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  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they are giving to simplifying the Governance for Railway Investment Projects process.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Her Majesty’s Government has no plans to simplify the Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP) process.

    GRIP underwent a full review and subsequent update by Network Rail in 2015, and has been designed in alignment with PRINCE2 which is recognised as best practice framework for project management globally.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what government funds now exist to support brownfield housing; how much is available and for what purposes; what are the procedures for distribution of these funds, and how much has so far been disbursed from each of them.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    We are making available £1.2 billion through the Starter Home Land Fund to prepare suitable brownfield sites to support at least 30,000 Starter Homes. A prospectus about the Starter Home Land Fund was published at the Budget in March 2016. £9 million has already been invested since the Fund’s establishment in April 2016.

    We announced at Spending Review that £2 billion in loans will be made available to invest in infrastructure needed for major housing developments. We would expect at least 50 per cent of this funding to support housing on brownfield sites. Full bidding guidance will be available when the fund is launched.

  • Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Met Office will cease to provide forecasts for the BBC; what assessment they have made of the impact of that change on the provision of the shipping forecast in particular; and what discussion they have had with the BBC about ensuring that future providers have detailed knowledge of the UK.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Details of the contract between the Met Office and BBC are a matter for the BBC.

    The Met Office and BBC are in discussion over the future use of Met Office public weather service data and National Severe Weather Warnings during periods of significant weather.

    The Shipping Forecast is paid for and provided by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). The MCA have responsibility for providing maritime weather products (including a Shipping Forecast), ensuring that the contracted supplier meets the necessary required standards. The current supplier contracted by the MCA is the Met Office. Their current contract runs for a minimum of 3 years, until 2018, with the possibility of a further 2 years. The MCA are in the process of finalising a written agreement with the BBC that will ensure the maritime forecasts that they broadcast will be the ones supplied by the MCA.

  • Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that Uber drivers in London and other cities hold genuine driving licences and valid insurance; what penalties are applied by the police and others to Uber drivers who fail to meet those requirements; and what measures are being taken to ensure that owners of Uber vehicles pay the same level of taxes as owners of black cabs and minicabs.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The licensing of private hire vehicles, operators and drivers is the responsibility of local licensing authorities, including Transport for London. The Department for Transport issues Best Practice Guidance to assist with this but it remains a licensing authority’s responsibility to enforce its licensing conditions. Driving without a valid driving licence or valid insurance are both offences, for which penalties, including fines and points on a licence, are ultimately a matter for the courts. Uber drivers have the same tax liability as any other self-employed person.

  • Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking (1) to reduce air pollution from shipping in and around UK ports, and the use of local electrical power by ships moored in those ports, and (2) to promote the use of clean fuel by ships as they approach UK ports, as is the practice in other countries including the US and China

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Through the National Policy Statement for Ports, the Government has encouraged ports and shipping companies to examine the opportunities available for shore-side electricity connection, particularly in areas identified as having poor air quality.

    The Government has implemented the international requirements which control emissions from ships. These require that ships in an emission control area (the North Sea, including the Channel) must either use fuel with a sulphur content which does not exceed 0.1% or use an equally effective alternative compliance method.

    Moreover, ships that are berthed for at least two hours are not allowed to use fuel with a sulphur content which exceeds 0.1%.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take in the light of the findings of the independent review of the handling by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    These are matters in the first instance for NHS Improvement. The Verita report, Independent review of the handling by The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright, was commissioned by the NHS Trust Development Authority – a forerunner organisation – independently of Government.

    NHS Improvement is commissioning a governance review to consider issues highlighted by the Verita report. A copy of the terms of reference for the new governance review are attached.

    Verita was originally requested (under specific terms of reference) to review and provide a dedicated report on the handling by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright. Governance issues that fell outside of those terms of reference will be considered in the new review, to ensure thorough investigation.

    The new review will take into account evidence provided by Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright and others in the course of the Verita review.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the independent review of the handling by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright did not inquire into wider governance concerns raised as part of the review when its terms or reference allowed it to report on other relevant matters that arose during the course of the review.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    These are matters in the first instance for NHS Improvement. The Verita report, Independent review of the handling by The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright, was commissioned by the NHS Trust Development Authority – a forerunner organisation – independently of Government.

    NHS Improvement is commissioning a governance review to consider issues highlighted by the Verita report. A copy of the terms of reference for the new governance review are attached.

    Verita was originally requested (under specific terms of reference) to review and provide a dedicated report on the handling by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright. Governance issues that fell outside of those terms of reference will be considered in the new review, to ensure thorough investigation.

    The new review will take into account evidence provided by Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright and others in the course of the Verita review.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new review into the governance of the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust will take account of evidence submitted to the independent review of the handling by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    These are matters in the first instance for NHS Improvement. The Verita report, Independent review of the handling by The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright, was commissioned by the NHS Trust Development Authority – a forerunner organisation – independently of Government.

    NHS Improvement is commissioning a governance review to consider issues highlighted by the Verita report. A copy of the terms of reference for the new governance review are attached.

    Verita was originally requested (under specific terms of reference) to review and provide a dedicated report on the handling by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust of concerns raised by and related to Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright. Governance issues that fell outside of those terms of reference will be considered in the new review, to ensure thorough investigation.

    The new review will take into account evidence provided by Mrs Haynes-Kirkbright and others in the course of the Verita review.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the timetable for the new review into the governance of the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    This is a matter for NHS Improvement, which advises that it is currently undertaking a tender process to appoint a provider for the governance review of the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust. It is expected that the review will begin in July 2016 and will report in the autumn.

    NHS Improvement advises that it will publish the final review report in full.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish in full the findings of the new review into the governance of the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    This is a matter for NHS Improvement, which advises that it is currently undertaking a tender process to appoint a provider for the governance review of the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust. It is expected that the review will begin in July 2016 and will report in the autumn.

    NHS Improvement advises that it will publish the final review report in full.