Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the legislative basis is for enforcement agencies to measure the noise level being emitted from a motor vehicle.
Answered by John Hayes
Anyone who uses a vehicle in such as manner as to cause excessive noise, but which is avoidable through reasonable driver care, is guilty of an offence under Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986, as amended. Enforcement Authorities also have powers to address noise nuisance under the Police Reform Act 2002 and the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's most recent conversion rates are for cases moving from disability living allowance to personal independence payments in Torbay constituency.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Statistics on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Award Rates split by Parliamentary Constituency and Re-assessment indicator can be found in published statistics in data table 4Ci of: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the completion of the dualling programme for the A30/A303 link road.
Answered by John Hayes
The Road Investment Strategy announced Government’s intention to upgrade the remaining sections of the A303 between the M3 and the A358 near Ilminster to dual carriageway standard, together with creating a dual carriageway link from the M5 at Taunton to the A303. It also set aside funding for smaller-scale improvements to the A303/A30 section between Ilminster and Honiton, for which Highways England has commissioned a study.
Three major schemes have commenced, including improvement of the section past Stonehenge between Amesbury and Berwick Down. Highways England launched a consultation on the Stonehenge tunnel proposal on 12 January 2017.
Implementation of the programme to transform the A303 route will run beyond the first Road Period (2015-2020) and subsequent Road Investment Strategies will fund the remaining improvements.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to bring forward proposals to amend existing legislation as a result of the European Court of Justice judgment of 2006 on rolled-up holiday pay.
Answered by Margot James
The Government has no plans to amend current legislation as a result of this judgment. However, clear guidance on the issue is available on the GOV.UK and ACAS websites.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to increase the stamp duty threshold.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Chancellor continues to keep all taxes under review and decisions on tax policy are made as part of the Budget process.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the six-month validity period for Gender Recognition Certificates will be reviewed as part of the commitment to review the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We have committed to a review of the Gender Recognition Act to streamline and demedicalise the gender recognition process.
We have begun our programme of work on reviewing the gender recognition process, and we will provide an update on the Government’s progress in 2017.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mandatory requirements his Department places on train operating companies to conduct public consultations on reductions to services.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Franchise Agreement specifies the minimum requirements for train operators to conduct public consultations on significant alterations to train services (which can be additions or reductions). These are usually aligned to timetable change dates in May and December each year and are associated with major changes to the Timetable, with length of consultation related to the nature of the complexity of any proposed changes. Major proposed changes to the permanent train service specification (and associated timetable) require longer periods for consultation with stakeholders (usually at least 12 weeks) and must include bodies statutorily defined within the Railways Act 2005, such as Transport Focus.
Temporary, short-term changes to the timetable, due to restrictions of use imposed by the need of Network Rail to undertake engineering work (planned and unplanned) to the rail network, are not subject to consultation requirements. However, the Franchise Agreement specifies requirements upon train operating companies to advise passengers of amended timetable information well in advance to enable them to plan their journeys accordingly.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether officials of his Department are in negotiations with Arriva-CrossCountry Trains on renewing that company's franchise on the Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As the CrossCountry franchise has recently been awarded, officials are not in negotiation with CrossCountry about renewing the franchise for the Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Arriva-CrossCountry Trains franchise agreement for the Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route ends.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The CrossCountry Direct Award commenced on 16 October 2016 and expires on 13 October 2019. The Manchester to Birmingham to Devon route would then be considered as part of the next franchise.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what reciprocal arrangements are in place to allow UK citizens who have worked in Australia to import the pension contributions that they paid while working abroad.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Tax rules allow UK registered pension schemes to accept a transfer of pension rights from a non UK pension scheme – including those in Australia. However, rules applying in each individual country, including Australia, may preclude an individual transferring their pension to the UK or give rise to a tax charge.