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  • Mr Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mr Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Gareth Thomas on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of disability living allowance claims took longer than 40 days to process in each of the last three years for which data is available.

    Mike Penning

    Please see the table below showing the percentage of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) new claims, for Normal Rules (NR), that took longer than 40 days to process. Claims not yet processed within 40 days, include cases where we are awaiting additional information from the claimant and/or medical evidence.

    2012/13

    Volume of Claims Cleared

    402,861

    Volume of claims cleared after 40 working days

    89,678

    % of DLA New Claims (NR)
    cleared after 40 working days

    22.3%

    Prior to 2012/13 the measure reported against was an Actual Average Clearance Time (AACT). This is the cumulative clearance days divided by the number of cleared events within the reporting period.

    Please see the table below for 2010/11 and 2011/12:

    2010/11

    2011/12

    Volume of Claims Cleared

    431,572

    412,556

    AACT (Level 37.7 days)

    30.3

    27.2

    Notes:

    The reported figure only relates to DLA (NR) new claims. NR claims are those where the claimant is not terminally ill and the normal rules of entitlement therefore apply.

    The figures above cover the period from 1st April to 31st March and shows the national position including working age and child claimants.

    The AACT level (37.7 days) shown in the above table is a measure based on a prior year’s performance.

    We have not provided data for 2013/14 due to not having a full financial year available at this time.

    Source:

    Source: Department for Work and Pensions – RDA 80123 report – DLA Management Information Statistics

  • John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long the UK plans to host Syrian refugees who come as part of the resettlement deal; and whether such refugees will be issued with a visa for a specified time period.

    James Brokenshire

    The first beneficiaries of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR)
    scheme arrived in the UK on 25 March. This is the result of excellent
    co-operation with UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration and local
    authority services, which has allowed us to identify vulnerable individuals in
    need of evacuation and ensure that the support they need is in place in the
    UK. These support packages are tailored on a case by case basis to ensure that
    specific requirements for those relocated under the scheme are met and include
    health, education and integration support.

    Those admitted under the VPR scheme will be granted five years’ Humanitarian
    Protection, with all the rights and benefits that go with that status. This
    includes access to public funds, access to the labour market and the
    possibility of family reunion. If the situation in Syria stabilises, they may
    choose to return home. However, at the end of the five years, if they have not
    been able to return to Syria, they may be eligible to apply for settlement in
    the UK.

  • Angela Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Angela Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the outcome of the recent Illegal Wildlife Trade conference and the resulting London Declaration; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that animal welfare is a key element of her Department’s response to that declaration.

    Norman Baker

    The Home Office recognises that the illegal wildlife trade is not only a serious threat to our environment, but is also a transnational criminal industry worth billions of pounds every year, and one which drives corruption and insecurity and undermines efforts to cut poverty and develop sustainable economic opportunities.

    I was therefore pleased that world leaders from over forty nations, including key states such as Botswana, Chad, China, Gabon, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Tanzania, and Vietnam, alongside the United States and Russia, gathered in London on 13 February 2014 and made a political commitment to take actions to eradicate the demand for illegal wildlife products, strengthen law enforcement, ensure effective legal frameworks, and to reduce the incentive for communities in source countries to get involved in the trade by supporting the development of alternative, sustainable livelihoods. I co-chaired part of the proceedings to underline the Home Office’s commitment to this issue.

    The Home Office will continue to work with other departments to ensure that the Government delivers on the UK Commitment to Action on the Illegal Wildlife Trade.

  • Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what agreement his Department has reached with the Welsh Government regarding the funding of electrification of the Great Western Line to Swansea and the Valleys lines.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Welsh and UK Governments agreed in 2012 to fund the electrification of the Valley Lines and the South Wales Main Line between Cardiff and Swansea. That agreement still stands and Network Rail is developing plans for electrification.

  • Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to develop the North Wales line from Crewe to Holyhead in conjunction with the building of High Speed 2.

    Stephen Hammond

    No such assessment has been made. The opening of High Speed 2 will release capacity for train services on existing lines, including on the West Coast Main Line. Precise details of stopping patterns will be resolved when the relevant rail franchises are let in due course.

    In the meantime, we will shortly announce a transparent and participatory process to consider long-term issues, opportunities and options for rail services on HS2 corridors.

    We are also working with the Welsh Government who are developing a business case for the electrification of the North Wales Main Line.

  • Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of whether the London to Holyhead line will become a local stopping service following the building of High Speed 2.

    Stephen Hammond

    No such assessment has been made. The opening of High Speed 2 will release capacity for train services on existing lines, including on the West Coast Main Line. Precise details of stopping patterns will be resolved when the relevant rail franchises are let in due course.

    In the meantime, we will shortly announce a transparent and participatory process to consider long-term issues, opportunities and options for rail services on HS2 corridors.

    We are also working with the Welsh Government who are developing a business case for the electrification of the North Wales Main Line.

  • Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the London to Holyhead railway service will remain an express service after the creation of High Speed 2.

    Stephen Hammond

    No such assessment has been made. The opening of High Speed 2 will release capacity for train services on existing lines, including on the West Coast Main Line. Precise details of stopping patterns will be resolved when the relevant rail franchises are let in due course.

    In the meantime, we will shortly announce a transparent and participatory process to consider long-term issues, opportunities and options for rail services on HS2 corridors.

    We are also working with the Welsh Government who are developing a business case for the electrification of the North Wales Main Line.

  • Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration he has given to exempting motorists from being prosecuted for traffic light offences if they have committed the offence while making way for an emergency vehicle.

    Robert Goodwill

    The law is specific on a driver’s requirement to comply with traffic signs, which include signals, as defined in section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. There is no exemption for members of the public from this, even to give way to emergency vehicles.

    Clear passage should always be given (where possible) to prevent delay to emergency vehicles responding to calls, by taking reasonable action such as pulling into the side of the road. If a driver were to go through a red light to allow an emergency vehicle to pass, in most cases where no danger was caused to other road users and it was done reasonably a police officer would not be expected to enforce this. Should a red-light running camera record a traffic light violation, any claim would be supported by the emergency vehicle also being captured in a similar way. The courts would be likely to listen to mitigating circumstances and again, if done safely and or reasonably it is unlikely there would be any prosecution.

  • Mr Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mr Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Andrew Smith on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicle crossings of the Thames were made through the Rotherhithe and Blackwall tunnels in 2013.

    Robert Goodwill

    Data for 2013 are not yet available; the remainder of this answer refers to 2012 data.

    A table providing the 2012 estimated annual average daily flows (AADFs) for road links covering the Rotherhithe and Blackwall Tunnels (for both directions combined) are shown in the table below:

    2012 AADF

    Total Motor Vehicles

    Rotherhithe Tunnel

    32,615

    Blackwall Tunnel

    69,243

    These figures give estimates of the number of vehicles travelling along individual sections of road on an average day of the year.

    To calculate an estimate of the annual usage of the tunnels (for both directions combined); these daily AADF estimates would be multiplied by the 365 days in a year.

    AADF data for individual motorway and ‘A’ road links for 2000 – 2012 are available on our website, here:

    http://data.gov.uk/dataset/gb-road-traffic-counts

    “

  • Mr Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mr Andrew Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Andrew Smith on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commission a study of the case for a new cycle and pedestrian crossing of the Thames east of Tower Bridge.

    Stephen Hammond

    Transport in London is the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) as per the terms of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. Any decision to commission a study into a new cycle and pedestrian Thames crossing would therefore be a matter for the Mayor of London.