Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What recent steps she has taken to increase the (a) strength and (b) reliability of mobile phone signals in Scotland.
Answered by Matt Warman
The Government wants the UK to have high-quality mobile coverage where people live, work and travel, including Scotland, and we are committed to extending geographic mobile coverage to 95% of the UK.
There is currently 77% 4G geographic coverage from at least one Mobile Network Operator for the Stirling Local Authority area, up from 49% in June 2017. We are in discussions with the Mobile Network Operators about their proposal for a Shared Rural Network to improve coverage. We will consider all options.
I also welcome Ofcom’s proposal for their forthcoming spectrum auction, which aims to deliver two operators to 90% geographic mobile coverage.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to respond to the Scottish Government's 5G strategy entitled Forging our Digital Future with 5G: A strategy for Scotland, published on 26 August 2019.
Answered by Matt Warman
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the July 2019 report of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee on Energy efficiency: building towards net zero, what plans she has to bring forward proposals on the efficiency of new buildings.
Answered by Esther McVey
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made in restoring shooting to the range of sports in the Commonwealth Games.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The decision on which core and optional sports are included in the Commonwealth Games sports programme rests with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and its constituent members. A decision on the status of shooting as an optional sport was taken at the 2015 Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly, and also reaffirmed in 2016, when the new CGF Constitution was approved.
Shooting was not included at point of bid in the sport programme for the 2022 Games in Birmingham, but following interest from a number of the optional sports and disciplines, the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee has recently concluded an Additional Sports review and costing exercise, considering the merits of adding additional sports, including shooting, to the Games within available resources. The review considered financial considerations and the potential for additional revenue generation, the availability of suitable venues, and alignment with the CGF Constitution and the objectives of Games partners. It also considered submissions from each of the sports concerned. Based on the conclusions from the review, the Organising Committee’s recommendation was to support the inclusion of Women’s Cricket, Beach Volleyball and Para Table Tennis, but not to add Shooting or Archery to the programme for Birmingham.This recommendation was subsequently approved by the CGF Executive Board, and confirmed by a vote of the Commonwealth Games Federation’s membership, who make the final decision on the matter. Looking ahead, any consideration of shooting’s inclusion in future games will be a matter for the Commonwealth Games Federation, and the Organising Committees of future Games.
The Government does recognise the strength of feeling on the matter among the shooting community, and the desire to have an opportunity to showcase the sport in 2022, and as such I have spoken to the Commonwealth Games Federation regarding the matter. They have agreed to advise British Shooting on the next steps for taking forward proposals for an event for Commonwealth shooters, to be delivered separately from the Games. The responsibility for any event would sit with British Shooting, but I hope that this will give the shooting community in the UK the opportunity to compete against shooters from across the Commonwealth in a UK event in 2022.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What progress has been made on implementing the recommendations in the final report of the Bishop of Truro's Independent review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO support for persecuted Christians.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Government has accepted all the recommendations of the Bishop of Truro’s report and work is underway to take them forward. We have established an implementation team, and have allocated £200,000 this year for research into concrete actions the UK can take in countries mentioned in the Report. My ministerial colleague, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, will oversee the recommendations’ implementation.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
What steps he is taking to help ensure the provision of new rolling stock on the east coast main line.
Answered by Andrew Jones
LNER’s new Azuma trains entered service on their Hull and Leeds routes in May this year are due to launch on Edinburgh services from 1st August and will then be serving destinations North of Edinburgh by the end of the year.
These state-of-the-art trains, delivered as part of the government-funded Intercity Express Programme, have more seats, better legroom and will be more reliable.
The full fleet of 65 trains compared to 45 old trains will be in service from 2020 enabling additional services to be run increasing capacity further.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to develop local energy distribution networks to respond to a potential increase in domestic electricity consumption.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
Electricity distribution networks are regulated by the independent energy regulator, Ofgem, and, by law, network regulation must be carried out independently of Government. Under the existing regulatory framework, distribution network operators are allowed to increase capacity on their networks to accommodate expected growth in demand from domestic electricity consumption.
Energy networks require significant investment in order to ensure that Great Britain has a secure, dynamic energy system that is fit for the challenges of the future. BEIS estimates that between 2010 and 2017 £35bn has been invested to upgrade, reinforce and extend the electricity networks (both transmission and distribution) and a further £14bn may need to be invested between by 2020. Ofgem's RIIO 2 price control will set out the pathway for investment in our energy networks through the mid-2020s.
Government expects network companies and regulators to act in the best interests of consumers including in relation to more active system management as per the Government and Ofgem’s Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan. We are already seeing distribution network operators manage their systems more actively, and make more innovative use of data and smart technologies. For example, all six DNOs in Great Britain have now committed to open all significant network reinforcement to competition with flexibility services.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with UK banks on the costs of running ATMs at their branches.
Answered by John Glen
The UK has over 60,000 ATMs, almost all connected to the LINK network. These ATMs are owned and operated by banks and building societies (40%), in addition to independent ATM operators (60%). According to the Access to Cash Review, of the estimated £5bn annual cost of the UK’s cash infrastructure, £1bn of this relates to the running and maintenance of ATMs.
Regarding specific discussions, Treasury Ministers and Officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Home Office:
What recent assessment he has made of the effect on Scotland of required income levels for skilled migrants.
Answered by Sajid Javid
Our future immigration system is designed to drive up wages and productivity across the UK and allow us to bring in the most talented while responding to public concerns about immigration.
We have been very clear that no decision on the levels at which salary thresholds should be set will be taken until we have completed the UK-wide engagement process that is currently underway.
Asked by: Stephen Kerr (Conservative - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the arrangements are for the governance and accountability of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency; and what plans there are to review those arrangements.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust governance and accountability arrangements in place, which are published at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/driver-and-vehicle-standards-agency/about/our-governance.
The Cabinet Office is planning a tailored review of the DVSA’s control and governance arrangements, later this financial year. The review will ensure that the DVSA is complying with recognised principles of good corporate governance, and that it has the capacity to deliver its services effectively and efficiently.