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

    Lord Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 3 March (HL6266), what improvements Govia Thameslink Railway have implemented since the commencement of their franchise.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) have implemented numerous improvements since the commencement of their franchise. These include, but are not limited to:

    • Extension of smart ticketing functionality meaning that ‘the Key’ smartcard is now available at an additional 80 stations, taking the total number of stations to 220;
    • Oyster PAYG and CPAY has been extended to Gatwick Airport station;
    • An increase in overnight services serving Luton Airport Parkway station;
    • An increased number of Rail Enforcement Officers, with an additional 19 officers;
    • An increase in customer information screens;
    • A single source of customer information across website, app and stations;
    • Access to radio microphones for all platform staff to improve information provision at stations;
    • First to last staffing at an additional 25 Great Northern and Thameslink stations;
    • Ordered new trains comprising 150 vehicles for the Great Northern Moorgate route to replace rolling stock from the 1970s;
    • Services on the Moorgate branch in the evenings and at weekends;
    • iPads for customer facing staff to improve information provision;
    • 24 hour Twitter team;

    In addition, the following key improvements are on course to be delivered by Govia Thameslink Railway in the coming months:

    • Introduction of a new fleet of trains for the Gatwick Express – the first of which went into passenger service on 29 Feb;
    • New state of the art Class 700 trains will start to be introduced across the GTR network from the spring;
    • WiFi at 104 stations.

    More details on the committed obligations and improvements GTR are contracted to deliver can be found in the Franchise Agreement which is available at the government website.

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

    Lord Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 3 March (HL6266), whether they consider that the changes to the opening hours of ticketing offices proposed by Govia Thameslink Railway can be described as proposals to improve the passenger experience at stations” in the light of proposals for reduced ticket office hours and the continuation of ticket machines; and whether they consider that the introduction of smaller seats and the removal of tea trolleys will also “improve the passenger service”.”

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) were awarded the franchise on the basis that they would make improvements to the passenger experience both on trains and at stations. Further to my written answer on 3 March, GTR are consulting on proposed changes to ticket office opening hours at some stations. As part of these proposals, GTR plan to introduce the role of ’Station Host’ who will be on duty for times in excess of the current ticket office opening hours. The Station Hosts will be there to provide customer assistance including help with ticket purchases and information provision.

  • Lord Lisvane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Lisvane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lisvane on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what their policy is towards the commencement of the Easter Act 1928.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Easter Act 1928 would set the date for Easter to fall on the Sunday that follows the second Saturday in April (i.e. between 9 and 15 April). The Act has not been brought into force. To do so would require an Order in Council, with the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The Act requires that, before the Order is made, “regard shall be had to any opinion officially expressed by any Church or other Christian Body." If the Christian churches were to agree on moving to a fixed date for Easter then the Government would consider, depending on what date is agreed, whether to bring into force the Easter Act 1928 or to make such other legislative provision as may be needed.

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

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of blue badges for disabled drivers held by people in England and Wales in (1) 2013, (2) 2014, and (3) 2015.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The estimated total number of Blue Badges held in England and Wales for 2013, 2014 and 2015 were:

    2013: 2,776,000

    2014: 2,663,000

    2015: 2,597,000

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Turkey about compensation for the inhabitants of Cizre whose close relatives have died, or whose property has been destroyed, as a result of government action.

    Earl of Courtown

    The situation in certain areas in south east Turkey is extremely concerning. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) continues to mount deadly attacks against the security forces. Our thoughts are with the victims and the civilians that have been caught up in the violence. The Turkish government has recently announced plans for reconstruction and assistance for those whose property has been damaged. We continue to call for the PKK to end its terrorist attacks and for the peace process to be resumed.

  • Baroness Goudie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Baroness Goudie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March (HL6250), what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of training provided by the UK to Burmese Army soldiers.

    Earl Howe

    I refer to my previous answer, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do, however, provide educational training to the Burmese military and Burmese civil servants. In 2015 this included the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context and Strategic Leadership programmes, both delivered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in partnership with Cranfield University. In addition, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst delivered a Psychology of Leadership programme in Burma, and we have also provided English language training. We have not undertaken any formal assessment process of this educational training.

    I refer to my previous answer, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do, however, provide educational training to the Burmese military and Burmese civil servants. In 2015 this included the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context and Strategic Leadership programmes, both delivered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in partnership with Cranfield University. In addition, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst delivered a Psychology of Leadership programme in Burma, and we have also provided English language training. We have not undertaken any formal assessment process of this educational training.

  • Baroness Goudie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Baroness Goudie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March (HL6250), whether they retain details of the names and battalions, or other units, of Burmese Army soldiers who receive training from the UK.

    Earl Howe

    We retain details of the names and current units of Burmese Army soldiers who receive training from the UK. However, we do not hold any information on which units these individuals may have served in previously.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Faulks on 2 March (HL Deb, col 928), how many of those families of EU migrants in the UK that are supported by the benefits system, and which include at least one member who has arrived in the last four years, include (1) an adult member recorded for these purposes as of UK nationality, and (2) an adult member recorded for these purposes as a non-UK national who has not arrived in the last four years, where recorded for these purposes” relates to nationality at the time the person was first issued with a National Insurance Number.”

    Lord Freud

    The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Faulks on 2 March (HL Deb, col 928), how many of those families of EU migrants in the UK that are supported by the benefits system receive child benefit alone.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The information requested is not available.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Faulks on 2 March (HL Deb, col 928), whether they now plan to make an estimate of the likely impact on migration from the rest of the EU of the restrictions to in-work benefits that were agreed in the decision of the European Council concerning a new settlement for the UK within the EU.

    Lord Bates

    The Decision of the European Council concerning a new settlement for the UK recognises, for the first time, that different social security systems across Member States can attract EU workers. Government figures show that around 40 per cent of recent EEA migrants are in households supported by the benefit system. On average, families with a recent EEA migrant claim almost £6,000 per year in tax credits, and of these, around 8,000 families receive more than £10,000.

    We remain committed to reforms across the whole of Government to reduce net migration to sustainable levels and to reform the immigration system so that it works in the best interests of our country. We will continue to restore a sense of fairness and to reduce the current very high level of population flows into the UK – now and in the future.