Helen Whately MP: written questions
222 published records · newest first.
Written questions
GP SurgeriesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5615More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to allow Integrated Care Boards to enter into sub-leases for large non-owned GP leased premises (a) via exception and (b) by amending the rules.
Answer: Under the GP Contract, premises liabilities are the responsibility of the Contractor. Overall contractual payments reflect this arrangement, with the National Health Service also reimbursing direct premises costs including rent, business rates, water, and...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5614More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure there is adequate healthcare provision for (a) existing and (b) new populations in (i) towns and (ii) rural areas.
Answer: The Department supports statutory integrated care systems (ICSs) in delivering National Health Services across England. ICSs are partnerships of organisations which come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services, to improve the lives...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFresh Produce Supply Chain ReviewDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5613More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the review to increase fairness in the fresh produce supply chain.
Answer: The Government will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal that ensures fairness in the supply chain across all sectors, including the fresh produce supply chain. Farmers should always receive a fair price for their products and the ...
Answered 7 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordParking Offences: Automatic Number Plate RecognitionDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5612More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2024 to Question 2438, whether her Department has issued guidance on the use of automatic number plate recognition by local authorities as a parking enforcement tool.
Answer: The Department does not issue specific guidance pertaining to the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR). ANPR technology is not certified for the purpose of civil enforcement of road traffic contraventions by local authorities. In contrast to t...
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSpeed LimitsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5611More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 3 September 2024 to Question 2443 on Roads: Speed Limits, whether she plans to encourage more councils to adopt 20 mph speed limits.
Answer: Decisions on whether to adopt 20mph limits rests with the local authority.
Answered 8 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTolls: ResearchDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5610More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 3 September 2024 to Question 2445 on Tolls, if she will commission research on pay per mile charge schemes.
Answer: There are no pay-per-mile road charges in the UK, and the Department has no plans to commission research into pay-per-mile road charging schemes.
Answered 7 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTollsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2446More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research her Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned into the potential impacts of (i) pay per mile road charging and (ii) similar schemes.
Answer: The Department has not undertaken or commissioned any such research since the conclusion of the road pricing demonstrations project in 2011.
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordTollsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2445More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to (a) consider further introductions of and (b) increase the use of (i) congestion, (ii) ultra low emission zone and (iii) pay per mile road charges.
Answer: Local highway authorities in England have the powers to introduce road charging schemes. They do not require ministerial or parliamentary approval for such schemes. There are no pay-per-mile road charges currently in the UK.
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordLow Traffic NeighbourhoodsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2444More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has plans to increase the number of low traffic neighbourhoods.
Answer: The installation of low traffic neighbourhoods and other traffic management measures is a decision for local councils, and the local communities they serve.
Answered 2 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSpeed LimitsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2443More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has plans to increase the number of roads with 20 mph speed limits.
Answer: The power to introduce 20mph limits on roads in England rests with local authorities.
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordClean Air ZonesDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2442More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has plans to increase the number of clean air zones.
Answer: Clean Air Zones (CAZ) are road user charging measures that local authorities in the Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Programme introduced to address NO2 exceedances. Local authorities lead the development of plans to improve air quality, which are then assessed by ...
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordTransport: FinanceTreasuryTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2441More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 11 of her Department's document entitled Fixing the Foundations: Public spending audit 2024-25, CP 1133, how her Department evaluated which transport commitments were considered low value.
Answer: This government wants to ensure that public spending on transport infrastructure drives economic growth and delivers value for money for taxpayers.Transport schemes are assessed in accordance with the principles set out in the Green Book. The Green Book i...
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: Repairs and MaintenanceTreasuryTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2440More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Table 1 of her Department's document entitled Fixing the Foundations: Public spending audit 2024-25, CP 1133, what the evidential basis is for saying there was an additional £1.3 billion cost for r
Answer: Rail infrastructure is managed by Network Rail (NR). The Department for Transport (DfT) provides grant funding to NR for operations, maintenance, and renewals via five-year regulated ‘Control Periods’. Funding for each Control Period is established throug...
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2439More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 25 of her Department's document entitled Fixing the Foundations: Public spending audit 2024-25, CP 1133, what the evidential basis is for saying there was an additional £1.6 billion cost
Answer: The £1.6 billion cost referenced is an HMT assessment of the additional cost to run rail services in 2024/25 compared to SR21 plans. This assessment was made at the point at which this government entered office. The additional cost is primarily driven by ...
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordAutomatic Number Plate Recognition: Lambeth and SouthwarkDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2438More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Automatic Number Plate Recognition car pilots in the London Borough of (a) Lambeth and (b) Southwark.
Answer: DfT has made no assessment of the effectiveness of Automatic Number Plate Recognition car pilots in the London Borough of (a) Lambeth and (b) Southwark.
Answered 2 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRoads: KentDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2437More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to provide additional funding to fill in potholes in Kent.
Answer: This Government is committed to ensuring that people have access to transport and transport infrastructure that enables them to travel to the destinations they want to reach and meets their needs. On funding for roads, this year Kent County Council receiv...
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRoads: KentDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2436More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department will continue to fund improvements to (a) Brenley Corner and (b) Bluebell Hill.
Answer: This Government is committed to ensuring that people have access to transport and transport infrastructure that enables them to travel to the destinations they want to reach and meets their needs. On funding for roads, this year Kent County Council receiv...
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRoads: KentDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2435More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding her Department plans to provide for road improvements at (a) Blue Bell Hill, (b) Brenley Corner and (c) other roads in Kent.
Answer: This Government is committed to ensuring that people have access to transport and transport infrastructure that enables them to travel to the destinations they want to reach and meets their needs. On funding for roads, this year Kent County Council receiv...
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRoad Traffic Control: KentDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2434More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to implement an alternative to Operation Brock in summer 2024.
Answer: The Kent & Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) is responsible for operational decision making on traffic management measures in response to disruption at Eurotunnel and/or the Port of Dover. The KMRF have well-practised tactical plans in place, including O...
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRoad Traffic Control: KentDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2433More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to manage HGV traffic to Dover in addition to the use of (a) Operation Brock and (b) Brenley Corner.
Answer: The Kent & Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) is responsible for operational decision making on traffic management measures in response to disruption at Eurotunnel and/or the Port of Dover. The KMRF have well-practised tactical plans in place, including O...
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Cost EffectivenessDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1965More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to (a) implement and (b) cancel efficiency savings budgeted for by the previous Government for (i) her Department and (ii) departmental arm's length bodies; and what plans she has for further
Answer: The Chancellor has recently set out plans for departmental efficiencies such as taking actions to stop all non-essential government consultancy spend in 2024-25 and halve government spending on consultancy in future years, reducing communications and mark...
Answered 5 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Public ExpenditureDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1964More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will list the underspends within (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies in (i) this financial year and (ii) across the Spending Review period.
Answer: In each financial year, the Government seeks authority from Parliament for its spending each year. The Main Estimates start this process and are presented to Parliament by the Treasury. This sets out the departmental forecast spend for the year. Each yea...
Answered 5 Aug 2024
Original Parliament record
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