Daily Report Friday, 7 July 2017 This report shows written answers and statements provided on 7 July 2017 and the information is correct at the time of publication (03:29 P.M., 07 July 2017). For the latest information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements, please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/ CONTENTS ANSWERS 4 Apprentices: Vacancies 12 BUSINESS, ENERGY AND Children: Day Care 12 INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 4 Employment: Disadvantaged 13 Energy: Housing 4 Free School Meals 14 Industry: East Renfrewshire 5 Pre-school Education 14 CABINET OFFICE 5 Pre-school Education: Constituencies 5 Apprentices 14 Political Parties: Regulation 6 Pre-school Education: Food 15 Polling Stations: Disability 6 Primary Education: Free TREASURY 6 School Meals 15 Barclays: Closures 6 Primary Education: Nurseries 15 Financial Services: ICT 7 Pupils: Attendance 15 Inflation 7 Schools: Food 16 Public Sector: Borrowing 8 Social Mobility 17 Public Sector: Pay 8 Springwood Heath School 17 DEFENCE 9 Students: Religion 18 Armed Forces: Housing 9 Vocational Guidance 18 Reserve Forces 10 ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS 19 CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT 10 Department for Environment, Broadband 10 Food and Rural Affairs: EU Broadband: Rotherhithe and Law 19 Poplar 11 Fisheries Convention 20 SS Mantola: Salvage 11 EXITING THE EUROPEAN EDUCATION 12 UNION 21 Apprentices 12 Immigration: EU Nationals 21 FOREIGN AND European Cybercrime Centre 32 COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 21 Europol 33 Bahrain: National Security 21 Home Office: Procurement 35 Bahrain: Newspaper Press 21 Terrorism: British Nationals Gaza: Hospitals 22 Abroad 36 Hong Kong: Politics and INTERNATIONAL TRADE 36 Government 22 Film: North East 36 John Cantlie 22 Trade Agreements 37 Libya: Terrorism 23 JUSTICE 37 Sayed Alwadaei 23 Domestic Violence 37 South Sudan: Politics and Industrial Disputes: Government 24 Shrewsbury 37 UN Mission in South Sudan 24 Prisons 38 USA: Climate Change Prisons: Port Talbot 38 Convention 24 PRIME MINISTER 39 HEALTH 25 Andrew Davies 39 Health Professions: Maternity Leave 25 General Election 2017: Scotland 39 Health Professions: Social Mobility 25 Ruth Davidson 39 Health Professions: Training 26 Syria: Military Intervention 40 Health Services 26 TRANSPORT 40 Mental Health Services 27 A19: Accidents 40 Midwives: Shrewsbury and Aircraft: Air Conditioning 40 Telford Hospital NHS Trust 27 Airports: National Policy NHS: Greater London 28 Statements 41 Visual Impairment: Medical Department for Transport: EU Treatments 29 Law 41 HOME OFFICE 29 Diesel Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions 42 Children: Protection 29 Driving: Disqualification 42 Counter-terrorism: Barking and Dagenham 30 East Coast Railway Line 42 Crime: Databases 30 Railways: Freight 43 Drugs: Greater Manchester 30 Rolling Stock: Procurement 43 Emigration 31 Taxis: Licensing 44 European Arrest Warrants 31 Traffic Commissioners: Wales 44 Vetting: Drivers 44 Health and Safety Executive: WORK AND PENSIONS 45 Prosecutions 45 Health and Safety Executive: Health and Safety Executive: Expenditure 45 Redundancy 46 Health and Safety Executive: Health and Safety Executive: Inspections 45 Staff 46 Notes: Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared. Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally tabled as an oral question and has since been unstarred. ANSWERS BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY Energy: Housing Steve McCabe: [2047] To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the Government's policy is on offering financial support to households that are not fuel-poor to make their homes more energy-efficient in 2017-18; and if he will make an assessment of the potential contribution of offering such support to the UK's ability to meet its commitments to reduce carbon emissions. Claire Perry: [Holding answer 4 July 2017]: The Government is committed to tackling climate change and to the UK’s Climate Change Act. Improving our energy efficiency and decarbonising buildings will be key to meeting our domestic commitments, as we look towards 2050. For non-fuel poor households, our priority is to help create a sustainable market for energy efficiency and low carbon products, rather than rely primarily on subsidy. That is why the Government commissioned the Each Home Counts review of quality, standards and advice in home energy efficiency and renewables, which reported in December 2016. We are working with industry on its approach to implementing the findings of that review. In addition, we are taking steps to ensure that tenants in privately rented properties are able to live in energy efficient homes. That