The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2014-03-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is (a) undertaking or (b) plans to undertake a review of the check-off union subscription provision.
Mike Penning
DWP is undertaking a review of check-off, along with other Departments. We have not reached a conclusion on this matter, but it is under active consideration.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) formal and (b) informal discussions officials had with (i) pro-life organisations, (ii) the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, (iii) Marie Stopes International and (iv) pro-choice organisations before the publication of guidance on the provision of non-judgemental counselling; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Ellison
Departmental officials have made a number of visits and have had informal discussions with a number of counselling providers which included pro-life and pro-choice organisations; these are listed below.
Organisations visited or with which contact was made:
– Brook Advisory Centre, Brixton
– British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Richmond
– Care Confidential, Alternatives Trust, Newham
– City Pregnancy Counselling and Psychotherapy Service, Islington
– Homerton NHS Trust, Hackney
– Hull Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Partnership
– Life Care Centre, Walsall
– Marie Stopes International, Brixton and Bristol
– Norwich Contraception and Sexual Health Clinic
– Plymouth Community Healthcare
The Government produced guidance on the provision of non-judgemental abortion counselling in A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England (March 2013). The Framework was produced by the sexual health policy team in the Public Health Directorate.
The Sexual Health Policy team is made up of the following staff at each grade:
1 Senior Civil Servant (who also manages policy areas other than sexual health)
1 Grade 6
2 Grade 7
1 Senior Executive Officer
1 Higher Executive Officer (.7 whole time equivalent)
1 Executive Officer
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2014-03-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the percentage cost over-run established by the management board for any budget in the Department for Education to merit being tabled at the departmental management board; and how many times in the last 12 months that has occurred.
Lord Nash
The Department for Education’s financial position is reviewed every month by the Department’s Management Committee.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 656W, what change there has been in the proportion of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving five or more GCSEs or equivalent at grades A*-C including English and maths in those (a) schools and (b) academies that have established a sixth form since September 2011.
Mr David Laws
Key stage 4 results for individual schools, including academies, are published online in Performance Tables[1]. A copy of the list of schools and academies that established a sixth form since 2011, with their current details, has been placed in the House Library.
[1]http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-03-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 24 March (WA 74), whether they will consider monitoring the nutrition and health of children in families when benefit sanctions are imposed on a primary care-giver; and if not, why not.
Lord Freud
The Government does not collect nutrition and health data in the way described and has no plans to do so.
Claimants are expected to take reasonable steps to prepare for or find work. Safeguards are in place to ensure claimants are capable of achieving these steps, that they are appropriate to helping them towards or into work. These safeguards include claimants and their advisers agreeing what the actions will be, claimants being asked to give their reason for complying with the agreed actions before a sanction is imposed, the right to request a reconsideration of a decision and to lodge an appeal with Her Majesty’s Court & Tribunal Service.
Claimants whose benefit is sanctioned can apply for hardship payments
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of lethal targeting by remotely-piloted air systems on security in Afghanistan.
Mr Mark Francois
UK forces, and the wider ISAF mission, have materially improved the security of Afghanistan since 2001. This allowed the developed Afghan National Security Forces to assume lead security responsibility for their own country from June 2013. As an integral capability of UK forces, Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) are assessed to have made a valuable contribution, both in their surveillance and strike roles, to the improved security situation.
All UK forces operate in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, following the principles of distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity. The UK’s clearly defined Rules of Engagement, which cover the use of RPAS, are formulated on this basis.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to reduce absences from school due to bullying.
Elizabeth Truss
The Government has made tackling all forms of bullying a top priority. It is never acceptable for a child to be bullied, victimised or harmed in any way and the Government does not want any young person to be absent from school due to the effects of bullying.
All schools are required, by law, to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. Ofsted now holds schools clearly to account for their effectiveness. Under the current Ofsted framework, school inspectors consider pupil behaviour and safety, which includes how well schools prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination.
In the Education Act 2011, we strengthened teachers’ powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour, including bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items and search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images on mobile phones which might be linked to cyberbullying.
We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations: Beatbullying, the DianaAward, Kidscape and the National Children’s Bureau, to develop effective measures in school to prevent and tackle bullying.
Good schools create a positive ethos with clear expectations about pupil behaviour that prevent bullying from happening in the first place and deal with it quickly if it does occur.
We recognise the effect that bullying can have, that is why on 17 March 2014 we published a factsheet to help schools identify and support pupils which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students received disabled students’ allowance in Brighton and Hove local authority area in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.
Mr David Willetts
Information on students awarded and paid Disabled Students’ Allowance is published annually by Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education England‘. The latest statistics are available at the following link:
http://www.slc.co.uk/media/694170/slcsfr052013.pdf
A further breakdown for Brighton and Hove local authority has been provided in the table. Equivalent figures for the academic year 2013/14 will be available from November 2014.
Students in receipt of Disabled Students Allowance from Brighton and Hove Local Authority
Academic Year 2012/13
Effective date: 13/11/2013
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Academic Year |
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2012/13 |
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Application Type |
Number Paid DSA |
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Full-Time Application |
450 |
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Part-Time Application |
10 |
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Post Graduate DSA |
80 |
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Total |
530 |
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Notes: |
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[1] Disabled Student Allowance may be paid to the Student or to a Supplier on the student’s behalf. |
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[2] Figures are derived from the Post Code of the applicant’s home address. |
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[3] The effective date is that of the November 2013 Awards Statistical First Release. The figures are therefore provisional and do not include students who were awarded DSA after November 2013. |
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[4] DSA Payments may be made at any point during the Academic Year or after the end of the Academic Year. |
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[5] Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not add to the sum of the components due to rounding. |
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.
Gregory Barker
I refer the hon. Member to answer given by my rt. hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 26 March 2014, Official Report, Column 300W.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a breakdown by firm of expenditure by his Department on (a) consultants and (b) consultancy firms in each of the last four years.
Stephen Hammond
Information requested will be deposited in the library and provides the spend details per financial year for the period 2010 to 2014.