Questioner: Stuart Anderson (CON - Wolverhampton South West)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has provided to local authorities on effectively tackling (a) anti-social behaviour and (b) other low-level crimes.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB) and crime. We know the serious impact that anti-social and criminal behaviour has on both individuals and communities.
We have provided the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to all forms of ASB through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. These powers are deliberately local in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances.
In January of this year we updated the statutory guidance to support local agencies to make effective use of these powers and take the multi-agency approach that is needed to tackle and prevent anti-social behaviour, in a way that takes account of the needs of the victim and the community. The revised guidance can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/956143/ASB_Statutory_Guidance.pdf
The Beating Crime Plan published on 27 July laid out the Government’s plan for tackling crime and its commitment to working with local agencies and partners to drive down anti-social behaviour using the full range of powers and tools in the 2014 Act. It can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1015382/Crime-plan-v10.pdf
Questioner: Drew Hendry (SNP - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the agricultural industry to minimise food waste.
Answered by Jo Churchill
This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Government funds the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to administer the Courtauld Commitment 2030 voluntary agreement, including the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap (FWRR), which aims to reduce food waste from farm to fork through collaboration with businesses.
Included in the FWRR is a practical model for how farmers and growers can be supported to measure on-farm food surplus and waste and take action to reduce it. WRAP estimates that around 50 farm businesses have undertaken measurements to date, with most of those in the last two years. The aim is to provide support for another 30 farmers and growers.
We are also supporting WRAP’s and the Institute of Grocery Distribution’s Whole Chain Food Waste Reduction Plans (WCP). A toolkit is available to help businesses across the supply chain work together to understand waste hotspots for a food product and to identify ways to reduce these. The Roadmap has a target of at least 50 active WCPs in place by 2022.
WRAP has also supported farmer-led pilots to understand how food waste measurement and reduction can be best implemented in primary production as well as resources for farm advisers to deliver similar projects with their clients.
Since 2017, Defra has provided around £12 million of grants to the redistribution sector to increase the diversion of surplus food for human consumption from waste destinations. Some of these grants were used to harvest and collect surplus from farms, minimising food waste.
Furthermore, the Government’s Food Strategy White Paper will cover the entire food system from farm to fork, building on work already underway in the Agriculture Act, Fisheries Act, and Environment Bill as well as docking into wider Government priorities, including Net Zero, the 25 Year Environment Plan, and Build Back Greener. As part of this, Defra is exploring options to reduce carbon emissions from food production including food waste, as well as to incentivise land use change to sequester more carbon and restore nature, and preserve natural resources.
Questioner: Daisy Cooper (LDEM - St Albans)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will issue guidance on what constitutes an exceptional circumstance by which the standard method for housing can be revised down, specifically as it relates to (a) local authority areas that are comprised almost exclusively of greenbelt and (b) local authorities seeking to establish Nature Recovery Areas.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The standard method is only the starting point in the process of planning for new homes and does not provide a target. Local housing need is used by councils as a guide when they develop their local plans taking account of local constraints (such as Green Belt and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) that prevent local authorities from allocating enough sites to meet need. Local authorities are responsible for defining a target in their plan which they must submit to the Planning Inspectorate for examination.
While there is an expectation that the standard method will be used as a starting point, local authorities can put forward their own approach if they wish but a different method should only be used in exceptional circumstances and there should be a strong justification for doing so. Authorities can expect their method to be scrutinised closely at examination. What constitutes exceptional circumstances is a matter of planning judgement.
Questioner: Liz Saville Roberts (PC - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of people who have contacted her Department through the (a) public hotline and (b) emergency email address for vulnerable Afghans have received a reply; and what was the nature of the information conveyed to them.
Answered by James Cleverly
The FCDO received around 50,000 calls on our consular emergency lines between 11 August - 26 September, many on behalf of Afghans rather than British Nationals. Since 20 August, the average wait time was less than one minute. Since the Afghanistan crisis began, the FCDO alone have received 240,000 emails, sent to a number of our email addresses. FCDO along with the Home Office and the MOD, are working to assess cases raised in them as quickly as possible. We have processed the 30,000 emails from MPs sent on Afghanistan, including information about cases, that were received before 11 September and replied to all 650 Members so that we can focus on repatriation. We are replying to Members' correspondence after 12 September in the usual way. Of the remaining 210,000 emails, after much analysis and deduplication, we have identified more than 60,000 individual email originators and sent a response to all of them, including how to find information and support.
