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  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2014-04-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they envisage that the United Kingdom can maintain its influence in the European Union if it remains outside a reformed eurozone.

    Lord Newby

    As set out in the coalition programme for government, the UK will not be joining or preparing to join the European Single Currency in this Parliament. The UK can continue to be outside the euro and remain influential within the EU, as we are now. We work closely with member states on the key issues of the day– improving Europe’s competiveness, the single market, trade, taking tough action on Iran – and euro area members are often our closest allies. We have also been clear that as the euro area reforms, any new arrangements must work for those outside the single currency as well as those within it.

  • Dr Phillip Lee – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Dr Phillip Lee – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Phillip Lee on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that the allocation of sites for Gypsies and Travellers is fair; and if he will take steps to ensure that land is granted to such groups only when there is demonstrable need and a lack of current provision.

    Mr Eric Pickles

    Our policy is clear that councils are responsible for assessing local needs, and identifying appropriate sites for travellers to meet those needs. We will consult shortly on proposals to amend the definition of travellers used for planning purposes to those who actually travel, and strengthen protection for the Green Belt.

  • John Woodcock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    John Woodcock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Woodcock on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support he is providing for local authorities to address issues caused by high gull populations.

    George Eustice

    Local authorities in England may lethally control gulls or disrupt their nests or eggs, in accordance with licences issued by Natural England for certain purposes. Without a licence, they can also take action to manage gulls by controlling the availability of food by efficiently managing waste (including introducing byelaws to stop intentional feeding of gulls, should they wish) and preventing gulls from landing, roosting or nesting on buildings. Defra does not provide specific support for such measures but Natural England offers free advice to those experiencing problems with gulls.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether any alternative learning providers have not met the standards he recently announced on (a) quality assurance, (b) financial sustainability and (c) management and governance.

    Mr David Willetts

    To date, 16 alternative providers that applied to have courses designated under the new specific course designation arrangements have not met the standards required. 3 applications were rejected because of quality assurance; 13 applications were rejected because of concerns over financial sustainability.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department plans to take to monitor whether alternative learning providers are meeting the standards he recently set out on (a) quality assurance, (b) financial sustainability and (c) management and governance; and how he plans to facilitate the meeting of those standards.

    Mr David Willetts

    Under the new specific course designation arrangements alternative learning providers are required immediately to notify the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) of any material changes which may affect their financial sustainability or quality of provision. HEFCE will also run an annual monitoring exercise to collect information about the ongoing financial sustainability, quality of provision, and changes to management and governance arrangements at alternative learning providers.

  • Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much of the £60 million provided to support proof of concept development of near-market agricultural innovations described in A UK Strategy for Agricultural Technologies has been allocated.

    Mr David Willetts

    To date eleven feasibility studies have been agreed, which will be supported by £2.8 million of Government funding and £1.4 million of industry co-investment. A further tranche of funding will be announced shortly.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many apprenticeships commenced in each sector in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire in the last 12 months.

    Matthew Hancock

    Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship starts in the 2012/13 academic year by Sector Subject Area for Pendle parliamentary constituency and Lancashire Local Education Authority.

    Table 1: Apprenticeship Starts by Geography and Sector Subject Area, 2012/13

    Pendle Parliamentary Constituency

    Lancashire Local Education Authority

    Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care

    20

    140

    Arts, Media and Publishing

    –

    20

    Business, Administration and Law

    450

    4,850

    Construction, Planning and the Built Environment

    40

    420

    Education and Training

    20

    280

    Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies

    170

    1,770

    Health, Public Services and Care

    240

    3,440

    Information and Communication Technology

    20

    270

    Languages, Literature and Culture

    –

    –

    Leisure, Travel and Tourism

    20

    340

    Preparation for Life and Work

    –

    –

    Retail and Commercial Enterprise

    190

    2,390

    Science and Mathematics

    –

    10

    Unknown

    –

    –

    Total

    1,150

    13,930

    Source: Individualised Learner Record

    Notes

    1) Volumes are rounded to the nearest ten

    2) ‘-‘ indicates a base value of less than five

    3) Local Education Authority and Parliamentary Constituency are based on the home postcode of the learner.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether recent increases in the estimated RAB rate for student loans go beyond his Department’s target impairment for student loans.

    Mr David Willetts

    This Department does not set a target for impairment of student loans. Our reforms were designed to put higher education on a sustainable footing. Universities are now well-funded and this is driving up the quality of the student experience and helping to stimulate economic growth, while keeping access to higher education free at the point of entry.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the effect on his Department’s total resource Departmental Expenditure Limits of the revised guidance on revaluation of student loan impairments in each of the next three years.

    Mr David Willetts

    Student Loan repayments are managed annually under government budgeting rules and any changes, for whatever reason, in forecast repayments, are considered as part of the Parliamentary Supply Process.

    Additional Supply was agreed between this Department and HM Treasury, and approved by Parliament as part of the 2013-14 Supplementary Estimates process.

  • Stephen Pound – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Pound – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Pound on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many claims for asbestos-related illnesses were made against his Department in each year since 2003.

    Jenny Willott

    The asbestos-related personal injury claims for which the Department is responsible are mainly historical liabilities that were assumed by the Department from various bodies, including former nationalised industries, whose liabilities transferred to the Department (as previously constituted) when those bodies ceased to exist.

    Based on available data, the number of claims for the years in question are listed by category, and are as follows:

    Year

    National

    Dock Labour Board

    British

    Shipbuilders[1]

    British Shipbuilers Chester Street[2]

    British Coal[3]

    Others[4]

    2003

    645

    31

    11

    2004

    854

    37

    103

    2005

    771

    15

    47

    2006

    214

    4

    42

    2007

    119

    8

    42

    1

    2008

    115[5]

    126

    4

    36

    2

    2009

    44

    168

    2

    2

    2010

    45

    133

    7

    3

    2011

    47

    124

    4

    1

    2012

    45

    232

    3

    1

    2013

    37

    160

    4

    2

    2014

    6

    33

    1

    2

    The footnotes below provide further information on these numbers.

    [1]British Shipbuilders was a separate legal entity, with BIS, as formerly constituted, as its sponsor department. British Shipbuilders was wound up in March 2013. Since then responsibility for these claims has passed to BIS.

    [2]BIS is responsible for compensation claims made against former British Shipbuilders’ companies that were sold with their liabilities during privatisation, and which subsequently became insolvent, as did their insurer, Chester Street Insurance Holdings Ltd. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme does not compensate former employees in respect of periods of employment with nationalised industries (such as British Shipbuilders) and the Department (the then DTI) assumed liability for this compensation by way of a Minute to Parliament in 2003.

    [3] BIS does not hold complete figures for asbestos claims for British Coal for calendar years 2003, 2005 and 2006. British Coal liabilities transferred to the Department for Energy & Climate Change (DECC) on its creation in October 2008, so no figures have been included after that date.

    [4]The claims listed in the column headed “Others” are claims for which the Department is responsible as the successor to partner organisations and executive agencies which no longer exist.

    [5]The figure of 115 NDLB claims for 2008 is the complete number for the years 2006 – 2008 as the figures for these years have been aggregated.