The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will (a) publish and (b) provide to the recognised trade unions, a detailed cost analysis for the closure of Hull Official Receiver’s office.
Jenny Willott
The Insolvency Service has provided a cost analysis to the Trade Unions, on a confidential basis. In view of its commercial nature, I do not consider it appropriate to publish this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passport applications from residents of Ashfield constituency received more than three weeks ago HM Passport Office are processing.
James Brokenshire
Her Majesty’s Passport Office does not hold the information in the form requested. The
cost of providing it from individual applicant data held would be
disproportionate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-10.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.
Andrea Leadsom
In line with Government policy and to benefit from public sector buying power, HM Treasury has centralised common commodity procurements, such as stationery, through contracts awarded and managed by the Crown Commercial Service.
The stock information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce homophobic and transphobic hate crimes against LGBT people.
Norman Baker
Tackling all forms of hate crime, including that motivated by hatred of a person’s sexual orientation or transgender identity is an issue the coalition Government takes very seriously.
On 1 May 2014 we published ‘Challenge it, Report it, Stop it – Delivering the Government’s Hate Crime Action Plan’. This progress report provides an overview of our achievements since the action plan was first published in March 2012 and sets out our key priorities for the remainder of this Parliament. A specific action in the plan includes tackling homophobia and transphobia in sports.
We are meeting the coalition commitment to improve the recording of hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation and transgender identity and are working with the police and other partners to encourage more victims to come forward. We have supported voluntary sector organisations to develop third party reporting services for LGBT victims.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes have been self-built in each of the last eight years.
Kris Hopkins
The Department does not hold official statistics.
To assist the preparation and implementation of policy to support self-builders, the Department is examining how best the take-up of self-build can be quantified.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Sheridan on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of fines imposed by the Information Commissioner’s Office on reducing nuisance calls and texts.
Mr Edward Vaizey
No such assessment has been made, but we are aware that after ICO issued a large monetary penalty in November 2012 for spam text messages, the monitoring service Cloudmark reported a 10% drop in unsolicited spam SMS text messages. We remain keen to ensure robust enforcement of the regulations, so that companies breaking the rules are caught and penalised.
OurNuisance Calls Action Plan that was published on 30th March 2014, details the range of legislative and non-legislative measures being taken forward to tackle nuisance calls and texts and the plan can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nuisance-calls-action-plan-unveiled
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Ainsworth on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) associated costs and (b) utility of the Trident Alternatives Review.
Mr Philip Hammond
I have made no such assessment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Sheridan on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the net benefit to people in Scotland of the UK’s membership of the EU.
David Mundell
The Government does not collate data which would allow calculation of a net benefit to the people of Scotland arising from the UK’s membership of the EU. However, independent analysis published by the Centre for Economics and Business Research in March 2014 suggested that, in 2011, approximately 335,000 jobs in Scotland were associated with Scottish exports to the EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what mechanisms his Department has put in place to ensure that (a) schools, (b) nurseries and (c) learning establishments receiving any funds or endorsement from his Department teach evolution and do not teach that creationism is scientifically valid.
Elizabeth Truss
The Government’s policy is that evolution should be taught in schools as an essential element of a rigorous scientific education; teaching creationism as science is incompatible with the delivery of a broad and balanced curriculum.
The national curriculum requires all maintained schools to teach evolution as an established scientific theory. All academies and free schools are required to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum. The model funding agreements for all kinds of academies and free schools are being revised. The latest published version includes a specific requirement to teach evolution, and prohibits the teaching of creationism as an evidence-based theory.
As in all areas of education, we look to Ofsted as the best and most effective lever to ensure expected standards are being achieved. All state funded schools are subject to Ofsted inspections which are required to report on the quality of education provided in the school including the quality of teaching.
Providers in receipt of early years funding must follow clear standards to make sure children are taught the key skills they need to get a good start in life. Where an Ofsted inspector identifies any concerns, they must notify Ofsted’s compliance, investigation and enforcement team, who will consider notifying the appropriate agencies.
We expect the Government’s position on creationism and evolution to be supported by any learning establishment in receipt of funding from the Department for Education to support science education.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he expects EU funding allocated to the Youth Guarantee to be drawn down in the UK.
Esther McVey
There is no EU funding allocated to the Youth Guarantee.