The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the exemption of political aides and special advisers from the one per cent public sector pay rise limit.
Matthew Hancock
All public servants, including special advisers, are subject to an overall 1% pay remit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, 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.
Andrea Leadsom
This information is not readily available, and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of women in Scotland who reach state pension age in 2016-17 will receive the full flat rate of the new state pension.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department cannot model the impact of the new State Pension at a regional or country specific level. Results for the whole of Great Britain can be found at:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many EEA nationals living in the UK have resided in the UK for (a) less than three months, (b) three to six months, (c) six to 12 months, (d) one to two years, (e) two to three years, (f) three to four years, (g) four to five years and (h) longer than five years.
Mr Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the role is of personal recovery officers related to different categories of injury of armed forces personnel who are due to receive medical discharge; how many such officers there are in each branch of the Armed Forces; and if he will make a statement.
Mark Lancaster
The Naval Service employs 29 Recovery Cell/Troop (NSRC) staff who have broadly equivalent responsibilities to those of Personal Recovery Officers (PROs) and oversee the recovery of Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS) personnel. NSRC staff do not differentiate between different categories of injury; all WIS are managed equitably with their recovery pathway being directed by doctors, physiotherapists, military Departments of Community Mental Health and Occupational Therapists. Not all personnel on a recovery pathway are due to receive medical discharge; 84% return to work.
A total of 67 PROs are based within 11 Personnel Recovery Units (PRUs) across the UK and Germany; PRUs are military units established for the command and care of WIS soldiers with the greatest need. All Army WIS personnel have a dedicated PRO assigned to them, to assist them through the recovery process and co-ordinate support from other agencies. If the individual remains in their unit the PRO will be someone in the unit who has been assigned by their Commanding Officer.
Soldiers are transferred to a PRU if their Chain of Command or unit recommend they need more help than the unit can provide. There are a number of reasons for this, such as the nature or severity of their injury or illness, the distance between the soldier’s home address and the unit (if the soldier is at home on recovery duty), or because the unit is due to deploy. The PRUs are not residential facilities, but are organised on a regional basis allowing soldiers to be transferred to the one closest to them.
The RAF has two full time and two part-time PROs based in the Personnel Recovery Centre at RAF High Wycombe.
RAF PROs are responsible for supporting WIS personnel through their recovery pathway and in support of their patient care whether they are returning to Service or being medically discharged. They encourage and, where necessary, direct WIS personnel to manage their own recovery pathway as much as they are able. RAF PROs become the line manager for WIS and provide mentoring, coaching and welfare support throughout their recovery. They maintain regular contact with WIS personnel for up to six months after their discharge.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the role of his Department was in drafting the Government’s childhood obesity plan.
Margot James
The Department of Health led on drawing up the action plan to tackle childhood obesity with input from across Government, including this Department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will review the effect of SATs in primary schools on children’s mental health.
Edward Timpson
Good mental health and resilience are a priority for the Department. We have high aspirations for all children and want them to be able to fulfil their potential, both academically and in terms of their mental wellbeing.
Good schools manage tests appropriately, and there is a lot that teachers can do to help prepare pupils to take tests and exams, and to help parents support their children. Good school leaders know that positive mental wellbeing, as part of a ‘whole-school’ ethos, along with good teaching, supports pupil attainment.
The Government considers the impact of primary testing on all children as a matter of course, and we listen to the views of parents on an ongoing basis. Tests are an established and valuable part of a child’s education. Tests in primary school are not examinations and should not put pressure on pupils. They are about helping teachers to identify where additional support is needed and ensuring that schools are accountable for the education that they provide.
We trust primary school teachers to use their experience and professional expertise to administer assessments in a way that does not put undue pressure on pupils. Schools should encourage all pupils to work hard and achieve well, but we do not recommend that they devote excessive preparation time to assessment, and certainly not at the expense of pupils’ wellbeing.
We know that recent reforms to primary assessment have represented a significant change for schools and these will need time to embed. We are committed to listening to teachers and parents to ensure primary assessment arrangements are proportionate as well as robust.
To support schools to understand signs of stress and mental ill-health and to provide support to their pupils, the Government has funded MindEd to develop a free, on-line resource for all professionals, including teaching staff, working with children and young people to access information about mental health issues. We also funded the PSHE Association to produce guidance and age-appropriate lesson plans on teaching about mental health in PSHE. In addition we have published guidance on behaviour and mental health, which sets out how schools can identify problems and seek support, as well as a blueprint for effective school-based counselling to help schools provide access to support.
However, teachers are not mental health specialists and need to know how to help pupils access specialist support. We contributed to a £3 million joint pilot between schools and children and young people’s mental health services to improve local knowledge and develop effective referrals to allow pupils to access timely specialist support where needed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have asked, or will ask, the government of Turkey to hold an independent inquiry into the closures and curfews imposed on the districts of Cizre and Sur by the security forces in September; whether they plan to ask the government to ensure that full compensation is paid for civilians killed or wounded, and that responsibility be established for deaths and injuries; and if not, why not.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We welcome the visit on 15-16 October of Turkey’s national human rights body to Cizre and Sirnak to conduct analysis and research on the recent events there. We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Turkey closely and raise concerns regularly with the Turkish authorities. At the same time, we recognise Turkey has a right to act proportionately in response to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) violence. PKK attacks must stop and peace talks resume soon, in the interests of Turkey and the wider region. The UK stands ready to help in any way it can.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) redundancy and (b) voluntary exit programmes for civil servants are currently in operation in each department.
Matthew Hancock
This information on the number of exit schemes currently in operation is not collated centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Government’s current strategy on Yemen; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK’s position remains that a political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen. We are in regular contact with all parties to the conflict, urging engagement in good faith and to take steps towards achieving a durable ceasefire and we fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. The UK is the 4th largest donor to the crisis and has more than doubled its humanitarian commitment to Yemen over the last year to £75 million. UK aid has assisted at least 700,000 people directly affected by the conflict including vulnerable host communities, internally displaced people and migrants. We have provided critical support for healthcare, malnutrition, water and sanitation, protection and shelter. We have also continued to strengthen and protect local capacity and community assets from further shocks by providing agricultural and other livelihoods assistance.