Graham P Jones Portrait

Graham P Jones

Labour - Former Member for Hyndburn

First elected: 6th May 2010

Left House: 6th November 2019 (Defeated)


Committees on Arms Export Controls
22nd Nov 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Regulatory Reform
6th Nov 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Committees on Arms Export Controls
10th Oct 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Defence Sub-Committee
12th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Defence Committee
11th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Opposition Assistant Whip (Commons)
8th Oct 2010 - 18th Sep 2015


Division Voting information

Graham P Jones has voted in 1595 divisions, and 5 times against the majority of their Party.

2 Dec 2015 - ISIL in Syria - View Vote Context
Graham P Jones voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 56 Labour No votes vs 139 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 211 Noes - 390
2 Dec 2015 - ISIL in Syria - View Vote Context
Graham P Jones voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 65 Labour Aye votes vs 153 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 397 Noes - 223
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Graham P Jones voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 69 Labour Aye votes vs 138 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 241 Noes - 256
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Graham P Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 66 Labour No votes vs 139 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 267 Noes - 233
19 Oct 2011 - Deferred Division - View Vote Context
Graham P Jones voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 28 Labour Aye votes vs 71 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 306 Noes - 95
View All Graham P Jones Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat)
(35 debate interactions)
John Bercow (Speaker)
(30 debate interactions)
Nick Gibb (Conservative)
(29 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for Transport
(86 debate contributions)
Home Office
(75 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(71 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Digital Economy Act 2017
(5,900 words contributed)
Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017
(5,427 words contributed)
Ivory Act 2018
(868 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Graham P Jones's debates

Hyndburn Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

We call for a ban on the outsourcing (privatisation) of NHS services, and stop the renewal of any outsourcing contracts already signed. Companies should not be profiteering from NHS contracts, when every pound of NHS budgets is desperately needed for more doctors and nurses, and to pay them more.


Latest EDMs signed by Graham P Jones

22nd October 2019
Graham P Jones signed this EDM on Wednesday 30th October 2019

Welfare and survival of Asian elephants used in tourism

Tabled by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
That this House is concerned about the increasing risk of extinction to Asian elephants; notes that in India and South East Asia some Asian elephants are snatched from the wild when very young, deprived of food and water for months whilst tightly confined in cages, beaten and stabbed with iron …
34 signatures
(Most recent: 4 Nov 2019)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 18
Conservative: 5
Scottish National Party: 5
Independent: 3
Crossbench: 1
Green Party: 1
Liberal Democrat: 1
The Independent Group for Change: 1
8th May 2019
Graham P Jones signed this EDM on Thursday 22nd August 2019

STATE-FUNDED LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR VICTIMS OF TERRORISM

Tabled by: Stephen Lloyd (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
That this House expresses concern that victims of terrorist atrocities are not automatically eligible for legal aid; regrets that a recently published government review rejected introducing automatic non-means-tested legal aid funding to bereaved families after a state-related death; notes that state organisations involved in deaths from terrorist attacks have access …
81 signatures
(Most recent: 9 Sep 2019)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 40
Conservative: 10
Liberal Democrat: 8
Independent: 8
Scottish National Party: 7
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Plaid Cymru: 2
The Independent Group for Change: 2
Non-affiliated: 1
Crossbench: 1
Green Party: 1
View All Graham P Jones's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Graham P Jones, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Graham P Jones has not been granted any Urgent Questions

3 Adjournment Debates led by Graham P Jones

Wednesday 23rd May 2018
Monday 29th October 2012
Tuesday 6th September 2011

3 Bills introduced by Graham P Jones


The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to allow local authorities to apply selective licensing conditions to improve housing standards.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 17th July 2013

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to give local authorities the power to apply selective licensing conditions to private landlords in exempted areas with social housing stock

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 24th April 2012

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to introduce a licensing scheme for scrap metal dealers; to enable magistrates’ courts to add restrictions to licences to deal in scrap metal; to require that financial transactions in trade in scrap metals be restricted to cashless payments; to give police officers powers to search properties owned by scrap metal dealerships; to provide that scrap metal proven to have been obtained through theft may be classified as criminal assets; to introduce criminal charges for theft of scrap metal which take into account aspects of the crime other than the value of the scrap metal stolen; and for connected purposes

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 15th November 2011

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
33 Other Department Questions
23rd Jul 2019
To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, what discussions the Commission has had on establishing in-house BSL interpretation service for deaf visitors.

