Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the liquidation of Carillion on the viability of small businesses in (a) Yorkshire (b) Sheffield and (c) Sheffield Hallam constituency.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
We have established a taskforce to support businesses affected by the liquidation of Carillion. The taskforce includes representatives from leading business bodies, the construction sector, unions, banks and government to advise how to mitigate impacts on the supply chain and employees. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have held four meetings with them so far and we have already made good progress in exchange of information and collaborations and to identify key actions that need to be taken.
The Official Receiver, who is independent of Government, is currently gathering information on this with the support of PwC special managers.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the draft accessibility action plan for private hire vehicle passengers with assistance dogs.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The draft Accessibility Action Plan consultation ran from 24 August 2017 to 22 November 2017. The Government will publish a response in the spring, following careful analysis of the consultation responses received. The final Accessibility Action Plan will be published in the summer.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department's working group on taxi and private hire licensing plans includes in its remit disability equality training for drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Task and Finish group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles was established by the then Minister of State for Transport, John Hayes, and has received submissions from a number of disability representation organisations. I look forward to receiving the group’s findings soon.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of banks and building societies that utilise a clawback feature on their occupational pensions.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government does not currently collect this data. Information on the number of banks and building societies that utilise a pension integration or “clawback” feature on their occupational pension is not collated centrally and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
No estimate has been made of the cost to the public purse of the longstanding practice of private pensions operating integrated pension scheme arrangements.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of any additional state benefits claimed by HSBC/Midland Bank pensioners as a result of the clawback of their occupational pension.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government does not currently collect this data. Information on the number of banks and building societies that utilise a pension integration or “clawback” feature on their occupational pension is not collated centrally and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
No estimate has been made of the cost to the public purse of the longstanding practice of private pensions operating integrated pension scheme arrangements.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to eliminate the single line bottleneck through Dore & Totley station on the Hope Valley railway route between Sheffield and Manchester.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the Great North Rail Project, the Hope Valley and Dore capacity schemes will increase track capacity to allow a more frequent service, accommodating three fast trains an hour between Sheffield and Manchester. This scheme is currently subject to a Transport and Works Act Order application, to which the Department is currently considering.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what criteria his Department has used to assess Sheffield City Council's request for funding for the installation of sprinklers in that city's tower blocks.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
As we have said, we will consider the removal of financial restrictions for local authorities where these stand in the way of essential fire safety work being done, and we are currently in discussion with Sheffield City Council about this.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on the level of unemployment in the Sheffield City Region of the Government's decision to pause the Early Integrated Employment Support pilot.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Following developments within the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, in particular some constituent members signalling that they no longer support the deal, the Government believes that the most sensible approach is to pause our work on the innovation pilot. This, we hope, will give further time for local issues to be considered and resolved, giving greater clarity on the future of the partnership and the extent of continuing local support for the pilot from all constituent members of the Combined Authority.
Despite taking the decision to pause this work, the Government remains fully committed to the Sheffield City Region devolution deal. Our main ambition is to work collaboratively to realise all elements of the devolution deal and to deliver the innovation pilot as soon as possible, once all partners have been able to recommit to the agreement.
We will keep this situation under close review with the hope that work on the innovation pilot can continue at the earliest viable opportunity.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for how long he expects the Sheffield City Region's Early Integrated Employment Support pilot to be paused.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Following developments within the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, in particular some constituent members signalling that they no longer support the deal, the Government believes that the most sensible approach is to pause our work on the innovation pilot. This, we hope, will give further time for local issues to be considered and resolved, giving greater clarity on the future of the partnership and the extent of continuing local support for the pilot from all constituent members of the Combined Authority.
Despite taking the decision to pause this work, the Government remains fully committed to the Sheffield City Region devolution deal. Our main ambition is to work collaboratively to realise all elements of the devolution deal and to deliver the innovation pilot as soon as possible, once all partners have been able to recommit to the agreement.
We will keep this situation under close review with the hope that work on the innovation pilot can continue at the earliest viable opportunity.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department has issued on the provision and supervision of prisoners' family contact.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Prison Rules 1999 require Governors to actively encourage prisoners to maintain outside contacts and meaningful family ties, where appropriate. This is integral to the prisoner’s right to family life as well as their rehabilitation. Visits are seen as crucial to sustaining relationships with close relatives, partners and friends, where appropriate, and help prisoners maintain links with the community.
The following details the guidance that has been issued to date on the provision and supervision of family contact:
The government is committed to supporting prisoners to establish or maintain relationships with their families and significant others where appropriate. The Lord Farmer, published his report in August, produced on behalf of the Government, which we have warmly welcomed. Work has already commenced on taking forward some of the important recommendations from this review.