Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on statutory provisions to ensure that all shops in England have facilities to enable wheelchair access; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Part M (Access to and use of buildings) of the Building Regulations requires that where building work takes place, including the erection or extension (and in some case material alteration) of a building, reasonable provision is made for access to and use of the building and its facilities. Approved Document M (Access to and use of Buildings) provides guidance on common ways of demonstrating compliance with this requirement. The Equality Act 2010 also places duties on building owners and service providers to make anticipatory reasonable adjustments to the physical features of buildings where a disabled person may be placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities have appropriate powers to re-coup the cost of repairing damage caused by unauthorised Traveller encampments.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Local authorities have extensive powers to deal with unauthorised encampments, and Travellers can be ordered by a court to pay the court costs of the claim. We signalled our intention to issue a consultation on what more can be done to improve the effectiveness of enforcement powers, and will consider all suggestions carefully.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve information for patients who may be exempt from dental charges.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Department makes available to all National Health Service dental practices a patient leaflet which includes information on how to claim free treatment and reminds practices annually of the need to display the leaflets. Information is also set out on NHS Choices and can be found here:
www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1786.aspx?CategoryID=74&SubCategoryID=742
Information on NHS Choices is regularly reviewed.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training her Department provides to senior officers in the (a) Metropolitan Police and (b) Hertfordshire Constabulary to assist and support police officers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Answered by Nick Hurd
It is the responsibility of Chief Officers supported by the College of Policing to ensure the welfare of their employees which includes supporting officers with specific welfare needs by signposting to relevant services and additional support. This responsibility also includes ensuring that good management systems are in place to support officers in their work.
The Strategic Command Course (SCC), which prepares police officers and staff for promotion to the most senior ranks in the service, includes specific content on staff wellbeing and the importance of supporting staff as well as being a theme that runs throughout the course. The style of delivery includes practising techniques such as peer coaching.
The College of Policing have produced specific risk-management guidance to forces regarding how to assess and manage areas of policing where there is a higher level of exposure to psychological hazards known to be associated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression, primary and secondary trauma.
Specific sections of the National Policing Curriculum in the new degree apprenticeship, for police constables, also cover health and wellbeing in which post traumatic stress disorder is covered specifically.
In July 2017, the Home Secretary awarded £7.5million from the Police Transformation Fund over three years to pilot and, if it is successful, fund a dedicated national service to help provide enhanced welfare support. The new service will complement the support already delivered at force level to serving police officers and staff, covering mental health advice and welfare support.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to enforce the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
The welfare of gamebirds is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal or to fail to provide an animal with its welfare needs. The statutory Gamebird code, which was made under the 2006 Act, provides additional protection and provides keepers with guidance on how to meet the welfare needs of their gamebirds. Failure to follow the code's recommendations can be used in evidence in court to support a welfare prosecution. Inspectors from theAnimal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will refer to the code when they have been asked to inspect a game farm. When required APHA advise farmers on achieving compliance and, if appropriate, legal action will be taken.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on ensuring that Mr Kamal Foroughi is allowed to receive social and humanitarian visitors in Evin Prison.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Foreign Secretary last raised Mr Foroughi's case when he met Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif in February. I raised our concerns regarding treatment of dual nationals detained in Iran with the Deputy Foreign Minister, Dr Ravanchi, on 21 June and in my meeting with the Iranian Ambassador on 6 July. The Government will continue to raise our concerns with the Iranian Government at every opportunity.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department and the Ministry of Defence plan to hold the next two plus two meeting with the foreign and defence ministers of Japan.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
We are in close contact with the Japanese government to find a mutually convenient date in 2017 to host the third substantive UK-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial talks.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to improve the (a) security and (b) funding for security at synagogues and Jewish schools.
Answered by Ben Wallace
During 1016-17 the Government provided a grant of £13.4m to support security measures for the Jewish Community. On 01 March I was pleased to announce a continuation of the grant at the same level for 2017-18.
The Jewish Community Protective Security Grant makes funding available to all Jewish free, state and independent schools, colleges and nurseries to employ security guards during operating hours. Grant funding is also used to improve security at many synagogues through the implementation of a range of solutions including guarding and physical measures. These funded security measures supplement existing site security arrangements and policing measures put in place following the increase in the national threat level in August 2014, and enhanced after the shocking events in Paris and Copenhagen, which has resulted in heightened police activity around Jewish sites.
The Government has also ensured locations such as synagogues and educational establishments have access to high-quality advice and guidance, provided by the police and others, so they know what further steps they can take to reduce vulnerability.
Public vigilance, the work of the police, and of the security and intelligence agencies all contribute to make our communities safer.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government has plans to train judges to specialise in the protected characteristic of religion or belief.
Answered by Oliver Heald
The Ministry of Justice does not oversee judicial training; the Lord Chief Justice does through the Judicial College.
The issue of religion arises as a factor in a range of cases heard across many jurisdictions. Judges make reasoned and independent decisions based on the evidence presented. If religion is an issue in deciding a case, the parties have the opportunity to present evidence about that to the judge.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to announce further character award grants.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The Department awarded character grants in the last two years to celebrate the excellent variety of character programmes inside and outside schools across the country. In addition to this, the department also invited bids for the 2016/17 character grants, which we are currently considering.