Category: Speeches

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average cost per pupil of running a pupil referral unit was in the last year for which figures are available.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education does not routinely collect data on the average per pupil cost of running a pupil referral unit. Pupil referral units cater for a diverse range of needs and so the actual cost per pupil will vary significantly between institutions.

    The Department introduced new funding arrangements in April 2013 that take account of this variation. The new system offers stability for pupil referral units by providing £8,000 for each identified alternative provision place. This funding is supplemented by local authorities or schools when they place pupils into a pupil referral unit. The amount of top-up funding provided is determined locally to reflect the actual costs of educating pupils at that pupil referral unit.

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether data on the provision of discretionary housing payments by local authorities are collected centrally.

    Lord Freud

    The Department asks local authorities to provide data on their use of Discretionary Housing Payments on a twice yearly basis. Information regarding April to September 2013 can be found at the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268411/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-dec13.pdf

    The Department is currently gathering and quality assuring information regarding end of year spend from local authorities for 2013/14

    “

  • Richard Benyon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Benyon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Benyon on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what strategic priorities her Department has given to the National Wildlife Crime Unit in each of the last five years; and on what key areas her Department has instructed that unit to focus until 2016.

    Norman Baker

    The Home Office recognises the importance of wildlife crime, and is providing specific funding of £136,000 for the National Wildlife Crime Unit in each of the next two financial years.

    The Home Office does not set specific priorities for the National Wildlife Crime Unit, other than to tackle wildlife crime. The Unit produces a tactical assessment of wildlife crime across the UK every six months. This assessment is then considered by the UK Tasking and Co-ordinating Group, which includes the Home Office and Defra.

  • Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they provide to schools, colleges and universities about taking into account the additional difficulties that neurofibromatosis sufferers encounter with examinations.

    Lord Nash

    Guidance given to schools and colleges is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation and I have asked its Chief Regulator Glenys Stacey to write directly to Lord Bassam of Brighton. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Lords Library.

    Equality Challenge Unit provides advice for higher education institutions on a range of matters, including reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities. More information is available at www.ecu.ac.uk.

    “

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the joint investment between his Department and First Great Western to fund additional standard class capacity and a refresh of first class is provided by his Department.

    Stephen Hammond

    At this stage, the amounts involved are commercially confidential, as private sector contractors are involved in undertaking the work on behalf of First Great Western. However, the basis on which the allocations have been made is equitable and reflects among other things the need for the public sector contribution to achieve value for money and to secure the Rail Investment Strategy imperative of improved standard class capacity on the Great Western route. The information about the amount borne by the Department to fund the standard class reseating in this joint investment will be provided once the works are completed.

  • Lord Barnett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Barnett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Barnett on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 9 April (WA 302), what is the amount of student loan debt still available for sale, including the first tranche referred to.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The total amount of pre-2012 income contingent repayment student loan debt that Government intends to sell has not yet been determined. However, over a five year period, as announced at Autumn Statement 2013, sales are expected to generate between £10 billion and £15 billion in revenues, with a central estimate of around £12 billion.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to assist deaf people in seeking employment.

    Mike Penning

    We do not target our employment support exclusively at individuals with particular impairments. Instead, through a range of programmes, we aim to identify and meet the needs of the individual, including the needs of deaf people.

    The Work Programme is the biggest single Welfare to Work programme, which provides personalised back-to-work support for unemployed people, including disabled people. For those that have more complex needs, we have a range of specialist disability employment programmes, including Access to Work, Work Choice and Residential Training Colleges, all of which support deaf people to take up and remain in employment. In particular, Access to Work can provide funding towards tailored support for deaf people such as specialist aids and equipment and British Sign Language Interpreters.

    Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisers can provide support and advice for disabled people who need help finding and retaining employment.

  • Robert Buckland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Robert Buckland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will assess the potential merits of introducing an automatic trigger for inspections of individual public services when a certain number of people using that service have made complaints about it.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Government is considering recent reports of the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) into how complaints about public services are handled. As part of this, the Cabinet Office is working to investigate further how public services can make best use of complaints and also to take a wider look at the role and powers of the Public Sector Ombudsmen. The Government will respond to the PASC in due course. I am happy to discuss this matter further with my Hon. Friend.

    The annual reports and accounts of the public service ombudsmen in the UK provide details of their performance over the past 12 months including information about complaints received.

  • Dr Phillip Lee – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Dr Phillip Lee – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Phillip Lee on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure more employers offer apprenticeships to 16 to 18 year-olds.

    Matthew Hancock

    We are building on the success of the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers by providing an additional £170m over the next two years. This additional support will fund over 100,000 incentive payments of £1,500 to employers. Grants will be targeted where they will be most effective.

    Apprenticeship reforms are putting employers in the driving seat of designing world-class standards for apprenticeships, making it easier for them to offer more Apprenticeships in the future.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the export of refuse-derived fuel and solid recovered fuel for use in energy from waste plants overseas; and if he will make a statement.

    Dan Rogerson

    We published a call for evidence on the refuse-derived fuel market in England on 12 March. This included a request for evidence on the effect that exports of refuse-derived fuel had on its availability on the domestic market. The call for evidence closed on 9 May. We are currently analysing the evidence submitted, which will aid our understanding of the situation, help us to determine whether there is a need for some form of intervention and, if so, help us to develop policy options.