Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what cost-benefit analysis he has made of the High Speed 2 rolling stock procurement of a (a) mixed fleet of classic compatible and captive and (b) single fleet of classic compatible trains.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
A full economic appraisal has been carried out by HS2 Ltd. for the evaluation of the Phase 1/2a rolling stock fleet mix options in line with the HS2 Business Case modelling framework. The cost-benefit analysis confirmed the procurement of a single fleet of classic (or conventional) compatible trains is expected to deliver similar value for money to that of a mixed fleet solution.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the risks to the economy posed by the growth of personal contract purchase finance deals for new car sales.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The government established an independent Financial Policy Committee (FPC), giving the FPC a primary objective to identify, monitor and take action to remove or reduce systemic risks with a view to protecting and enhancing financial stability. Following its most recent policy meeting on 21 June, the FPC published the Financial Stability Report (FSR). The FSR assessed recent trends in the consumer credit market including dealership car finance. The FSR noted that consumer credit and dealership car finance has been growing rapidly, but that loss rates on consumer credit lending are low at present.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the efficacy of playing classical music in public spaces to deter anti-social behaviour.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Government has made no assessment of the effectiveness of playing music in public spaces to deter anti-social behaviour. However, the Government has introduced a range of powers in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. These powers are flexible and local in nature so that the police and local agencies are able to tackle anti-social behaviour the most effective way locally.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of when the UK will end its codified role in EU military unification after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The UK's commitment to European security is unwavering, and will remain so after we leave the EU. As the Article 50 letter made clear, we seek a deep and special security relationship with the EU. The precise nature of that future partnership is a matter for the negotiations.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of allowing GP practices to fund tuition fees for medical students who would join that practice on qualification.
Answered by Steve Brine
General practitioner practices are independent businesses and as such it would be for them to determine for themselves whether or not they offer such incentives as part of their overall management of their business.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Child Support Agency applies a de minimis limit for investigating allegations of fraud.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
No minimum threshold is applied for investigating allegations of fraud related to child maintenance by either the Child Support Agency or the Child Maintenance Service, allegations of this kind are considered on a case by case basis.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to modernise and improve the electoral registration process.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The Register to Vote website has transformed our democratic engagement process and we want to explore the possibility of further digital solutions, to further improve the system. We are now looking at evidence collected through the general election to see which developments could make the electoral process even more accessible.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many applications to open new general aviation airfields have been received by UK planning authorities in the last five years.
Answered by Lord Barwell
The information requested is not held by the Department.
The Department collects quarterly figures on the number of planning applications received by English local authorities. These data are not sufficiently granular to identify those relating to new general aviation airfields.
Planning is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of the UK remaining a member of the European Aviation Safety Agency after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for the continued participation in the European Aviation Safety Agency system.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the security benefits of procuring four Successor submarines.
Answered by Michael Fallon
The United Kingdom’s continuous at sea nuclear deterrent will remain essential to our security today, and for as long as the global security situation demands.
A four-boat fleet is the minimum needed to provide the assurance that at least one submarine will always be at sea on covert patrol.