is why we introduced the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 which requires all landlords of privately rented domestic property in England and Wales to ensure that, from 1 April 2018, their properties reach at least an energy performance rating of E before granting a tenancy to new or existing tenants, unless a prescribed exemption applies. There is also financial support available where appropriate, not limited to fuel-poor households. Obligated suppliers are expected to spend nearly £300m between April 2017 and September 2018 in meeting their obligations under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Obligation as part of our extension to the Energy Company Obligation, which has no specific eligibility requirements. The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive is also available to consumers (including non-fuel poor households) wishing to decarbonise their home heating system. The Government also consulted last December on raising standards for domestic boiler installations in England which would raise efficiency for everyone, and those with the highest fuel bills will benefit the most. Industry: East Renfrewshire Paul Masterton: [1950] To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Government's industrial strategy on East Renfrewshire. Claire Perry: The UK Government agreed the Glasgow City Deal which will see £524 million in new UK Government funding flow into the Glasgow city region, supporting East Renfrewshire and seven other authorities. Projects and programmes will help improve transport infrastructure, invest in world class life sciences facilities, and tackle unemployment through targeted support for the young and the vulnerable. We are committed to developing an ambitious Industrial Strategy for the whole of the UK. We will continue to work with the devolved governments – building on shared interests to deliver better outcomes for the people of East Renfrewshire, and for the rest of the UK. CABINET OFFICE Constituencies Dr David Drew: [2630] To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has plans to postpone the 2018 Boundary Commission Review. Chris Skidmore: The Government's manifesto re-affirms the commitment to deliver equal and updated boundaries and reduce the size of the House of Commons. Following laws already passed by Parliament, the independent and impartial Boundary Commissions are consulting on their proposals to deliver the boundary changes, and they will submit their final proposals to Parliament in autumn 2018. These reforms will ensure fair and equal representation for the voting public across the United Kingdom. Equalising the size of constituencies in the Boundary Review will ensure everyone’s vote will carry equal weight. Without such boundary reforms, MPs could end up representing constituencies based on data that is over 20 years’ old, disregarding significant changes in demographics, house building and migration. Political Parties: Regulation Liz Saville Roberts: [2573] To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ask the Electoral Commission to review political parties' compliance with regulations during the 2017 General Election. Chris Skidmore: The Government expects an Electoral Commission report on the 2017 General Election in due course. The Commission is an independent regulator which reports directly to the UK Parliament. It is responsible for registering political parties and regulating the spending of and donations and loans to them, and has a statutory duty to report on the administration of certain major electoral events, including UK Parliamentary general elections. The Commission also has a duty to keep under review and report on the law relating to elections. Polling Stations: Disability Grahame Morris: [2059] To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will introduce legislation to require all polling stations to be accessible to people with disabilities. Chris Skidmore: Under the Representation of the People Act 1983 local authorities who are responsible for designating polling places, within which polling stations are located must seek to ensure that so far as is reasonable and practicable every polling place for which it is responsible is accessible to electors who are disabled. The Government has established the accessibility to elections working group, including MENCAP and RNIB, and is determined to ensure that all polling stations are as accessible as possible in order to ensure people with disabilities can participate fully in our democracy. TREASURY Barclays: Closures Dan Carden: [2150] To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions his Department has had with Barclays on its programme of branch closures. Stephen Barclay: Treasury Ministers and officials have