UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent representations she has received from (a) schools and (b) local authorities on the efficacy of the indicators of deprivation used to calculate formulae for schools.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Children from disadvantaged backgrounds often need extra support at school to achieve as well as their peers. That is why, in addition to providing £2.5 billion this year through the pupil premium – which we have protected at current rates for the duration of the parliament – we also require local authorities to target funding for deprived pupils through their local formula.

    Under current arrangements local authorities can choose between a pupil-level measure of disadvantage (pupils eligible for free school meals or eligible at any point in the previous 6 years) or an area-level measure of disadvantage (the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index), or a combination. We are aware that the update to the area-level deprivation data last year led to some areas changing their local formulae to mitigate the impact on deprivation funding for their schools.

    We recently launched the first stage of the consultation on our plans to introduce a national funding formula for schools from 2017. Our proposals would mean schools’ funding is matched fairly and transparently to their needs and their pupils’ characteristics. Through the consultation process we are seeking views on the best way to target funding for disadvantaged pupils to support them to achieve to the best of their ability.

  • Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-03-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the proposed 36 month stamp duty grace period for people transitioning from one property to another will apply retrospectively.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government appreciates that there may be circumstances where an individual sells a property which was a main residence and then experiences a delay before purchasing a new main residence. Where an individual is replacing a main residence, the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax should not apply to the purchase of a new main residence within 36 months of the disposal of a previous main residence.

    In addition to this, the 36 month time period will commence from 25 November 2015 for those who had sold a previous main residence prior to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, in order to provide additional transitional support.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to engage with the Polisaria Front; and if he or Ministers of his Department will meet senior Polisario Front officials.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Government officials engage with the Polisario Front regularly, most recently on 16 March in London. We regard the Polisario Front as a pro-independence movement and party to a UN-mediated dispute, but not all Sahrawis consider it to be their representative. Therefore the UK Government does not regard the Polisario Front as representing all Sahrawis. Because of this, Ministers do not meet Polisario Front members.

  • Lord Moynihan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Moynihan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to (1) extend the powers of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) to investigate doctors administering performance enhancing drugs to athletes outside the control of British governing bodies of sport, and (2) introduce new powers to enable UKAD to take legal action should such doctors be found to have breached the World Anti-Doping Agency Code; and if so, when.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government will review the outcomes of the independent review of UK Anti-Doping’s processes following allegations made in the Sunday Times. DCMS is currently undertaking a review of current legislation and, as part of this, will consider the independent review’s findings to determine whether any new powers are necessary.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce (a) trolling and (b) cyber-bullying.

    Sarah Newton

    We continue to make tackling all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, a priority. All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy with measures to tackle bullying among pupils, including cyberbullying.

    Since September 2014 e-safety has been taught at all four key stages of the curriculum. We have made sure schools have the power to search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images (or files) on electronic devices, including mobile phones.

    We have invested £3.85 million in a new phase of our This is Abuse campaign, which tackles abuse within teenage relationships and was launched in March. The National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) has developed a comprehensive education programme, called Thinkuknow, which provides targeted advice to children, parents and carers, including on how to use social media safely.

    We have taken action to improve the police response to online abuse. Since the introduction of the College of Policing’s Cyber Crime Training course in February 2014 over 150,000 modules have been completed across all forces and, in September last year, the College of Policing launched the second phase of its Mainstream Cyber Crime Training course for police forces.

    Additionally, over 3,900 National Crime Agency officers have completed Digital Awareness training as part of equipping the next generation of highly skilled digital detectives. 1,200 Digital Media Investigators have been trained over the past 18 months.

    Work is under way to ensure the appropriate recording of digital crime and abuse. The Home Office launched a mandatory ‘online’ flag as part of the police recorded crime data collection from April 2015. These data are currently in development and will be published in due course.

    The Crown Prosecution Service annual Violence Against Women and Girls Report published on September 6 shows that there have been more offences prosecuted under section 127 of the Communications Act and section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988. Under s.127, in 2015-16 there was a rise in prosecutions related to grossly offensive or indecent communications to 2,026. In total the offences under s.127 of the Communications Act rose by 13% and s.1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 by 32%. There have also been 206 prosecutions for the new offence of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-10-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information schools are required by law to collect regarding their pupils.

    Lord Nash

    Schools collect a range of information on pupils for their own purposes. Full details of all the data collected by law is accessible via the links in the attached list.

    Some of this information is required to be submitted to the Department via various collections which are undertaken throughout the school year. The main types of information collected by the Department are:

    • pupil identifiers (name, date of birth, etc)
    • pupil characteristics (gender, ethnicity, language, etc.)
    • pupil attendance and exclusions
    • pupil special educational needs
    • pupil attainment and teacher assessments

    The school census has collected such data at pupil level from the introduction of the Pupil Level Annual School Census in 2002.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Volkswagen vehicles have been retested for emissions by the Vehicle Certification Agency to date; what the outcome of those retests has been; how many vehicles are still to be retested; and when he expects all retests to be completed.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government takes the unacceptable actions of Volkswagen (VW) Group extremely seriously. As we investigate what went wrong and what we can do to stop it happening again, the priority of course remains to protect the public. We expect VW to take every step necessary to protect its UK customers, but it is right that the Government carry out their own thorough and independent investigation.

    A written statement was made today (10 November) informing the House of the latest developments on the Department for Transport’s vehicle emissions testing programme, following the revelations that VW had fitted defeat devices to some of its vehicles.

    The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) is working to confirm that this issue is not industry wide. They have tested two VW group vehicles known to contain a defeat device and will rerun laboratory tests on popular cars sold in the UK to compare real world driving emissions against laboratory performance. This will include measuring CO2 .

    The Secretary of State spoke to Dr Herbert Deiss of VW on 4 November to discuss CO2 emissions, seeking information on those vehicles affected in the UK and the extent of the discrepancy. VW have stated that they are working hard to clarify the situation and are liaising with relevant approval authorities.

    The Secretary of State has written jointly with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to VW seeking clarification on several issues. Separately, officials from the Department for Transport, and its Agencies have held a number of discussions with VW regarding the recall of affected vehicles.

    The Department for Transport has not made a specific assessment of on road emissions in relation to type approval requirements, but officials are aware of the findings in published reports suggesting significant differences.

  • Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many meetings he has held with the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 2015-16 session of Parliament to date.

    Stephen Crabb

    I have regular meetings with my Rt hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer along with all other Cabinet Ministers.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy regarding presidents and others who perpetuate their power and authority in the Commonwealth; and whether the Commonwealth as a whole has a policy on that matter.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government expects all Commonwealth states to uphold the standards enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter; which makes clear that governments, political parties and civil society are responsible for upholding and promoting democratic culture and practices and are accountable to the public in this regard.

    In supporting greater adherence to Commonwealth political values and principles, the Commonwealth Secretariat, under its Strategic Plan (2014/15), has engaged with the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the services of the Secretary General’s Good Offices. The Secretariat has also carried out election management and promoted the values of respect and understanding. This resulted in CMAG’s decision to restore Fiji to full Commonwealth membership and involved the deployment of election observation teams to 13 elections in 11 countries. All election missions reported credible results in accordance with Commonwealth norms.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many prosecutions for VAT and customs fraud relating to online sales and imports there have been in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr David Gauke

    To provide the answer to these questions would incur disproportionate cost. Data has not been captured centrally for the specific categories over the last 10 years.