Tag: Greg Knight

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on managing risks to public health from bisphenol A in food and drinks sold in plastic containers of the decision of the Canadian government to ban such containers.

Jane Ellison

We are advised by the Food Standards Agency, which has responsibility for food safety, that the United Kingdom’s view remains that exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) from food contact materials does not represent a risk to consumers.

In January 2015, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its latest re-evaluation of BPA exposure and toxicity. EFSA’s experts concluded that BPA poses no health risk to consumers of any age group (including unborn children, infants and adolescents) at current exposure levels from food contact materials.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to widen the M42; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

The current Road Investment Strategy includes two major schemes on the M42: improvements to Junction 6, and the M40/M42 interchange smart motorway scheme. In addition, further improvements are being prepared for the next roads period through the Birmingham Box Phase 4 scheme which will upgrade the remainder of the Birmingham box to smart motorway, providing an additional lane of capacity.

The Department for Transport and Highways England recently launched the process to determine the content of the second Roads Investment Strategy, which will detail further planned investment on the Strategic Road Network from 2020 to 2025. As part of these preparations, the entire network, including the M42, will be reviewed through Highways England’s route strategy process. Details on this can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highways-england-route-strategies

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the imposition of 50mph average speed limits on three stretches of M1 motorway, one in Northamptonshire and two in Leicestershire, were carried out consecutively rather than concurrently to avoid delays for motorists; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

Highways England has carefully planned the roadworks on the M1 to ensure that works are carried out as concurrently as possible. This is to reduce the impact on motorists wherever possible, whilst delivering increasing levels of investment to improve the motorway network and enable economic growth.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has undertaken or commissioned into the effect on humans of high levels of bisphenol A caused by consuming food and drinks sold in some plastic containers; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

We are advised by the Food Standards Agency, which has responsibility for food safety, that the United Kingdom’s view remains that exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) from food contact materials does not represent a risk to consumers.

In January 2015, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its latest re-evaluation of BPA exposure and toxicity. EFSA’s experts concluded that BPA poses no health risk to consumers of any age group (including unborn children, infants and adolescents) at current exposure levels from food contact materials.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when a British frigate or destroyer was last assigned to protect the Falkland Islands; whether there has been any change in his Department’s policy on the provision of such protection: and if he will make a statement.

Penny Mordaunt

The Atlantic Patrol Tasking (South) duty provides a tangible presence in the South Atlantic, maintaining a commitment to provide support and reassurance to British Overseas Territories in the region, including the Falkland Islands.

The last frigate or destroyer in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands was the Type 23 frigate HMS LANCASTER; she completed this task in early December 2015.

There has been no change to our policy. We continually review our security posture in the Falkland Islands, which remain defended by a range of military assets including the patrol vessel HMS CLYDE, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship and around 1,200 UK personnel operating Royal Air Force Typhoon jets, ground defences and supporting infrastructure. In addition, other Royal Navy ships would be retasked to the Falkland Islands if required.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on his plans to limit motorway roadworks to no more than stretches of two miles.

Andrew Jones

We are undertaking the biggest investment in roads in a generation to deliver better journeys for motorists. Highways England’s top priority is maintaining the safety of all motorists and road workers whilst keeping disruption to a minimum.

Highways England, as a general principle, aim to reduce the lengths of roadworks to a maximum of 10 miles, shorter if possible and if safety allows.

They will also be carrying out trials to raise the speed limit through roadworks to 55mph where it is safe to do so in order to help minimise queues.

These changes could come into effect on many new schemes from 2017 depending on the outcome of the trials.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the undulations in the road surface of the M180 east of junction 4 in respect of which warning signs have been erected, to be eradicated; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

Highways England are aware of a problem with the underlying road construction of the M180 east of junction 4, which affects the ride quality on that section of the motorway. Highways England has carried out, and will continue to carry out, surface repairs to ensure the road surface remains safe and serviceable. In the longer term, substantial reconstruction works will be required to prevent the recurrence of these problems and investigations into this are being undertaken.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries his Department advises people not to visit on account of the threat to health there posed by the Zika virus.

James Duddridge

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not advise against travel to any country on account of the presence of Zika virus. The FCO travel advice advises British nationals who are planning travel to areas with confirmed cases of locally transmitted Zika virus to follow the advice of the National Travel Health Network and Centre and to discuss their travel plans with their healthcare provider, particularly if they are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commission research into improving pedestrian safety on pavements and to determine whether accidents occur more often on tarmacadam or on concrete slab surfaces; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

The Department for Transport has no current plans to commission research into the issue of pedestrian’s safety on footways or to ascertain whether accidents occur more often on tarmacadam or on concrete slab surfaces.

Guidance is already available to highway authorities in respect to providing good and safe surfaces for pedestrians. The Department for Transport Manual for Streets – https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/341513/pdfmanforstreets.pdf – also provides advice on footways and advises that surfaces used by pedestrians need to be smooth and free from trip hazards.

It is ultimately for each highway authority to decide on what materials they use for ensuring the best footway surface for the area for which they are responsible.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what further resources from the Local Growth Fund he intends to make available to allow additional road improvements; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department for Transport is contributing over £6 billion to the Local Growth Fund in this parliament. This is already helping to fund over 300 road improvement schemes in Local Enterprise Partnerships’ programmes. Local Enterprise Partnerships will soon have the opportunity to make further bids to the Local Growth Fund for new projects, including a £475m element for very large major transport schemes. The Government will be providing details shortly.