Category: Speeches

  • Mr Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Simon Burns on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of teachers teaching in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Essex and (d) Chelmsford constituency undertook specialist training on educational provision for children and young people on the autism spectrum in each of the last five years.

    Edward Timpson

    These figures are not collected centrally. Schools make their own decisions on what training their staff need to support their pupils, based on the individual circumstances of the school.

    The Department for Education funds the Autism Education Trust (AET) to provide tiered training on autism: basic awareness training for teaching and non-teaching staff at level 1; practical knowledge and hands-on tools and techniques for all staff working directly with children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders at level 2; and level 3 training for those seeking more advanced knowledge and those pursuing a training role, such as lead practitioners in autism and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators. Between 2011 and 2013 the AET received grant funding under grant from the Department to provide training to schools and from 2013 to 2015 is contracted to provide training to early years providers, schools and further education colleges.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will list the energy companies which have agreed to (a) introduce arrangements before the end of 2014 to limit bad bills to businesses to one year where the supplier is at fault and (b) end automatic roll-overs for new customers.

    Michael Fallon

    British Gas, Edf Energy, E.ON, First Utility, Good Energy, Opus Energy, RWE nPower, Scottish Power and SSE publically announced that they plan to limit back bills where the company is at fault to one year by the end of 2013, or as soon as practically possible in 2014.

    British Gas, Edf Energy, E,ON, First Utility, RWE nPower, Scottish Power and SSE announced their intention to end the use of automatic rollover contracts for new customers before the end of 2014.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2014, Official Report, columns 18-19W, on the electoral register, in which month of 2014 the statistics on data matching on electoral registration between the Office of National Statistics, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and the National Records of Scotland will be published.

    Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that it expects to publish a report on England, Wales and Scotland in summer 2014. The timing of the work in Northern Ireland is still the subject of discussions with NISRA. The Electoral Commission will inform the honourable member when this is confirmed.

  • Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 7 April 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Department has no record of receiving the correspondence referred to
    in this Parliamentary Question.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to expand the languages curriculum to encompass Urdu.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Schools are already able to choose which modern foreign languages they teach, and these can include Urdu. The new programme of study for languages, to be taught in maintained schools from September 2014, makes clear that learning a foreign language should provide an opening to other cultures, foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department has given to local authorities about churches and same sex marriage.

    Karen Bradley

    Guidance on how to certify a building for religious worship and register for
    the solemnization of marriages was issued on 18 February 2014 by the General
    Register Office and is available at:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/281332
    /D0550_F78L.pdf

    The guidance sets out the different options that are available for places of
    worship and registration for the solemnisation of marriage. Registration of
    individual places of worship takes place through local registration services
    attached to local authorities and they are expected to adhere to the guidance.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2014, Official Report, column 638W, on the work capability assessment, if he will make it his policy to collect such information in future.

    Mike Penning

    To provide the requested information would incur disproportionate cost

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place a limit on the number of the Community Rehabilitation Companies that a single external provider may control; and if he will make a statement.

    Jeremy Wright

    The Transforming Rehabilitation Programme is opening up the market to a diverse range of new providers, so that we can harness the best that the private and voluntary sectors has to offer to reduce reoffending. In mid December 2013, the bidders who passed the first stage of the competition to bid for the rehabilitation contracts were announced. The list includes a mix of private and voluntary sector partnerships with more than 50 organisations represented. We expect to announce the winners of these contracts by the end of 2014 and are committed to the roll out of payment by results by 2015.

    The Government has been clear that we want to see a diverse market delivering probation services, rather than being dominated by just a few providers. We have set a market share restriction whereby bidders can win a maximum of 25% of market share based on the indicative contract values set out in the competition documentation. Bidders will be allowed to win multiple contracts up to the point at which their market share cap would be breached subject to meeting any other requirements set out by the Authority.

  • Mr Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Barry Sheerman on 2014-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many representations he has received from local authorities indicating that the local authority does not require a proposed free school; and whether this has led to any proposed free school applications being withdrawn.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education does not hold this information centrally and collecting it would incur disproportionate cost.

    Under Section 9 of the Academies Act 2010, the Department writes to local authorities where a free school is being proposed to seek their views on the impact that establishing the school would likely have on existing schools and colleges.

    Local authorities often take this opportunity to indicate whether they support or oppose the establishment of a free school.

    Any representations from local authorities are considered by my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education before he decides to enter into a funding agreement with the relevant academy trust.

  • Michael Meacher – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Michael Meacher – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Meacher on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants died in each month of the last three years (a) after attending a work capability assessment and (b) having been assessed as fit for work and then appealed, but died before that appeal was heard.

    Mike Penning

    The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.