Tag: Tom Blenkinsop

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the relationship between staffing levels and health and safety incidents in mines.

Penny Mordaunt

During its interventions, HSE assesses how dutyholders provide for and manage the provision of safety-critical competence at mines. This includes assessing whether staff with responsibility for safety-critical tasks are sufficiently experienced and resourced.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44288, how many of these incidents led to fatalities.

Penny Mordaunt

There have been three incidents leading to fatalities.

• Four people died as a result of an inrush of water at the Gleision Mine in South Wales on 15 September 2011;
• One person died as a result of a fall of ground at Kellingley Colliery, North Yorkshire on 27 September 2011;
• One person died as a result of a sudden and powerful release of gas from rocks at Boulby Mine in East Cleveland on 17 June 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of insecurity of supply of potash minerals on farming and food production.

George Eustice

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given on 24 June 2015, PQ UIN 3328.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-02-26.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to provide additional funding for projects identified by the forthcoming Northern Transport Strategy.

Greg Hands

The government will need to consider the proposals from both Transport for the North and the National Infrastructure Commission before taking any funding decisions. The Government looks forward to the publication of both reports in the coming weeks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-04-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that broken accessibility equipment on buses is considered as a priority for repair.

Andrew Jones

From 1 January 2016 all single-deck buses designed to carry over twenty-two passengers on local and scheduled routes must comply with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR), which require them to incorporate a wheelchair space and boarding facility, priority seating and other features to make journeys easier for a range of disabled people. Double deckers must comply by January 2017, and coaches by 2020.

Currently 89% of buses are compliant, and last year just 47 of the 7,343 public service vehicles subject to routine checks were found to have PSVAR related defects. Operators of vehicles found to be non-compliant are required to rectify faults promptly or risk enforcement action.

We expect all operators to comply with the law and are working with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to ensure it continues to be enforced effectively.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that the investment in the long-products steel works in Teesside will be secure in the event of the UK exiting the EU.

Anna Soubry

The Government’s top priority for steel has not changed in the light of the EU referendum. The process for selling Tata Steel’s remaining UK assets remains ongoing and we continue to work closely with Tata and potential bidders so that we can secure a sustainable future.

More widely, we are committed to working closely with the UK steel sector through the Steel Council to maximize the opportunities and mitigate the potential impacts. On 28 June, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and I held a special round table of business leaders, including the Chair of the Steel Council, to explore post referendum issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent accidents in the mining industry.

Penny Mordaunt

The Mines Regulations 2014 replaced all previous legislation relating to health and safety in mines. They provide a comprehensive and simple goal-setting legal framework to ensure that mine operators provide all the necessary protection for mineworkers and others from the inherent hazards in mining.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) targets interventions with the underground mining dutyholders and a mine’s past safety and health performance is taken into account when deciding on the detail of specific interventions.

HSE investigates reported accidents in mines in line with the criteria set out in its Incident Selection Criteria. Investigations focus on determining both the immediate and underlying causes in order to prevent recurrence. HSE also make recommendations for improved methods of work and systems for the wider industry if necessary and holds dutyholders to account through proportional enforcement where appropriate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of proposed increases to electricity network costs on manufacturers.

Mr Nick Hurd

The Government published in November 2014, an estimate of the projected electricity networks costs for households and small, medium and large businesses users, in Annex D of the ‘Estimated impacts of energy and climate change policies on energy prices and bills’. These estimates reflect the eight year price control settlements that run from 2013 to 2021 (electricity transmission) and 2015 to 2023 (electricity distribution), as approved by the regulator, Ofgem.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/384404/Prices__Bills_report_2014.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage families with disabled children to access the full free childcare offer.

Edward Timpson

In September 2014 the Children and Families Act introduced the biggest reform to the Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disability system for 30 years. These reforms, which apply to early years, were supported across the House and are making a real difference for families.

This Government is committed to ensuring that all families have access to high quality, flexible and affordable childcare. Parents with disabled children should have the same opportunities via increased choice and access to high quality childcare. Local authorities are required by law to secure free entitlement places for parents that want their child to take them up. This includes the free entitlement to 15 hours of early education for two year olds, where children in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or who have an Education, Health and Care Plan are eligible.

From September 2014 all local authorities are required to publish a Local Offer of services for children with SEN and disability, and this must include childcare available in the area. As part of the early implementation phase of introducing 30 hours of free childcare for working parents of three and four-year-olds, we have also encouraged innovative approaches to providing flexible childcare for children who are disabled or have SEN. Early Implementation happens from September 2016, ahead of full roll-out in September 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of children living in fuel poverty.

Andrea Leadsom

We are investing close to £1 billion a year to help consumers through a reformed supplier obligation and Warm Home Discount, and plan to reform both schemes to focus that funding better on those that need it most.

Our ability to do that is strengthened significantly by the introduction of an improved definition of fuel poverty which captures those in genuine need who are facing the overlapping problem of a low household income and high energy costs.

This low income high costs indicator has meant a change in the demographic of who is considered to be fuel poor in England – with homes with at least one child now accounting for nearly half of the fuel poor population.

We will be consulting on our proposals to reform the supplier obligation and the Warm Home Discount later this year.