The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average cost to the public purse was of a work capability assessment case that ended in appeal from the beginning of the assessment process to the outcome and implementation of the appeal in each of the last three years.
Priti Patel
The information requested is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Guto Bebb on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his Department’s policy to accept data protection forms relating to queries arising from hon. Members’ casework by email.
Justin Tomlinson
DWP current email policy states “this policy does not change existing rules on communications with Members of Parliament (MPs) and when responding to customer complaints (handled by the Independent Case Examiner) where the MP or complainant has requested a response by email”.
A Member is the data controller for all personal data handled by their own office and must be registered with the Information Commissioners Office in accordance with the following guidance.
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/advice-for-members-offices.pdf
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Le Bureau d’Enguetes et d’Analyses report into Andreas Lubitz, published on 13 March 2016, if his Department will bring forward proposals to enable airlines to access mental health records of pilots within their employment.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The UK has a long held, well-established and robust process for certifying the ‘fitness to fly’ of pilots.
The General Medical Council (GMC) has guidelines for doctors which give UK doctors an ethical duty to report concerns about a patient to the relevant authority if that condition presents a risk to public safety and the patient hasn’t reported it.
Medical requirements for commercial pilots are determined by European Legislation. In response to the Germanwings crash in March 2015, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is developing a European aeromedical data repository system which will be deployed by December 2016. This repository system will contain the current fitness to fly status of all European pilots. It is important that this repository is implemented on a European-wide basis, as many pilots who work in the UK or work for UK airlines are not resident in the UK, are not British nationals and have medical certificates that are overseen by other European States.
It is in the UK’s interests for all pilots flying in Europe to be subject to a high standard of medical fitness and common legislation, in the interests of aviation safety.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what reports he has had from Highways England on the recent closure of the M5 between Junction 5 and Junction 4A northbound due to a gantry removal; and if he will publish each of those reports on that closure.
Andrew Jones
Highways England is continuing to investigate this incident and the way in which its impact on the road network was managed by the organisation and its contractors. The Secretary of State has been briefed and a review of the incident is being held with local authorities and the emergency services.
Findings and recommendations are currently being prepared by Highways England and these will be shared with the Secretary of State and subsequently published on its website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on commissioning an independent Road Safety Management Capacity Review.
Andrew Jones
The Road Safety Statement, published on 21 December 2015, sets out the government’s plan to undertake a road safety management capacity review, to identify areas for improved joint working, local innovation and efficiency.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27209, on British Transport Police: finance, what assessment he has made of the operational implications of the planned reduction in the British Transport Police budget in 2016-17.
Claire Perry
Setting the budget of the British Transport Police (BTP) is a matter for the British Transport Police Authority. However, during the course of discussions on the spending review, the Department made clear to the BTP that it considered that any efficiencies that could be achieved should not materially impact on the operational policing capability of the BTP. I also understand that the reduction in the BTP’s budget in 2016-17 relates to the non-core policing budget, which is policing provided by the BTP at railway operators’ request on a commercial contract basis, rather than the core police budget which is set by the Authority.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department has allocated to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council for local road maintenance in the latest period for which figures are available.
Andrew Jones
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is part of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority which will receive £85.1 million in capital funding from the Department for Transport for local highways maintenance from 2015/16 to 2020/21. This funding is for all authorities within the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority except Birmingham which has an operational highway maintenance project funded through the Private Finance Initiative. The Department does not hold information on the highway maintenance funding Solihull receives from the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made of the safety of railways in the UK and other European countries.
Claire Perry
The United Kingdom currently has the safest record of any major railway network in Europe. All European Union Member States collect statistics about their safety performance including, for example, accidents and consequences, accident precursors and technical information. This material is collated by the European Railway Agency in its Annual Safety Performance Reports which are published at www.era.europa.eu/Core-Activities/Safety/Safety-Performance/Pages/Safety-Performance-Report.aspx.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department has allocated to Plymouth City Council for pothole maintenance since 2010; and what estimate he has made of how many potholes have been repaired as a result of that funding.
Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport allocated funding of £4.7 billion for local highways maintenance to local highway authorities in England from 2010 to 2015 which would be enough to repair approximately 89 million potholes based on an average of £53 per pothole. A further £6.1 billion is being allocated between now and 2021, including £250 million as part of a Pothole Action Fund, which could fix a further 115 million potholes. For Plymouth City Council we are providing over £25 million for local highways maintenance between 2010 and 2021 enough to help them repair over 400,000 potholes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which organisation or company has been commissioned to conduct further environmental impact studies regarding possible expansions at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick Airport.
Mr Robert Goodwill
WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff have been contracted by the Department for Transport. Their contract is available on https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/17ffaddc-3c19-4462-91ae-bf30029c08d9.
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