Tag: Tom Blenkinsop

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how he plans to respond to the recent request from the Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council for a transitional sum of £1 million in lieu of raising the adult social care precept.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Spending Review recognised that demographic changes are leading to increased demand for adult social care. To support those most in need, we provided a social care package of up to £3.5 billion by 2019-20. This package includes giving all councils with responsibility for adult social care the option of an extra 2% council tax precept, as long as the precept is spent on adult social care. It is for Redcar and Cleveland to decide if they wish to take up this flexibility.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on increasing the number of wheelchair accessible stations from street to platform level at National Rail and London Underground stations.

Claire Perry

We take improving station accessibility very seriously and the Access for All programme has delivered step free access at over 150 stations with a further 68 projects in construction or development. In addition, whenever infrastructure work is carried out at stations it must meet current accessibility standards. For example, when Crossrail fully opens in 2019, all 40 stations on the route will also have step free access.

Step free access to London Underground is a matter for Transport for London, but I understand that 66 Tube stations and 57 London Overground stations currently have step-free access, and Docklands Light Railway stations are all step-free.

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 plans to take to prevent the dumping of Chinese steel in the event of the UK leaving the EU.

Anna Soubry

The UK remains a full member of the EU until we formally exit and all rights and obligations under the EU, including trade defence measures, still apply.

We will continue to support the EU’s trade agenda, including tackling unfair trade and continue to do all we can to support a sustainable UK steel industry.

The Cabinet Office has established a new unit to oversee arrangements for the UK’s exit from the EU and they will consider issues such as the UK establishing its own trade defence measures on exit from the EU.

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.