The House of Commons provides a range of British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation services for visitors to the Palace of Westminster and currently holds the Action on Hearing Loss ‘Louder than Words’ charter mark, which is re-accredited every three years.

Visitors on a commercial, ticketed tour can choose a BSL self-guided option which has been tested and approved by a range of deaf groups.

Visitors on a democratic access tour can also choose a BSL self-guided option, although in most cases a BSL signer would be booked and made available. The bicameral Visitor Services team has booked 35 BSL interpreters for visitors attending tours or watching parliamentary business, such as select committees, since the start of 2018. BSL interpretation can also be provided for visiting schools, although in most cases the schools themselves will bring their own interpreter.

The House is investigating the provision of a basic level of BSL training across the Visitor Services team. Training staff to a sufficiently high level of expertise to lead or interpret tours or other visiting activities has to date proved difficult due to the level and duration of training required combined with the frequency of staff turnover. The Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster is expected to provide an opportunity for wider improvements in relation to accessibility and inclusion, including interpretation.

16th Nov 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with her European counterparts about minimum EPC standards for the private rented sector.

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 were made in March this year following a full public consultation, and establish an EPC minimum of E for domestic and non-domestic private rented sector properties from April 2018.


Officials in the Department liaise regularly with the insulation industry, local authorities, and other stakeholders on a range of energy efficiency issues including the minimum EPC standards for the private rented sector. Discussions have also been held recently with French officials about domestic energy efficiency issues including minimum standards.


Andrea Leadsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th Nov 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities about minimum EPC standards for the private rented sector.

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 were made in March this year following a full public consultation, and establish an EPC minimum of E for domestic and non-domestic private rented sector properties from April 2018.


Officials in the Department liaise regularly with the insulation industry, local authorities, and other stakeholders on a range of energy efficiency issues including the minimum EPC standards for the private rented sector. Discussions have also been held recently with French officials about domestic energy efficiency issues including minimum standards.


Andrea Leadsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
16th Nov 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with the cavity wall insulation industry about minimum EPC standards in the private rented sector.

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 were made in March this year following a full public consultation, and establish an EPC minimum of E for domestic and non-domestic private rented sector properties from April 2018.


Officials in the Department liaise regularly with the insulation industry, local authorities, and other stakeholders on a range of energy efficiency issues including the minimum EPC standards for the private rented sector. Discussions have also been held recently with French officials about domestic energy efficiency issues including minimum standards.


Andrea Leadsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Mar 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the 2015-16 adult social skills budget for Hyndburn is; and what the percentage change from last year's budget is.

The funding available for Adult Skills in 2015/16 is outlined in the Skills Funding Letter. The letter sets out the Government’s priorities for the budget and it is for providers to decide how they use their adult skills funding to reflect those priorities and meet the needs of learners and employers in their local area.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-funding-letter-april-2015-to-march-2016

30th Oct 2014
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the performance of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs); and which LEPs he has assessed as (a) highest and (b) lowest performing.

The Government does not routinely carry out assessments of performance of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). As partnerships of business and civic leaders, LEPs are first and foremost accountable to their local community and local businesses.

10th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will introduce a scheme aimed at bring every house in England up to a national minimum standard for energy efficiency.

The Government has a target of improving the energy efficiency of 1 million homes by March 2015 and as of June we have improved over 750,000 homes through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Green Deal and other home energy efficiency incentives. We are also consulting on regulations to require more minimum energy performance standards in the private rented sector.

In addition, we have laid draft Regulations to create a new fuel poverty target that seeks to ensure that as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency standard of Band C by 2030. We are also proposing that interim milestones of as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable reach Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025 be laid out in the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy.

10th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will introduce a scheme to bring pre-1919 housing stock up to a national standard of energy efficiency.

The Government has a target of improving the energy efficiency of 1 million homes by March 2015 and as of June we have improved over 750,000 homes through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Green Deal and other home energy efficiency incentives. We are also consulting on regulations to require more minimum energy performance standards in the private rented sector.

In addition, we have laid draft Regulations to create a new fuel poverty target that seeks to ensure that as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency standard of Band C by 2030. We are also proposing that interim milestones of as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable reach Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025 be laid out in the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy.

10th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will introduce a policy to bring homes in deprived local authority wards up to a national minimum standard for energy efficiency.

