The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2014-05-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials of his Department are working on the Sir John Holmes’ independent medal review; and if he will make a statement.
Anna Soubry
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2014, Official Report, columns 250-1W, on special educational needs, when he expects to make an announcement on the effect of reforms on funding for special educational needs.
Mr David Laws
On 13 March, I announced proposals to allocate £350 million to our least fairly funded local areas in 2015-16. This is the biggest step towards fairer schools funding in a decade, and it puts us in a much better position to implement a national funding formula when the time is right.
To allocate this £350 million as fairly as possible, we selected the characteristics we think contribute most to the attainment of pupils and viability of schools, and set indicative minimum funding levels for each of these. These characteristics include deprivation and low prior attainment, both of which show some correlation with low-cost, high incidence special educational needs (SEN). We looked at the average value attached by local authorities to these characteristics and used these as a basis for our proposed minimum funding levels. Applying these minimum funding levels could mean that some of the least fairly funded local authorities with high numbers of these pupils see a benefit.
This additional £350 million applies to the schools block of the dedicated schools grant that local authorities receive. However, this is one of three notional blocks of funding, and local authorities are free to move money between their schools block, high needs block and early years block as they see fit. It is therefore possible that local authorities could choose to move the additional money to their high needs block to support children with high-cost special educational needs.
Our proposals are still at the consultation stage. For more information, please see the consultation at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fairer-schools-funding-2015-to-2016
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2014-05-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what briefings they have received from the United Kingdom Ambassador to Nigeria with regard to the incitement by certain individuals to treat some children as witches; and what reports they have received about the physical and mental effects on children subjected to such accusations.
Baroness Warsi
Our High Commission in Abuja have previously reported on children being accused of witchcraft in Nigeria. We are aware of various reports detailing the physical and mental damage caused by such accusations. Our officials in Nigeria, and in London, regularly meet with individuals and non-governmental organisations to discuss this.
Child abuse is appalling and unacceptable wherever it occurs and in whatever form it takes. Abuse linked to faith is an abhorrent crime, which should be condemned by people of all cultures, communities and faiths.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2014-03-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations she has received about the use of water cannon in London.
Damian Green
A number of representations have been received recently about the use of water
cannon in London.
The Home Secretary has also now received the formal request to authorise water
cannon for use by the police in England and Wales. She is considering this
request and will announce her decision in due course and lay the relevant
information in the House Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-05-12.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with (a) church and community leaders from black and minority ethnic communities and (b) Operation Black Vote on increasing registration levels for voters in those communities.
Greg Clark
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nigel Dodds on 2014-03-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the effect on Northern Ireland of recent changes to immigration rules in respect of Romania and Bulgaria.
James Brokenshire
Statistics will be published in the normal way by the Office for National
Statistics and the Department for Work and Pensions. The first statistics
covering the period after the expiry of transitional controls will be published
in May 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff will be employed in the specialist housing teams that will be established in univesral credit centres.
Esther McVey
A team exists to support current live service. This will expand as the rollout continues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr William McCrea on 2014-03-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department and the Highways Agency are taking to reduce the risk of death or serious injury to road workers on the motorway network.
Mr Robert Goodwill
As part of its Aiming for Zero safety programme, the Highways Agency established a Road Worker Safety programme designed to reduce risk exposure to road workers, a particular focus of which is to reduce the incidences of carriageway crossing by road workers. Within this programme, a number of projects have been commissioned to test simplifications and other changes to temporary traffic management arrangements to reduce road worker exposure to live traffic whilst maintaining standards of safety for road users. Some of these projects have been completed already; for example Signs Simplification, implemented December 2011, and Offside Signs Removal techniques, implemented November 2012.
The introduction of these innovative changes has already enabled a very substantial reduction in the number of carriageway crossings, leading to a proportionate reduction in road worker risk exposure. In March 2014 the Highways Agency published further guidance on the Offside Signs Removal technique, allowing it to be used to close a four lane carriageway. The Highways Agency is continuing to work with its supply chain to take forward further projects within this programme with the aim of further reducing road worker risk.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of a Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived on deprived communities in the UK.
Esther McVey
The Government is currently considering the best use of the money. It is therefore too early to assess what impact it might have.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Eilidh Whiteford on 2014-03-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of sanctions imposed on jobseeker’s allowance claimants in Scotland resulted from the recommendations of Work Programme providers between March 2013 and March 2014.
Esther McVey
The specific information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.