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 - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
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 - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
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.
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 cost of obtaining the (a) sentencing remarks and (b) judge's summing-up to HM Courts and Tribunals over the last 12 months.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
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 raw data on individual application costs, but that data could not be disaggregated to report specifically on requests for sentencing remarks or summing up per se.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in his Department work on child benefit.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has a dedicated team of trained staff members available to support and assist customers with queries related to Child Benefit. The staffing numbers are regularly reviewed and adjusted based on demand throughout the year. The Department has the capability to train existing colleagues from outside the Child Benefit team as needed to address priority areas.
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 publish the minutes of meetings that officials in his Department have had with Thames Water on Operation Timber in each of the last 6 months.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Permanent Secretary and senior officials in my department hold meetings with water companies, including Thames Water, on a regular basis to discuss issues affecting the water sector. As water companies are commercial entities, it is neither appropriate to comment on specific water companies, on the frequency of any such meetings nor publish any minutes of those meetings.
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, when the Permanent Secretary of his Department last met officials from Thames Water to discuss Operation Timber.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Permanent Secretary and senior officials in my department hold meetings with water companies, including Thames Water, on a regular basis to discuss issues affecting the water sector. As water companies are commercial entities, it is neither appropriate to comment on specific water companies, on the frequency of any such meetings nor publish any minutes of those meetings.
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, how many meetings the permanent secretary of his Department has held with Thames Water on Operation Timber in the last 12 months.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Permanent Secretary and senior officials in my department hold meetings with water companies, including Thames Water, on a regular basis to discuss issues affecting the water sector. As water companies are commercial entities, it is neither appropriate to comment on specific water companies, on the frequency of any such meetings nor publish any minutes of those meetings.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 16 October 2023 to Question 199796 on HM Courts and Tribunals Service: Fees and Charges, how many and what proportion of those orders were made for trials that involved allegations of (a) rape and (b) serious sexual assault.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.