Tag: Justin Tomlinson

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commission the Behavioural Insights Team to conduct research on efficiency and passenger journeys in the rail sector.

    Paul Maynard

    The Department has recently commissioned the Behavioural Insights Team to deliver a programme of workshops on the use of behavioural insights research in policy making, including rail passenger experience. In addition, the Department is currently exploring a range of behavioural insight approaches as part of its wider programme of rail research.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department to use to distribute funding accrued from the soft drinks industry levy to schools in order to extend their school day for physical activities.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department is currently determining the details of how funding will be allocated, with a view to beginning to distribute funding to schools in 2017. We will provide further details in due course so that schools have sufficient time to apply for the funding and to consider how they will deliver the new provision, including through appropriate consultation with parents.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to encourage local authorities to include information about the New Enterprise Allowance, Small Business Rate Relief and Disability Confident with the business rate summaries sent to businesses.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government has no plans to encourage local authorities to include information about the New Enterprise Allowance and Disability Confident with business rates demand notices. Demand Notices are the statutory means by which local authorities inform non-domestic ratepayers of their rate liability for the year ahead. The demand notice also provides useful information about rate bills.

    Small Business Rate Relief information is directly related to business rates and is already included on demand notices.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to reduce domestic energy bills for consumers.

    Jesse Norman

    Effective competition is key to keeping bills down, and consumers must have trust in the market. It is important every household gets a fair deal and that is why we supported the Competition and Markets Authority investigation into the energy market and will be responding in due course.

    There are now over 40 energy suppliers in the domestic retail energy market, up from 13 in 2010. Independent suppliers now have over 17% of the duel fuel market. Customers on expensive standard tariffs could save around £300 by switching to the cheapest fixed deal.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to inform rail commuters of the protections available to them under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

    Paul Maynard

    It is the responsibility of train operators, as service providers, to ensure that their customers are made aware of their rights to compensation or other redress in cases of service failure or disruption. Train operators’ existing compensation schemes will continue to provide the main means of redress for passengers after 1 October 2016, when the Consumer Rights Act came into force for all transport providers.

    Information about the Consumer Rights Act is widely available from the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, consumer organisations and government websites.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with type 1 diabetes are not disproportionately affected by the introduction of the soft drinks industry levy.

    Jane Ellison

    There will continue to be a range of drinks containing natural sugars which will not be subject to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. These include fruit juices and smoothies. The NHS recommends drinking pure fruit juice as a way to combat low sugar levels that can affect type 1 diabetics.

    On 18th August, the Government published a consultation on the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and we will carefully consider all the points raised.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that planning permission for major housing developments can only be granted if the application includes the appropriate provision of green space for sporting and recreation use.

    Gavin Barwell

    The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that local planning policies should take account of the needs for open space, sports and recreation facilities, and opportunities for new provision. It is for local councils to apply these policies when determining applications for housing development, taking into account existing provision for sport and recreation in the area, and other material considerations.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives of car manufacturers who have construction plants in the UK about expanding their operations in this country.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The automotive sector is of vital importance to the UK. In 2015, car production hit a ten year high at almost 1.6 million units adding £14.6 billion of Gross Value Added to the UK economy. We are in regular dialogue with companies in the sector on a range of issues and work in partnership with the Automotive Council on an Automotive Industrial Strategy to deliver sustainable growth in the sector.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to establish a body with the remit of ensuring that the rights of public transport users are protected.

    Paul Maynard

    The Government remains committed to safeguarding the interests of public transport users, doing so (in addition to the work of the DfT) primarily through the following three bodies:

    • The Office of Rail and Road, which protects rail passenger rights through licensing train operating companies and enforcing consumer protection law in the rail sector.
    • Transport Focus is responsible for representing the interests of Britain’s rail passengers as well as those of bus, coach and tram passengers in England (outside of London).
    • London TravelWatch, which is funded by the London Assembly, performs a similar role to that of Transport Focus for passengers in London.

    The Government remains open-minded to considering any alternatives as to how these arrangements could be further improved in the future.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2022 Speech on Voter ID at Elections

    Justin Tomlinson – 2022 Speech on Voter ID at Elections

    The speech made by Justin Tomlinson, the Conservative MP for North Swindon, in the House of Commons on 12 December 2022.

    I will make just a few quick comments. My seat of North Swindon, as part of the Swindon Borough Council area, was part of one of the initial pilots in 2017 or 2018, so I want to make a few observations. First, turnout was up, not down. Secondly, when the pilot came to an end and we were not made part of the bigger pilot, we were inundated with complaints, because people thought that the new system was far better. That is why I am very pleased to advocate this welcome change.

    I have a bit of a soft spot for the deputy leader of the Labour party, the right hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Angela Rayner), perhaps because we have similar music tastes. She talked about trusting people. I have now had not one, not two, not three, not four, but five Labour opponents. I can assure her that every single time one of them has been selected, the adverts for the selection meetings—in which, of course, we take a mild interest—very clearly say, “You must bring voter ID.”

    The whole thrust of the argument against the draft regulations is that the number of people looking to cheat the system is so small. That seems to indicate that the right hon. Lady believes that North Swindon Labour party members must all be truly terrible people—that the terrible people must all be consolidated there. I want to reassure her that that is not the case. They are actually very nice people.

    Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton, Kemptown) (Lab/Co-op)

    The hon. Gentleman is misinterpreting the Labour rules, is he not? They do not require photo ID; they require any ID. They allow student ID, student bus cards and student railcards, all of which the Government have excluded in their gerrymandering efforts. Does he acknowledge that this Government have gerrymandered voter ID?

    Justin Tomlinson

    The hon. Gentleman, bless him, has got absolutely muddled. As he would have seen from the pilots if he had taken the time to look, anybody can access IDs. They are commissioned by the local authorities. It is straightforward.

    The proof of the pudding was that turnout in Swindon was up during the pilot. Sadly, that pilot came to an end and we were not part of the second pilot, so we were inundated with complaints. People want to have trust in our democracy. The regulations are a brilliant thing to have brought forward.

    Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)

    The hon. Member talks about increased turnout. One of the highest turnouts in British history was for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, which had a very clear result: Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. A conspiracy theory was circulated at the time that votes would be altered if people put their cross in the box with a pencil instead of a biro or a pen. That was rubbished by the general public and put in the dustbin where it belonged. Should we not trust the great British public to get these things right, as they have in the past?

    Justin Tomlinson

    Yes, it is about trust: trust in our world-leading democracy and trust in making sure that we can safeguard what matters. I will not stray into conspiracy theories about Scottish elections, but trust is the proof of the pudding. When there was a pilot in my constituency, voter turnout went up and people complained when the pilot came to an end. It is quite straightforward.

    Sarah Owen (Luton North) (Lab)

    The hon. Member talks about trust. Trust is incredibly important, so can he tell me why anybody should trust the Conservative party when it comes to voter fraud, given that its last leadership election—not the coronation that we have just had, but the leadership election—was delayed because of security fears and possible breaches of ballot paper processes?

    Justin Tomlinson

    If there is ever any question of any threat in any form, it should always be investigated. The sun comes up in the morning—it is that obvious.

    I say to the Minister: hold firm. This is what the public want. It has worked in the pilots, and proceeding with it is an absolute must.