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  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress has been made on implementing the early help recommendation of the Munro Review.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    In respect of Professor Munro’s recommendation on introducing a duty to secure provision of early help services, the Government has concluded there is sufficient legislation in place to deliver early help services to children and families. The Department for Education will continue to work with sector partners to reinforce existing legislation and understand how early help offers in local areas can be improved.

  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which establishments are being investigated in relation to historical abuse by Jimmy Savile.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Secretary of State for Education’s statement to the House of 27 March provided a list of children’s homes and schools that are mentioned in the information passed to the Department for Education, and which are now being investigated. The statement is available at:

    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140327/wmstext/140327m0001.htm#14032769000024

    “

  • Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Sanders on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase freedoms for special schools to design their own curriculum.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The new national curriculum, to be taught from September 2014, sets out only the essential knowledge that all children should acquire, and leaves teachers to decide how to teach this most effectively and to design a wider school curriculum that best meets the needs of their pupils.

    For all pupils with special educational needs (SEN), including those who attend special schools, lessons should be planned to ensure that there are no barriers to achievement. In many cases, such planning will mean that these pupils will be able to study the full national curriculum.

    The SEN Code of Practice includes statutory guidance on identifying and supporting pupils with SEN and adapting teaching approaches to ensure they have access to the same opportunities as their peers.

  • Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Sanders on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the involvement of practising teachers in the design of the national curriculum.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The new national curriculum, which was published on 11 September 2013, has been developed with due regard to the views of subject experts, teachers, and the findings of international best practice comparisons. Over 2,470 of the responses to the consultation on the new curriculum were from individual teachers, headteachers and schools. In response to the representations, changes were made to improve clarity, precision and consistency of the content.

    We are confident that our reform to the national curriculum will give teachers greater flexibility and freedom than ever before, which will help to raise standards and expectations for all pupils. The national curriculum has been significantly slimmed down and will free up teachers to use their professional judgement to design curricula that meet the needs of their pupils.

  • David Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will include cancer awareness education as part of the national curriculum in personal, social and health education.

    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.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 31W, on the Environment Agency, when the review of existing workloads against enforcement priorities and available budgets will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

    Dan Rogerson

    It is expected that the process of reviewing the baseline total enforcement and legal casework to match this to the Environment Agency budget will be completed within the next six weeks.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish (a) the results of the review of each area of the Environment Agency’s existing workloads against enforcement priorities and available budgets and (b) any decisions made about the future workload and priorities of the enforcement and legal caseload.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency’s process of reviewing its baseline total enforcement and legal casework to match its future budget will be used for internal workforce planning and resource allocation. It is, therefore, not intended for publication.

    The announcement in the budget statement of an additional £5m for tackling waste crime means that the Environment Agency is reviewing its planning assumptions and associated workload.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff worked in investigation, legal and enforcement action in each geographical area of the Environment Agency in each year since 2010.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency is unable to provide a breakdown of the number of staff that worked in investigation, legal and enforcement action across geographical areas since 2010 due to disproportionate cost.

    Many Environment Agency staff work on investigation, legal and enforcement action as part of their role and across more than one geographical area.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cases were (a) investigated for enforcement action, (b) issued and proceeded in the courts, (c) discontinued completely, (d) enforced using a lower level of action than originally envisaged and (e) ceased to be investigated in each Environment Agency area since 2010.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency is unable to provide a breakdown of legal and enforcement cases in each of its geographical areas since 2010 which were (a) investigated for enforcement action, (b) issued and proceeded in the courts, (c) discontinued completely and (e) ceased to be investigated altogether, due to disproportionate cost.

    The Environment Agency can confirm that there were no cases enforced using a lower level of action than originally envisaged. At the commencement of any investigation, the Environment Agency does not know whether any enforcement action is required and, if so, what level of action is appropriate. Decisions on the level of action required are only ever made when an investigation is concluded.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent changes have been made in the issuing of visa applications at the Visa Centre in Moscow.

    James Brokenshire

    In March 2014 the management of the UK’s network of Russian visa application
    centres passed from VFS Global to Teleperformance. We are offering a full visa
    service in Russia and our global customer service standards continue to apply.

    Teleperformance opened all 5 new Visa Application Centres in Russia on time in
    March 2014. There was no break in service between the closure of the VFS
    centres and the opening of Teleperformance centres. The new Visa Application
    Centres are all fully functioning and there are appointments available at all
    of them.