There are no plans to initiate a public inquiry at this time.

We have been open about the difference between real world and laboratory testing for diesel cars. Our modelling takes into account the gap between laboratory testing and real world emissions. The UK government is committed to taking action on emissions testing. We see real world testing as the ultimate solution and a vital step in tackling air pollution. The vote to introduce real driving emissions in 2017 is an important milestone but we will continue to press for a comprehensive approach to emissions testing to restore consumer confidence and deliver our wider air quality and climate objectives.

Last year, the Government published the conclusions to its Vehicle Emissions Testing Programme, which provided a valuable insight into diesel car emissions on our roads. In addition, an assessment of the scale of the air quality problem and its sources within specific regions across the UK was set out in the Government’s 2015 national air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide and accompanying zone plans.

In light of both updated information on real world emissions from diesel vehicles and the High Court judgement last year, we are developing a revised air quality plan for consultation.

We are unable to estimate accurately the air quality impacts resulting from Volkwagen’s actions as we cannot quantify the additional emissions of the affected vehicles under all conditions of operation.

However we have made a comparison of the old software to the new ‘fix’ software under test track conditions. The results from tests on two Skoda vehicles indicate 30-40% lower NOx emissions with the new ‘fix’ software.

The Government wants to see Volkswagen face the appropriate legal consequences for its actions. Whilst we expect that the vast majority of the wrongdoing took place in Germany and so it is appropriate that the German authorities lead the investigation, the offence of corporate manslaughter would require clear evidence of a link between the actions of VW and the death of specific individuals and no such clear evidence exists at present. A decision on whether to pursue corporate manslaughter charges would be for the Crown Prosecution Service (England and Wales), the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (Scotland) or the Director of Public Prosecutions (Northern Ireland) to determine.

The Government’s Security and Sustainability in Defined Benefit Pension Schemes Green Paper explores a number of aspects of defined benefit pensions, including scheme funding arrangements and invites views. This paper was laid before Parliament on 20 February 2017.

The closing date for comments is 14 May 2017; responses can be submitted to the following postal address:

DB Consultation Private Pensions

First Floor

Caxton House

6-12 Tothill Street

London

SW1A 9NA

It would not be appropriate to comment on this specific announcement which remains a commercial matter for the Imagination Technologies Group and Apple.

More widely, through our recently published Digital Strategy, we have set out our commitment to create the best possible environment for our digital firms to thrive and to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business. The digital sector is already worth £118bn a year to the UK economy, accounting for over 7 per cent of UK GVA, and employing 1.6 million people.

NATO publishes defence investment statistics on the expenditure of Allies, with the most recent figures published in March 2017. These figures are available at:

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49198.htm.

The attached table contains defence spending by NATO Allies in US dollars at current and 2010 exchange rates. NATO determines the definitions for categorising defence spending. All NATO members are assessed using the same guidelines so that NATO Allies' defence spending can be compared accurately.

Neither NATO, nor the UK, produces analysis on potential defence spending by Allies.

The Government does not routinely comment on individual cases.

However the Government has made its position on the withdrawal of passports on public interest grounds clear. In a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 April 2013 (Hansard Column 69WS) the Secretary of State for the Home Department set out the terms under which the Royal Prerogative will be exercised to refuse or withdraw passports under the public interest criteria. All such cases are assessed on their merits and consider the rights of the individual balanced against the public interest criteria.

The Government may also deprive individuals of their British citizenship if it is conducive to the public good to do so. As a consequence of this their access to passport facilities is also withdrawn.

The government has not yet issued a consultation on making legal services regulators independent from their representative bodies, and will respond to the Competition and Markets Authority’s report and recommendations shortly.

The final report of the Insurance Fraud Task Force (January 2016) included a recommendation that the government should consider strengthening the enforcement powers of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We are reviewing the position on this and considering what further action may be appropriate.

The government has not yet issued a consultation on making legal services regulators independent from their representative bodies, and will respond to the Competition and Markets Authority’s report and recommendations shortly.

The final report of the Insurance Fraud Task Force (January 2016) included a recommendation that the government should consider strengthening the enforcement powers of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We are reviewing the position on this and considering what further action may be appropriate.

The government has not yet issued a consultation on making legal services regulators independent from their representative bodies, and will respond to the Competition and Markets Authority’s report and recommendations shortly.

The final report of the Insurance Fraud Task Force (January 2016) included a recommendation that the government should consider strengthening the enforcement powers of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We are reviewing the position on this and considering what further action may be appropriate.