The Government has a target of improving the energy efficiency of 1 million homes by March 2015 and as of June we have improved over 750,000 homes through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Green Deal and other home energy efficiency incentives. We are also consulting on regulations to require more minimum energy performance standards in the private rented sector.

In addition, we have laid draft Regulations to create a new fuel poverty target that seeks to ensure that as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency standard of Band C by 2030. We are also proposing that interim milestones of as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable reach Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025 be laid out in the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy.

8th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the proportion of Green Deal Home Improvement funding that has been allocated to deprived areas.

The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) is applied for by householders on a non means tested basis across England and Wales.

Currently the department has not published any geographic breakdowns on GDHIF, as these would form part of the more detailed quarterly series of statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics#quarterly-statistics).

29th Aug 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much was allocated in each Lancashire borough under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund.

The Department published the number of Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) active applications, vouchers issued and payments made up to the end of July 2014, in the latest monthly Official Statistics:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-monthly-statistics-august-2014.

Currently, the Department has not published any geographic breakdowns on the GDHIF, as these would form part of the more detailed quarterly series:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics#quarterly-statistics.

Therefore, the Department will consider publishing geographic breakdowns relating to GDHIF in the following quarterly release planned for publication on 18 December, covering the period up to the end of September 2014.

29th Aug 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much has been allocated to each local authority area under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund.

The Department published the number of Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) active applications, vouchers issued and payments made up to the end of July 2014, in the latest monthly Official Statistics:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-monthly-statistics-august-2014.

Currently, the Department has not published any geographic breakdowns on the GDHIF, as these would form part of the more detailed quarterly series:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics#quarterly-statistics.

Therefore, the Department will consider publishing geographic breakdowns relating to GDHIF in the following quarterly release planned for publication on 18 December, covering the period up to the end of September 2014.

29th Aug 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to refund people who paid for a Green Deal assessment prior to the exhaustion of the fund.

The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) shut to new applications on July 24th. A contribution towards the cost of a Green Deal Assessment Report was only available to customers who made a successful application to the Fund, and who went on to install measures as a result.

Assessments are the most popular part of Green Deal – by the end of July 2014 over 300,000 Green Deal Assessments were undertaken. Assessments provide a tailored picture of the first steps people can take to be more energy efficiency and potentially reduce their bills – they are not just for GDHIF.

A contribution towards the cost of a Green Deal Assessment Report cost was only available to customers who made a successful application to the Fund, and who went on to install measures as a result.

Assessments are the most popular part of Green Deal – by the end of July 2014 over 300,000 Green Deal Assessments were undertaken. Assessments provide a tailored picture of the first steps people can take to be more energy efficiency and potentially reduce their bills – they are not just for GDHIF.

15th Jul 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what conversations he has held with (a) energy companies, (b) cavity wall insulation companies and (c) local authorities on the effect of the Government's changes to the Energy Company Obligation on the UK's ability to meet its carbon-saving obligations.

Ministers and officials have had meetings with many interested parties in recent months, including energy suppliers, insulation companies and local authorities, at which the Government’s proposed changes to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) were discussed.

These and other stakeholders, such as consumer organisations and Ofgem, are represented on the ECO Steering Group, which meets on a monthly basis. The terms of reference for the group, along with minutes of meetings and other papers, are made publicly available via Gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/energy-company-obligation-eco-steering-group

15th Jul 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will hold discussions with cavity wall insulation companies on potential job losses arising from changes in the Energy Company Obligation.

The Government will publish its response to the consultation on the future of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) shortly.

26th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reason allowing employers which wish to continue with current apprenticeship funding arrangements to do so was not listed as an option in his Department's recent consultation on the future of apprenticeships.

The Apprenticeships Funding Reform Technical Consultation sought evidence on the practical implications for employers of two new systems for routing apprenticeship funding: the PAYE model and the Apprenticeship Credit. The practical implications of the current system are already well understood, therefore we did not include this in the technical consultation. We are giving careful consideration to all feedback received, before announcing our next steps in the autumn.

26th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, to which locations pending applications for hydraulic fraturing relate.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 30 June 2014, Official Report, Column 426W:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140630/text/140630w0004.htm#1407011000033

25th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many hydraulic fracturing licences are pending approval in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Hyndburn constituency.

