Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2014-03-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of pupils in English schools were entered for music GCSE in each of the last 4 years.

    Lord Nash

    The requested information[1] has been provided in the following table.

    Percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4 entered for music and drama GCSEs in England, 2009/10 – 2012/13

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    Drama

    13

    12

    11

    11

    Music

    7

    7

    7

    7

    Note: Figures underlying the percentages are available in table 7 of the “GCSE and equivalent results” statistical first release for each year. 2012/13 figures are based on revised data, all other years are final. Data includes entries by pupils in previous academic years.

    [1] These figures are published in the “GCSE and equivalent results” statistical first releases for each year at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4.

    “

  • John Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    John Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Robertson on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what information he holds on the proportion of companies in (a) Glasgow North West, (b) Glasgow and (c) Scotland are ultimately owned by companies based in (i) Scotland, (ii) other parts of the UK, (iii) other countries in the EU and (iv) outside the EU.

    David Mundell

    According to Glasgow City Council figures (November 2013), there are approximately 18,000 businesses in Glasgow. The Scotland Office holds no information on the ownership nationality of companies located in neither Glasgow North West nor Glasgow.

    However, across the UK as a whole, over 99% of private sector businesses will be small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and ownership for these is therefore highly likely to be based locally.

    In 2013, registered private sector enterprises with ultimate ownership outside Scotland accounted for 3.1% of firms. These are disproportionately larger firms and so account for over 35% of employment. This suggests that 96.9% of businesses in Scotland have Scottish ownership, accounting for 64.8% of employment.

  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what interaction the National Panel on Serious Case Reviews has had with the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board Network.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The national panel of independent experts on Serious Case Reviews has met the chair of the Association of Independent Local Safeguarding Children Board Chairs, twice, most recently on 10 March 2014.

  • Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects HM Revenue and Customs to respond to Mapeley Estates, agents for the Custom House site, on the development of the new parking facilities at Dover Priory Railway Station.

    Mr David Gauke

    HMRC have taken part in discussions between Mapeley and Network Rail at the Priory Court Dover site on proposals for the construction of a multi storey car park on land adjacent to Priory Court not owned by either Mapeley or HMRC. Further discussions of future proposals have been between Mapeley as the freehold owner of Priory Court and Network Rail. HMRC have no outstanding enquiries from Mapeley.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the estimated cost of the direct damage caused by recent flooding in Somerset meets the eligibility criteria for the European Union Solidarity Fund; and what discussions his Department has had with EU officials on an application to that fund.

    Dan Rogerson

    EU Solidarity Fund money is available to all Member States suffering from large-scale natural disasters, but is subject to a number of eligibility requirements, including on the level of direct damages. Comparing the damage today to the 2007 floods, and following contact with the Commission, the Government’s assessment was that we had not met these conditions. The Regulation governing the EUSF sets the deadline for applications as ten weeks after the first damage caused by the disaster.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the policy of NHS England on the number of cycles of IVF it provides to armed forces personnel is to provide fewer than the number recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England has a number of interim policies in place, including the policy for the provision of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) for Armed Forces personnel.

    A review of the interim policy in relation to the provision of IVF for Armed Forces personnel has recently been undertaken. Following detailed costing of a move to the levels recommended in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline, it was agreed in May 2014 to increase the number of cycles of IVF to three if clinically appropriate and if eligibility criteria are met.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) men and (b) women were serving custodial sentences for non-payment of (i) a television licence, (ii) vehicle excise duty and (iii) council tax on 1 March 2014.

    Jeremy Wright

    The offences of using a TV receiver without a valid licence and of failure to hold a valid vehicle excise duty licence (tax disc) are not punishable by imprisonment, so offenders cannot be sentenced to custody for these offences. Failing to pay council tax is not a criminal offence. Accordingly, there were no men or women serving custodial sentences on 1 March 2014 for non-payment of a TV licence, vehicle excise duty or council tax.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what adjusted change there has been in average gross weekly earnings of (a) full-time workers, (b) men working full-time and (c) women working full-time since January 2010.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Ministerial Statement of 27 March 2014, Official Report, columns 56-8WS, on Atos, how much Atos has paid to his Department in order to exit its contract early; and whether he plans for the new contract provide for payments calculated on the number of assessments completed.

    Mike Penning

    The terms of the financial settlement are confidential between the parties.

    The Department is currently developing the financial model for the new contract and no decisions have been reached.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what annual budget has been allocated to Unionlearn in each year since 2010.

    Matthew Hancock

    The annual budget allocated to Unionlearn in each year since 2010 has been as follows:

    Year

    Amount

    2010 – 2011

    £21.5 million

    2011 – 2012

    £21.4 million

    2012 – 2013

    £20.210 million

    2013 – 2014

    £18.9 million

    2014 – 2015

    £15.3 million