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Category: Speeches

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to address the issue of physical violence against teaching assistants in schools.

    Nick Gibb

    Violence in schools is always unacceptable.

    It is the responsibility of head teachers to ensure the safety of all their staff, including teaching assistants, and the good behaviour of pupils. We have supported schools by empowering teachers to take action against poor pupil behaviour, clarifying teachers’ powers, extending their searching powers and allowing teachers to impose same-day detentions.

    The previous Secretary of State appointed behaviour expert Tom Bennett to lead two reviews of behaviour. The first review was published in July and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/initial-teacher-training-government-response-to-carter-review.

    “

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2015 to Question 13135, if he will place in the Library a copy of the review described at section A7 of Schedule One of the contract for the provision of tobacco control legislation enforcement undertaken by the contractor.

    Jane Ellison

    Section A7 of Schedule One, entitled ‘Grounds for discretionary rejection’ is available at:

    https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive/contract/1072169/

    The schedule does not describe a review.

    Two applications were submitted for the current tobacco control legislation enforcement contract.

  • Lord Bradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Bradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-12-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish data about actual spending on mental health services for each Clinical Commissioning Group in England in 2015–16.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    As part of the mental health parity of esteem requirement for 2015-16, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) were asked to plan for an increase in spend on mental health services at least in line with the increase in their overall funding allocation for the year, which set a higher bar than achieving a real terms increase in spending, though not all CCGs were able to achieve this target. 192 of the 209 CCGs achieved a real terms growth in mental health planned spend measured against the 1.4% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflator for 2015-16.

    The list attached shows which CCGs have achieved real terms increases in spending on mental health in 2015-16.

    The final data for CCGs’ spending on mental health in 2015-16 will be submitted to NHS England by commissioners in May 2016, and it is anticipated NHS England may be in a position to provide final spend information by around the end of the first quarter of 2016-17.

    NHS England has not yet published CCG planning guidance for 2016-17. Consideration will be given to holding commissioners to account for spending on mental health.

    CCG and NHS England mental health spending information is now routinely collected as party of NHS England’s monthly financial reporting regime. Monthly financial reports by CCGs are scrutinised and quality assessed by NHS England’s regional teams. The monthly reports also form part of the CCG assurance process. NHS England is also in the process of setting up the financial plan assurance process for 2016-17, which will incorporate the review of planned spending on mental health services for future years.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-03-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support local government in the light of their planned extension of business rate relief.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    These tax cuts provide significant support to local businesses. The Small Business Rate Relief measure announced at the Budget will mean 600,000 of the smallest businesses will not have to pay business rates.

    Local authorities will be compensated in full for their loss of income as a result of these changes.

  • Baroness Jowell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Jowell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jowell on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many hours per week (1) primary, and (2) secondary, school pupils spent participating in sport in 2015 compared to 2010.

    Lord Nash

    In both 2014/15 and 2009/10, primary schools reported spending around 2 hours per week on Physical Education.

    In 2009/10, secondary school pupils spent on average around 1 hour and 45 minutes in PE each week. No equivalent figures are available for secondary school pupils for 2014/15.

    Through the primary PE and sport premium, primary schools have received over £450m of ring-fenced funding to improve PE and sport. We have committed to continue this funding until 2020. In December 2015, we published a research report looking at how schools used the primary PE and sport premium and the impact of the fund on PE and sports provision. The findings show that 87% of schools reported that the quality of PE teaching had increased since the introduction of the premium. 84% of schools reported an increase in pupil engagement in PE during curricular time and in the levels of participation in extra-curricular activities. Meanwhile, 70% of schools reported that participation in inter-school competitions had increased and over half of schools reported an increase in intra-school competitions.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Changing Places toilets are provided by each local authority in North West England.

    James Wharton

    There are 86 Changing Places toilets in the North West of England. The location of Changing Places toilets can be found using the Changing Places interactive toilet map, hosted on their website; http://www.changing-places.org/.

    “

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what analysis his Department made of alternatives to the MSI-DSL 30mm gun for deployment on HMS Queen Elizabeth.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    In December 2003 a competition was launched to provide the Royal Navy with an improved defensive anti-surface warfare capability with the preference being for an automated 30mm gun system. A number of companies entered the competition, and the MSI ‘Seahawk’ system was eventually chosen on the basis of cost, capability and through life support. The MSI weapon system, now referred to as the Automated Small Calibre Gun (ASCG) System, was subsequently selected for fitting to HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.

    Four ASCGs will be fitted on QUEEN ELIZABETH.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of implementation of the Health and Safety Executive’s strategy, Helping Great Britain work well on the number of workplace accidents.

    Justin Tomlinson

    HSE regularly reviews the implementation of its strategies – including the new strategy for the health and safety system – and reports the findings in its annual report. HSE’s latest annual report is available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/ara-2014-15.pdf

    “

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to allow people who have recently been granted refugee status and have not yet received a refugee integration loan to remain in asylum accommodation.

    Mike Penning

    We are working towards achieving more integrated communities and creating the conditions for everyone to live and work successfully alongside each other.

    Those who are granted refugee status are given access to the labour market, mainstream benefits and housing assistance from their local authority. There are therefore no plans to allow refugees to stay in asylum support accommodation.

    The Home Office offers integration loans to recognised refugees. The loan is designed to help refugees integrate into UK society by offering financial support towards housing costs, employment and training.

    The Home Office also funds strategic migration partnerships which provide coordination and support services for those organisations working with migrants and refugees in local communities.

    Earlier this year the Government announced that £20 million of additional funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses would be introduced in October 2016. This funding will reach the most isolated communities in the UK.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government’s priorities will be in its negotiation of a new fishing agreement with the EU.

    George Eustice

    The Government’s priority is to negotiate a fair allocation of fishing opportunities and also to deliver its manifesto commitments to sustainable fisheries and to the ending of discards.