The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2015 to Question 19048, whether a later decommissioning date was specified when HMS Ocean was originally commissioned; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 December 2015 to Question 17860 to the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will maintain the policy that payments made by Alliance House in relation to infected blood are disregarded for the purpose of tax or benefit assessments once the reformed system of payments is introduced.
Jane Ellison
As under the existing schemes, the current consultation on reform of the schemes proposes that any future payments would be in addition to any other source of income an individual may receive, and disregarded for the purposes of calculating income tax and eligibility for calculating other state benefits.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-03-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether a manual reporting option will remain available to small businesses under the proposal to move to a quarterly digital tax reporting system by 2020.
Mr David Gauke
The Government will consult on the details of the Making Tax Digital proposals throughout 2016, including digital exclusion issues.
HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) vision is for everyone to deal with their tax affairs digitally by default, although the Department does of course recognise its responsibility and legal duty to ensure equal and fair access to services. For those who genuinely cannot get online, for example due to disability, geographical or other reasons, non-digital alternatives will be provided.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academy schools have been found to have failed to keep records of eligibility for free school meals in each of the last three years.
Mr Sam Gyimah
The Education Funding Agency (EFA) undertakes academy trust funding audit visits as part of its assurance regime, which includes free school meals. It has found the following instances where full records have not been kept:
|
Assurance plan year |
Total trusts where instances of pupil ineligibility were identified |
|
1 July 2015 – present |
Currently underway, therefore no information |
|
1 July 2014 – 30 June 2015 |
0 |
|
1 July 2013 – 30 June 2014 |
9 |
In addition we have received one instance where we have confirmed ineligibility of funding and are taking swift action to resolve issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-05-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on progress in the Eastern African mediation process in relation to the crisis in Burundi; and if he will make a statement.
James Duddridge
As I stated in the adjournment debate on Human Rights in Burundi on 5 May 2016, I spoke to former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa on 4 May. We agreed that the only route to a lasting solution lies in an inclusive political process. I gave him the UK’s full support in his role as the facilitator of the dialogue established by the East African Community. I am encouraged by indications that talks will begin on 21 May. President Mkapa is using the intervening period to bring more people to the table and to have more bilateral discussions before the talks themselves happen. I will keep the house updated.
It is essential that all parties, including those who have now left Burundi, are part of the engagement and peace process. I intend to phone and write to the Burundian Foreign Minister before 21 May to call on the Government of Burundi to come together with all participants and to allow them to come to Arusha so that the talks can commence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations she has made to non-governmental organisations which receive funding from her Department on senior management salaries in those organisations.
Sir Desmond Swayne
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations, backed by the Charity Commission, has encouraged more transparency on pay issues and introduced new pay guidelines. DFID Ministers have consistently demanded that NGOs are transparent and open with donors and the public.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many citizens of other EU countries work in his Department.
Mr Robin Walker
The Department for Exiting the EU now has over 200 staff in London, plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels, and we are still growing rapidly. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are regularly reviewed. We will ensure we are appropriately staffed to deal with the task at hand.
As a new Department we do not yet hold diversity data for all of its staff but will be collecting this in line with standard Civil Service practice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley on 2015-11-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many students completed apprenticeships in each year from 2010 to the last year for which records are available.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
The table shows the number of learners that achieved apprenticeships from 2010:
All Age Apprenticeship Framework Achievements (2009/10 to 2014/15)
|
2009/10 Full Year |
2010/11 Full Year |
2011/12 Full Year |
2012/13 Full Year |
2013/14 Full Year |
2014/15 Full Year |
|
|
Total |
171,500 |
200,300 |
258,400 |
252,900 |
255,800 |
260,900 |
This data is published as part of a Statistical First Release: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-held
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received from his French, American and German counterparts on Britain’s decision to extend airstrikes to Syria.
Penny Mordaunt
My French, American and German counterparts have all welcomed the role we are now playing in Syria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what early intervention and education support is available for children who are on the autism spectrum to prevent them developing mental health difficulties later in their school career.
Edward Timpson
Our reformed system for meeting the needs of children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disabilities is designed to ensure that their needs are identified at an early stage, that the right support is in place, and that problems do not escalate.
All early years providers are required to have arrangements in place to identify and support children with SEN or disabilities and to promote equality of opportunity for children in their care. All schools should have a clear approach to identifying and responding to SEN and must use their best endeavours to ensure that children with SEN, including those with autism, get the support they need.
As part of their Initial Teacher Training, all teachers are expected to learn to identify and address various types of SEN, including autism. The Government is also funding the Autism Education Trust in 2015-16, providing £650,000 to provide tiered training at universal, enhanced and specialist levels for early years, school and post-16 staff to help them understand how best to recognise and support children and young people with autism.
The Department does not hold data on the numbers of autistic children who are home educated nor the numbers of children who are not in school. The Alternative Provision Census does collect data about children who are not in school or in a pupil referral unit. However, it covers as a single ‘Not in School’ category only those who are educated otherwise than at school under arrangements made and funded by local authorities. The information does not reflect types of special educational need.
The data may be available from Plymouth City Council, since it has a duty under Section 22 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to carry out its functions with a view to identifying all the children and young people in its area who have or may have special educational needs or a disability, and also a duty to provide children of compulsory school age with an education.