Tag: Antoinette Sandbach

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the differences in provision of healthcare in areas adjoining the border between England and Wales.

Stephen Crabb

Everyone should have access to the very best healthcare possible wherever they live. The presence of a border between England and Wales should not create disadvantages for patients.

While the NHS in England exists to benefit the people of England, and the NHS in Wales exists to benefit the people of Wales, NHS commissioners in either country are able to commission services from providers on both sides of the border.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage schools to procure their food from local producers and suppliers.

George Eustice

The Plan for Public Procurement of Food was launched by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with the support of the Prime Minister in July 2014. The Plan seeks to improve the quality of the food served in public establishments through the use of a procurement toolkit which includes a balanced scorecard to assess the value of food and catering contracts. The balanced scorecard rewards businesses which offer high quality, locally sourced and seasonal produce.

Defra has worked closely with the Department for Education sponsored School Food Plan and has commissioned pilots of the balanced scorecard approach with schools taking part in the London Food Board Flagship Food Boroughs initiative. These pilots will build on the very firm foundation laid by the School Food Plan.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35403, on High Speed 2 railway line: Eddisbury, for what reasons no intrusive geological surveys have been carried out at this stage; when HS2 Ltd commissioned from a mining engineer, in consultation with the Cheshire Brine Subsidence Compensation Board, a study of the historical subsidence effects and ongoing extractive processes in relation to salt; on what date HS2 Ltd received or will receive that report; and when he expects to receive the conclusions of the re-review of the usefulness of satellite interferometry to evaluate historical ground movement across Cheshire.

Mr Robert Goodwill

HS2 will negotiate access to land with landowners to undertake geological surveys as a part of the Hybrid Bill process following the decision of the route as done on Phase 1 and Phase 2a. It would not be appropriate to intrude on landowners where there is no confirmation of the route.

Both the study and the re-review will be used to support technical decisions contributing to a route announcement scheduled for later in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial assistance is available for parents who have lost children to pay for funeral costs.

Justin Tomlinson

The Social Fund Funeral Expenses scheme provides help towards the cost of a funeral for people on qualifying benefits. Awards cover the full necessary costs involved with either burial or cremation and up to £700 for other funeral expenses. Social Fund Budgeting Loans are also available to help those on income related benefits to cover the costs relating to funeral expenses.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the current £55.7 billion budget for High Speed 2 is for (a) phase 1, (b) phase 2A and (c) phase 2B; and what the contingency budget is for each such phase.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The 2015 Spending Review reconfirmed the Government’s commitment to the programme providing a long-term funding envelope of £55.7bn in 2015 prices. A breakdown of this envelope with and without contingency has been provided below:

£’bn, 2015 Prices	Phase One	Phase 2a	Phase 2b	Rolling Stock	Total
Without Contingency	18.0	2.7	14.7	5.4	40.8
With Contingency	24.3	3.7	20.7	7	55.7

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35400, for what reasons HS2 Ltd has not undertaken any work other than desktop studies in relation to the potential effect on aquifers, canal routes, roads and other surface obstacles in respect of Phase 2b of the route.

Mr Robert Goodwill

HS2 will undertake a more detailed assessment of environmental impacts as a part of the Hybrid Bill process following the decision of the route as done on Phase 1 and Phase 2a. It would not be appropriate to undertake detailed studies where there is no confirmation of the route.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2015 to Question 15873, on broadband: Cheshire, if he will take steps to bring the planned coverage of Eddisbury in line with the Cheshire average.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Eddisbury is eligible for extra funding sources to increase local superfast broadband coverage, including clawback funding BT are offering in response to the high take-up of superfast broadband in Cheshire. It is for Connecting Cheshire to decide which areas to prioritise funding.

In addition, the Prime Minister recently announced the ambition to give people the legal right to request a connection to broadband with speeds of 10 Mbps, no matter where in the country they live.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the reasons were for the delay in announcing the route of phase 2B of High Speed 2 to Manchester and Leeds.

Mr Robert Goodwill

HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport have been analysing route and station options in light of the responses received following the Phase Two consultation.

We have also been considering Sir David Higgins’ proposals to bring forward the benefits of HS2 to the North with a new Crewe Hub station, improve connectivity between Northern cities, and further integrate with Network Rail’s Strategic Business Plan, before deciding how to proceed.

HS2 Phase Two remains on target to open in 2033.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35238, whether any factors relevant to (a) Cheshire and (b) Eddisbury have had a bearing on delays in announcing the route of Phase 2b of High Speed 2 from Crewe to Manchester.

Mr Robert Goodwill

As set out in my previous answer, HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport have been analysing options across the route following the consultation. It would not be appropriate to go into detail on any individual location before a route decision has been taken. A route decision is planned for autumn 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for the Falkland Islands of the results of the recent Argentinian presidential election.

Mr Hugo Swire

As my honourable Friend will know, Argentina held an inconclusive first round of Presidential elections last month. A second round is due to take place on 22 November.