Category: Speeches

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding will be available for third-sector training providers to support young people who are not in education, employment or training once the Youth Contract comes to an end.

    Nick Boles

    Local authorities have a duty to track, support and encourage young people to participate in education and training, with a particular focus on those who are not in employment, education or training (NEET). The Department for Education supports local authorities in meeting this duty by: providing a secure portal for them to exchange data about young people’s activities; collating and publishing data about young people’s activities; sharing good practice; and publishing a NEET Scorecard to help local authorities manage their performance.

    Local authorities decide how they will work with and support education and training providers, the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), and other agencies in meeting these requirements.

    Local authorities receive funding from central government to enable them to meet their statutory obligations including this duty, but it is up to them to determine exactly how much they spend on these activities, and whether and how much funding should be provided to VCS organisations to help with this. Reflecting its continued commitment to supporting young people NEET, the government has allocated £30 million for the Youth Engagement Fund and Fair Chance Fund Social Impact Bond (SIB) schemes, and the recent Spending Review settlement saw over £100 million for further SIBs, tackling issues such as youth unemployment, homelessness and mental health.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government’s strategy is for litter and fly-tipping.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra has announced plans for a new litter strategy and we are working with industry, experts and councils across England to improve the way we all tackle the scourge of litter. The litter strategy will promote affordable and replicable ways to influence littering behaviour – and reduce littering. It will encourage innovation in physical infrastructure and cleansing methods, and in product design, and will help to make a compelling and engaging case for investment in work to tackle litter and littering.

    To develop the strategy we will seek the views of, among others, representatives from local government, campaign groups and independent experts, as well as voices from the packaging and fast-food industries. As part of this process we will also establish a number of working groups on specific issues, such as roadside litter, data and monitoring and enforcement.

    We are committed to tackling fly-tipping as set out in the Government’s manifesto. Subject to Parliamentary approval, we will give local authorities the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small-scale fly-tipping. Regulations were laid in Parliament on 11 March. These new enforcement tools will be available to local authorities from 9 May, providing them with an alternative to prosecutions and will assist them to take a proportionate enforcement response. This will build on other actions, including:

    • Cracking down on offenders by strengthening the Sentencing Council’s

      Guideline for sentencing for environmental offences, which came into force on 1 July 2014.

    • Making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be

      stopped, searched and seized.

    • Continuing our work with the Defra-chaired National Fly-Tipping Prevention

      Group to promote and disseminate good practice in the prevention, reporting,

      investigation and clearance of fly-tipped waste.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the suitability of the UK’s existing (a) road infrastructure and (b) skills in the workforce for the anticipated rise in the number of autonomous vehicles.

    Andrew Jones

    Autonomous vehicles could potentially have significant impacts on congestion, safety, and efficiency. The Government recognises that this is an important issue and needs to be better understood to properly inform long-term policy and investment decisions. For this reason, the Department for Transport is currently engaging with interested parties and conducting research and development to understand the specific requirements on the road infrastructure needed for the deployment of these technologies.

    The Transport Systems Catapult is developing a report on current and future skills for the fast-growing Intelligent Mobility sector, which includes autonomous vehicles. This report will be complete in early summer.

    This work is ongoing, and forms part of a much wider programme of research and development that the Government is supporting to examine the issues associated with these technologies.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to engage with (a) coal generators and (b) the biomass sector on whether a future biomass auction will take place.

    Jesse Norman

    We plan to hold the next Contracts for Difference allocation round in due course We will announce further details about the allocation round and engage with stakeholders in good time.

  • Baroness Wolf of Dulwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Wolf of Dulwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of advanced learner loans in 2015–16, as a percentage of the total number of individual loans made in that year, were made for courses at (1) level 3, and (2) level 4.

    Lord Nash

    82,990 eligible applications for Advanced Learner Loans were received for courses starting in the 2015/16 academic year. Approximately 94% of courses taken were for provision at Level 3, with approximately 6% for provision at Level 4.

  • Keir Starmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Keir Starmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to fund additional support for disabled people who might require assistance to fill in job applications and to attend job interviews.

    Justin Tomlinson

    DWP already provides a range of support for people who require assistance to fill in job applications and to attend job interviews.

    Programmes such as Work Choice, Work Programme and the new Specialist Employability Support offer tailored support for any participants who need help with their jobseeking. This may include help with activities such as filling in job applications and attending job interviews. Access to Work can provide practical support for people who need help with attending interviews due to a health condition or disability.

    Jobcentre Plus continues to offer a range of support, including a free helpline for claimants who have difficulty making their claims for benefit online because of dyslexia or a similar conditions, and Claimant Computer Suites manned by Jobcentre Plus Customer Service staff. In addition, a Jobcentre Plus Work Coach, or where appropriate, a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA), can signpost claimants to local sources of support such as Work Clubs, third sector organisations or the National Careers Service.

    The Department is constantly seeking ways to improve these services, but at present there are no plans to fund additional support nationally. However, the support we provide nationally both complements, and is complemented by, our engagement with support provided locally by stakeholders such as third sector organisations, local councils, Work Clubs and other partners.

    We are also exploring innovative new ways to deliver support. For example, the Personalisation Pathfinders project running in three Jobcentre Plus Districts, which will test a new localised approach to helping people with Disabilities and long term health conditions.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lisa Nandy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2015-12-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visits her Department has made to Wigan in 2015 to date.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office meets regularly with local councils throughout the year on a number of different matters. A central record of all the meetings that are held is not maintained.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the public sector exit payments cap on morale in the Civil Service.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Civil Service has successfully changed the way it operates and become more efficient – it is now delivering far more, for less, than it did before 2010. The Government has delivered a range of policy changes over the last five years to modernise the Civil Service and save taxpayers money. During this time employee engagement rates have actually increased.

  • John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many new athletics tracks have been built since August 2012.

    David Evennett

    According to Sport England’s Active Places Power database which maps community sports facilities in England, 15 new athletics tracks have been built in England since 2012. This data can be found at: www.activeplacespower.com

    “

  • Robert Jenrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Robert Jenrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Jenrick on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value is of sanctioned Iranian assets which have been released by the Government or any other entity within the UK since the conclusion of the Iranian agreement in May 2015.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Financial sanctions are implemented in the United Kingdom by HM Treasury. When assets are frozen they remain where they are held and are not seized or confiscated by the government or the Treasury. As such, the government does not hold frozen assets belonging to designated Iranian or other persons subject financial sanctions.

    Every year the Treasury requests information from businesses on funds they hold that are frozen under financial sanctions legislation. The most recent data from September 2015 showed that there was approximately £728,450,000 of funds frozen under the Iran (non-proliferation) sanctions regime.

    In July 2015 the EU/E3+3 and the Islamic Republic of Iran reached a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). On 16 January 2016 the initial sanctions relief provided for under the JCPoA came into effect. Part of this relief included the lifting of the asset freeze against certain individuals and entities with frozen balances of approximately £657,830,000. Therefore approximately £70,620,000 remains frozen.

    The next phase of sanctions relief under the JCPoA is due on Transition Day in eight years’ time, or when the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded that all nuclear material in Iran remains in peaceful activities, whichever is earlier.