Questioner: Kevan Jones (LAB - North Durham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date his Department last procured (a) CHARM 3 rounds of any nature and (b) CHARM 3 charge bags.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The CHARM 3 operational round (L27) was last procured in September 2001 and its associated propelling charge (L17) in November 2010. The CHARM 3 practice round (L29) was last procured in April 2009 and its associated propelling charge (L18) in February 2010.
Questioner: Feryal Clark (LAB - Enfield North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the temporary increase to the maximum daily working hours for HGV drivers on road safety.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
It is important to note that the relaxations made to the drivers’ hours rules are limited in nature. No requirements of the rules, whether it be breaks during the day, daily & weekly rest periods, or weekly and fortnightly driving limits, have been removed. The rules have been relaxed in a controlled way.
The drivers’ hours relaxation requires compensatory rest when the option to amend weekly rest patterns is taken. This is designed to combat cumulative fatigue and is very similar to a provision in force across the UK and EU permanently for some international driving.
There is published guidance about the circumstances in which the temporary relaxations can be used. There must be evidence of detriment to the wider community, that the relaxation leads to a significant improvement and that driver safety must not be compromised. In respect of detriment and safety there are specific benchmarks.
The rules are enforced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) who also collect data on compliance.
Questioner: Kenny MacAskill (Alba - East Lothian)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to provide a replacement for the EU Motorway of the Seas funding that was available to ports and ship operators for the establishment of ferry services.
Answered by Robert Courts
EU Motorways of the Sea funding is provided by the Connecting Europe Facility Transport programme (CEF-T), which focused its funding on major cross-border links for surface transport. Given the limited nature of cross-border surface routes between the UK and EU, CEF-T receipts for UK entities have been far less than for EU Member States. Consequently, the Government decided to end participation in the CEF programme.
The Maritime sector is largely private in the UK so decisions on establishment and funding of international ferry routes are for individual companies operating in the market.
Questioner: Kevan Jones (LAB - North Durham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the tendering process for the Border Force's four new cutters will take into account money returned to HM Treasury through income tax, national insurance contributions, VAT and supply chain investment.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Decisions regarding the procurement of vessels for Border Force remains subject to the strategic case for new investment, which will be developed further following the publication of the Spending Review outcome. The Home Office continues to engage with other relevant Government departments, notably within the context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS) refresh, announced earlier this year. The Home Office remains responsible for conducting any procurement.
Consistent with The Treasury Green Book guidance, the assessment of different options will reflect fuel savings and other whole life costs.
Should a procurement proceed, social value would be included within tender evaluation criteria in line with Cabinet Office guidance (minimum of 10% weighting).
The NSbS refresh will outline the Government’s plans for shipbuilding programmes and how it intends to create the conditions for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable national shipbuilding enterprise.
The procurement will be conducted in line with wider government policy, guidance and legal obligations, appropriately reflecting the nature of Border Force operations.
All procurement and contract activity undertaken by the Home Office reflects legislation and wider government policy intended to ensure best practice and value for money, in particular as reflected in The Treasury Green Book. Other relevant guidance includes:
(a) All Public Procurement Regulations
(c) Public Sector Equality Duty, contained within the Equality Act 2010
(d) The Modern Slavery Act 2015
(f) Managing Public Money guidance
(g) Cabinet Office and HMT controls as set out on GOV.UK including the Government Commercial Operating Standards and the Outsourcing Playbook
Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes and best practice
Questioner: Kevan Jones (LAB - North Durham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether cost savings from fuel savings and projected through life support will be included as a parameter for the tender for four new cutters for UK Border Force.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Decisions regarding the procurement of vessels for Border Force remains subject to the strategic case for new investment, which will be developed further following the publication of the Spending Review outcome. The Home Office continues to engage with other relevant Government departments, notably within the context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS) refresh, announced earlier this year. The Home Office remains responsible for conducting any procurement.
Consistent with The Treasury Green Book guidance, the assessment of different options will reflect fuel savings and other whole life costs.
Should a procurement proceed, social value would be included within tender evaluation criteria in line with Cabinet Office guidance (minimum of 10% weighting).
The NSbS refresh will outline the Government’s plans for shipbuilding programmes and how it intends to create the conditions for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable national shipbuilding enterprise.
