The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from Reaper Squadrons 39 or 13 are currently embedded with US forces.
Penny Mordaunt
No personnel directly from 39 Squadron or 13 Squadron are currently embedded with the US armed forces. However, from the Reaper force as a whole, there are currently six Royal Air Force personnel embedded with the United States Air Force.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, within what timeframe his Department is able to deploy Reaper drones to Libya.
Penny Mordaunt
I am withholding the information on the deployment timelines of Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems as its disclosure would or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what sanctions can be taken against the Office of the Independent Adjudicator if it misses the 90-day target in issuing complaint outcomes set by the European Directive on Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Joseph Johnson
Should an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, such
as the Office for the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA),be found
to be continually failing to comply with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations
2015, the Government has set out a process that enables an appointed body (the
Chartered Trading Standards Institute) to monitor compliance, recommend
improvements and, ultimately, remove a body from the approved list.
The OIA is independent of Government and funded by compulsory subscriptions
from higher education providers. All higher education providers in receipt of
student support funding are required, through legislation, to join the OIA and pay
subscription fees. The OIA makes an assessment each year of the level of
funding it requires to ensure that its costs can be met.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what additional resources his Department plans to make available to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator to ensure it meets the 90-day target in issuing complaint outcomes set by the European Directive on Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Joseph Johnson
Should an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, such
as the Office for the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA),be found
to be continually failing to comply with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations
2015, the Government has set out a process that enables an appointed body (the
Chartered Trading Standards Institute) to monitor compliance, recommend
improvements and, ultimately, remove a body from the approved list.
The OIA is independent of Government and funded by compulsory subscriptions
from higher education providers. All higher education providers in receipt of
student support funding are required, through legislation, to join the OIA and pay
subscription fees. The OIA makes an assessment each year of the level of
funding it requires to ensure that its costs can be met.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what metrics of performance he used to measure the performance of the Government’s Productivity Plan, entitled Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, published in 2015.
Joseph Johnson
Ultimately, delivering robust productivity growth is the key outcome of the Productivity Plan. Productivity, measured as output per hour worked, grew by 1.3% in the third quarter of 2015 compared to a year earlier. In the latest Inflation Report, the Bank of England increased both its 2016 and 2017 forecasts of productivity growth by 0.25 percentage points.
In addition, many of the measures included in the Productivity Plan have their own individual delivery targets, such as the commitment to 3 million apprenticeships starts this Parliament.
The select committee on Business, Innovation and Skills’ report into the Productivity Plan, published on the 1 February 2016, made a number of recommendations including on the use of measures of success. The Government will respond to the Committee at the end of March 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the performance against its aims of the Government’s productivity plan, entitled Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, published in July 2015.
Joseph Johnson
Productivity growth is a key economic challenge for this Parliament. Productivity, measured as output per hour worked, grew by 1.3% in the third quarter of 2015 compared to a year earlier.
We are now in the process of implementing the Productivity Plan, with Ministers and officials overseeing delivery through cross-Whitehall boards and Cabinet Committees. We are making good progress, specifically:
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of employee involvement in the workplace on productivity levels.
Nick Boles
The research report ‘Does Worker Wellbeing Affect Workplace Performance?’ was published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in October 2014 and can be found on GOV.UK. This examines the wide range of factors, including employee involvement, that can positively impact on worker wellbeing. The analysis carried out using the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study suggests that well-being is also positively associated with workplace financial performance, labour productivity and the quality of output or service.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current projections used by the Environment Agency on the expected frequency of extreme flooding in the Calder Valley in any given year are for a (a) 1.5 , (b) two and (c) four degree rise in average temperatures.
Rory Stewart
Current research undertaken jointly by the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs suggests that corresponding to a 2 degree global average warming, rivers in the area of the Calder could see a 20% increase in typical flood flows by the 2080s compared to current levels.
The Government’s National Flood Resilience Review will re-examine worst case extreme weather scenarios and the resulting potential flood impacts across the country.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has decided on a date for the conclusion of the public sector spectrum release.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Budget 2016 announces a new government commitment that 750MHz of valuable public sector spectrum in bands under 10GHz will be made available by 2022, of which 500MHz will be made available by 2020. All revenue from spectrum auctions is paid into the Consolidated Fund operated by HM Treasury.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much revenue received from previous spectrum sales has been reinvested into digital infrastructure.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Budget 2016 announces a new government commitment that 750MHz of valuable public sector spectrum in bands under 10GHz will be made available by 2022, of which 500MHz will be made available by 2020. All revenue from spectrum auctions is paid into the Consolidated Fund operated by HM Treasury.