Daily Report Friday, 22 February 2019 This report shows written answers and statements provided on 22 February 2019 and the information is correct at the time of publication (03:34 P.M., 22 February 2019). For the latest information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements, please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/ CONTENTS ANSWERS 5 Department of Education: BUSINESS, ENERGY AND Apprentices 14 INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 5 ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: RURAL AFFAIRS 14 Research 5 Air Pollution 14 Financial Services: Birds: Conservation 15 Technology 5 Environmental Stewardship Horizon 2020: Finance 6 Scheme: St Austell and Manufacturing Industries: Newquay 15 Hendon 6 Food: Packaging 15 Space: EU Action 7 Moorland: Environment Trade Marks: Legal Profession 8 Protection 16 CABINET OFFICE 8 Packaging: Plastics 17 Cabinet Office: Public Records 8 Thames Estuary: Floods 18 DEFENCE 9 Water: Standards 19 Armed Forces: FOREIGN AND Commonwealth 9 COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 20 EU Defence Policy 9 Commonwealth: Cybercrime 20 DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND Commonwealth: Offences SPORT 10 against Children 20 Creative Europe 10 EU Staff: British Nationality 21 Social Media: Children 10 Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Public Records 22 EDUCATION 11 Hakeem AlAraibi 22 Apprentices: Small Businesses 11 Iran: Guided Weapons 22 Department for Education: Brexit 14 Israel: Gaza 23 Palestinians: Politics and NHS: Drugs 38 Government 23 Podiatry 38 Palestinians: Universities 23 Queen Elizabeth Hospital Tanzania: LGBT People 24 Birmingham: Asthma 39 Tunisia: Pay 25 Social Services: Migrant Uganda: Freedom of Workers 40 Expression 25 Strokes: Medical Treatments 41 Yemen: Peace Negotiations 25 Talcum Powder: Health HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 26 Hazards 41 Air Pollution: Children 26 Vaccination 41 Air Pollution: Health Hazards 26 HOME OFFICE 42 Allergies: Medical Treatments 27 Disclosure and Barring Service 42 Antibiotics 27 Domestic Abuse 43 Antibiotics: Drug Resistance 28 Drugs: Reviews 43 Arthritis: Medical Treatments 29 Home Office: Public Records 44 Asthma: Prescriptions 29 Immigration: EU Nationals 44 Cancer 30 Offences against Children: Social Media 44 Carbon Monoxide: Alarms 31 HOUSE OF COMMONS Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: COMMISSION 45 Research 31 Recall of Parliament 45 Department of Health and Social Care: Apprentices 32 HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 46 Diabetes: Medical Treatments 33 Homelessness: Coastal Areas 46 Food 33 Housing: Construction 47 Health Services 34 Land: Ownership 48 Health Services: Disadvantaged 34 Local Government: Land 48 Heart Diseases: Medical Local Plans 48 Treatments 35 Planning 49 HIV Infection: Ethnic Groups 35 Planning Permission 49 Integrated Care Systems 36 INTERNATIONAL Medical Records: Data DEVELOPMENT 50 Protection 36 Department for International Medical Treatments 37 Development: Consultants 50 Medicine: Research 37 Developing Countries: Water 50 INTERNATIONAL TRADE 51 Bus Services: North West 62 EU External Trade: Trade Bus Services: Rural Areas 63 Agreements 51 Bus Services: Working Hours 63 Fossil Fuels: Export Credit Channel Ferries: Finance 64 Guarantees 52 Cycling: Accidents 64 Iron and Steel: USA 53 Driving Tests 65 Overseas Trade: South Africa 53 East Coast Railway Line 65 Trade Agreements 54 Heathrow Airport 65 Trade Agreements: Developing Countries 54 High Speed Two: Lancaster 67 Trade Remedies Authority 54 Inland Waterways: Chesterfield 67 JUSTICE 55 Railways: Dawlish 67 Administration of Justice: Finance 55 Railways: Tickets 68 Courts: Closures 56 Roads: Accidents 68 Criminal Investigation 56 Roads: Horse Riding 69 Ministry of Justice: Brexit 58 South Eastern Rail Franchise 69 Prison Officers: Riot Control Transforming Cities Fund 70 Weapons 59 Unmanned Air Vehicles: Trials 59 Registration 70 Trials: ICT 60 TREASURY 70 NORTHERN IRELAND 60 Cider: Excise Duties 70 Northern Ireland Office: Enterprise Investment Scheme 71 Personal Records 60 Productivity 71 SCOTLAND 61 Revenue and Customs: Scotland Office: Public Automation 72 Records 61 Revenue and Customs: East TRANSPORT 61 Kilbride 72 A38 61 Stamp Duties: Foreign Nationals 72 A61 and A619: Chesterfield 61 Treasury: Bullying 73 Air Transport Agreements 62 WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 74 Bexleyheath Railway Line 62 Females: Human Rights 74 Bicycles: Hire Services 62 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 