Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Rebuck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Rebuck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Rebuck on 2016-02-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the UK economy of poor literacy skills on the part of 16–24 year-olds.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    There are a number of ways in which the Government assesses the impact of poor literacy on the economy.

    On 28 January 2016, the OECD published its report ‘Building skills for all – a review of England’. The report was commissioned by BIS following the publication of the OECD’s Survey of Adult Skills in 2013. Key findings from Building Skills for All are:

    • Nine million adults in England have poor basic skills.
    • Overall, in terms of proportion, this is average for OECD countries, but England’s young people lag behind other countries.
    • A third of 16-19 year olds in England have poor basic skills – three times the proportion than in high performing countries.
    • Eliminating the tail of low achievement could increase long term productivity growth by around 0.5%.

    The BIS Research Paper 195 ‘Estimation of the labour market returns to qualifications gained in English Further Education’, published in December 2014, shows that there are higher returns to qualifications achieved at younger ages and that English (and maths) Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications provide an additional wage uplift for achievers of higher learning aims. Increased earnings and employment rates following training provide an indication of the positive impact on the economy of improving skills.

    In 2012, when the PIAAC carried out the survey fieldwork for both reports, only 70% of 16-19 year olds were participating in education and training that leads to a formal qualification; compared to almost universal participation in some other OECD countries. Since then the participation age in England has been increased to age 18 and action has been taken to improve GCSE qualifications and raise standards in post-16 education. These reforms have been welcomed by the OECD in its latest report. .

    Since changing the requirement for all learners who did not achieve a Level 2 in English and maths by the age of 16 to continue to study these subjects as part of their 16-19 study programme, we have seen a positive effect on participation and attainment. In 2014/15, 97% of 16 to 19 year olds without GCSE A*-C English and/or maths attending an FE institution continued their study of these subjects. In 2015, for 17-year-olds and over, entries for English rose by 23% (30% for maths). As a result, last year there were over 4,000 more GCSE passes at grades A*-C in English by students aged 17 and over (7,500 more maths passes).

    On 5 February 2016 we published a new report on the impact of poor English and maths from the perspective of employers. Some key findings are:

    • The vast majority of employers surveyed reported no issues with the literacy of their employees.
    • Employers that do offer basic skills training reported positive impacts on aspects of work such as the number of errors (63%), better capacity to meet statutory requirements (58%), being able to introduce new processes (52%) and being able to produce higher quality products (51%).

    The full report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/poor-basic-literacy-and-numeracy-effect-on-employers

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  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to provide additional financial support for Jordan for the provision of (a) aid and (b) jobs for refugees in that country.

    Justine Greening

    The UK with other members of the international community agreed at the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference a comprehensive approach to tackling the impact of the Syria conflict. This included continued humanitarian support in Jordan and a ‘Jordan Compact’ aimed at improving the investment climate and creating jobs for both Jordanians and refugees from Syria. Funding and implementation arrangements are currently being finalised.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that women are appropriately transferred from abortion clinics to hospitals at the earliest point in the case of emergencies.

    Jane Ellison

    In May 2014, the Department published updated requirements (Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy (Abortion)) which the providers of independent sector abortion services must agree to comply with to be approved by the Secretary of State to perform abortions. This includes the requirement to have in place procedures and protocols to deal with emergencies and the transfer to specialist services. A copy of the guidance is attached.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the agenda for the Anti-Corruption Summit on 12 May 2016 will include the issue of reverse burden of proof as it applies to senior managers across the financial services industry.

    Matthew Hancock

    The summit will include wide-ranging discussions of ways of tackling corruption, including corporate secrecy, government transparency, the enforcement of international anti-corruption laws and the strengthening of international institutions.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-06-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to revise references to handicapped people in Schedule 8 to the Value Added Tax Act 1994.

    Mr David Gauke

    The references to ‘handicapped’ people in Schedule 8 to the Value Added Tax Act 1994 are being considered alongside some other outdated terms that are used in the Schedule. This work will be taken forward carefully to ensure there are no unintended consequences as the terminology carries meaning that is derived from and interacts with other UK legislation.

  • Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to reduce any hardship associated with the target of 42 days to resolve appeals on child tax credit claims.

    Jane Ellison

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a 42-day target to resolve Mandatory Reconsiderations, where customers challenge their tax credits award calculation. The average time taken to work Mandatory Reconsiderations can vary depending upon the complexity of the request, individual circumstances and the level of supporting evidence provided.

    When a customer requests a Mandatory Reconsideration HMRC suspends the recovery of any previous overpayment that is being collected from their current award, to minimise customer hardship during the reconsideration.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date HM Revenue and Customs began to share RTI PAYE earnings data with Concentrix for use in its review of working tax credit claims.

    Jane Ellison

    HM Revenue and Customs began sharing Real Time Information data with Concentrix in November 2014.

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2015 to Question 10742, what proportion of people in the work-related activity group of employment and support allowance are also in receipt of personal independence payment.

    Priti Patel

    In May 2015, about 48% of the 460,000 claimants in the work-related activity group receive both ESA and PIP/DLA.

  • Fiona Mactaggart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Fiona Mactaggart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish her Department’s report on tied visas for domestic servants.

    James Brokenshire

    James Ewins’s report on visas for overseas domestic workers has been submitted to the Home Office and will be published shortly.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been paid to the Landfill Communities Fund by third party groups in each of the last five years.

    Damian Hinds

    The regulator of the Landfill Communities Fund, ENTRUST, does not hold data on the amount of money contributed by third parties.