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  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the sufficiency of the transport links in the Streatham area; what plans he has to improve transport in that area; what research his Department has done on projects that might improve transport within the Streatham area; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    Under devolution, transport in London is the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL).

    The Government is providing over £10 billion to TfL during this Parliament, to support a significant enhancement of London’s transport infrastructure.

    Network Rail is currently undertaking a Sussex Route study, to develop options for improvements on rail services in the Streatham area. It is due to report its findings next year.

    Residents and transport users in Streatham will also benefit from the higher capacity trains that will operate across the Thameslink network. Furthermore, as part of the new franchise, there are proposals to provide two additional trains in the peak.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Chi Onwurah – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the availability of passenger information data on board trains.

    Stephen Hammond

    Since 1998, all new trains have been fitted with audio-visual Passenger Information Systems (PIS). Many older trains have also been retrofitted with this equipment while those that have not do at least have tannoy systems. The law requires all trains to have audio-visual PIS by 2020 and the industry’s ongoing work to meet this has been further facilitated by recent franchise decisions.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Stephen Crabb

    None.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what visits each of the Ministers in his Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Mr David Jones

    The information requested is enclosed in the following table.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, what visits each of the Ministers in the Government Equalities Office have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Details of Ministers’ visits overseas are published quarterly and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-meetings-and-hospitality-data-october-to-december-2013

    “

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what visits each of the Ministers in his Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Esther McVey

    Details of Ministers’ visits overseas are published quarterly and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department taks to investigate allegations from a whistleblower of impropriety in a Work Choice contract.

    Esther McVey

    The Department treats any allegation of fraud by contractors very seriously, regardless of where these emanate from. Any fraud is completely unacceptable. Where we identify, or are notified of, allegations of contractor fraud, these cases are investigated thoroughly by the Department’s professionally trained and experienced investigators to a standard required to support reference to the Police whenever evidence of criminal offences is discovered.

    All contracted employment providers are required to have whistleblowing procedures that support their employees in reporting suspected wrongdoing at work and ‘making a disclosure in the public interest’. If they consider that they cannot raise suspicions of abuse of government funds with their employer, they should contact the Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office (NAO). This route is used to escalate whistleblower concerns and DWP Internal Investigations work with the NAO to investigate these matters and take appropriate action where issues are identified. This is an important channel in ensuring that employees can raise concerns and that they can be protected legally when doing so.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents are in arrears to the Child Support Agency in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the UK.

    Steve Webb

    The Child Support Agency (CSA) administers the 1993 and 2003 Statutory Child Maintenance Schemes in Great Britain.

    The latest area breakdown available for the number of CSA cases with arrears is available as at the end of the quarter to December 2013 and has been provided in the table below:

    Ribble Valley1

    Lancashire1,3

    GB2

    Dec-13

    1,700

    36,000

    1,277,000

    Notes:

    1. Figures rounded to nearest 10.

    2. Figures rounded to nearest 100.

    3. Lancashire consists of the following Local Authorities: Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, RibbleValley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre.

    4. Caseloads have been allocated to a Local Authority and Parliamentary Constituency by matching the residential postcode of the parent with care for all cases administered on the CS2 and CSCS computer systems and cases managed off system, to the Office for National Statistics Postcode Directory.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department takes to investigate whistleblowers’ allegations of impropriety relating to employment support contracts.

    Esther McVey

    The Department treats any allegation of fraud by contractors very seriously, regardless of where these emanate from. Any fraud is completely unacceptable. Where we identify, or are notified of, allegations of contractor fraud, these cases are investigated thoroughly by the Department’s professionally trained and experienced investigators to a standard required to support reference to the Police whenever evidence of criminal offences is discovered.

    All contracted employment providers are required to have whistleblowing procedures that support their employees in reporting suspected wrongdoing at work and ‘making a disclosure in the public interest’. If they consider that they cannot raise suspicions of abuse of government funds with their employer, they should contact the Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office (NAO). This route is used to escalate whistleblower concerns and DWP Internal Investigations work with the NAO to investigate these matters and take appropriate action where issues are identified. This is an important channel in ensuring that employees can raise concerns and that they can be protected legally when doing so.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of jobseeker’s allowance claims processed within (a) 10, (b) 20, (c) 30, (d) 40, (e) 60 and (f) more than 60 working days.

    Esther McVey

    The information requested is not available.