The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2016 to Question 46072, what plans he has to replace the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria after the UK leaves the EU.
Mark Garnier
I refer the hon. Member for Coventry South to the answer I gave on 19 September 2016 to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Diana Johnson), UIN 46058.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether it is the Government’s position that the UK can sign new trade deals before the UK has formally exited the EU.
Greg Hands
The UK will remain a member of the EU until we formally exit, with all of the rights and obligations that membership entails. This means that the EU currently retains competence for most aspects of trade policy. We are, however, engaging with a broad range of international partners to best promote British trade, and to ensure that Britain becomes the global leader in free trade once we leave the EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department is undertaking sectoral analyses of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on different sectors of the economy.
Mr David Jones
The Secretary of State’s oral statement on 5 September 2016 explained that his officials, supported by officials across Government, are carrying out a programme of sectoral and regulatory analysis, which will identify the key factors for British businesses and the labour force that will affect our negotiations with the EU. They are looking in detail at over 50 sectors and cross-cutting regulatory issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase opportunities for young people to access skills and vocational education.
Justine Greening
It is essential that everyone, irrespective of background and upbringing, has the opportunity to get the skills and training they need to get on in life. Tech levels and certificates in schools, Traineeships, Apprenticeships, National Colleges, Institutes of Technology and proposed technical education reforms set out in the Skills Plan, present real opportunities for people of all ages to acquire the high quality skills and vocational or technical education that employers demand. Opportunity Areas will be at the forefront of my Department’s drive to increase opportunities for young people to develop the skills they need to succeed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to increase the uptake of Mandarin.
Nick Gibb
Between 2012 and 2015, entries for Chinese GCSE in England increased by 34%.
We introduced the Mandarin Excellence Programme this year for highly motivated pupils. It has started in 14 schools with more to follow over the next two years.
The programme will result in at least 5,000 young people heading towards a high level of fluency in Mandarin by 2020.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Leigh on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce differences in urban and rural school funding.
Justine Greening
The government is committed to a national funding formula that will deliver fairness to all parts of the country – rural and urban, north and south.
In the first stage of our consultation, we proposed including a sparsity factor which would help rural schools, as well as a lump sum factor which would help small schools everywhere.
We will both respond to the first consultation and launch the second stage consultation later in the autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Greenwood on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the provisions in the Higher Education and Research Bill on part-time and adult students.
Joseph Johnson
In our assessment the Higher Education and Research Bill will benefit all students. The Bill will deliver greater competition and choice, promoting all forms of learning, including for part time and mature students. However, we are not waiting for the Bill to take action. We will introduce part time maintenance loans in 2018 and from next year allow many more part time students to take a second degree in any science subject.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that funding is in place to implement its policy of 30 hours free childcare.
Caroline Dinenage
We are committed to providing the high-quality, affordable childcare that working families need.
To enable the successful implementation of 30 hours of free childcare, we are investing £1billion of additional funding per year, including £300million per year to increase our national average funding rates.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rishi Sunak on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the safety of maternity care.
Mr Philip Dunne
In November 2015, the Department announced an ambitious campaign to halve the national rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth, by 2030.
The Government has already invested in a capital fund for equipment to improve safety and training programmes for staff.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the performance of the Care Quality Commission in monitoring GP surgeries; and if he will make a statement.
David Mowat
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for assessing whether providers are meeting the fundamental standards.
The Department monitors CQC’s financial and operational performance and risks at a general and strategic level through regular formal accountability meetings.
It does not assess CQC’s inspection or monitoring of specific providers.