Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has received recent representations from Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council on the presence of RAAC at the Forum Theatre in Romiley.
Answered by Julia Lopez
The Department recently received correspondence from Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (dated 22 January) regarding the presence of RAAC at the Forum Theatre in Romiley.
The Government’s approach to RAAC has been informed by experts, encouraging owners to identify any RAAC present and to assess the structural adequacy of their buildings. In cases of suspected or confirmed RAAC, theatres should continue using the Institute of Structural Engineers’ (IStructE) guidance to assess what action is necessary. Where appropriate, theatres with RAAC should have mitigation and management action plans in place.
We will provide a response to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council in due course.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to (a) bring forward and (b) consult on legislative proposals on the oversight and regulation of the actuarial profession during this parliamentary session.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Government’s response to its White Paper consultation on its reform proposals was published on 31 May 2022. The Government has committed to legislating when Parliamentary time allows.
Prior to issuing its response to the White Paper consultation, the Government consulted extensively on its proposals to reform the oversight and regulation of the actuarial profession, including holding discussions with a range of actuarial stakeholders. The Government will continue to engage with actuarial stakeholders.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) reducing and (b) removing the vehicle tax on a vehicle used to assist a person with disabilities.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is absolutely committed to supporting disabled people and is determined that support should be focused on people who need it most. Individuals in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance and its successor, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), qualify for a full exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). A fifty per cent reduction in VED is available to those in receipt of the PIP standard rate mobility component.
More information can be found on the Gov.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/financial-help-disabled/vehicles-and-transport.
As with all taxes, VED remains under review and any changes are considered and announced by the Chancellor.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will develop and promote an international kite mark scheme to show products manufactured using low-carbon materials and methods.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government plans to publish proposals related to low carbon labelling (such as kite marks) for manufactured products in the autumn. The supporting call for evidence Towards a market for low emissions industrial products is open for responses until 28 February[1].
The UK leads the Industrial Deep Decarbonisation Initiative with India, which is a global coalition of public and private organisations working to standardise carbon assessments and design industry guidelines.
[1] Gov.uk. Towards a market for low emissions industrial products: call for evidence.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what parameters his Department are monitoring to determine the rate of climate change.
Answered by Greg Hands
The HadCRUT5[1] global temperature series, produced by the Met Office, University of East Anglia and UK National Centre for Atmospheric Science, is the primary data set BEIS uses to assess the rate of climate change.
[1] https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcrut5/
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether House of Commons employees and lay members of the House of Commons Commission have the same voting rights as Members of Parliament on the House of Commons Commission.
Answered by Charles Walker
The House of Commons officials and external members who sit on the Commission do not have voting rights. However, their views are sought in respect of any Commission decision. This is in line with the recommendations of the Report of the House of Commons Governance Committee, House of Commons Governance, Session 2014–15, HC 692, paragraph 141, which was endorsed by the House on 22 January 2015.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the House of Commons Commission has the power to make decisions outside of its formal meetings.
Answered by Charles Walker
Schedule 1 (Paragraph 6(2)) of the House of Commons (Administration) Act 1978 empowers the House of Commons Commission to determine its own procedure. The Commission has an established practice of making decisions by correspondence outside of its formal meetings. Such decisions usually relate to matters that are considered either uncontroversial or time-critical.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, with reference to the Covid-19 Member Bulletin of 2 November 2021, whether all members of the Commission were consulted on the measures it contained; and whether all those members were in agreement.
Answered by Charles Walker
The urgent request for approval for the revised guidance on covid-19 was sent to all members of the Commission on 1 November, following advice from the UK Health Security Agency earlier that day. The revised guidance was agreed by a majority of the parliamentarian members of the Commission before it was issued.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the mental health implications of requiring Members' and House staff to work from home.
Answered by Charles Walker
The House of Commons Commission has implemented relevant Government guidance which at times required individuals to work from home. Since legal restrictions were lifted no member of House staff has been required to work from home where this would have an impact on their health.
Arrangements for their staff are a matter for the Member as the employer, who likewise have been able to allow their staff to work on the estate once legal restrictions were lifted where there was a health need.
The health and wellbeing of all on the estate remains the highest priority for the Commission. A range of services are offered by the House to support the wellbeing of Members and staff, including:
Through the use of these tools suitable arrangements for an individual can be put in place based on their specific circumstances.
Asked by: William Wragg (Independent - Hazel Grove)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the House Service has made of the number of potential redundancies among parliamentary staff which are consequential to (a) the closure of catering and hospitality venues and (b) restrictions placed on the number of visitors to the parliamentary estate.
Answered by Charles Walker
No redundancies have been made, or are expected, consequential to (a) the closure of catering and hospitality venues and (b) restrictions placed on the number of visitors to the parliamentary estate.