There is no “hydraulic fracturing licence”. DECC issues Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDLs). However, PEDLs are not specific to shale gas and do not give permission for operations, but grant exclusivity to licensees in relation to hydrocarbons (including shale gas but also other forms) within a particular area. All operations, such as drilling, hydraulic fracturing or production, however require planning permission, and applications are subject to public consultation. They also require access agreement with relevant landowner(s), Environment Agency permits, HSE scrutiny, and DECC consent before operations can commence. DECC is not currently considering any applications for hydraulic fracturing in the UK.

24th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what quality standards will be imposed on employers when apprenticeship funding moves directly to employers.

The 2013 consultation on Apprenticeship funding reform sought evidence on the feasibility and impact of three different mechanisms for giving employers more control over the funding. Following consideration of the responses to this consultation, the pure provider payment model was ruled out on the basis that it was the least likely to deliver the intended aim of giving employers true purchasing power.

The subsequent Technical Consultation published in March 2014 sought views on two models - a PAYE model and an apprenticeship credit model which are consistent with an employer-led Apprenticeships system. We are currently evaluating the responses to this consultation and will announce which payment mechanism we plan to pursue in the autumn.

We have established a ministerial advisory panel on Apprenticeship standards, made up of experts to advise the Secretary of State on the approval or rejection of employer designed Apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches.

We will refresh the Skills Funding Agency register of approved Apprenticeship training providers to ensure that only reputable providers are able to offer Apprenticeship training and organisations doing so will be subject to Ofsted inspection.

24th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what factors he took into account in deciding not to adopt a pure provider payment model in reform of apprenticeship funding.

The 2013 consultation on Apprenticeship funding reform sought evidence on the feasibility and impact of three different mechanisms for giving employers more control over the funding. Following consideration of the responses to this consultation, the pure provider payment model was ruled out on the basis that it was the least likely to deliver the intended aim of giving employers true purchasing power.

The subsequent Technical Consultation published in March 2014 sought views on two models - a PAYE model and an apprenticeship credit model which are consistent with an employer-led Apprenticeships system. We are currently evaluating the responses to this consultation and will announce which payment mechanism we plan to pursue in the autumn.

We have established a ministerial advisory panel on Apprenticeship standards, made up of experts to advise the Secretary of State on the approval or rejection of employer designed Apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches.

We will refresh the Skills Funding Agency register of approved Apprenticeship training providers to ensure that only reputable providers are able to offer Apprenticeship training and organisations doing so will be subject to Ofsted inspection.

23rd Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to improve competition in the Insolvency Practitioner market.

The Government is taking a number of steps in this area:

- A measure in the Deregulation Bill will introduce the option for an insolvency practitioner to specialise in either corporate or individual insolvency. This will encourage new entrants into the profession, which will benefit creditors without lowering standards;

- There are a number of red tape challenge measures in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill which will reduce costs and remove unnecessary processes in insolvency cases;

- Also in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill are measures which will strengthen the regulatory framework for insolvency practitioners to boost confidence in the regime;

- The Government has also been consulting on measures to improve the transparency and accountability of how fees are charged by insolvency practitioners.

23rd Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to measure the insolvency industry's success in voluntarily implementing the recommendations of the Graham Review.

Teresa Graham's review of pre-pack administration identified how existing practice in pre-pack administration did not in all cases deliver the best result for creditors and the wider economy, in particular where sales are made to a connected party.

The Government hopes that the voluntary measures recommended in Ms Graham's report – all of which were accepted by Government – will be put into effect by those concerned as envisaged by Ms Graham.

After they have had time to have effect, the Government will evaluate whether they have indeed addressed the concerns evidenced by Ms Graham and the resulting outcomes. This will include for example whether the measures have increased transparency, returns to creditors, and more generally strengthened business confidence in the pre-pack process.

As recommended by Ms Graham, the government will be taking a backstop power in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill so we will be able to legislate in future if necessary.

23rd Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has held with the Insolvency Service on the implementation of the recommendations made in the Graham Review on pre-pack administration.

Officials in the Insolvency Service regularly advise me on the full range of insolvency policy matters, including on pre-pack administration when required.

17th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many onshore petroleum exploration and development licence applications are pending approval in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Lancashire and (d) Hyndburn constituency.

There are no onshore petroleum exploration and development licence applications pending approval in the UK.

11th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department is giving to local authorities to implement changes to apprenticeship funding.

