The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-04-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which children’s services departments have instituted the role of Principal Social Worker; and how many people each such department employs.
Mr Edward Timpson
The Department for Education does not hold this information. Local authorities are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of social workers, including those they appoint to the Principal Social Worker role.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-17.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to increase the compensation paid to Equitable Life policyholders.
Andrea Leadsom
The Government has no plans to alter the design or rules of the Equitable Life Payment Scheme, including those which relate to the level of payments. Decisions on the level of ex-gratia payments took account of the fiscal situation and wider fairness concerns across all taxpayers. The payments for different types of policyholder were made on the basis of recommendations made by the Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2014-04-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to ensure that all customers receive the full benefit of reductions in levies on energy bills.
Michael Fallon
All households will benefit from our changes. Whilst the reduction in individual household bills will depend on the energy supplier, this package, including VAT, will be worth an average of around £50 to households, compared to what would have happened without these changes. All customers on fixed tariffs will receive the £12 rebate from suppliers in autumn and the vast majority of them can either switch to a new tariff created since the Autumn Statement without any charge or will be switching to a new tariff anyway as a result of their fixed contract coming to an end this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of homes in the UK served by fibre to the home broadband services.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Ofcom monitors and publishes broadband coverage data for the UK indicated in its 2013 UK fixed broadband market report that superfast broadband was available to 73% of UK premises. Ofcom did not, however, publish a separate figure for the number of homes with fibre to the home broadband services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what specific steps the UK has taken to encourage more opposition groups to join the Syrian National Coalition.
Hugh Robertson
We have publicly and repeatedly urged moderate Syrian opposition groups, inside and outside Syria, to join the National Coalition, underlining the importance of a unified, and effective organisation pressing for a democratic and pluralist Syria. We have consistently encouraged the National Coalition to broaden their membership, and they have made strenuous efforts to attract all sections of Syrian society, including ethnic and religious minorities, and women. They have made clear that they stand for all Syrians. We have worked through the London 11 group in support of the National Coalition, as well as providing practical support to develop its capacity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will add a category of name of medal requested to the Certificate of Kinship Request for the Medals of a Deceased Ex-Serviceman/woman form.
Anna Soubry
The existing combined medal application and next of kin form contains a box where the applicant can specify which medal they are applying for.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-04-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to criminalise patterns of coercive control in domestic violence cases.
Norman Baker
Domestic abuse is already a crime. There are a number of offences that make domestic abuse illegal, including actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm and assault. The cross-Government definition is clear that domestic abuse is any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.
Assault can extend to non-physical harm, and this can include psychological, financial, and emotional abuse. Stalking and harassment legislation, which criminalises a course of conduct, can apply to intimate partner relationships.
Last September, the Home Secretary commissioned Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary to conduct a review of the response to domestic abuse across all police forces. HMIC published its findings in March 2014, emphasising that the key priority is a culture change in the police so that domestic violence and abuse is treated as the crime that it is, and pointing out that the police use the full range of tools already available to them.
The Home Secretary will chair a national oversight group to oversee delivery against each of HMIC’s recommendations on which I will also sit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the estimated value of the land is for which academy trusts have a freehold interest.
Mr Edward Timpson
When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust. In some circumstances, where the school governors or supporting foundation already hold the freehold, my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may allow publicly-funded school land to be transferred to an academy trust, which will have satisfied the Secretary of State as to its ability to operate a state-funded school.
There are strict rules protecting publicly funded land used by academies, regardless of who holds the freehold. This is set out in published guidance, which is available online:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice
A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.
The Department does not hold information about the average value of land used for academies on a freehold or leasehold basis. Information about the number of academies that occupy land on a leasehold and freehold basis is not held centrally.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Prime Minister, what meetings he has had with (a) the First Minister of Northern Ireland, (b) the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and (c) both the First and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.
Mr David Cameron
I regularly meet the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to discuss a range of issues and will continue to do so.
I visit all parts of the United Kingdom regularly, including Northern Ireland. I last visited Northern Ireland on Thursday 10 – Friday 11 October 2013.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what environmental impact assessment the Forestry Commission has carried out in respect of the proposed corridor up to 65 metres wide through Hurn Forest for cables connecting Navitus Bay Offshore windfarm with the national grid.
Dan Rogerson
The Forestry Commission is fully committed to protecting and improving the nation’s public forests for the benefit of people, nature and the economy. It is not required to carry out a formal Environmental Impact Assessment in this case but it has considered the potential impact of the cable route and is working with the developer to ensure that the impact is minimised. Any woodland that is lost will be restored to heathland to improve the diversity of habitat, as well as opening the views and improving public access.