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  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with Brighton and Hove City Council on the condition of roads in that area; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Officials at the Department for Transport discuss highways maintenance matters with local authorities as and when issues are raised with them. Brighton and Hove City Council also registered to attent the recent "Gearing up for Efficient Highway Delivery and Funding from 2015 Roadshow" where the Department sought views from the sector on the future of funding arrangements for highways maintenance and on improvements to the value for money of the local road network programme.

    The Department for Transport provides capital funding to local highway authorities from the local maintenance highways maintenance capital block grant and over the four year period from 2011 Brighton and Hove City Council’s allocation is £13.9 million.

    The Department has also allocated additional highways maintenance funding to authorities to help repair roads damaged due to severe weather events. For Brighton and Hove City Council this includes £0.152 million in 2010/11, £0.412 million in March 2011 and more recently £0.295 million in March 2014.

    A £200 million Pothole Fund was announced in the recent Budget. From this, £168 million is being made available to councils in England through a bidding exercise. Further details of the fund were made available on 24 April, and can be found at:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/pothole-fund-2014-to-2015-application.

    Any local authorities wishing to apply for a share of the funding are required to submit an application to the Department for Transport by 22 May 2014.

    “

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve rail services in the Brighton travel to work area; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    The new TSGN franchise, as well as using the new rolling stock which will be phased into service from 2016, will require the franchisee to meet ambitious targets to improve punctuality and reliability performance, service quality and passenger satisfaction. We have also made clear to bidders that they can receive extra evaluation credit for submitting proposals that exceed our specified train service and quality requirements.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received from organisations representing pensioners on the start and end times of the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    During the past twelve months we have received no representations on this subject from organisations representing pensioners.

    The Chancellor has committed to maintaining the statutory concession until the end of this Parliament, and we have no plans to amend its hours of validity.

    Travel Concession Authorities have powers to implement discretionary enhancements to the statutory concession, including extending the hours of validity. The Department’s annual concessionary travel survey monitors the availability of such discretionary concessions, and the most recent dataset can be found at:

    http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus08-concessionary-travel/

    “

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Liverpool, was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in March 2014.

    Stephen Hammond

    During March 2014 Liverpool Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels on 8 occasions out of 62 shifts.

    Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty’s Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Stornaway, was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in March 2014.

    Stephen Hammond

    During March 2014 Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels on 6 occasions out of 62 shifts.

    Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty’s Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.

  • Teresa Pearce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Teresa Pearce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Teresa Pearce on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research has been undertaken on the prospects of former Remploy factory workers who were made redundant in (a) 2007-08 and (b) phases 1 and 2 of the 2012-13 factory closures.

    Mike Penning

    The Department is not able to assess the prospects of former Remploy factory workers made redundant as part of the 2008 modernisation plan as this plan agreed by the previous Government did not include tracking processes.

    Before implementing the Sayce recommendations, the Government considered the lessons from implementation of the modernisation plan changes. This is why it introduced the £8 million guaranteed People Help and Support Package (PHSP) providing help for up to 18 months to disabled former Remploy workers and is tracking the support that this is providing. As at 21 March 2014, 1,513 disabled former Remploy workers are choosing to work with our Personal Case Workers to find another job and 716 are in work.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion and number of jobs currently advertised through Jobcentre Plus are on zero-hour contracts.

    Esther McVey

    We do not advertise in jobcentres, all vacancies are now advertised on Universal Jobmatch. JSA claimants are not required to apply for zero-hour contract jobs and are not penalised if they leave such a job

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion and number of job outcomes from the work programme were in zero-hours contracts roles in each month since the programme began.

    Esther McVey

    The information requested is not held by the Department.

  • Teresa Pearce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Teresa Pearce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Teresa Pearce on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer 6 March 2014, Official Report, columns 971-2W, on Remploy, which businesses were sold; and whether profit from such sales has been passed back to HM Treasury.

    Mike Penning

    The automotive, filters, healthcare, e-cycle and CCTV managed services were the five businesses that were sold as part of Remploy’s commercial process.

    The overall cost of the exit of the factory businesses included profits from the sales of the businesses with total costs estimated to be below budget.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance is issued to Jobcentre Plus on recommending jobs on zero-hours contracts.

    Esther McVey

    Jobcentre Plus guidance stipulates that claimants should not be mandated to apply for a job offering a zero hours contract. It also states that no sanction action will be taken if claimants refuse or fail to apply. A person leaving a zero hours contract job will not be sanctioned if they leave that job voluntarily or lose it through their misconduct.