The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the recruitment target for the Future Teaching Scholars programme is for 2015-16.
Nick Gibb
The Future Teaching Scholars programme is currently recruiting high achieving A level students, with the aim of securing up to 110 scholars to start the programme in the academic year 2016-17.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, 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.
Alistair Burt
This Information is not held centrally by the Department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of the time taken in Block 3F testing of the F-35B Lightning II mission systems software on the planned commencement of formal initial operational test and evaluation development of that aircraft.
Mr Philip Dunne
The development and associated flight testing of the Block 3F software is due to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2017. This will allow operational test and evaluation to commence in time to support the UK’s planned Initial Operating Capability of December 2018.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) current and (b) former service personnel that are diagnosed annually with cancer related to exposure to chemicals during their period of service.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence has made no such estimate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which sources independent of the Saudi government are assessed by the UK Government regarding the alleged use of cluster munitions by the Saudi led coalition in Yemen.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK Government considers a range of information regarding the conduct of the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition in Yemen. This includes UN sources, INGO reports, open sources such as social media, and our internal government sources which includes UK Defence Intelligence reports. This comes from government sources, foreign governments, the media and international non-governmental organisations. The UK ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 4 May 2010 and, in line with our obligations under the Convention, we have always made it clear to the Saudi Arabians that we cannot support the use of cluster munitions in any circumstances and we continue to encourage Saudi Arabia, as a non-party to the Convention, to accede to it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential role of the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys in increasing future levels of UK exports.
Dr Liam Fox
The Trade Envoy programme has been in operation since 2012 and continues to go from strength to strength.
There are currently 21 Trade Envoys covering around 50 markets. Trade Envoys support the drive for economic growth by building on the UK’s existing relations with these markets and maximising bilateral trade.
It is crucial that we use all tools at our disposal to promote British trade across the world and Trade Envoys will be a key part of our Departmental strategy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what role Ofqual has in the setting of the requirements for special needs access to examinations specified by the Joint Council for Qualifications.
Nick Gibb
This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 29 October (HL2815) concerning Severn Crossings tolls, why the cost of collecting tolls is not made available by the concessionaire, and whether they will now require them to make that information available.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
There is no contractual requirement for the Severn Crossings concessionaire to provide this cost. The Government has no plans to require that information to be made available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs staff at Sidlaw House, Dundee will have the same terms and conditions if they are transferred to the new regional centres.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.
HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to introduce a Victims’ Law since May 2015.
Mike Penning
In the Queen’s Speech we made a commitment to bring forward measures to increase the rights of victims of crime. Further detail on our plans will be published in due course.