Tag: David Mackintosh

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make a comparative assessment of the effectiveness of the powers available to the devolved administrations and local authorities in England to tackle homelessness.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Government has committed to work with local authorities, homelessness organisations and across government departments to consider options, including legislation, to prevent more households becoming homeless. We will look to learn from other countries who have innovated in the way they deal with homelessness.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to limit the effect that engineering works on rail lines have on travel over long bank holidays.

Claire Perry

An independent review of how the rail industry plans and schedules major improvement work was carried out last year. The review concluded that Christmas, Easter and bank holidays were the best times to carry out upgrades requiring major line closures, particularly in and around London where the network is busiest and access for engineers is most difficult.

Network Rail always looks to minimise the overall impact of these vital projects on passengers. As such, Network Rail and train operators are conscious that many people want to use the railway over holiday periods to reunite with their friends and families, so where possible they try to ensure the vast majority of services are kept running, as well as delivering passenger improvements on time. Network Rail will ensure around 96% of the network will be available during the next May bank holiday.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that funding from the public purse for her Department’s work (a) does not reach unintended destinations and (b) is tracked from its source to its intended project.

Mr Nick Hurd

At every stage in the programme cycle DFID assesses and mitigates the risk that aid could be diverted from its intended purpose or project. DFID provided a comprehensive written answer on 29 March 2016 [Hansard ref 31732] which set out in more detail the steps DFID take to ensure that funding from the public purse for her Department’s work (a) does not end up in unintended destinations and (b) is tracked from its source to its intended project. In addition, DFID’s Counter Fraud and Whistleblowing Unit will take all necessary steps to investigate swiftly all allegations of corruption and fraud and pursue sanctions available in each case, including dismissal, prosecution, suspension and cancellation of aid.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that prisoners with mental health problems can access appropriate treatment.

Andrew Selous

We are developing pathways into mental health treatment, which will be offered to offenders at all stages of the criminal justice system. All prisons have procedures in place to identify, manage and support people who are at risk of harm to themselves, and we have increased resources to undertake this work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to encourage the promotion of LGBT rights through its work with recipients of UK aid.

Mr Desmond Swayne

‘DFID’s approach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights’ was published in February 2016 on the UK Government website. It outlines how DFID will focus on building clarity and narrative around non-discrimination in development and identifying and engaging with the Southern voices.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s definition is of a homeless person.

Mr Marcus Jones

The legal definition of homelessness is set out in Section 175 of the Housing Act 1996. Broadly speaking, somebody is statutorily homeless if they do not have accommodation that they have a legal right to occupy, which is accessible and physically available to them (and their household) and which it would be reasonable for them to continue to live in. It would not be reasonable for someone to continue to live in their home, for example, if that was likely to lead to violence against them (or a member of their family).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to limit the effect that engineering works on rail lines have on travel over long bank holidays.

Claire Perry

An independent review of how the rail industry plans and schedules major improvement work was carried out last year. The review concluded that Christmas, Easter and bank holidays were the best times to carry out upgrades requiring major line closures, particularly in and around London where the network is busiest and access for engineers is most difficult.

Network Rail always looks to minimise the overall impact of these vital projects on passengers. As such, Network Rail and train operators are conscious that many people want to use the railway over holiday periods to reunite with their friends and families, so where possible they try to ensure the vast majority of services are kept running, as well as delivering passenger improvements on time. Network Rail will ensure around 96% of the network will be available during the next May bank holiday.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that more people are aware of (a) the Right to Buy and (b) other housing schemes offered by the Government.

Brandon Lewis

My Department has run a Right to Buy marketing campaign since the scheme was reinvigorated in 2012. The campaign is aimed at ensuring eligible council and housing association tenants are made aware of their opportunity to buy their home at a discount and gives them up-to-date information on changes to the discount rates and eligibility criteria. Activity has included direct marketing, radio, digital and local press advertising and out of home roadside posters.

In October 2015 my Department also launched the Own Your Home campaign – aimed at persuading young working people to look again at home ownership and driving take up of appropriate Government home-buying schemes when this is the right decision for them. Drawing together a range of Government schemes, the campaign comprises: radio, digital advertising, social media, out of home (on street posters), consumer press advertising and a major media partnership in the Sun newspaper – as well as linking visually and verbally into activities for the individual schemes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will establish an office within his Department with a focus on assisting UK military veterans in terms of housing, health, employment, pensions and other needs.

Mark Lancaster

As I stated on 24 March 2016 during a debate in the House (Official Report, columns 1865-74) the concept of such an office, while well-intentioned, would duplicate existing provision. We already have strong cross-Government support for veterans from the Department of Health, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Department for Communities and Local Government as well as other Departments. In addition, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) operates Veterans UK which focuses on the provision of pensions, compensation and welfare support for veterans.

The Armed Forces Covenant is designed to stop the Armed Forces community facing disadvantage and provides an effective mechanism to connect the various stakeholders who have an interest in supporting our community. The Covenant Reference Group brings together all relevant Departments and Devolved Administrations in a way that a single agency or Ministry could not. In addition, the Defence Secretary ensures that the MOD publishes an annual report to Parliament to communicate the delivery of our Covenant commitments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the performance of those train companies that scored low marks in the Office of Rail and Road’s mystery shopping exercise on delay compensation, reported on in March 2016.

Claire Perry

The Department is already working closely with the ORR and the Association of Train Operating Companies to bring about improvements to passenger compensation arrangements.

The Department will consider the results of the mystery shopping as part of its response to the ORR’s report into the Which? super-complaint in the summer of 2016.

I also understand the ORR has followed up the results of the mystery shopping exercise with each Train Operating Company. It intends to assess the level of improvement by carrying out a further survey in due course, as set out in its March 2016 report. The ORR will publish the mystery shopper results alongside its first annual report on consumers, titled ‘Measuring Up’, shortly.