The procurement will be conducted in line with wider government policy, guidance and legal obligations, appropriately reflecting the nature of Border Force operations.
All procurement and contract activity undertaken by the Home Office reflects legislation and wider government policy intended to ensure best practice and value for money, in particular as reflected in The Treasury Green Book. Other relevant guidance includes:
(a) All Public Procurement Regulations
(c) Public Sector Equality Duty, contained within the Equality Act 2010
(d) The Modern Slavery Act 2015
(f) Managing Public Money guidance
(g) Cabinet Office and HMT controls as set out on GOV.UK including the Government Commercial Operating Standards and the Outsourcing Playbook
Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes and best practice
Questioner: Kevan Jones (LAB - North Durham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether WTO restrictions on shipbuilding will apply to the UK during the tendering process of the four new cutters for UK Border Force.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Decisions regarding the procurement of vessels for Border Force remains subject to the strategic case for new investment, which will be developed further following the publication of the Spending Review outcome. The Home Office continues to engage with other relevant Government departments, notably within the context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS) refresh, announced earlier this year. The Home Office remains responsible for conducting any procurement.
Consistent with The Treasury Green Book guidance, the assessment of different options will reflect fuel savings and other whole life costs.
Should a procurement proceed, social value would be included within tender evaluation criteria in line with Cabinet Office guidance (minimum of 10% weighting).
The NSbS refresh will outline the Government’s plans for shipbuilding programmes and how it intends to create the conditions for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable national shipbuilding enterprise.
The procurement will be conducted in line with wider government policy, guidance and legal obligations, appropriately reflecting the nature of Border Force operations.
All procurement and contract activity undertaken by the Home Office reflects legislation and wider government policy intended to ensure best practice and value for money, in particular as reflected in The Treasury Green Book. Other relevant guidance includes:
(a) All Public Procurement Regulations
(c) Public Sector Equality Duty, contained within the Equality Act 2010
(d) The Modern Slavery Act 2015
(f) Managing Public Money guidance
(g) Cabinet Office and HMT controls as set out on GOV.UK including the Government Commercial Operating Standards and the Outsourcing Playbook
Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes and best practice
Questioner: Kevan Jones (LAB - North Durham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on the Government's decision to put out to tender four new cutters for UK Border Force.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Decisions regarding the procurement of vessels for Border Force remains subject to the strategic case for new investment, which will be developed further following the publication of the Spending Review outcome. The Home Office continues to engage with other relevant Government departments, notably within the context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS) refresh, announced earlier this year. The Home Office remains responsible for conducting any procurement.
Consistent with The Treasury Green Book guidance, the assessment of different options will reflect fuel savings and other whole life costs.
Should a procurement proceed, social value would be included within tender evaluation criteria in line with Cabinet Office guidance (minimum of 10% weighting).
The NSbS refresh will outline the Government’s plans for shipbuilding programmes and how it intends to create the conditions for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable national shipbuilding enterprise.
The procurement will be conducted in line with wider government policy, guidance and legal obligations, appropriately reflecting the nature of Border Force operations.
All procurement and contract activity undertaken by the Home Office reflects legislation and wider government policy intended to ensure best practice and value for money, in particular as reflected in The Treasury Green Book. Other relevant guidance includes:
(a) All Public Procurement Regulations
(c) Public Sector Equality Duty, contained within the Equality Act 2010
(d) The Modern Slavery Act 2015
(f) Managing Public Money guidance
(g) Cabinet Office and HMT controls as set out on GOV.UK including the Government Commercial Operating Standards and the Outsourcing Playbook
Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes and best practice
Questioner: Kevan Jones (LAB - North Durham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what UK content will be specified during the tendering phase of the four new cutters for UK Border Force.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Decisions regarding the procurement of vessels for Border Force remains subject to the strategic case for new investment, which will be developed further following the publication of the Spending Review outcome. The Home Office continues to engage with other relevant Government departments, notably within the context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS) refresh, announced earlier this year. The Home Office remains responsible for conducting any procurement.
Consistent with The Treasury Green Book guidance, the assessment of different options will reflect fuel savings and other whole life costs.
Should a procurement proceed, social value would be included within tender evaluation criteria in line with Cabinet Office guidance (minimum of 10% weighting).