We are giving employers control of the funding for the training and assessment of the apprenticeships that they design. This will enable them to work directly with education and training providers to secure the most effective training for their apprentices. We will be testing a new funding model via apprenticeship starts in the 2014-15 academic year based on standards developed by our Trailblazer groups of employers. We will develop a comprehensive communication programme for employers (including local authorities) to help them understand the changes.

11th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with training providers on changes to apprenticeship funding.

Discussions have been held with a wide range of training providers as well with the Association of Training Providers and Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) about our apprenticeship funding reforms. I spoke about this issue at the AELP's National Conference earlier this month.

11th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reason the option of maintaining the current provider-funded model was dropped in his Department's second consultation on funding reform for apprenticeships.

The 2013 consultation on apprenticeship funding reforms sought evidence on the feasibility and impact of three different models for reforming apprenticeship funding. Following consideration of the responses to these, the second consultation sought views on two models—a PAYE model and an apprenticeship credit—that are consistent with an employer-driven apprenticeships system. A pure provider payment model was ruled out, as evidence from the first consultation indicated that this model was the least likely to deliver the intended aim of giving employers true purchasing power.

4th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many (a) cats, (b) dogs and (c) horses were rehomed after their release from laboratories following research in 2012.

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

The Home Office does not hold the information requested.

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, authority may be given to

re-home animals where those animals were bred or held for supply for use in

regulated procedures, or were intended for use in regulated procedures, or have

been used in regulated procedures. This may also apply to animals which are

being kept under the care of the Named Veterinary Surgeon after completing

procedures, and is always contingent on our acceptance of certain reassurances

relating to Section 17A of the Act. Records of each animal re-homed would be

kept locally at the licensed establishment so that they can be available to

Home Office Inspectors on request.

European Directive 2010/63/EU, which was implemented in the UK and other

Member States on 1 January 2013, does not provide legal grounds on which the UK

can impose a mandatory obligation of re-homing under the Animals (Scientific

Procedures) Act 1986. Nevertheless, we have provided guidance on re-homing

animals in our Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures)

Act 1983, section 5.21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of his proposed changes to energy company obligation funding on families in fuel poverty who were in flood risk areas.

The impact of the proposed changes to the Energy Company Obligation was estimated in the Assessment of Impacts published alongside the consultation document on 5th March:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-of-the-energy-company-obligation

No specific estimate was made for those fuel poor families specifically living areas of flood risk.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change intends to complete a full Impact Assessment as part of the Government's response to the consultation later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether his proposed changes to the energy company obligation will reduce funding availability for flood-risk homes which are automatically defined as hard-to-treat.

Homes at risk of flooding are not automatically defined as having hard-to-treat cavity walls, however flood-risk homes with hard-to-treat cavity walls are eligible for funding under the Energy Company Obligation. Proposed changes to the scheme will enable more homes to receive funding for energy efficiency measures, including those homes that are at risk of flooding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many with the homes with hard-to-treat cavity walls and which require insulation measures are situated in flood risk areas.

DECC does not hold information on how many of homes that are considered to have hard to treat cavity walls are situated in flood risk areas.

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the electoral registration figures were in each ward in the recent confirmation dry run conducted in (a) Lancashire County Council and (b) Hyndburn constituency.

The Electoral Commission informs me that the confirmation dry run involved matching all entries on the electoral registers against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Customer Information System database. Entries would be marked as green if they matched with DWP, amber if they were a partial match or red if there was no match.

It is not possible to provide results for the divisions used by Lancashire County Council area as the matching was carried out using the district councils' electoral wards. However, the table for all the wards within the district authorities in the Lancashire County Council area and the table for Hyndburn constituency have been deposited in the House of Commons' Library.

Results for all wards are available on the Commission's website here: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0003/163146/Confirmation-dry-run-2013-Results-Wards.xls

7th Mar 2018
To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions there have been for the offence of handling stolen goods as a result of the theft or resale of local authority library books in each of the last five years.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of handling stolen goods offences prosecuted as a result of the theft or resale of library books. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

While the CPS does not maintain a central record of the number of prosecutions arising out of the theft of local authority library books, records are held showing the number of offences of handling stolen goods in which a prosecution commenced.

The table below shows the number of these offences in each of the last five available years.

