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  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what grants have been made by the Leadership Equality and Diversity Fund; and for what purpose each such grant has been made.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The Leadership Equality and Diversity Fund supports groups of schools to design and deliver bespoke leadership activity to help increase the diversity of those leading England’s schools. Programmes can target any of the nine protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010. The protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

    In 2015-16 there are 40 projects. The full details and purpose of each project is available in the document, “Leadership Equality and Diversity Fund” published at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480857/leadership_equality_and_diversity_schools.pdf

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  • Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people of each gender work in her Department.

    Nick Gibb

    As at 31 December 2015, there were 1468 men and 2026 women working in the Department for Education.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many childcare providers waited longer than 25 weeks to receive registration from Ofsted in each of the last five years.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Registering new childcare providers is a matter for Ofsted. Her Majesty’s chief inspector will be writing to the hon. Member about this matter. A copy of that letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many jobs in (a) her Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

    Nick Gibb

    No jobs in either the Department for Education or any of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies or other accountable statutory bodies have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010, and no such jobs will be abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on local authorities offering council tax discounts to in-house foster carers but not to independent or agency foster carers looking after children in care from that authority; and what information she holds on which authorities have such arrangements.

    Edward Timpson

    The arrangement of foster care placements is the duty of local authorities. The regulatory framework for the provision of foster care placements is clear that local authorities must have access to sufficient placements to meet the needs of the children they look after.

    The framework referred to above is clear that foster carers should not be economically disadvantaged as a consequence of carrying out their role on behalf of the local authority.

    There is no specific provision for foster carers in council tax legislation. However, local authorities are able to grant council tax reductions to any individuals or groups as they see fit.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate how many pupils are being taught how to cook in the 2015-16 academic year.

    Nick Gibb

    The specific information requested is not held by the Department for Education.

    Under the National Curriculum, as updated in September 2014, cooking is now compulsory for pupils in Key Stages 1-3 in maintained schools. Children are taught about food, nutrition and healthy eating and how to cook a repertoire of dishes.

  • Kate Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kate Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she will re-establish the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Education Stakeholder Group; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    We are currently considering the Department’s role in the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Education Stakeholder Group. Officials will be writing to members of the group in the spring.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what actions have been undertaken in response to finding reference TRF0195 of the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator’s assessment of the Astral Climb 12 nuclear emergency exercise; and on what dates each such action was closed out.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Finding TRF 195 from the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator’s assessment of Exercise Astral Climb 2012 called for documented arrangements to be reviewed and updated to reflect two changes in practice: the responsibility for the medical response and the monitoring instrumentation. This action was completed in August 2013. The finding also called for a review of Convoy and Station Nuclear Emergency Organisation Team response arrangements; this review was carried out in 2015.

  • Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his letter referenced MSU/4/5/8 which is placed in the Library, whether and to what timescale his Department plans to commission its own socio-economic report in addition to the economic impact assessment commissioned by the fishing community; if he will publish results of such a report; and what the implications of such work are for the timescales for determining the proposed byelaw changes for the inner sound between Raasay and the mainland.

    Mark Lancaster

    Work is currently being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to produce a Socio-Economic Report for the Raasay Ranges. This is in addition to the assessment commissioned by the local fishing community. The MOD Report will be completed and made available in advance of the outcome of the Raasay Byelaw Review which is due to be finished later this year.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions since 1 January 2014 explosives stored at the Atomic Weapons Establishment have been found to be wrongly labelled; on what date it was discovered that such explosives were wrongly labelled; and what (a) types and (b) quantities of explosives were involved in each such case.

    Michael Fallon

    Since 1 January 2014, there have been two occasions on which anomalies have been discovered in the labelling of explosives at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. In each case a small discrepancy was discovered through the checking and accounting process in place. In neither case were any explosive licence limits exceeded, and there was no requirement to notify the Authority or the Regulator.

    On 14 August 2015, it was identified that a container labelled as containing 0.054 Kg of explosives actually contained 0.063 Kg.

    On 6 January 2016, it was identified that a container labelled as containing 0.10716 Kg of explosives actually contained 0.0872 Kg.

    The explosives concerned were Hazard Type 1.