Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding is allocated to the Local Government Ombudsman; how many staff the Ombudsman employs; and how many enquiries were received by the Ombudsman in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The information requested can be found in the Local Government Ombudsman’s annual report and accounts, which are presented to Parliament each year, and which are available online at:
http://www.lgo.org.uk/publications/annual-report/
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people subject to the under-occupancy penalty who have moved into a smaller home since the introduction of that penalty.
Answered by Esther McVey - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The last published figures for May 2014 showed that, as a result of various actions, the number of people affected by the removal of the spare room subsidy had fallen by 65,000 over the last year.
Analysis of off-flows indicated that up to December 2013, around 22,000 people had downsized or moved.
New figures are not yet available and will be published in due course.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the decision to postpone the implementation of the driver training elements of EU regulation No. 181/2011 for up to four years.
Answered by John Hayes
My Noble Friend Baroness Kramer, Minister for Local Transport has recently completed a review of the use of a derogation applied under EU Regulation 181/2011 (concerning bus and coach passenger rights) exempting bus and coach drivers from undertaking mandatory disability awareness training.
To inform this review, she wrote to bus industry representatives, disability stakeholders and charities seeking their input, to determine whether drivers are receiving adequate disability awareness training under the current voluntary arrangement.
Having received and considered many comprehensive responses, the findings have been shared with Ministerial colleagues who are discussing how best to proceed.
While these discussions continue, officials will place a summary of all responses received in relation to the review on the Government’s website as a matter of priority.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what payments were made in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14 in compensation for delays to claimants arising from the Atos assessment process (a) nationwide and (b) in the Stoke-on-Trent area; what steps he is taking to ensure that no further such delays are incurred; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Harper - Secretary of State for Transport
My response relates to Work Capability Assessments.
The reasons for making special payments are not routinely recorded and to provide the requested information would incur disproportionate cost.
We are continuing to work closely with Atos under the current contract and process claims as quickly as possible. DWP’s aim is to continually improve the Work Capability Assessment process and help bring down waiting times for claimants.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations she has received on lowering the minimum income threshold limit required by those wishing to bring family members to the UK.
Answered by James Brokenshire
We keep the family Immigration Rules under regular review in light of all feedback on their operation. However, we have no plans to lower the minimum income threshold required to bring family members to the UK under those rules. In its 11 July 2014 judgment in MM and Others the Court of Appeal upheld the lawfulness of the requirement and found that it strikes a fair balance between the interests of those affected and the community in general.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on disclosure to the press of armed forces personnel locations; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Francois
Decisions are taken on a case by case basis to inform the public through the media of the locations where UK Armed Forces personnel are serving, when operational and personal security considerations allow.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what amount has been paid in compensation or remediation for subsidence related to mineshafts and shaft collapse on (a) private and (b) local authority land in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Matt Hancock
A table, providing information on the number of claims associated with mine shafts and adits over the last 10 years, along with information on the expenditure incurred in their treatment, will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
The Coal Authority do not differentiate between private and local authority so I am unable to provide the data split as requested.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues as part of the process of approval of marine protection for the Pitcairn Islands; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Duddridge
I have not had any formal discussions with ministerial colleagues about the proposal for a no-take Marine Protected Area (MPA) within Pitcairn’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) since being appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 11 August 2014. Senior officials are currently considering these proposals and will provide advice to Ministers in due course.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the policy of the NHS is on providing hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Answered by Norman Lamb
The provision of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss is a matter for local commissioners and the level of provision is based on the needs of the local population.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the need for extra capacity on the Crewe-Derby rail line.
Answered by Claire Perry
I have made no such assessment. Network Rail is currently undertaking a Long Term Planning Process in consultation with industry, local and other stakeholders to identify the strategic priorities for future development of the rail network following the 2014-2019 Control Period.