-

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

2016-2017

Theft Act 1968 { 22 }

13,923

12,819

11,325

9,792

8,401

Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System

There is no indication of the number of individual defendants prosecuted for these offences or the final outcome of the prosecution proceeding or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is often the case that defendants will be prosecuted for more than one offence in the same set of proceedings.

24th Jul 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish in table format (a) a list of the ministerial redundancy payments issued since August 2010 and (b) which former ministers accepted those payments.

This information is not held centrally. Section 4 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 sets out Ministers’ entitlement to severance payments. Payments to individuals are processed by the relevant departments. Any such payments are published in each department’s audited annual accounts, and these accounts can be found on GOV.UK.

Oliver Dowden
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
10th Jan 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that staff at the HM Revenue and Customs office in the Blackburn office are offered exit compensation terms in place on the date of the closure announcement.

Exit compensation terms for Civil Servants are set according to the rules of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme in place at the time of exit.

Oliver Dowden
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
23rd Nov 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many new applications have been made to the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme since it opened in November 2011 for (a) air-source and (b) ground and water-source heat pumps; and what the cost of that scheme has been to each government department that has incurred any such cost in each year since it began.

The following tables show the number of full applications for a) Air Source Heat Pumps and b) Ground Source Heat Pumps and Water Source Heat Pumps under the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. The latest application data the department has is up to the end of October 2016; as such 2016 does not represent a full year of applications.

Air source heat pumps

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Full applications

0

0

0

11

158

118

Actuals and accruals

-

-

-

£4,033

£105,918

£193,233

Ground source heat pumps

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Full applications

7

54

92

126

276

198

Actuals and accruals

£1,236

£116,154

£409,475

£1,173,057

£5,756,337

£5,246,909

23rd Nov 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many applications were made under the renewables obligation for (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind; and what the annual cost to the public purse was of each of those subsidies between 2010 and 2016.

The number of applications approved for accreditation under the renewables obligation (RO) for onshore and offshore wind projects in the UK between the financial years 2010/11 to 2015/16 were:

Technology

Total number of applications for accreditation between 2010/11 and 2015/16

Micro onshore wind projects up to and including 50kW capacity

142

Onshore wind projects above 50kW capacity

590

Offshore wind projects

17

Source: Ofgem:

RO accredited stations list (downloaded 24 November 2016): https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/Public/ReportManager.aspx?ReportVisibility=1&ReportCategory=0

The costs of the RO are reclaimed from electricity consumers, not from general taxation. The annual costs of supporting onshore and offshore wind through the RO from 2010/11 to 2015/16, in £ million nominal prices were:

RO costs £/million

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

Onshore wind

£397.8

£482.6

£557.1

£755.6

£786.8

£803.0

Offshore wind

£253.9

£371.1

£698.5

£988.7

£1,108.0

£1,429.7

Source: Ofgem:

Renewables Obligation library: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/ro/contacts-publications-and-data/publications-library-renewables-obligation-ro

Renewables Obligation Annual Report 2014-15: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/renewables-obligation-ro-annual-report-2014-15

Renewables Obligation register and compliance certificates report: https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/Public/ReportManager.aspx?ReportVisibility=1&ReportCategory=0

23rd Nov 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many new applications have been made to the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme since it opened in April 2014 for (a) air-source and (b) ground and water-source heat pumps; and what the annual cost to the public purse was of each of those subsidies.

The following tables show the number of total applications for air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps under the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. The latest application data the department has is up to the end of October 2016; as such 2016 does not represent a full year of applications.

Air source heat pumps

2014

2015

2016

Total applications (new and legacy)

7,689

13,714

4,783

Actuals and Accruals

£1,873,300

£11,027,489

£13,317,544

Ground source heat pumps

2014

2015

2016

Total applications (new and legacy)

3,127

3,727

1,131

Actuals and Accruals

£3,073,978

£16,554,779

£19,054,131

24th Oct 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve the protection of businesses from cyber attacks after the cyber attack on Pitney Bowes.

The Government is aware of the cyber attack on Pitney Bowes and urges all organisations to ensure they have appropriate cyber security controls in place to protect themselves.

The Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy (2016-2021) is backed with £1.9 billion investment to transform the nation’s cyber security and make the UK the safest place to live and do business online. As part of the strategy we have opened the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which provides guidance and support to help businesses be more resilient to cyber attacks. This includes the Small Business Guide and an online staff training module, plus the Board Toolkit and '10 Steps to Cyber Security' guidance for larger organisations, as well as a programme of business engagement activity. The NCSC is the lead Government organisation for managing cyber incidents and has led on 658 incidents in the last year, providing support to almost 900 victim organisations, handling almost 1,800 incidents since commencing operations.

