Tag: Cheryl Gillan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many officials in his Department are working on matters relating to High Speed 2; and what the grades of those officials are.

Nick Boles

The Department for Transport (DfT) leads on HS2 policy and delivery. Within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), various officials at different grades have an interest in HS2 from the point of view of the Growth opportunities that arise from the investment.

BIS interests include the potential for rail engineering supply chain development, innovation and technology transfer and growth opportunities arising from the investment along the HS2 route. This will also be a shop window for new technologies that can then drive export growth. HS2 and the National High Speed Rail College will also drive the uptake of apprenticeships and raise engineering skills levels, so Officials in those areas have an interest in HS2. All of these matters also feature in the work of the Rail Supply Group, the rail engineering industry council, which is jointly supported by DfT and BIS officials.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many expressions of interest his Department has received from organisations other than HM Treasury or private investors in funding the construction of High Speed 2.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The case for HS2 has been calculated on the basis of the project being fully publicly funded. We have not received any expressions of interest from organisations other than HM Treasury or private investors in funding the construction of High Speed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what total amount has been received by (a) his Department and (b) HS2 Ltd under the Connecting Europe Facility 2015 Multi-Annual Work Programme; and what estimate he has made of the amount that will be received under that programme by each body in the next three years.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department for Transport was awarded Connecting Europe Facility funding for the following projects in 2015:

• South-Wales railway electrification study (Network Rail). €4.1 million
• Arc Atlantique Corridor Phase II. A UK led ITS traffic management deployment project involving Ireland, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Netherlands. The UK partners (Highways England, Transport Scotland, Department for Regional Development Northern Ireland, and the Welsh Government share amounts to around €9 million).
• European ITS Platform – Italian project coordinating standards for deployment of ITS traffic management systems across Europe. The UK partners (Highways England, Transport Scotland, Department for Regional Development Northern Ireland, and the Welsh Government) amounts to around €0.5 million)
• High Speed 2 (HS2 Ltd) €39.2 million

It is not possible to estimate how much additional funding may be available in the next three years. Funding for projects is awarded through a competitive bidding process with projects having to meet specific criteria set by the European Commission. The second call for funding closed in February 2016 and the results will be announced later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by which body he plans that the Construction Commissioner for High Speed 2 will be paid; and to whom it is planned that that Commission will report.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Terms of reference for the Construction Commissioner will be agreed by an independent steering group following Royal Assent. The group will monitor performance and review funding arrangements. An interim commissioner will be appointed this summer and the role will initially be paid for by HS2 Ltd.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what establishment types and educational provision arrangements are included within the category of other arrangements made by local authority used in the statistics and analysis on statements of special educational needs and education, health and care plans in England published on 26 May 2016.

Edward Timpson

The number of children and young people with a statement or education, health and care (EHC) plan who are educated at home is not specifically collected in the ‘Statements and EHC plans England: 2016’ publication[1]. However, as these children and young people will be included in the total number of children and young people with statements and EHC plans, local authorities are likely to have included these children and young people in the ‘other arrangements made by the local authority’ or ‘other arrangements made by the parent’ category.

The number of children and young people with statements or EHC plans who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is not specifically collected in this statistical first release. Where young people have a statement or EHC plan and are NEET, they will be included in one of the other categories, e.g. ‘other arrangements made by local authority’ or ‘awaiting provision’.

There is not an exhaustive list of arrangements included in the category of ‘Other – arrangements made by the local authority in accordance with Section 319 of the Education Act 1996 or Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014’. The published SEN 2016 guide for local authorities[2] completing this part of the collection is as follows:

‘Section 319 of the Education Act 1996 empowers an authority to provide education for children with special educational needs “other than in school”. This may include education in centres run by social services or at home. Children would not normally be on another school register.

‘Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014 empowers an authority to provide education for children and young people with special educational needs “other than in school, post-16 institutions, etc”. This may include education in centres run by social services or where the local authority has named home education on an EHC plan.’

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2016

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational-needs-survey-2016-guide

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to support the wider implementation of mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of stroke.

David Mowat

NHS England’s National Clinical Director (NCD) for stroke is leading work to develop a full proposal which will consider the evidence and logistical issues involved in delivering mechanical thrombectomy to stroke patients across the country. This includes working with the relevant specialist societies, Royal Colleges and Health Education England to consider the workforce implications. Once the proposal has been developed, NHS England will decide whether the procedure should be made widely available.

The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) is now collecting data on patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy and the latest data shows that 124 patients were treated between October 2015 and March 2016. It should be noted, however, that this may not reflect all patients treated as some may not have had their data entered into SSNAP.

The SSNAP team is addressing this issue with the relevant clinicians. SSNAP data is freely available at:

https://www.strokeaudit.org/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost to the public purse has been to date of the National College for High Speed Rail.

Andrew Jones

The Government has committed £52 million of capital cost up until the College opening. To date £12.3 million has been spent.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the average operating speed for High Speed trains to Europe.

Claire Perry

Eurostar operate passenger trains from London into Europe at speeds of up to 186 miles per hour.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his most recent estimate is of the cost of tunnel boring for the High Speed 2 Chiltern tunnel.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The estimated cost of the Chiltern tunnel, as extended via Additional Provision 4, is £940m (based on Q2 2011 Prices). This figure, which includes the costs relating to tunnel boring and the construction of the tunnel portals and vent shafts, excludes risk and contingency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to make an application under Article 16 of the EU Habitats Directive for a derogation in relation to species protected under Annex IV of that Directive which may be affected by Phase 1 of High Speed 2.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Where effects on protected species are identified, the appropriate licenses will be obtained from Natural England prior to any works being undertaken. This includes species protected by the Habitats Regulations 2010 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Natural England is working with HS2 ltd in scoping the required licences through 2016 in the run up to Royal Assent.