The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian casualties have been recorded in Iraq as a result of RAF military intervention since 2 December 2015.
Penny Mordaunt
There have been no recorded civilian casualties in Iraq or Syria as a result of RAF military intervention since 2 December 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Government will postpone the replacement of student maintenance grants with maintenance loans until a sharia-compliant finance product is available for such loans.
Joseph Johnson
Maintenance grants will be replaced by increased maintenance loans for eligible students starting full-time courses in the 2016/17 academic year. The Government supports the introduction of a Sharia-compliant ‘Takaful’ alternative finance product. Subject to Parliament, the Government hopes to introduce the system through new legislation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many consultants’ contracts were terminated early in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what the cost of each such termination was in each of those years.
Mr Edward Vaizey
DCMS has not terminated early any fixed fee consultancy contracts, where a cost might have been incurred, in the said time frame.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the National Living Wage on the level of child poverty in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) Nottinghamshire.
Nick Boles
The Government has made no such assessment.
The Government is committed to working to eliminate child poverty and improving life chances for children. This includes making work pay, in which the National Living Wage has an important part to play, and also through our wider reforms to support parents to move into work, increase their earnings, and keep more of what they earn.
The National Living Wage will benefit over 1 million low paid workers this year and 2.9 million directly by 2020. The introduction of the National Living Wage will mean that a full-time worker aged 25 or over previously on the National Minimum Wage will see their annual earnings increase by £910.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent by (a) Highways England and (b) the Highways Agency per head of population in each region of England in each year since 2009-10.
Andrew Jones
Figures on Highways Agency spend in each region of England can be obtained from the HM Treasury Country and Regional Analysis (CRA).
Data from 2010/11 to 2014/15 are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/477115/CRA_2015_Combined_Database_for_Publication.xlsx
Figures for 2009/10 are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/382214/CRA_2014_Combined_Database_for_Publication.xlsx
The ONS publishes figures on regional population estimates.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-06-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to launch the next Lloyds Bank share offer; and what incentives he plans to include in that offer to encourage small shareholders to retain shares that they purchase.
Harriett Baldwin
The government is committed to launching a retail sale of Lloyds Banking Group shares and to fully returning its stake to the private sector in 2016-17.
Those applying to invest less than £1,000 will be prioritised. Members of the public will be offered a discount on the market price and, to encourage long term share ownership, investors who hold their shares for more than a year will be entitled to bonus shares.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans she has to open new prisons.
Mr Sam Gyimah
We have a big issue with prisons that are out of date and not fit for purpose, which makes it more difficult for our excellent governors and officers to manage them well. We have a £1.3 billion building programme. I want new modern prisons to be built in which prisoners will get the education and work they need to succeed in outside life and to close down some of our most dilapidated and out of date prisons. HM Prison Berwyn, a modern 2,106 place prison in Wrexham will open in 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken to verify the age of children who have been recently transported from Calais to the UK.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Home Secretary’s statement on Calais on 24 October (Column 55) referred to the proper safeguarding, age assessment and security checks we carry out, working closely with local authorities and social workers in the UK, to ensure that the children transferred here are eligible to come and it is in their best interests to do so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review the adequacy of his Department’s guidance on the care and management of transsexual prisoners.
Caroline Dinenage
Prison Service Instruction 07/2011 sets out NOMS policy on the care and management of prisoners who live or propose to live in the gender other to the one assigned at birth. Prisoners are normally placed according to their legally recognised gender. However, the guidelines allow room for discretion and senior prison staff will review the circumstances of every case in consultation with medical and other experts in order to protect the physical and emotional wellbeing of the person concerned along with the safety and wellbeing of other prisoners.
A review of the current policy on transgender and transsexual prisoners began earlier this year and revised policy guidance will be issued to reflect NOMS’ responsibilities to transgender offenders in the community as well as in custody. The intention is to implement the guidance early in the New Year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many times the working groups on (a) public procurement, (b) international comparisons and (c) competitiveness and productivity have met since the Steel Summit on 16 October 2015; and what the actions and outcomes of each of those groups has been since their formation.
Anna Soubry
There have been three meetings of the International Comparisons Working Group, which has been examining the application of EU state aid rules in other EU member states and the issue of dumping of steel into the EU. A review of how other EU countries support their steel sectors showed that the UK was not missing an opportunity to provide assistance within the existing rules. It has also helped strengthen the partnership between industry and government, including on the evidence base on dumping of steel.
The Competitiveness and Productivity Working Group, which has met twice under the chairmanship of my Noble Friend Lord O’Neill of Gatley, has held discussions with steel industry representatives on the regulatory regime, energy costs and business taxation issues, as well as looking at broader issues around the future competitiveness of the steel industry. My Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister has already announced on 28th October during Prime Ministers Questions that we are, subject to state aid clearance, bringing forward compensation for the costs of Renewables Obligation for Energy Intensive Industries and have confirmed the steel industry will be able to take advantage of the available flexibilities under the Industrial Emissions Directive.
The Steel Procurement Working Group, chaired by my Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office, has met twice, looking at how better to take account of socio-economic considerations in procurement, at achieving better transparency of the pipeline of steel needs in future infrastructure projects, and at steel standards. Following the first meeting, the Government published on 30 October new guidelines for departments to apply on major projects when sourcing and buying steel. The new instructions will help steel suppliers compete on a level playing field with international suppliers for major government projects.