The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people took up ESOL Plus Mandation courses in each year such courses were available.
Nick Boles
An estimated 5,060 people in 13/14 and 20,530 in 14/15 were mandated to ESOL under the English Language Requirement policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Redfern on 2016-01-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that departments assist projects such as the British Coatings Federation’s PaintCare project.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government welcomes the PaintCare initiative and is working constructively with the British Coating Federation in relation to several aspects of the project. This includes identifying potential regulatory barriers to the recycling and re-manufacturing of paint and how these might be overcome, as well as providing opportunities to raise awareness of the potential benefits of PaintCare, for example at the G7 Alliance for Resource Efficiency conference in Berlin last October.
My Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), spoke at the Parliamentary launch of PaintCare’s interim report in November. The Waste and Resources Action Programme has also been working with PaintCare to provide information to consumers on how to recycle and dispose of household paint, through the Recycle Now campaign.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans her Department has to ensure that the smart meter roll-out is used as an opportunity to engage with householders on the issue of carbon monoxide safety.
Andrea Leadsom
Energy suppliers are responsible for installing smart meters in their domestic customers’ premises. It is, a condition of their licence that energy suppliers must comply with the Smart Meter Installation Code of Practice, which is regulated by Ofgem:
http://www.smicop.co.uk/SitePages/Home.aspx
The Code states that the installer should inform the customer about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and the need to regularly have all gas appliances serviced and checked by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Luce on 2016-03-07.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to make a decision on the resettlement and future of the Chagossian people, and whether Parliament will be consulted in advance of that decision.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government is considering all relevant advice and material, including the recent independent feasibility study published in February 2015, and the results of the public consultation, published in January this year. The consultation period has now ended. The Government hopes to make a decision soon.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 3.35 of Educational excellence everywhere, Cm 9230, if she will issue guidance on levels of remuneration for non-executive academy trust directors.
Edward Timpson
Academy trusts are independent charities and must comply with charity law. This means that trust directors can only receive payment for carrying out trustee duties with Charity Commission authorisation.
The Charity Commission will only authorise payment to academy trustees where it has been clearly shown to be in the charity’s interests. They will consider issues such as the reasons for payment, whether conflicts of interests are managed appropriately, whether the Principal Regulator (for academies this is the Secretary of State for Education) is agreeable and whether payment of any trustees is in the longer-term interests of the charity. These arrangements are set out in the Department’s Governance Handbook, available on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-handbook. It is up to trusts to decide on the level of any such remuneration.
Academy trusts operate under a robust accountability system which holds them to account for the results they achieve and their use of resources. This includes a requirement to publish audited accounts each year allowing the wider public chance to hold academy trusts to account to help make sure that spend is securing better outcomes for pupils.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on developing a scheme to publish pass rates of instructors as set out in his Department’s Motoring Services Strategy; and how much funding he has allocated to that project.
Andrew Jones
The proposal to publish pass rates of Approved Driving Instructors forms part of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s broader plans to improve overall standards and transparency.
The Agency has been exploring with the ADI National Association Strategic Partnership (NASP) the development of a voluntary ‘earned recognition’ scheme which would acknowledge and recognise the extent to which Approved Driving Instructors are compliant with regulations and/or adopting high professional standards.
The Agency will want to discuss the voluntary publication of pass rates with NASP as part of their ongoing discussions. Once the scope of the proposals has been determined appropriate funding will be allocated to the overall programme of reforms.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-07-06.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost to the Exchequer has been of reductions to corporation tax since 2010.
Mr David Gauke
Overall cuts delivered to corporation tax will be worth almost £15bn a year to business by the end of this Parliament. This has enabled businesses to increase investment, take on new staff, increase wages, or reduce prices.
Official costings of any policy announcements can be found in Budget or Autumn Statement documents. The cost of the cut to 17% for instance can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2016-documents/budget-2016#policy-decisions
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-15.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to secure the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe following her five-year prison sentence in Iran; and what priority they assign to reuniting Nazanin and her daughter with her husband in the UK.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government continues to raise its strong concerns about Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s five year sentence. Iran does not recognise dual nationality for Iranian nationals and therefore has not provided any information to us about Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case or the charges against her. On 11 September our Acting Ambassador to Tehran raised our concerns with the Iranian Government and pressed for urgent confirmation of the charges. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), raised our strong concerns for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe with Iranian President Rouhani on 9 August. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), similarly raised her case with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif on 4 August, and followed up in writing on 29 August. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) met Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family on 8 September to reassure them that we will continue to raise her case with the Iranian authorities at the highest levels at every available opportunity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals in England treat arteriovenous malformations and pituitary ademomas with stereotactic radiosurgery.
Jane Ellison
There are eight hospitals which currently treat cerebral arteriovenous malformations.
There are 10 hospitals which currently treat pituitary adenomas. This condition falls within the definition of a Tier 2 service in the new service model. It will, therefore, continue to be treated by a range of hospitals across the country.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-11-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what legislation the National Infrastructure Commission currently operates; whether the National Infrastructure Commissioners are being paid allowances or expenses for their work; and if so, on what basis, and how much.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
The National Infrastructure does not currently operate under any legislation, but it will be legislated for when parliamentary time allows. Commissioners are being reimbursed all reasonable expenses properly and necessarily incurred in respect of their appointments. They are paid allowances in line with similar government positions.