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  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much has accrued to the public purse from the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in each of the last five complete financial years.

    Brandon Lewis

    This information is set out in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts. The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre was valued during March 2010 and the total valuation was reported at £25,000,000. It was valued again during March 2015 and the total valuation was reported at £38,500,000. Dividend payments received by the Department from the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre trading fund for the five years are as set out below:-

    2010-11 – £1,200,000

    2011-12 – £1,200,000

    2012-13 – £2,250,000 (exceptional dividend received due to Olympic event)

    2013-14 – £1,500,000

    2014-15 – £1,500,000.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the remaining time period is of Northstar Ventures’ funding through the European Regional Development Funds; and what changes are planned in the terms and control of that funding.

    James Wharton

    Northstar Ventures manages five funds that have received funding from the European Regional Development Fund 2000-06 and 2007-13 Programme periods.

    Three of these funds are closed to new investments and Northstar Ventures is exiting from remaining deals. This is likely to conclude by February 2017.

    Two remaining funds – Proof of Concept and Accelerator Fund – will remain open to new investments until June 2016.

    No changes to management arrangements are planned. Northstar Ventures will remain responsible for concluding the funds up to 2020. The Department of Communities and Local Government will remain responsible for directing the use of any legacy funding generated by the funds.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many times the Digital Accessibility Alliance has met in each quarter since it was formed.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    This Government recognises the importance of Digital Inclusion, and remains committed to seeing an improvement in the provision of digital information services for disabled people. Annual correspondence with the FTSE 100 companies has indicated that from 2013 to present there has been a steady increase in the number of companies that provide video relay. We welcome this positive progress, and public facing Government departments will continue to work with interested parties to ensure this continues.

    We have also been monitoring progress of the provision of access services for Video on Demand (VoD) content since 2013 through engagement with the Authority for Television on Demand (ATVOD), platform operators content providers and broadcasters.

    The Alliance for Digital Accessibility (formerly the Digital Accessibility Alliance), which has met twice since its formation, has created the environment for members to engage and discuss Accessibility issues.

  • Kate Hollern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kate Hollern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department plans to take to engage with (a) industry bodies and (b) trades unions on the sourcing of steel for equipment procured by his Department from UK suppliers.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Government is committed to implementing measures to address any barriers that prevent UK steel suppliers from competing effectively for public sector contracts. To that end, new guidelines for departments on sourcing and buying steel for major projects were published in October 2015. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has written to its largest defence contractors to highlight these guidelines, which emphasise the importance of pre-market engagement, including through industry days and signalling future pipelines for steel.

    The MOD would not routinely meet with trades unions on this type of issue and has not received any representations. It has met with the UK steel industry through its membership of the Cabinet Office Steel Procurement Working Group. This group is looking to ensure that UK steel suppliers can compete on a level playing field with international suppliers on major projects.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has paid out in compensation to (a) internal and (b) external claimants in each year since 2010.

    Mark Lancaster

    The amounts paid as a result of claims brought by internal and external claimants including claimants’ legal costs from Financial Year (FY) 2010-11 to FY2013-14 are shown below. The costs for FY 2014-15 are being finalised and will be published shortly.

    Internal Claimants

    The amounts paid in compensation, including claimants’ legal costs, for claims brought against the Ministry of Defence (MOD) by members and former members of HM Forces and civilian employees since 2010 are as follows:

    Employers Liabilty Claims (including Service personnel and civilian staff)

    FY 2010-11

    FY 2011-12

    FY 2012-13

    FY 2013-14

    £83.9 million

    £62.0 million

    £69.5 million

    £58.5 million

    The vast majority of clinical negligence claims are brought by current or former members of HM Armed Forces but a small number will relate to their dependants treated in MOD medical facilities. The amounts paid in compensation, including claimants’ legal costs, for these claims since 2010 are as follows:

    Clinical Negligence Claims

    FY 2010-11

    FY 2011-12

    FY 2012-13

    FY 2013-14

    £17.0 million

    £6.7 million

    £7.1 million

    £5.8 million

    External Claimants

    Public Liability Claims

    The amounts paid in compensation, including claimants’ legal costs, for public liability claims brought against the MOD by third parties, including civilians both in the UK and overseas, relating to personal injury or property damage since 2010 are as follows:

    FY 2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    £5.4 million

    £10.0 million

    £25.0 million

    £11.1 million

    Third Party Motor Claims in UK

    The amounts paid in compensation, including claimants’ legal costs, for claims brought against the MOD by third parties involved in collisions with MOD-operated vehicles since 2010 are as follows:

    FY 2010-11

    FY 2011-12

    FY 2012-13

    FY 2013-14

    £5.6 million

    £6.7 million

    £4.8 million

    £5.0 million

    Area Claims Offices

    The amounts paid in compensation, including claimants’ legal costs, for claims brought against the MOD by third parties that are managed by the MODs regional Area Claims Offices since 2010 are as follows:

    FY 2010-11

    FY 2011-12

    FY 2012-13

    FY 2013-14

    £3.0 million

    £1.8 million

    £1.7 million

    £1.5 million
  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of non-combatant deaths on military bases have been subject to an inquest by jury in each of the last five years.

    Mark Lancaster

    The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 23641, which of the five findings contained in the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator assessment of Exercise Senator 2011 has not been formally closed out.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The finding not yet formally closed out in the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) assessment of Exercise Senator 2011 called for a review of the hazard assessment for the transport operation. This is to ensure that protection measures remain proportionate to the risk and continue to be based on up-to-date scientific and regulatory advice. DNSR continues to have confidence in the adequacy of the arrangements currently in place, as has been demonstrated at emergency response exercises, but believes it is timely to conduct a review.

    We currently expect the finding to be closed out within the next 12 months.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many complaints Ofsted has received about the quality of PHSE education in schools since 2010.

    Nick Gibb

    This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the library of the House.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of hours teaching assistants spent covering classes in the absence of a teacher in each year since 2010.

    Nick Gibb

    The information requested is not collected by the Department.

  • Lucy Powell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what academy trusts there are in each region; and how many academies there are in each such trust.

    Edward Timpson

    As at 31 January 2016 there are 2,902 academy trusts. A breakdown of the number of academies in each academy trust in each region is in the attached spreadsheet.