Tag: Baroness Randerson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many officials in the Department for Transport were working as part of the team dealing with rail franchising in 2014–15 and 2015–16.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The information is not held in the format requested. Staff working in franchising sit in Passenger Services, with other staff carrying out much wider roles.

The number of people (permanent and temporary) working in Passenger Services as at 31st March 2015 was 221.

The number as of 1st December 2015 is 235.

Our forecast requirements for future years are as follows:

2016/17 246.25 Full-Time Equivalents

2017/18 246.25 Full-Time Equivalents

2018/19 234.25 Full-Time Equivalents

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-02-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the collaborative commissioning arrangements for new hepatitis C medicines outlined in the report by NHS England Improving Value for Patients from Specialised Care, Commissioning Intentions 2016/2017 for Prescribed Specialist Services will include plans to ensure that the areas covered by Operational Delivery Networks and Clinical Commissioning Groups are coterminous.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England has been supporting Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs) to identify the clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that are relevant to their geography.

In many cases boundaries are co-terminous and this will assist in communications. Where this is not the case, this will mean that CCGs, ODNs, and NHS England commissioning hubs will work across a wider footprint to collaborate on relevant matters.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-04-25.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what basis they intend to decide how much public funding to put into the new transport infrastructure that would be required if there is to be expansion at Heathrow, and whether the same approach could apply to infrastructure improvements required if there is expansion at Gatwick.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Government’s 2013 Aviation Policy Framework makes clear that developers should pay the costs of upgrading or enhancing road, rail or other transport networks or services where there is a need to cope with additional passengers travelling to and from expanded or growing airports. Where the scheme has a wider range of beneficiaries, the Government will consider, along with other relevant stakeholders, the need for additional public funding on a case-by case basis.

The Government’s approach would be the same for each of three short-listed options for airport expansion considered by the Airports Commission.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-06-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was NHS England’s expenditure on all specialised services, disaggregated by different condition areas, in the last financial year, and what is their planned expenditure for the current year.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Planned spend figures for specialised commissioning by NHS England at programme of care level are not generally available. However, the hepatitis C budget for 2016/17 has been published and is £191 million.

Actual spend levels by NHS England are analysed to provide a breakdown for the previous year. An exercise to establish these figures is due to begin shortly.

Services for Multiple Sclerosis are commissioned mainly by clinical commissioning groups and spend data is not collected centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-10-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the creation of a lorry area in Kent, intended to address problems caused by Operation Stack, will cost, including the cost of improvements required to the local infrastructure.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

In the Spending Review and Autumn Statement of November 2015, the Government announced up to £250 million for a major permanent lorry area. Highways England is developing a scheme that is close to the M20 motorway and minimises the impact on the local infrastructure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many officials in the Department for Transport are expected to be working as part of the rail franchising team in 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The information is not held in the format requested. Staff working in franchising sit in Passenger Services, with other staff carrying out much wider roles.

The number of people (permanent and temporary) working in Passenger Services as at 31st March 2015 was 221.

The number as of 1st December 2015 is 235.

Our forecast requirements for future years are as follows:

2016/17 246.25 Full-Time Equivalents

2017/18 246.25 Full-Time Equivalents

2018/19 234.25 Full-Time Equivalents

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-02-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Bates on 28 January (HL Deb, col 1408), when Cardiff Council last inspected Lynx House; whether a written report was produced; and whether asylum seekers were required to wear red wristbands at the time of that inspection.

Lord Bates

Cardiff Council Environmental Health officers conducted a routine check of food hygiene matters on 26th January 2016.

Cardiff Council Housing Enforcement officers also inspected Lynx House premises on 2nd February 2016. We understand that a report will be produced and shared with both the accommodation provider and the Home Office in due course. Home Office can confirm that the requirement for asylum seekers accommodated in Lynx House to wear wristbands in order to access meals ended on 25 January.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-04-25.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will finance feasibility work on plans to redevelop Cardiff Central Station during the current Control Period 5, in order for work to start promptly in Control Period 6.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

I am pleased that we have already funded additional platform and station capacity at Cardiff Central station to facilitate forecast passenger growth. The Welsh route study has identified an opportunity to redevelop the station area as a stimulus to economic growth and we will work with the Welsh Government and the new Cardiff City Region Capital Transport Authority to understand the economic benefits of this, as set out in the Cardiff City Deal.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-06-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they estimate the Cardiff Rail Operating Centre will be commissioned.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Cardiff Regional Operating Centre opened in 2010 and has been signaling trains since that date.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-10-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered upgrading the M20 or the A2/M2 as an alternative to the establishment of a permanent lorry area near Junction 11 of the M20.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Highways England carried out an assessment of alternative options for a solution to Operation Stack and this considered increasing the overall capacity and resilience of Kent’s motorway network. The alternatives were included in a public consultation held between December 2015 and January 2016.

Overall, a lorry area was the best performing option and this was stated in the report on the consultation which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/management-of-freight-vehicles-through-kent and is attached for ease of reference.

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