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  • Wes Streeting – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Wes Streeting – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wes Streeting on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with examination boards on the provision of ice skating as part of GCSE PE.

    Nick Gibb

    Following consultation (from July to September 2014), the Department published reformed content for physical education (PE) GCSE and A level in January 2015. The content includes a list of sports and activities in which students could be assessed as part of these qualifications.

    The sports and activities in which students may be assessed were proposed by awarding organisations (AOs). Ice skating was not included, as it was not considered to meet all of the criteria for inclusion set out in the PE activity list rationale, which can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447738/GCSE_activity_list_for_PE.pdf.

    Exclusion of ice skating from the list was not raised as an issue during the consultation. The inclusion or otherwise of an activity on the list does not represent a view on the legitimacy of the activity. The activity list will be reviewed at a later stage.

    Further details can be found in the Government response to the consultation (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/gcse-and-a-level-reform) and equality analysis (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-subject-content-equality-impact-assessment).

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  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures are in place to ensure that child support awarded by tribunals under the pre-2012 Child Support Agency system are upheld under the post-2012 system.

    Priti Patel

    Tribunals do not award Child Maintenance, they direct on individual decisions.

    If an individual chooses to apply to the new 2012 scheme after their case on one of the legacy schemes is closed, the rules of the 2012 scheme will apply. Clients are able to provide evidence of prior Tribunal decisions when requesting, or contesting, a new decision which will be taken into consideration where appropriate.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been spent on mindfulness in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each year since 2010.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education does not hold information about the amount of money spent on mindfulness in primary or secondary schools.

    Schools are free to provide the support they feel is most appropriate for their pupils, based on their pupils’ needs.

  • Will Quince – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Will Quince – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Will Quince on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to announce the successful bids for the Condition Improvement Fund for 2016-17.

    Edward Timpson

    The deadline for applications to the Condition Improvement Fund 2016-2017 was 16 December. All applications are now being assessed and moderated against the published criteria to ensure that those with the greatest need receive funding

    We expect to announce successful projects by the end of March 2016.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on consumer energy bills of bringing forward by one year the start of the Capacity Market.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Capacity Market is designed to encourage competition and a low clearing price. It is technology neutral and will procure any type of capacity to meet the target at the lowest possible cost to consumers. By keeping more plant in the market, it is also likely to increase competition and drive down costs. The Capacity Market will protect consumers from higher cost spikes that would occur if our electricity supplies were less secure.

  • Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the average number of households using smart (a) electric and (b) gas meters was in (i) St Helens North constituency, (ii) Merseyside and (iii) the UK in 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Department collects quarterly aggregated data from large energy suppliers on the number of smart meter installations, but does not collect data on the number of households with smart meters.

    Data on the number of smart electricity and gas meters installed in Great Britain is set out in the Government’s ‘Smart Meters, Great Britain, Quarterly report to end September 2015’, published on 22 December 2015:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistical-release-and-data-smart-meters-great-britain-quarter-3-2015.

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  • Henry Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Henry Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Environment Agency plans to spend on flood prevention for Crawley, Gatwick and the Upper River Mole over the next three years.

    Rory Stewart

    In the next three years the Environment Agency expects to spend £4,034,000 on completion of the Upper Mole Flood Alleviation Scheme. The Environment Agency also expect to spend £70,250 on studies to investigate future works and have a 2016-17 allocation of approximately £94,000 for maintenance works. The Upper Mole Flood Alleviation Scheme protects the communities of Crawley, Horley and Maidenbower as well as Gatwick Airport.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to meet the target of reaching a national recycling rate of 50 per cent by 2020.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK recycling rate has increased from 11% at the turn of the century, to 44.9% now. This progress is thanks in large part to the hard work of Local Authorities and householders.

    The Government is committed to meeting the 2020 EU recycling target of 50% of household waste.

    Local Authorities are best placed to determine the most appropriate waste collection and recycling services in their areas and we work with them and the Waste and Recycling Action Programme (WRAP) to promote best practice.

    I have asked WRAP to look at what further measures can be taken to improve recycling rates and, in particular, the benefits and opportunities there are from having greater consistency in the materials collected and collection systems, to enable Local Authorities to recycle more, and to make it easier for householders to put the right materials in the right bin.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from his US counterpart on the security situation in Libya; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Philip Hammond) spoke with US Secretary of State Kerry on 29 February and discussed a range of issues, including Libya. We have regular discussions with international partners, including the United States, in support of the Libya Political Agreement, including on security matters.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is providing to the Libyan government to assist the removal of Daesh from Sirte; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We must take action to prevent Daesh from using Libya as a base from which to plan and carry out attacks.

    That is why we are working closely with international partners to develop a comprehensive approach to defeating it. Initial planning has focused on building the capabilities of Libyan security forces to provide their own security. We will seek early discussions with a Libyan Government of National Accord.