The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many times claimants of working age on unemployment benefits have been interviewed under caution by staff of his Department in each of the last five years.
Priti Patel
We do not hold official statistics to the National Statistical Authority and so we are unable to provide this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) jobseekers’ allowance and (b) universal credit claimants have been (i) referred for an assessment of the their English language skills, (ii) mandated to undertake learning following such an assessment and (iii) sanctioned for failing to attend such learning sessions.
Priti Patel
In the 2013/14 academic year, there were 57,200 starts to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training aims by JSA and ESA (WRAG) claimants, and 72,700 in total by all claimants (excluding UC) in England only. This includes starts to training as part of the English Language Requirements (ELR) policy. DWP does not currently hold data on the number of claimants starting ESOL under UC.
DWP does not hold specific data on the number of sanctions for failing to attend ESOL training.
Information on the number of starts to DWP-funded ELR training in Scotland Wales is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. DWP is exploring publishing these statistics in summer 2016 as an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies (a) in general and (b) on road safety of each region’s road users’ satisfaction survey published by Highways England on 11 December 2015.
Andrew Jones
The recently published National Road Survey Satisfaction Survey is based on responses from interviews of approximately 2,000 road users per annum. The results are analysed on an ongoing basis and provide insight to inform the development of Highways England‘s work.
We aim to reduce the number of cyclists and other road users killed or injured on our roads every year. We have been working closely with road safety groups to consider what more can be done and expect to publish our Road Safety Statement shortly. The Road Safety Statement will set out the high level plan and overarching approach to road safety that we expect to take over the rest of the Parliament, and will be followed by a series of more detailed proposals and consultations.
Highways England has recently announced their new road safety ambition that no one shall be harmed while working or travelling on the network. In support of this, they have launched their 5 year Health and Safety Plan which contains specific actions relating to road safety.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to assess the condition and future requirements for maintenance of the local roads network.
Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport regularly publishes Official Statistics on the proportion of roads where maintenance should be considered by region in England. The latest available published data are for the financial year 2013/14.
Road maintenance is a matter for individual local highway authorities, and it is for them to prioritise work according to local need. However, we are providing local highway authorities with record funding of £6 billion for local highways maintenance plus a £250 million pothole action fund as recently announced by the Chancellor on top of this.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of investment in public spaces and walking infrastructure on (a) footfall in those spaces and (b) trading levels for businesses situated on or near those spaces or that infrastructure.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Department for Transport has not made any recent assessment. However, we are aware of the work undertaken by Living Streets, who also form part of the Department’s Cycling and Walking High Level Group.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the reasons for regional variation in the condition of local authority A roads that merit the indicator which states that they are roads where maintenance should be considered.
Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport regularly publishes Official Statistics on the proportion of roads where maintenance should be considered by region in England. The latest available published data are for the financial year 2013/14.
Road maintenance is a matter for individual local highway authorities, and it is for them to prioritise work according to local need. However, we are providing local highway authorities with record funding of £6 billion for local highways maintenance plus a £250 million pothole action fund as recently announced by the Chancellor on top of this.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to seek the views of pensioners on (a) his Department’s policies and (b) concessionary travel since the closure of the UK Advisory Forum on Ageing.
Andrew Jones
Since the final meeting of the UK Advisory Forum on Ageing in September we have continued to consider the priorities of older people and to consult with relevant organisations where appropriate.
We are working with the Disabled People’s Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) to revamp the Department for Transport’sAccessibility Action Plan, which was initiated for the first time under the Coalition government, to meet the growth in demand for a more inclusive transport system as a result of an aging population.
We have also met with the National Pensioners’ Convention (NPC) at “round table” events for the upcoming Buses Bill, and welcome engagement with all organisations representing older people regarding policies including the national bus concession.
The national concession provides almost ten million older and disabled people with free off-peak bus travel throughout England, helping them to maintain their independence and remain active in society. This Government has committed to maintaining this national concession through this Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to assess the potential effect of a third runway at Heathrow on air quality around that airport.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Airports Commission published a large amount of analysis on air quality for their three shortlisted schemes. It is my intention to test the Commission’s air quality analysis against the Government’s new Air Quality Plan. This was a recommendation of the Environmental Audit Committee alongside other recommendations that I will fully consider in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to the Calder Valley of the award of the new Northern rail franchise.
Andrew Jones
The Calder Valley route between Manchester and Bradford will see more trains and faster journeys, with the weekday service frequency between Bradford and Manchester being enhanced by 50% (from two to three trains per hour), a significant increase in evening services, a doubling of Sunday service frequency from one to two trains per hour, and new direct links from Bradford to Manchester Airport and from Bradford to Liverpool.
Add this to the withdrawal of all Pacers by the end of 2019, an investment of £400 million in 281 brand newcarriages (some of which will operate on the new Bradford-Manchester Airport and Bradford-Liverpool services), and the refurbishment of the rest of the Northern fleet, we expect these enhancements to result in very substantial economic benefits for the area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support will be available for long-term planning for cycling in the period between the closure of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund in April 2016 and the publication of the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy in summer 2016.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Following the recent Spending Review confirmation of this Government’s commitment to cycling and walking by committing to investing over £300million to 2020, I am considering in more detail future sustainable transport programmes. This includes the new ‘access’ fund, which is anticipated to build on the legacy of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The Government is also currently developing the first Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy and will be engaging with interested parties as this work progresses. I plan to publish further details shortly.
At the same time, the Local Growth Fund already includes many ongoing cycling and other sustainable transport initiatives.
This Government also remains committed to the principles of localism. Local authorities are well placed to decide their local priorities in relation to sustainable transport initiatives. Government resources allocated to local authorities, such as the local integrated transport block, can be flexibly distributed accordingly.