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  • Lord Robertson of Port Ellen – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Robertson of Port Ellen – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Robertson of Port Ellen on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the (1) composition, (2) ownership, and (3) reporting line, of each of the two new bodies to be created to supervise the delivery programme of the successor nuclear deterrent.

    Earl Howe

    As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (Cm9161), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) will establish a new team headed by an experienced commercial specialist to act as the single sponsor for all aspects of the defence nuclear enterprise, from procurement to disposal, with responsibility for submarines, nuclear warheads, skills, related infrastructure and day-to-day nuclear policy.

    We will strengthen our arrangements for the procurement and in-service support of nuclear submarines, establishing a new delivery body with the authority and freedom to recruit and retain the best people to manage the submarine enterprise. Options for the new organisation will be developed and assessed for a decision in 2016. The MOD will remain in control of the Successor submarine programme.

  • Lord Crathorne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Crathorne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Crathorne on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to build bicycle tracks when new roads are constructed in the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Management of roads is a devolved issue so I can only respond in respect of roads in England.

    Highways England have committed to provide a safer, integrated and more accessible strategic road network for cyclists and other vulnerable road users, and will play a key role in ensuring that the ambition set for growth in cycling is fully supported by a dedicated programme of work to improve cycle facilities on or near our strategic road network.To support this, The Government has outlined a commitment to invest £100m between 2015/16 and 2020/21 to improve provision for cyclists on the strategic road network.

    On a local level, provision of cycling infrastructure is for local traffic authorities as they are responsible for managing their road networks. The Department encourages them to ensure cycling is considered as part of the process of planning new development.The Department for Transport’s Cycle Infrastructure Design guidance supports local authorities on providing cycle-safe infrastructure for cyclists. The Government will continue to support sustainable transport with a new £580 million ‘Access’ fund, with £80 million revenue and £500 million capital. This will build on the legacy of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and support growth in both cycling and walking.

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the (1) Mersey Waters, (2) Liverpool City, and (3) Sci-Tech Daresbury, Enterprise Zones in particular regarding new job creation and investment.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    DCLG publishes national and regional performance data collected from Enterprise Zones on a quarterly basis. Data is not published on individual zones. This data includes jobs attracted as well as investment and the number of business established.

    Based on the most recent quarterly monitoring returns, Enterprise Zones in the North, which include Mersey Waters and Sci-Tech Daresbury, have attracted 5,889 jobs including construction jobs, 150 new businesses and secured around £1,120 million of private sector investment. This data is self-reported but all efforts have been made to ensure its accuracy.

    Data for Liverpool City is not included, as it does not offer business rates discounts as part of the official Enterprise Zone programme.

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current level of per capita funding for students in (1) school sixth forms in schools, (2) sixth form colleges, and (3) further education colleges.

    Lord Nash

    Funding for all 16-19 institutions comes from the same national funding formula. The national base rate for 16-19 year olds in full time education is £4,000 per student. Weightings related to disadvantage, programme costs and area costs are added to the base rate funding, to reflect additional costs faced by different institutions.

    The overall average units of funding for the 2015/16 academic year are:

    Schools and Academy Sixth Forms

    £4,567

    Sixth Form Colleges

    £4,670

    General Further Education and Specialist Colleges

    £4,973
  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the age profile of the total number of apprentices in 2013–14 and 2014–15.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    In the 2013/14 academic year there were 851,500 government funded apprentices. Of these, 185,800 were aged under 19, 308,900 were aged 19-24 and 356,900 were aged over 25.

    Over the 2014/15 academic year there were 871,800 government funded apprentices. Of these, 194,100 were aged under 19, 315,000 were aged 19-24 and 362,600 were aged over 25.

    Information on Apprenticeship participation by age in 2013/14 and 2014/15 is published as part of a Statistical First Release:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-held

    “

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how the religious character of a faith school will be maintained if the school is converted into an academy.

    Lord Nash

    When a faith school becomes an academy it retains its religious character by virtue of Section 6 of the Academies Act 2010. The academy’s religious character is protected through provisions within the academy’s funding agreement with the Secretary of State and the academy trust’s articles of association. Once a faith school becomes an academy any change to its religious character would only take place with the consent of the relevant religious body and the Secretary of State.

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intended to carry out a review of the Enterprise Zones established in the UK.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    DCLG publishes national and regional performance data collected from Enterprise Zones on a quarterly basis. This data includes jobs attracted as well as investment and the number of business established.

    Based on the most recent quarterly monitoring returns, Enterprise Zones have attracted 20,676 jobs including construction jobs, and 566 businesses. This shows a 9 percent increase in jobs growth and a 5 per cent increase in new businesses on the previous quarter. This data is self-reported but all efforts have been made to ensure its accuracy.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many files from children’s homes in London that were previously supervised by the Home Office remain unopened because they are marked not for opening”; to which homes they relate; and how long those files have been closed.”

    Lord Bates

    Following a machinery of government change in the early 1970s, Home Office files relating to children’s home inspections were transferred to the Department for Health and Social Security. There are 49 files with ‘children’s home’ and ‘London’ in the catalogue description dating from 1931 onwards that are held at The National Archives. Details of the files, including whether they are closed, can be found through a search of The National Archives catalogue. Most are closed for 75 years from the date they went out of active use as they contain sensitive personal information where release would distress or endanger an individual who was a minor at the time the file was in use.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 4 November (HL3009), why investigation of historic crime in Northern Ireland, including the retention of fingerprint and DNA samples from non-convicted individuals, requires different provisions to the rest of the UK, and whether they plan to seek permission for any non-compliance of those provisions with Article 8 of the ECHR.

    Lord Dunlop

    The investigation of historic deaths creates particular difficulties because the evidential trail has significantly narrowed. Forensic evidence, including fingerprint and DNA evidence, is therefore a key element in Troubles-related investigations, as it presents the strongest strand of investigative opportunity.

    Dealing with the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past is an essential part of the transition to long term peace and stability – this is not a consideration which applies in the same way in the rest of the UK. It is disappointing that agreement was not reached in the recent political talks on the proposed institutions for dealing with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.

    The Government remains fully committed to working alongside the Northern Ireland parties, victims groups and other stakeholders to deliver the institutions intended to achieve broad consensus for legislation and deliver new legacy mechanisms. The Government is satisfied that the retention of relevant biometric data for the purpose of investigating Troubles-related crimes is proportionate.

    We are working closely with the Northern Ireland Department of Justice to ensure that any proposal to retain relevant data will strike the appropriate balance between Article 2 and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and be compatible with the judgment of the European Court in Marper.

  • Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prisoners are presently held at HMP Holloway.

    Lord Faulks

    As published on the MOJs website, on Friday 30 October 2015 there were 544 prisoners held in HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Holloway.

    A figure for Friday 27 November 2015 will be published on the 11 December 2015 on the Ministry of Justice website.

    Individual prison population and capacity information for every prison in England and Wales, as well as the total population and useable operational capacity of the prison estate is published monthly on the Ministry of Justice website.