Tag: Matthew Pennycook

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to update the document, Medical guidance for DLA decision makers (child cases): staff guide, last updated on 8 December 2015, to incorporate references to congenital, inherited or acquired heart disease.

Justin Tomlinson

The department has committed to undertake a comprehensive review of the suite of medical guidance products for Child Disability Living Allowance decision makers over the next 12 months. This will include creating additional guidance where required.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Southeastern train operating company meets its Public Performance Measure targets.

Claire Perry

I chair a monthly meeting with Network Rail, train operators in the South East, Transport Focus, and my department’s officials. This group monitors performance and passenger experience and it is absolutely committed to identifying improvements and ensuring rail passengers see the benefits of these improvements being delivered. I have made clear that Network Rail and Southeastern both need to get better when it comes to fixing faults and communicating with their passengers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the press statement issued by the Minister for the Middle East and Africa on 5 October 2016, entitled Minister for the Middle East statement on plans to construct a new settlement in the West Bank, what discussions he has had with the government of Israel on preventing illegal settlement activity in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Foreign Secretary, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson), raised our concerns over new settlements with the Israeli Prime Minister when he met him in Jerusalem on 30 September. On 7 September, during a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman in London, I also raised our concerns about settlements. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv also regularly raises our concerns with the Israeli authorities on the continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many appeals by claimants in the work related activity group of employment and support allowance have resulted in subsequent placement in the support group of employment and support allowance in each quarter since 2013.

Justin Tomlinson

The information as requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many times the inter-ministerial group on clean growth has met since 7 May 2015.

Mr Oliver Letwin

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster chairs an inter-ministerial group on Clean Growth, to consider issues relating to air quality and de-carbonisation where these have a cross-departmental aspect. The group meets as and when required, and members include ministers and officials from the relevant departments, including Defra, DECC, DfT and BIS. To protect the integrity of the policy making process, we do not comment on specific membership or the frequency and timing of meetings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will instruct the National Measurement and Regulation Office to publish a list of all known heat networks in the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

In the final quarter of this year DECC will publish summary tables, including regional breakdowns, of the data gathered as a result of the notification requirement in the Heat Networks (Metering and Billing) Regulations. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of the data, this information will be aggregated rather than a list of individual networks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to permit the European External Action Service to press for the release of Andargachew Tsege in Ethiopia.

James Duddridge

Whilst we welcome the concern of all international partners on Mr Tsege’s case, the UK will continue to lead lobbying efforts.

The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has raised Mr Tsege’s case with his Ethiopian counterpart Dr Tedros 21 times, most recently on 13 February. I have also raised this case, most recently on 28 January. I have met with Mt Tsege’s’ partner, Yumi Hailemariam. We have asked that Mr Tsege has access to a lawyer and a legal route through which he can challenge his detention. The Foreign Secretary has asked the Ethiopians to set out a timeline in which this will happen.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times staff of his Department and Transport for London met to further their joint work on better integrating the specification of rail passenger services across London and the South East since those proposals were announced on 21 January 2016.

Claire Perry

Staff of my department have been meeting with TfL staff several times a month to discuss the next steps on the Prospectus following its publication on 21st January. Most of this was to follow-up aspects of the Prospectus, including the stakeholder briefing for local authorities that the Department and TfL jointly organised in March, but some of these meetings have been about to consider options for the transfer of inner suburban services at franchise end dates.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on demolitions that took place on 9 October 2016 in the community of Khan al-Ahmar in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

While we have not had any discussions with the Israeli authorities on this specific issue, on 7 September, during a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman in London, I raised our concerns about demolitions. The UK’s positions on demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is clear: such demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are, in all but the most exceptional of cases, contrary to international law.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of appeals against fit for work decisions since January 2013 have involved people whose primary medical condition is a mental health condition.

Justin Tomlinson

The information as requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.