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [221619] To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many grant applications have been made to the Medical Research Council for ME/CFS related research since 2010; how many of those applications have been awarded funding; and if he will make a statement. Chris Skidmore: Since 2009/10, the Medical Research Council (MRC) has received 32 research proposals relating to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), seven of which have been funded. The MRC supports research in response to proposals from the research community. High quality applications on any aspect of human health are always welcomed and awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health. Financial Services: Technology John Lamont: [221819] To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to encourage small businesses to invest in and utilise FinTech. Chris Skidmore: The UK has been independently ranked by EY and Deloitte as the world’s leading hub for Fintech. The ambitious Fintech Sector Strategy, launched in March 2018 by the Chancellor, sets out how the Government intends to maintain that position. This thriving Fintech community is an advantage for small UK businesses, who benefit from easy access to a range of services including foreign exchange, loans, equity investment and invoice finance. The British Business Bank’s annual Small Business Finance Markets report, published on 11 February, states that the value of peer-to-peer business lending rose a further 18% in 2018, having increased by 51% in 2017. The same report notes that awareness among small businesses is also increasing, with 52% aware of peer-to-peer lending as an option (2017: 47%) and 70% aware of equity crowdfunding (2017: 60%). The British Business Bank’s portal for small businesses, the Finance Hub, has extensive information for small businesses on finance options including those available through Fintech providers and how to access them. Horizon 2020: Finance Joseph Johnson: [221771] To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the underwrite guarantee will cover research funding bids submitted to the European Commission which are still under evaluation on 30 March 2019. Joseph Johnson: [221773] To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with (a) UK Research and Innovation and (b) the European Commission on the evaluation of UK bids for (i) ERC, (ii) MSCA, (iii) SME instrument and (iv) other Horizon 2020 funding streams which are not open to third country participation in the event that the UK leaves EU without a deal. Chris Skidmore: The Government’s priority remains agreeing a deal with the EU. A ratified deal based on the provisions set out in the proposed Withdrawal Agreement would ensure that UK participants would continue to receive EU funding from EU Programmes committed under the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework for the lifetime of their projects. Horizon 2020, the EU’s research and innovation funding programme, is one such programme. Until exit, the UK remains a Member State participant in Horizon 2020, with all the rights and responsibilities of a Member State. This means that until point of exit the UK will be eligible to bid to all aspects of Horizon 2020. We are seeking discussions with the European Commission on the details of continued UK participation in EU programmes after exit at the earliest opportunity; these discussions would need to include consideration of the implication of the UK’s change in status from a Member State to a third country if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. In a no deal scenario, the UK government has committed to fund all successful competitive UK bids to Horizon 2020 submitted before exit day. In July this guarantee was extended. The post-EU exit extension to the guarantee is a commitment to fund all successful competitive UK bids to Horizon 2020 calls open to third country participation from the date of exit until the end of 2020. Both the guarantee and extension will apply for the lifetime of qualifying projects. We are conscious that third country participation does not extend to some Horizon 2020 calls. We continue to work with UKRI and stakeholders to identify appropriate measures that could be put in place in the period immediately after EU Exit, if necessary. Manufacturing Industries: Hendon Dr Matthew Offord: [220883] To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how the Industrial Strategy plans to support manufacturing business in Hendon constituency. Richard Harrington: Through our Industrial Strategy we continue to take actions to support manufacturing businesses in Hendon and across the country. We are working closely