach a deal with the EU. The Government’s aim is a zero tariff zero quota FTA, given that avoiding tariffs is beneficial to both sides.
From 1 January, the UK will keep all our tariff revenue, rather than remit 80% to the EU as we have done as a member of the customs union.
As is standard practice, the Office for Budget Responsibility will publish an updated estimate of tariff revenue at the next forecast based on their latest set of assumptions and tariff schedule.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to reply to the correspondence dated 15 April and 18 May 2020 from the hon. Member for Wellingborough on a proposed large scale chicken farm in the hon. Member's constituency.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Secretary of State replied to my Hon. Friend’s correspondence on 13 July 2020.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) instructors, (b) examiners and (c) pupils will be required to wear face coverings when driving tests and teaching restart following the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
As the health and safety of staff and customers is key, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is currently working closely with the Department for Transport to prepare for a safe return to testing.
At present, its testing services are under review and it will announce details of resumption in due course.
The DVSA remains committed to resuming testing as soon as it is safe to do so and in line with further Government advice.
When providing driving lessons, all ADIs should put in place appropriate measures, in line with the latest Public Heath England and Cabinet Office guidance, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Using the latest Government guidance, the DVSA is working closely with the Approved Driving Instructors National Association Strategic Partnership (NASP) to develop appropriate plans and control measures that will enable the resumption of non-essential driving lessons.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what social distancing measures will be required when driving tuition resumes following the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
As the health and safety of staff and customers is key, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is currently working closely with the Department for Transport to prepare for a safe return to testing.
At present, its services are under review and it will announce details of resumption in due course.
When providing driving lessons, all approved driving instructors (ADI) should put in place appropriate measures, in line with the latest Public Heath England and Cabinet Office guidance, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Using the latest Government guidance, the DVSA is working closely with the Approved Driving Instructors National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) to develop appropriate plans and control measures that will enable the resumption of non-essential driving lessons.
Further information about safety measures can be found on line at: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when driving instructors will be able to resume teaching of learner drivers following the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recommends that, currently, approved driving instructors (ADI) should only provide lessons to candidates who have an essential need.
When providing driving lessons, all ADIs should put in place appropriate measures, in line with the latest Public Heath England and Cabinet Office guidance, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It is the responsibility of the ADI and the pupil to consider the risks to their health and to decide if the driving lesson is essential.
Using the latest Government guidance, the DVSA is working closely with the Approved Driving Instructors National Association Strategic Partnership (NASP) to develop appropriate plans and control measures that will enable the resumption of non-essential driving lessons.
The DVSA is working closely with the Department for Transport to prepare for a safe return to driver testing. Before practical driving tests are reintroduced, the DVSA will inform the driver training industry, which will help candidates to prepare and reach the standard of driving needed to pass their test.
The DVSA will provide further updates on providing non-essential driving lessons as soon as it can.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to reopen the driving test booking system.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
As the health and safety of staff and customers is key, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is currently working hard to prepare for a safe return to testing.
At present, its testing services are under review and it will announce details of resumption in due course.
Before practical driving tests are reintroduced, the DVSA will inform the driver training industry. This will help candidates prepare and reach the standard of driving needed to pass their test.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of body bags available for use by (a) the NHS and (b) funeral directors.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government published ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan’ on 10 April. It incorporates guidance on who needs PPE and when they need it, routes to ensure those who need it can get it at the right time and sets out actions to secure enough PPE to last through the crisis. PPE includes aprons, eye protectors, face masks, gloves, gowns, hand hygiene, clinical waste bags and body bags.
In addition to making PPE available to National Health Service trusts, primary care and adult social care, we are also delivering PPE to all Local Resilience Forums (LRFs). These multi-agency LRF partnerships are made up of representatives from local public services, including the emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, the Environment Agency and others. This enables LRFs to respond to urgent local spikes in need across the adult social care system and other front-line services, including mortuary and funeral services where providers are unable to access PPE through their usual routes.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to ensure that (a) emails and (b) letters from hon. Members on constituents' concerns are answered (i) fully and (ii) promptly.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department takes the concerns raised by any individual or group seriously. As my hon. Friend will appreciate, the Department is currently receiving exceptionally high volumes of correspondence.
The Department is doing everything possible to ensure that it provides all colleagues and stakeholders with the most up to date and relevant information in response to their queries or concerns.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many investigations were carried out by public bodies into (a) leave and (b) remain campaign organisations involved in the 2016 EU referendum; and what the (i) direct costs and (ii) costs paid to external organisations were of each investigation.
Answered by Chloe Smith
This information is not held by the Cabinet Office.
Investigations were carried out by a range of public bodies in relation to organisations campaigning on both sides in the 2016 EU referendum. These include the Electoral Commission, National Crime Agency, Metropolitan Police and Information Commissioner’s Office.
Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how the electoral commissioners are appointed; and what steps the Government takes to ensure those commissioners will be impartial and independent.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission is required to oversee the procedure for selecting candidates for appointment to the Electoral Commission in accordance with the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (“PPERA”) 2000. Candidates that are put forward are subject to an Address in the House of Commons, and require approval by the Speaker of the House of Commons and Her Majesty the Queen. The Electoral Commission is independent of Government.