The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward legislative proposals on redundancy to specify that the word establishment applies to a whole business rather than an individual working environment.
Nick Boles
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of people taking degree apprenticeships by the 2019-20 academic year.
Nick Boles
Degree Apprenticeships are designed by groups of employers working with higher education institutions and will be driven by employer demand. We therefore do not have an estimate of the number that will be delivered by 2019/20, but believe that they provide a valuable route for people to obtain a degree-level qualification alongside training for a career, with the prospect of a job from day one.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Ministers will represent the Government at the Anti-Corruption Summit in May 2016.
Matthew Hancock
The Prime Minister will represent the UK at the London Anti-Corruption Summit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the declaration and publication by civil servants of financial interests other than gifts and hospitality.
Matthew Hancock
There are no plans to publish such declarations which are personal information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the exemption from the anti-lobbying clause is limited to Research Councils, National Academies and the Higher Education Funding Council for England; and if he will delay the implementation of that clause until a full consultation has taken place.
Matthew Hancock
As I made clear in the House on 27 April, we are continuing to consider the comments of all interested parties, ahead of the introduction into grant agreements of the clause aimed at protecting taxpayers’ money from being wasted on government lobbying government. We are pausing the implementation, pending a review of the representations made, and to give further time to consider any necessary adjustments to the wording of the clause, or the policy on its implementation, to help to deliver this policy in the best possible way for all involved.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many full-time equivalent staff currently work in (a) the Joint Intelligence Organisation’s Assessments Staff and (b) the National Security Secretariat; and how many such staff have not previously been employed as civil servants.
Mr Oliver Letwin
Staff in the JIO are drawn from the Cabinet Office and across Government including the MOD, FCO, and Armed Forces. They are employed on a range of terms and conditions including formal and informal, short and long term secondments. In 2004 the Rt Hon The Lord Butler of Brockwell reported that its size was “some 30 senior and middle-ranking officials”; it is currently larger than that but, given the nature of the work that they do, I am unable, for security reasons, to give further detail. There are about 200 people in the National Security Secretariat, similarly drawn from a range of Departments and employed on a range of terms and conditions. Again, for security reasons, I am unable to give details on the previous employment of staff in either organisation, but both draw on external experts in their business.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of (a) increasing the powers of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and (b) merging the office of that Commissioner with the office of the Health Service Commission for England.
John Penrose
The Government is committed to the reform and modernisation of the public service ombudsman sector. In December 2015 we published our response to the consultation on the recommendations made by Robert Gordon’s report on this matter, and we intend to publish draft legislation to create a new Public Service Ombudsman, which will encompass the existing jurisdictions of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and the Local Government Ombudsman.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 33817, what the Joint Intelligence Committee’s current estimate is of the number of non-extremist opposition fighters in Syria.
Mr Oliver Letwin
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on 21 April 2016 to UIN 33817.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what spending will be incurred on the EU referendum for each of the proposed lines of expenditure.
John Penrose
The Government published details of the cost of the production, distribution and publication of its EU Referendum leaflet and associated website on 6th April 2016. The Government continues to take forward its policy on the full range of European business, including the Referendum, as part of the normal work of Departments. Departments will account for expenditure in the normal way, through Annual Report and Accounts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the budget available to the Government is to spend on the EU referendum for each expenditure line and expenditure type.
John Penrose
The Government published details of the cost of the production, distribution and publication of its EU Referendum leaflet and associated website on 6th April 2016. The Government continues to take forward its policy on the full range of European business, including the Referendum, as part of the normal work of Departments. Departments will account for expenditure in the normal way, through Annual Report and Accounts.