The government has not yet issued a consultation on making legal services regulators independent from their representative bodies, and will respond to the Competition and Markets Authority’s report and recommendations shortly.

The final report of the Insurance Fraud Task Force (January 2016) included a recommendation that the government should consider strengthening the enforcement powers of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We are reviewing the position on this and considering what further action may be appropriate.

The government has not yet issued a consultation on making legal services regulators independent from their representative bodies, and will respond to the Competition and Markets Authority’s report and recommendations shortly.

The final report of the Insurance Fraud Task Force (January 2016) included a recommendation that the government should consider strengthening the enforcement powers of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We are reviewing the position on this and considering what further action may be appropriate.

The NCA is accountable to the Home Secretary and through the Home Secretary, to Parliament, but it is operationally independent. The Home Secretary sets the NCA’s strategic priorities and holds the Director General to account for the discharge of NCA functions. Within that framework, the Director General sets the NCA’s operational priorities.

The DG NCA has the power and responsibility to direct the NCA, including deciding which operations the NCA should run against which organised crime groups and threats and how those operations should be conducted.

The EU drivers’ hours regulations allow HGV drivers to take a daily rest or a reduced weekly rest in their vehicle, provided the vehicle is stationary and is fitted with suitable sleeping facilities. However, the regulations do not allow a regular weekly rest period of 45 hours to be taken in the vehicle. Subject to stakeholder views, the Driver and Vehicle Standard Agency will be enforcing this through a £300 fixed penalty notice/financial penalty deposit.

It is essential that taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) services meet the needs of people wishing to use them.

Licensing authorities have the powers required to determine the composition of their taxi and PHV fleets and we encourage them to use these to ensure both services are accessible to a range of passengers, including those who use wheelchairs.

Under the Equality Act 2010 taxi and PHV operators already need to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled people to access their services; and from the 6^th April drivers of vehicles designated as wheelchair accessible will be required to provide passengers in wheelchairs with assistance and to refrain from charging them extra.

The Government takes terrorism and extremism very seriously and is tackling both through its CONTEST and Counter Extremism Strategies. Working in partnership with local areas - like Birmingham - is a key component to success.

The Government has taken, and will continue to take, strong action to prevent extremism from gaining a foothold in our schools or anywhere else.

Integration was the subject of Dame Louise Casey’s Government commissioned review, which reported in December 2016. The Government will respond in the spring.

On 9 November 2016, we published information relating to the second Contracts for Difference (CFD) Allocation Round, which will open in April 2017. This included reconfirming the budget of £290m annual support for 15 years for ‘Pot 2’/less established technologies for projects starting to generate from 2021/22 or 2022/23.

The CFD Counterparty Body - The Low Carbon Contracts Company - has published the CFD implementation plan, which sets out key indicative dates in relation to the second allocation round. The plan includes the shortest and longest likely duration from the allocation round opening to when contracts are awarded. This is approximately between 4 and 6 months depending on whether or not there are any reviews and appeals through the process.

There are some variations from Round 1. The minima for wave and tidal, which applied to the 2015 CFD round, will not be extended as the expected costs for Wave and Tidal Stream remain high relative to other less expensive technologies in Pot 2.

We have also introduced a temporary cumulative cap of 150MW (equivalent to a budget maximum of £70m) on fuelled technologies for this round. The Government believes that it is appropriate and proportionate to impose a temporary maxima while we review these technologies and consider the recent Call for Evidence on fuelled technologies in the CFD.

Wave, tidal stream and fuelled technologies all remain eligible to compete in Pot 2 for CFD contracts, alongside geothermal and offshore wind, which will help to drive costs down.

The Government is committed to ensuring there is no impunity for the heinous crimes committed by Daesh, as shown by the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson)'s launching of the Global Bringing Daesh to Justice campaign.

We expect all suspected Daesh fighters to be processed by the Iraqi authorities in accordance with Iraqi law. We also expect the Iraqi authorities to inform us if they arrest any British National. Once notified of a detained British National, we will provide consular assistance on a case by case basis in the usual way.

The Government recognises the impact that all forms of retail crime, including shoplifting has on its victims. We encourage all retailers to continue to report these crimes to the police.

We are working closely with the police and the retail sector through the National Retail Crime Steering Group to understand better the crime issues that affect the sector and how we can best work together to prevent and respond to these crimes.

We do not have any plans to legislate to confer the full powers of police constables on private security guards working in retail premises. However, we recognise the valuable role that the private security industry and others, such as locally employed business wardens, can have in helping to prevent and deter shoplifting.