Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues to local Government on safeguarding procedures for drivers transporting pupils to and from school.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Local authorities are responsible for arranging free home-to-school travel for eligible children. The department publishes statutory guidance to assist local authorities in meeting their duties.
The statutory guidance makes clear that local authorities must ensure the arrangements they make are suitable for the needs of the children concerned. They should ensure drivers and passenger assistants have undergone an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with a check of the children’s barred list, and that they have received training in safeguarding and any other training they need to meet the specific needs of the children travelling.
In addition, health and safety law requires local authorities to assess risk and put in place reasonably practicable control measures to protect their employers and others, including the children for whom they arrange travel, from harm.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the introduction of non-tilting HS2-compatible trains on West Coast Main Line capacity.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We anticipate the use of non-tilting trains to have no impact on the capacity of the West Coast Mainline. We are currently developing the timetable for when HS2 opens and decisions will made closer to the start of services and will be subject to consultation.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when HMS Richmond is due to be decommissioned.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Royal Navy continues to modernise its Fleet through careful management of a surface fleet transition plan to ensure the highest priority outputs are maintained through this decade and the next. We are replacing our Type 23 Frigates with eight of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warfare ships, the Type 26 Frigates. They will be bolstered by five general purpose Type 31 Frigates, providing opportunity to project power, support NATO operations and influence on the global stage.
The Royal Navy keeps the planned out-of-service dates for its vessels under continual review as part of routine force planning, in light of operational requirements and affordability. Any decisions on the decommissioning of individual ships will be announced in the usual way.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) Ofwat and (b) Thames Water on the potential merits of issuing penalties to Thames Water for alleged breaches of its license agreement in the context of its investment grade credit ratings.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The enforcement of licence conditions is a matter for Ofwat as the independent economic regulator. To remedy its licence breach in losing its investment grade credit ratings in 2024, Ofwat has confirmed it accepted an enforcement undertaking from Thames Water in August 2024 (Ofwat confirms actions for Thames Water following investment credit rating downgrade - Ofwat). These commitments will remain in place until the company regains two investment grade credit ratings.
Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what work is being done in conjunction with other departments to explore new financing methods for defence equipment procurement.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We have established a Defence Investors Advisory Group to support the development of the Defence Finance and Investment Strategy (DFIS). As part of this work, we are exploring potential new financing options and how these could apply to specific opportunities identified through the Defence Investment Plan. No decisions on new financing methods have yet been taken.
We are working closely with other Government Departments and assessing the fiscal, regulatory and industrial implications of new financing methods to support defence equipment procurement.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangement governs the use of UK-based US fighter jets for interception taskings.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Permissions to utilise UK military bases by foreign partners are considered on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations' military operations.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the total cost to his Department of running British Army Training Unit Suffield for (a) the current financial year and (b) each remaining financial years of the current Parliament.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
This financial year, we are forecasting to spend around £17 million on the maintenance of the British Army Training Unit Suffield, which we expect to be consistent in future years – and will be finalised in the Defence Investment Plan.
Forecasted costs include:
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has a formal target date to create an Integrated Force.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Integrated Force Model as per the Strategic Defence Review has four elements: a single force design; a common set of foundational enablers; digital enablement at its core; and collaboration with other Government Departments in real time. The first element – a single force design – will be delivered through the ongoing work to develop the Defence Investment Plan. The integrated force design will be completed this year, with implementation thereafter. The other three elements will be delivered incrementally as part of continued efforts to modernise and reform Defence.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the financial stability of Thames Water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The water white paper published on the 20 January sets out the Government’s plans to reform the water sector and the wider water system. It will create a new regulator with powers to prevent companies from accumulating unmanageable debts and to ensure the sector as a whole is financially resilient.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department's investors advisory group has been consulted on funding for the Defence Investment Plan.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Investors Advisory Group (DIAG) exists to help develop and provide expert advice on the Defence Finance and Investment Strategy (DFIS).
As part of this work, we are exploring potential new financing options which could apply to specific opportunities identified through the Defence Investment Plan. However, the DIAG is not directly consulting on the funding decisions within the Defence Investment Plan.