In addition, the Government is currently undertaking a Review of Cyber Security Incentives and Regulations to help understand the effectiveness of Government support to date and what more can be done to ensure businesses of all sizes are effectively managing their cyber risks.

2nd Oct 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on shared intelligence from the US Government on Huawei's proposed role in developing the UK's 5G network.

DCMS Ministers have regular discussions with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on a range of cyber security topics, including in relation to the UK’s telecommunications networks.

Widespread deployment of 5G and full fibre networks is a primary objective of Government policy. The Government published the Telecoms Supply Chain Review in July, which recommended the introduction of a new framework for telecoms security based on evidence and a hard-headed assessment of the risks. The Government has not yet made a final decision on individual high risk vendors and the additional controls that will be applied to them.

29th Nov 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions has he had with Ofcom on ensuring that public service broadcasters retain a prominent position in electronic programming guides.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has regular meetings with Ofcom as part of normal government business. The Government recognises the value and importance of high quality public service content and the need for this to be widely accessible to viewers. That is why under the Digital Economy Act 2017, the government required Ofcom to publish a report which looks at the ease of finding PSB content across all platforms. Ofcom’s consultation on proposed changes to the linear EPG Code and the future of the prominence regime closed in October and the government looks forward to the publication of its findings.

13th Nov 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2018 to Question 185569 on Wembley Stadium, if he will publish the minutes of the meeting between the Minister for Sport and Civil Society and the Chief Executive of the Football Association.

Details about such meetings, including discussion and schedules, are kept confidential - to allow full and frank discussions between Ministers and agencies.

Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
30th Oct 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had and with whom on the proposed sale of Wembley Stadium since 13 September 2018.

Since that date, the Minister for Sport and Civil Society spoke to Martin Glenn, the Chief Executive of the Football Association. The Government has been clear all along that any proposed sale of the stadium was a commercial matter between The FA and Mr Khan and we respect Mr Khan's decision to withdraw his bid. I am confident Wembley will continue to thrive with the FA as its custodians.

13th Mar 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much local content television channels established under the Local Digital Television Programme Services Order 2012 have broadcast since their inception.

Since the launch of the first local television service in Grimsby in November 2013, a total of 34 local TV stations have launched across the UK. Ofcom collects information annually on the performance of local television services and has included analysis of the sector's performance in its annual Communication Market Report published since 2016. The Communications Market Reports for 2016 and 2017 are available from the Ofcom website.

13th Mar 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds on the annual operating (a) profits and (b) losses of local television stations established under the Local Digital Television Programme Services Order 2012.

Since the launch of the first local television service in Grimsby in November 2013, a total of 34 local TV stations have launched across the UK. Ofcom collects information annually on the performance of local television services and has included analysis of the sector's performance in its annual Communication Market Report published since 2016. The Communications Market Reports for 2016 and 2017 are available from the Ofcom website.

6th Mar 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the number of books that are stolen each year from local authority-run libraries and illegally sold.

The Department does not collect information about the number of books from local authority run libraries that are stolen and sold each year. Local library authorities are responsible for providing public library services including managing book stock available for library lending.

26th Jun 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to make an announcement on its review of fixed odds betting terminals.

A review of gaming machines and social responsibility measures was launched in October 2016, which included a look at the Fix Odds Betting terminals. Purdah interrupted the final stages of our consideration of the evidence received and the subsequent internal, cross government process of approval and sign off. I'm afraid, therefore, that we are back at the start of the process and that as a consequence of it taking at least 12 weeks I would not expect any further announcement until October at the earliest.

15th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many libraries have closed in the last six years.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not commission specific information relating to the closure of public libraries, but does monitor closely proposed changes to library service provision throughout England. Based on desk research undertaken by the Department, we estimate that from January 2010 to January 2016 approximately 110 static public libraries in England closed completely.

Annual statistics on public libraries are collected and published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and this includes details of the net number of libraries open as at 31 March of each year, but specific details of library closures since 2010 are not available from these statistics. Changes in these net figures will reflect a combination of library closures, new libraries opening, as well as libraries that are no longer part of the local authority statutory library service but remain open as community-run libraries.