Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to review the Help to Buy ISA maximum level which was set at £250,000 for properties outside London back in 2015, given the rise in the average costs of property.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As first-time buyers tend to buy smaller (and therefore cheaper) properties, the Help to Buy: ISA’s property price cap of £250,000 for properties outside London (£450,000 within London) allows the Government to target support more precisely at the people the scheme is intended to help.
While the Government keeps all savings policy under review, individuals with a Help to Buy: ISA can transfer their savings to a Lifetime ISA without incurring any penalties. The Lifetime ISA allows first-time buyers to benefit from the Government bonus when purchasing properties up to £450,000 anywhere in the UK.
Further information on the Lifetime ISA together with a comprehensive list other forms of home purchase support schemes can be found on the Government’s website below:
https://www.ownyourhome.gov.uk/
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned timetable is for the publication of the review conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority into (a) practices to ensure that legal responsibilities on providing care and assistance, refunds, and compensation are being met and (b) encouraging best practice.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been clear with industry on their obligations to passengers in the event of flight disruptions. The CAA is undertaking engagement and information gathering with airlines. The CAA, as the regulator for aviation, will take enforcement action where they identify systemic failures.
CAA publishes guidance to industry to support good practice. Additionally, we are regularly engaging with industry through the weekly Strategic Risk Group and through our development of the Aviation Passenger Charter to encourage best practice.
It is essential that consumers have access to the information they need when travelling and are clear on their rights and responsibilities. The CAA and industry already publish guidance for consumers. To further support this, the Government is working with the CAA, industry, disability and consumer groups to develop and publish an Aviation Passenger Charter. The Charter will provide passengers with a single point of information to help understand their rights and responsibilities when travelling by air. The Charter will be published shortly.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 30 June 2022 entitled 22-point plan to tackle aviation disruption, when he plans to launch the Generation Aviation campaign to increase the number of people applying for jobs in the sector.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Department for Transport will launch the Generation Aviation campaign in due course. The campaign will aim to work with industry to raise awareness of aviation careers and increase the number of people applying for jobs in the aviation sector.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he received representations from representatives of industry on continuing the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme beyond January 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
We have received a large number of representations on a variety of issues from industry, all which are considered carefully.
Since the start of the pandemic, DfT estimates that the air transport sector (airlines, airport and related services) have benefitted from around £8bn of support, including grant awards made by the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme.
Since the UK became the first major economy in the world to remove all COVID-19 travel rules for anyone entering the UK on 18 March, now is the right time to start looking ahead to the future. We continue to take a flexible approach and keep all impacts and policies under review.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) additional enforcement powers for the Civil Aviation Authority and (b) other consumer protections for air passengers will be implemented before the House rises for the Summer Adjournment on 21 July 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Department for Transport recently consulted on a range of aviation consumer policy reforms, including additional powers for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the Regulator for aviation, to enforce consumer rights.
The consultation closed on the 27 March and we are conducting a comprehensive analysis and review of the responses. We will publish the Government’s response and set out next steps, including consideration of any potential legislative requirements, in due course.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the new Aviation Passenger Charter will be published.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
As announced in the Flightpath to the future and the recent plans for minimising disruption, Government is working alongside aviation industry, consumer and disability groups to develop the Aviation Passenger Charter.
The Charter will help passengers understand their rights and responsibilities when travelling by air.
The Charter will be published shortly.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, when the final guidance on Thank You payments for sponsors will be issued to local authorities.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Homes for Ukraine Scheme and corresponding guidance is kept under review. The most up to date guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that any funds raised for Ukraine through the UN system are disbursed to local civil society organisations leading the response on the ground.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK's humanitarian response is focused on early funding to the UN and partner humanitarian organisations in Ukraine, as well as a commitment to fund NGOs through UK Aid Match funding to the DEC Appeal. We expect that a significant proportion of UK humanitarian funding to UN agencies operating in Ukraine will be disbursed to Ukrainian NGOs as the UN often partner with local NGOs to help deliver humanitarian assistance. The UN and local NGOs also often work together through UN led humanitarian co-ordination structures in country. For example, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Ukraine is increasing their efforts to reach Ukrainian NGOs and encourage them to apply to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund either individually or through consortium.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that refugees who are (a) Ukrainian citizens and (b) third country nationals fleeing from Ukraine have safe passage to the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Our humanitarian response has been developed in close consultation with the government of Ukraine and we will continue to support those who wish to come to the UK as a result of the current situation.
The Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) allows Ukrainian citizens and their family members, including non-Ukrainian nationals, to come to the UK and is free to apply. Those who are eligible will receive an official permission letter from the Home Office that will enable their travel to the UK.
Third country nationals can apply for visas to come to the UK in the usual way.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which of the recommendations made by the Competition and Markets Authority to improve the PCR testing market for consumers have been implemented.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We are considering and already implementing many of the Competitions and Market Authority’s recommendations. We have established a test validation and the United Kingdom Accreditation Service accreditation process, which ensures that providers meet minimum standards before they are able to enter the market. We also continually monitor pricing for travel testing, carrying out daily price checks on listings in addition to regular audits and reviews.