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  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to bring forward secondary legislation on (a) banning smoking in cars with children in them and (b) the introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco.

    Jane Ellison

    The Children and Families Act 2014 provides regulation-making powers for the introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco and banning smoking in cars.

    Regulations for making it an offence to smoke in private vehicles carrying children are being drafted at present.

    A final, short consultation in order to ensure that a final decision on whether to introduce standardised packaging is properly and fully informed will be published shortly.

  • Chris Skidmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chris Skidmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Skidmore on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in how many schools no pupils were entered for GCSEs in (a) history and (b) biology, chemistry and physics in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Mr David Laws

    Of the 3,024[1] state-funded mainstream schools:

    a) 19 schools entered no pupils for GCSE history or ancient history in 2012/13.

    b) 299 schools entered no pupils for biology, chemistry and physics in 2012/13

    This information can be downloaded from the Performance Tables website[2].

    [1] State-funded mainstream schools included in Performance Tables only. This includes academies, free schools and city technology colleges but excludes independent schools, special schools, alternative provisions and pupil referral units.

    [2]http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download_data.html

    “

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

    David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North dated 30 April 2014, ref 2014/0036207, on behalf of a constituent.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The hon. Member wrote to Peter Lauener, Chief Executive of the Education Funding Agency, on 30 April 2014 about admissions arrangements at Walsall Academy. He copied his letter to my Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State. Mr Lauener replied to the hon. Member on 14 May.

  • David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will arrange for replies to be sent to the hon. Member for Walsall North to his letters to (a) the Chief Operating Officer, Pension, Disability and Carers Service of 7 April and 7 May; and if he will arrange for a substantive reply to be sent to that hon. Member to his letter to the Chief Executive, Capita-PIP ref PIP100 34851/101 of 7 April 2014 on behalf of a constituent.

    Mike Penning

    A reply to all of the issues that you raised in both of your letters will be sent to you by one of our Directors by 13 June 2014.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 18 March 2014, Official Report, columns 527-8W, on the Bellwin scheme, how much has been (a) allocated to and (b) received by each of the authorities which have registered for funding under the Bellwin scheme.

    Brandon Lewis

    Bellwin provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet uninsurable costs they incur when responding to a major emergency in their area. The level of funding over time is causally linked to the scale of flooding or other emergency. As was the case under previous and current Administrations, it operates by local authorities retrospectively claiming spending back.

    As at 9 June, 110 local authorities have registered for the December 2013 to February 2014 severe weather events. They now have until 30 June 2014 to submit their formal claims. However, only 20 local authorities have submitted formal claims so far.

    A table deposited in the Library lists the reimbursement payments that have been made to date. In the remaining cases, the claims have literally just been received or we are waiting for the local authorities to provide supporting information. All valid claims will be paid quickly.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the Government’s Business Rates Relief Fund for flooded businesses has been (a) allocated to local authorities and (b) received by businesses to date.

    Brandon Lewis

    As at 2 June 2014, 979 businesses were in receipt of a business rates relief from their local authority as a result of the impact of flooding. There are no set or advance allocations to councils. The fund works by councils retrospectively claiming back the cost of the business rate relief (in the same way, for example, as the Bellwin Scheme has always worked). 66 local authorities recently submitted claims for reimbursement; the deadline for applications was 26 May. Subject to data checking, we expect reimbursement payments in the region of £4 million to be made shortly.

    Further information on the available flood support schemes is available on the gov.uk website at:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-support-package-for-homeowners-and-businesses

    “

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the Government’s Council Tax Relief Fund for people whose homes have been flooded has been (a) allocated to local authorities and (b) received by residents to date.

    Brandon Lewis

    As at 2 June 2014, 4,031 households were in receipt of a council tax discount from their local authority as a result of the impact of flooding. There are no set or advance allocations to councils. The fund works by councils retrospectively claiming back the cost of the council tax relief (in the same way, for example, as the Bellwin Scheme has always worked). Local authorities recently submitted the first round of claims for reimbursement. Subject to data checking, we expect reimbursement payments in the region of £1.8 million to be made shortly.

    Further information on the available flood support schemes is available on the gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-support-package-for-homeowners-and-businesses

    “

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the Tourism Industry Fund for businesses in flood-affected parts of England has been (a) allocated to local authorities and (b) received by businesses to date.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The Government’s tourism package on flood support was not grant based but, alongside a marketing programme, was funded business support offered via local workshops and drop in clinics to tourism and tourism related businesses. These sessions were organised locally by Destination Organisations on behalf of VisitEngland. They were accessed by over 700 businesses. Money was only allocated to local authorities where they were the accountable body for the Destination Organisations. This totalled £83,798 but not all Destination Organisations have local authorities as their accountable body.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the Flood Relief Fund for Sport announced to restore damaged pitches, sport centres and facilities has been (a) allocated to local authorities and (b) received by sports facilities to date.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Sport England’s Flood Relief Fund has made a total of 225 awards to date, totalling £515,542, of which:

    (a) Three awards totalling £6,560 have been made to Local Authorities.

    (b) 222 awards totalling £508,982 have been made to sports clubs.

    The fund will remain open for applications until Autumn.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the Severe Weather Recovery Scheme awarded to local authorities for costs incurred during the recent floods has been (a) allocated to and (b) received by local authorities to date.

    Brandon Lewis

    £73.5 million has been allocated to, and received by, local authorities for costs incurred during the recent floods under the first phase of the Severe Weather Recovery Scheme. The closing date for the second tranche of the funding was 6 June.