Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress she has made on the transition from housing benefit to Universal Credit; and what steps she is taking to reduce (a) hardship, (b) debt and (c) eviction risks for households using housing benefit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The DWP started sending Migration Notices to Housing Benefit only customers from 17 July 2024 and is committed to ensuring that the transition to Universal Credit works as smoothly as possible for all individuals.
DWP has processes in place within Universal Credit to help reduce hardship, debt and risk of eviction. For example, people who receive Housing Benefit and then claim Universal Credit will receive a two-week run on of their housing payment while they transition to Universal Credit Housing Payment. Universal Credit customers who require support to adapt to Universal Credit can also have their housing costs paid directly to landlords through an Alternative Payment Arrangement.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides on whether Heathrow Airport is legally required to support (a) noise abatement schemes, (b) sound insulation and (c) double glazing for properties affected by aircraft noise from that airport.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Heathrow Airport is a designated aerodrome under Section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982, for the purpose of limiting, or of mitigating the effect of, noise and vibration connected with the taking-off or landing of aircraft. Noise abatement procedures for Heathrow Airport, specified by the Secretary of State, are set out in the airport’s Aeronautical Information Publication.
Existing policy on noise insulation, which would incorporate sound insulation and double glazing, is set out in the Aviation Policy Framework 2013 and in the 2017 Airspace policy consultation response.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make quaternary water treatment mandatory for sewage plants serving large populations.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra currently has no plans to make it mandatory for sewage plants to implement quaternary water treatment proposals. If changes are deemed necessary, these will be undertaken through usual consultation routes to assess the costs and benefits of making these changes.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 64 of the Migration Advisory Committee's report entitled, Rapid Review of the Graduate Route, published on 14 May 2024, if she will take steps to implement the recommendation on requiring universities to publish data on (a) their spend on recruitment agents and (b) the number of international students recruited through such agents.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
The Migration Advisory Committee's review’s findings are currently being considered very closely. The Government will respond to the MAC’s recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 64 of the Migration Advisory Committee's report entitled, Rapid Review of the Graduate Route, published on 14 May 2024, if she will take steps to implement the recommendation on establishing a mandatory registration system for international recruitment agents and subagents.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
The Migration Advisory Committee's review’s findings are currently being considered very closely. The Government will respond to the MAC’s recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants are working on matters relating to common sense at the instruction of the Minister without portfolio within the Cabinet Office.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
The Minister’s official role is the Minister without Portfolio, a role which has a large scope across government. The Minister supports the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for the Cabinet Office, to identify where our public sector delivery is inhibited by bureaucracy and inefficiencies. The Minister’s overarching aim is to ensure efficiency and value for money for the taxpayer.
Further information on the Minister without Portfolio’s role can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/people/esther-mcvey.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on matters relating to common sense at the instruction of the Minister without portfolio within the Cabinet Office since her appointment.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
The Minister’s official role is the Minister without Portfolio, a role which has a large scope across government. The Minister supports the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for the Cabinet Office, to identify where our public sector delivery is inhibited by bureaucracy and inefficiencies. The Minister’s overarching aim is to ensure efficiency and value for money for the taxpayer.
Further information on the Minister without Portfolio’s role can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/people/esther-mcvey.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his timeline is for reviewing the business case for strengthening works on Hammersmith Bridge.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Given the complexity of the Strengthening works and the rising projected costs, Ministers are considering next steps and will make a final decision on the business case in due course.
In the meantime, my Department is continuing to work productively with both the Borough and Transport for London to ensure the eventual reopening of Hammersmith Bridge to all users, subject to cost.
The Government recognises the frustration Londoners feel due to the ongoing closure of Hammersmith Bridge, which is why we’ve provided almost £13m towards repairing and stabilising the structure, and recently announced almost £3m for a new temporary cycle way.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it remains his Department's policy to support a third runway at Heathrow airport.
Answered by Anthony Browne
We support the expansion of UK aviation when it is consistent with our environmental obligations. Any application for an individual airport to expand would, of course, be considered on its merits, once an application has been received.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an estimate of the average number of words in a judge's sentencing remarks from court proceedings at HM Courts and Tribunals over the last 12 months.
Answered by Mike Freer
Management information held about transcript requests is limited, and the information requested is not held centrally. Contracted suppliers are required to provide HM Courts and Tribunals Service with certain data, including the folio count, but that data could not be disaggregated to report specifically on requests for sentencing remarks per se, and in any event would not enable any report on word (rather than page) count.