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  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities affected by flooding can claim under the Bellwin scheme for the cost of disposing of sandbags that have been contaminated with sewage.

    Brandon Lewis

    [Holding Reply: Thursday 3 April 2014]

    Local authorities can claim the costs of removing sandbags used during the flooding emergency, under the Bellwin scheme. This includes sandbags that have been contaminated with sewage.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities affected by the recent floods are offering council tax discounts to flooded-out householders under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

    Brandon Lewis

    [Holding Reply: Thursday 3 April 2014]

    My rt. hon. Friend, the PrimeMinister announced on 19 February 2014 that Government will reimburse local authorities for providing council tax discounts for flooded homes. 48 local authorities have reported that they had already offered discounts by 17 March, with a further 63 planning to do so in using their discretionary powers under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. It is for local authorities to determine whether they wish to take up the Government’s offer of funding, depending on the precise scale and extent of local flooding.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason he chose a one stage process for the sale of the land-focused business of the Defence Support Group; and what consultation there was on the options for the sale process with (a) the workforce of the group and (b) trades unions.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The decision to proceed with a one stage process was taken to maximise competitive tension and shorten the timescales for the transaction. The commercial considerations around the structure of the competition are a matter for the Department so did not form part of our consultation with Defence Support Group staff and Trades Unions.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff employed within the land-focused business of the Defence Support Group will be (a) within and (b) without the scope of the sale.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    At the moment we expect all 1,973 permanent staff members employed within the land-focused Defence Support Group business to be included within the scope of sale and transferred to the new owner under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations. The final assessment will take place closer to the time of the actual sale.

  • Michael Thornton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Michael Thornton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Thornton on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of cancer awareness education in schools.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Cancer awareness is important for all young people. However, I do not believe that there should be a statutory requirement for it to be taught in schools. The Government aims to reduce prescription throughout the education system, and trusts schools to provide what is best for their students. The Department for Education does not collect data on this topic.

    Schools are free to teach cancer awareness when it is relevant to the national curriculum. For example, the science curriculum requires pupils to learn about the effects of drugs on their bodies, and the importance of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle is included in the requirements for physical education. In design and technology, schools may highlight the importance of nutrition and a healthy diet. Schools may include cancer awareness as part of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, using suitable resources from relevant organisations. The PSHE Association has produced a suggested programme of study as guidance for teachers, and continues to highlight other sources of expertise.

  • Michael Thornton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Michael Thornton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Thornton on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make cancer awareness education a statutory requirement in schools.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Cancer awareness is important for all young people. However, I do not believe that there should be a statutory requirement for it to be taught in schools. The Government aims to reduce prescription throughout the education system, and trusts schools to provide what is best for their students. The Department for Education does not collect data on this topic.

    Schools are free to teach cancer awareness when it is relevant to the national curriculum. For example, the science curriculum requires pupils to learn about the effects of drugs on their bodies, and the importance of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle is included in the requirements for physical education. In design and technology, schools may highlight the importance of nutrition and a healthy diet. Schools may include cancer awareness as part of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, using suitable resources from relevant organisations. The PSHE Association has produced a suggested programme of study as guidance for teachers, and continues to highlight other sources of expertise.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in Pendle constituency are home-schooled.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The information requested is not collected by the Department for Education.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the number of properties in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire that do not have mains gas access and which use domestic heating oil.

    Gregory Barker

    Estimates for the number of households which do not have mains gas and which use domestic heating oil are not available. However, the number of households that did not have access to a mains gas supply can be estimated bycombining figures for the lower layer super output areas that most closely match the Pendle Constituency.

    In 2012, there were approximately 1,300 households (three per cent) which had no access to mains gas in Pendle.The number of households that did not have access to mains gas in Lancashire is estimated to be32,000 (six per cent of households within Lancashire).

    These data are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lsoa-estimates-of-households-not-connected-to-the-gas-network.

    “

  • Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much solar photovoltaic generating capacity was installed on roof tops under the 250-5MWp FIT band in 2013; and how much capacity will be so installed in 2014.

    Gregory Barker

    In 2013 5MW of solar photovoltaic (across 10 installations) was installed under the 250-5MW FIT band. The Central FIT Register, from which these figures are taken, does not contain information on whether these installations are located on roof tops or ground mounted but all schemes under this tariff band will be wired to provide electricity to a building.

    However the government is actively focused on unlocking to deployment in the mid-sized market. Our current estimates suggest that around 20-230MW may be deployed in the 250-5000kW tariff band in 2014; this range reflects the uncertainties described above.

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what costs were incurred by (a) the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and (b) his Department with external suppliers (i) in total, (ii) with Deloitte, (iii) with Burges Salmon, (iv) with QinetiQ, (v) with Project Time & Cost and (vi) with other external consultancies on the Magnox and RSRL contract preparation and award between January 2011 and March 2014.

    Michael Fallon

    In line with best practice, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which is responsible for running the competition to appoint a new Parent Body Organisation to take ownership of Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd (RSRL), has used external advisers to provide it with assurance and specialist advice on the competition and contract preparation. Between January 2012 and the end of March 2014 the NDA spent a total of £2,958,234 on external advisers: £106,389 with Deloitte; £2,804,845 with Burges-Salmon; and £47,000 with QinetiQ. The NDA has used no other external advisers. The Department for Energy and Climate Change has incurred no costs on external suppliers in relation to the competition