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  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence given by Duncan McPhee to the Defence Committee on 7 June 2016, HC221, at Question 120, what discussions his Department has had with other public bodies on increasing the number of apprenticeships in the shipbuilding industry; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The number of apprenticeships in the shipbuilding industry is primarily a matter for the contractors concerned. However, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the importance of apprenticeships in developing the essential skills needed by industry to deliver defence outputs. As one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in the UK, the MOD plays an important role in helping the Government meet its commitment to reaching three million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. We also work closely with colleagues across Government and industry to ensure that necessary defence skills are maintained. For example, as part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ‘Trailblazer’ programme, the Royal Navy is working with industry partners to develop new world-class apprenticeship standards for engineers working on shipbuilding and maintenance.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence given by Lord West of Spithead to the Defence Committee on 7 June 2016, HC 221, at Question 20, what current budget is allocated to procurement of and building Type 26 frigates; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    For equipment procurement programmes the cost and schedule is set at the main investment decision, and the Type 26 Global Combat Ships programme has not yet reached that decision point. I am therefore withholding budgetary information regarding the procurement and building of the Type 26 frigates as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence given by Sir Mark Stanhope to the Defence Committee on 7 June 2016, HC 221, at Question 3, what anti-submarine warfare capability is planned for the general purpose frigates; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The General Purpose Frigate Programme has just begun its pre-concept phase activity. This work will consider a range of capability requirements based on the ship’s role, operating environment and the likely threats it will face. This work will also take into account the wider capabilities available to Defence, such as those provided through the procurement of the Anti Submarine Warfare capable Type 26 Frigates.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence given by Peter Roberts to the Defence Committee on 7 June 2016, HC 221, at Question 22, what the timetable is for (a) procurement of the Type 26 frigates and (b) cutting steel on those frigates; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 May 2016 to Ouestion 37138 to the hon. Member for New Forest East (Dr Julian Lewis).

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to close attainment gaps between the best and worst performing local authority areas as judged by GCSE and A Level results.

    Nick Gibb

    Our recent White Paper, ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’, set out our intention to place a new focus on ‘Achieving Excellence Areas’ where too few children have access to a good school and there are insufficient high quality teachers, leaders, system leaders and sponsors. By doing this we will enable the school-led system to deliver rapid and sustainable improvement.

    We want to eradicate the pockets of underperformance in our school system and will do so by targeting the Department for Education’s programmes in the areas of greatest need. We intend to pilot this approach from September 2016.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of young people who are cared for in (a) local authority-run and (b) private or voluntary sector children’s homes in each local authority area.

    Edward Timpson

    The information requested is attached.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many special needs schools offer (a) before-school care, (b) after-school care and (c) both before and after-school care in England; and what proportion of special needs schools each of those numbers represents.

    Edward Timpson

    This data was collected for the first time in the January 2016 school census. Later this year we will update the school performance tables and plan to publish alongside them information about all schools’ childcare provision including breakfast clubs. This will include information on all state funded and non-maintained special schools.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding her Department has allocated to schools in (a) Calderdale and (b) West Yorkshire to tackle bullying in the last (i) 12 months and (ii) five years.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government continues to make tackling all forms of bullying a top priority. All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy with measures to tackle bullying among pupils. While they are free to develop their own anti-bullying strategies they are held clearly to account for their effectiveness through Ofsted.

    School funding to prevent and tackle bullying is part of their overall funding allocation, and is not separately identified at school or local authority level. In addition, the Department has directly funded a number of national anti-bullying organisations, supporting their work within schools across England to combat bullying.

    In 2015/16 we provided around £1.3 million to various anti-bullying charities including the Diana Award, Kidscape and the National Children’s Bureau (hosted by the Anti-bullying Alliance). These organisations train teachers and pupils in schools to prevent bullying and deal with its impact when it occurs so that bullied children do not suffer continuing distress. Additionally in the past 12 months we have supported the Government Equalities Office (GEO) to deliver a £2 million grant programme aimed at combatting homophobic bullying in schools.

    Between 2011 and 2016 we provided over £6.6 million to these and other charities to help them to support schools to support pupils who are bullied and to develop strategies to prevent bullying from happening.

    The Department and GEO will both be funding further projects this year.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment she has made of trends in teachers’ salaries and the average salary in the UK in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    On 4 December 2015, the Department published its most recent assessment of median teachers’ pay compared to that of graduates employed in the private sector in England. The pay of graduates in the private sector has been used because teaching is a graduate job and therefore provides a better comparator than an average of pay across all jobs in the UK economy. The comparative assessment was included in the evidence that government submitted to the School Teachers Review Body (STRB). The comparative assessment can be found in figure 11 on page 45 of the publication, available here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/482257/STRB_government_evidence_2016_pay_award.pdf.

    “

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate the cost of providing free school meals to children of people in receipt of universal credit upon the full roll-out of that benefit; and what the cost was of the provision of such free school meals to children of people in receipt of benefits prior to the roll-out of universal credit.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    We will continue to ensure that children from the poorest families benefit from a free school meal. My Department is continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider eligibility criteria for free school meals following the introduction of Universal Credit. In the meantime, any child in a family in receipt of Universal Credit will continue to be entitled to free school meals.