The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2015-12-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish the White Paper on supporting people with health conditions and disabilities to get into work.
Priti Patel
As announced in the Spending Review, the Government will publish a White Paper in 2016 that will set out reforms to improve support for people with health conditions and disabilities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Louise Ellman on 2016-01-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the use of in-service emissions testing to ensure compliance with vehicle type approval emissions standards.
Andrew Jones
The annual periodic inspection (MOT test) is an effective means that ensures vehicles are well maintained, safe and have no serious defects that cause high emissions or excessive noise. Due to the large number of MOT stations across the UK and approximately 30 million vehicles being tested each year, the test must be straightforward, use equipment that is readily available in garages and be cost effective for motorists.
Ensuring compliance with type approval standards would require expensive laboratory-type instruments at MOT stations and increases in the time taken for the test that would inevitably raise the cost for motorists.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the application of section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 on the payment of compensation relating to terrorism cases in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.
Mrs Theresa Villiers
Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or, in relation to most criminal offences in Northern Ireland, the Department of Justice, to pay compensation where a person’s conviction for a criminal offence has been reversed or he has been pardoned on the grounds that a new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice. The amount of compensation awarded in these cases is assessed by an independent assessor.
Section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 inserted subsection (1ZA) into section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, providing a statutory definition of “miscarriage of justice”. In accordance with this new provision, the Secretary of State will only pay compensation for a “miscarriage of justice” where the new or newly discovered fact (on the basis of which the conviction was reversed) shows beyond reasonable doubt that the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted. In Northern Ireland this new definition applies in relation to applications for compensation in cases involving sensitive national security information, which applications are determined by the Secretary of State rather than the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.
I believe that this clear definition enshrined in statute makes decisions on eligibility more transparent and less likely to be the subject of legal challenge and ensures (in those cases in Northern Ireland to which it applies) that compensation will only be paid where it is clear the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness of Flood Re and (b) whether her Department’s long-term strategy fund for flood defences has been distributed fairly.
Rory Stewart
Flood Re began its operational testing phase in July 2015. The Flood Re Board expect to be ready to accept policies from April 2016, once it is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Once operational, Flood Re will be accountable directly to Parliament and be reviewed at least every five years.
The allocation of Government Grant in Aid for projects in the long term capital programme uses Defra’s Partnership Funding approach which ensures a fair allocation for projects throughout the country. Funding is potentially available for any project where the benefits of the scheme are greater than the cost and are allocated based on outcomes (economic damages avoided and number of households protected), rather than a percentage of the costs. This approach secures value for money for the taxpayer, ensures that a fair share is available for all projects over time and that flood management is not limited to what central Government alone can afford.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what safeguards are in place for HM Passport Offices which use local government buildings to conduct remote first time passport interviews to ensure the continuity of that service if those buildings are vacated by that local government.
James Brokenshire
The relationship of Her Majesty’s Passport Office with the local provider of the accommodation for remote interviews is managed through a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) which sets out the rights and responsibilities of both parties. Any changes to this MOU are discussed and agreed by both parties. Her Majesty’s Passport Office is not limited to working with Local Authorities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how the Government is supporting the current UN-sponsored peace talks in Yemen; and what steps his Department is taking to bring an end to the conflict.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
A political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the conflict. We fully support the UN facilitated talks which began on 21 April in Kuwait. We are working closely with the UN to encourage parties to engage in good faith, without preconditions, and to respect the ceasefire which started on 10 April. The UK strongly supports the work of UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed and commends his efforts to getting both sides to where we are now.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-06-28.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of teachers in state schools have (1) masters degrees, and (2) doctorates.
Lord Nash
The information requested is not available in the format requested.
The Department publishes statistics showing the highest post A-level qualifications held by teachers in state funded schools in England. This information does not show those with masters degrees and doctorates separately.
The latest statistics for November 2015, which were published on 30 June 2016, are provided in Table 10 of the statistical first release ‘School Workforce in England, November 2015’, which is attached and available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2015
The statistics show that 97.3% of teachers have a degree or higher level qualification. This is an increase on the previous year when 96.6% of teachers had a degree or higher level qualification.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Polak on 2016-09-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will provide the names of the receiver organisations currently reported as Supplier Name Withheld” for the £5.49 million in disbursements given to the Norwegian Refugee Council for legal assistance in the West Bank and Gaza from September 2013 to May 2016.”
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
All disbursements listed on the Development Tracker for the programme entitled ‘Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC): Legal Assistance to prevent demolitions and displacement in the OPTs’ have been made directly to the NRC, which is the supplier for this programme. Due to a technical issue inherent in the Development Tracker management information system, some supplier names appear as withheld when in fact they should be published. Our central management information team is working on a solution to this problem.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has allocated to reducing light pollution in the next five financial years.
Andrew Jones
When environmental impacts of new transport infrastructure projects are identified as part of the assessment and design process, appropriate mitigation is funded from within the budget for that project.
As part of the Road Investment Strategy, Highways England also has a £300m environment fund to deliver environmental improvements on their network, both through retrofitting measures on the existing road network and maximizing opportunities offered by new road schemes. Where there is a strong case, some of this fund could support projects which reduce light pollution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Poole Unitary Authority area has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.
Brandon Lewis
The Department does not hold information centrally on the amount or type of land held by community land trusts.
The Department’s annual Green Belt statistics monitor the amount of land designated as Green Belt in England and any changes to the designated area since the previous year. The statistics record the change by local planning authority.
Of the local planning authorities for which information was requested, the following have made changes to the Green Belt in the last five years:
East Dorset reduced the area of designated Green Belt in 2014-15 by 160 hectares to 16,720 hectares, a reduction of 1 per cent; and
Purbeck increased the area of designated Green Belt in 2012-13 by 460 hectares to 8,200 hectares, an increase of 6 per cent.