The NSbS refresh will outline the Government’s plans for shipbuilding programmes and how it intends to create the conditions for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable national shipbuilding enterprise.
The procurement will be conducted in line with wider government policy, guidance and legal obligations, appropriately reflecting the nature of Border Force operations.
All procurement and contract activity undertaken by the Home Office reflects legislation and wider government policy intended to ensure best practice and value for money, in particular as reflected in The Treasury Green Book. Other relevant guidance includes:
(a) All Public Procurement Regulations
(c) Public Sector Equality Duty, contained within the Equality Act 2010
(d) The Modern Slavery Act 2015
(f) Managing Public Money guidance
(g) Cabinet Office and HMT controls as set out on GOV.UK including the Government Commercial Operating Standards and the Outsourcing Playbook
Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes and best practice
Questioner: Kevan Jones (LAB - North Durham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether social value specifications will be attached to the tender of the four new cutters for UK Border Force.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Decisions regarding the procurement of vessels for Border Force remains subject to the strategic case for new investment, which will be developed further following the publication of the Spending Review outcome. The Home Office continues to engage with other relevant Government departments, notably within the context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS) refresh, announced earlier this year. The Home Office remains responsible for conducting any procurement.
Consistent with The Treasury Green Book guidance, the assessment of different options will reflect fuel savings and other whole life costs.
Should a procurement proceed, social value would be included within tender evaluation criteria in line with Cabinet Office guidance (minimum of 10% weighting).
The NSbS refresh will outline the Government’s plans for shipbuilding programmes and how it intends to create the conditions for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable national shipbuilding enterprise.
The procurement will be conducted in line with wider government policy, guidance and legal obligations, appropriately reflecting the nature of Border Force operations.
All procurement and contract activity undertaken by the Home Office reflects legislation and wider government policy intended to ensure best practice and value for money, in particular as reflected in The Treasury Green Book. Other relevant guidance includes:
(a) All Public Procurement Regulations
(c) Public Sector Equality Duty, contained within the Equality Act 2010
(d) The Modern Slavery Act 2015
(f) Managing Public Money guidance
(g) Cabinet Office and HMT controls as set out on GOV.UK including the Government Commercial Operating Standards and the Outsourcing Playbook
Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes and best practice
Questioner: Kevan Jones (LAB - North Durham)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which other Department along with her Department will be responsible for the tender of four new cutters for Border Police.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Decisions regarding the procurement of vessels for Border Force remains subject to the strategic case for new investment, which will be developed further following the publication of the Spending Review outcome. The Home Office continues to engage with other relevant Government departments, notably within the context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS) refresh, announced earlier this year. The Home Office remains responsible for conducting any procurement.
Consistent with The Treasury Green Book guidance, the assessment of different options will reflect fuel savings and other whole life costs.
Should a procurement proceed, social value would be included within tender evaluation criteria in line with Cabinet Office guidance (minimum of 10% weighting).
The NSbS refresh will outline the Government’s plans for shipbuilding programmes and how it intends to create the conditions for a globally successful, innovative and sustainable national shipbuilding enterprise.
The procurement will be conducted in line with wider government policy, guidance and legal obligations, appropriately reflecting the nature of Border Force operations.
All procurement and contract activity undertaken by the Home Office reflects legislation and wider government policy intended to ensure best practice and value for money, in particular as reflected in The Treasury Green Book. Other relevant guidance includes:
(a) All Public Procurement Regulations
(c) Public Sector Equality Duty, contained within the Equality Act 2010
(d) The Modern Slavery Act 2015
(f) Managing Public Money guidance
(g) Cabinet Office and HMT controls as set out on GOV.UK including the Government Commercial Operating Standards and the Outsourcing Playbook
Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes and best practice
Questioner: Julian Sturdy (CON - York Outer)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how much public funding is spent annually on supporting victims of conversion therapy.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch
The Government will publish a range of research related to the practice of conversion therapy at the launch of our consultation on the issue, which we are moving at pace to deliver. As the Minister for Women and Equalities set out in May of this year, responses to that consultation will inform legislation, which is being prepared for Spring 2022. Given the cross-cutting nature of conversion therapy, survivors of the practice may be engaging a range of public services including helplines and support relating to domestic abuse, homelessness and hate crime. The Government will put in place a package of support specifically for survivors of conversion therapy that will ensure they can find and access the help that they need.