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  • Zac Goldsmith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Zac Goldsmith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had on the ring-fencing of slots for domestic air services to Heathrow Airport in the event of a third runway being opened at that airport with (a) Heathrow Airport, (b) the Airports Commission, (c) ACL and (d) devolved and regional bodies.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Secretary of State for Transport has had no discussions with Heathrow Airport, the Airports Commission, the slot co-ordinator ACL, or devolved or regional bodies concerning the ring-fencing of slots for domestic air services to London Heathrow Airport in the event of a third runway being opened at the airport.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the existing contracts for the removal of litter on the strategic road network.

    Mr John Hayes

    I have taken a keen interest in this matter and believe more should be done.

    The Highways Agency’s existing contracts specify sweeping and cleaning activities on the network to comply with the mandatory legal requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Act states that the area should not fall below a Grade B (“Predominantly free from litter and refuse apart from some small items”), and the contracts operate satisfactorily in this regard.

    However, I intend to discuss with the Highways Agency what further steps could be taken to reduce litter on the Strategic Road Network.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the Highways Agency was of the removal of graffiti from road signage and structures for which it has maintenance responsibility in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Highways Agency does not separately identify the exact annual cost of removing graffiti from its road signs and structures as this activity forms part of a wider contracted service which includes a number of other general maintenance activities.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what arrangements are in place to ensure that the (a) embankments, slip roads and hard shoulders and (b) other areas of the M67 motorway from the Denton interchange to the River Tame are swept and adequately litter-picked.

    Mr John Hayes

    I have taken a keen interest in this matter and believe more should be done.

    The Highways Agency is required by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to ensure that motorways and a small number of trunk roads in England are, so far as is practicable, kept clear of litter and refuse. The Act is supplemented by a Code of Practice which specifies standards of cleanliness and response times.

    A dedicated litter inspection is undertaken on the M67 at the beginning of each month which assesses the condition of the motorway and applies a grading for both litter and detritus in accordance with the Code of Practice.

    Any required restoration measures take place within the required timescales, in accordance with the Code of Practice – 14 days for slip road carriageways, hard shoulders and verges and 28 days (or as soon as is reasonably practicable) for the main line carriageway, central reserve, hard shoulders and verges.

    However, I intend to discuss with the Highways Agency what further steps could be taken to reduce litter on the Strategic Road Network.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the levels of litter on the strategic road network.

    Mr John Hayes

    I have taken a keen interest in this matter and believe more should be done.

    Levels of litter on the Highways Agency network are assessed through routine inspections, customer surveys and information received from members of the public reporting littering issues on the network.

    However, I intend to discuss with the Highways Agency what further steps could be taken to reduce litter on the Strategic Road Network.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the need for specialist support within the Work Programme for people with mental health problems in receipt of employment and support allowance; and if he will make a statement.

    Esther McVey

    Support for those with mental health issues is being actively addressed as part of the Department’s on-going commitment to ensuring best possible support for all claimants.

    The Department set up an independently chaired group to share best practice amongst our providers and sub-contractors. The Building Best Practice Report published in December 2014, includes a focus on supporting the harder to help. We have already begun to implement many of the recommendations.

    Details of the Building Best Practice Report and the Department’s response to it can be found through the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/work-programme-building-best-practice-report

    “

  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what resources from the UK’s allocatons of EU Structural Funds have been used to support food banks.

    Esther McVey

    The European Commission implementing decision of 3 April 2014 transferred €3.96m from the UK’s structural funds allocation to the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived.

    The Government announced on 18 December 2014 that the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived will be used to support additional breakfast clubs in schools in deprived areas in England, subject to agreement with the European Commission. We believe that breakfast clubs effectively target help to many of the most deprived children – providing nutritious meals in some of the poorest areas, supporting academic attainment, promoting healthy eating habits at a young age and saving families money. This funding would be in addition to existing support provided by the Government – we have already committed just over £1 million over two years to support an expansion of breakfast clubs in poor areas.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will assess the implications for his policies of the recommendations in the report by MIND entitled We’ve got work to do, published in December 2014; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Mark Harper

    We are committed to helping those with mental health conditions to stay in or get back to work and ensuring we offer the best possible support. This is why, with the Department of Health, we are piloting the most promising and evidence-based approaches to supporting individuals with mental health conditions recommended in the expert report Psychological Wellbeing and Work: Improving Service Provision and Outcomes.

    These pilots will contribute to a better evidence base and will inform our thinking about next steps not only for government, but for all who have a role to play including employers, commissioners, service providers and individuals.

    The Disability Confident Campaign is working alongside others, including Mind, on events to raise awareness of Access to Work’s Mental Health Support Service. Last year over 1,400 people who had a mental health condition as their primary condition were supported by Access to Work – an almost threefold increase in the volumes supported compared to 2010/11.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department or local and district management set any numerical targets, expectations, aims or benchmarks set for Labour Market Decision Makers for the number of sanction referrals that should result in a sanction being applied.

    Esther McVey

    There are no benchmarks or targets for the number of referrals resulting in a sanction being applied.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of job searches required of jobseeker’s allowance claimants is in (a) each English region and (b) each age group.

    Esther McVey

    There is not set number of jobsearches required.

    It is a condition of entitlement for Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants to be actively seeking work. To meet this requirement, claimants are generally expected to take all reasonable steps each week to give them the best prospects of obtaining work.

    DWP Work Coaches agree steps that it is reasonable to expect the claimant to undertake, taking into account individual circumstances and record these in a Claimant Commitment which is regularly reviewed and updated as appropriate.