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  • Stewart McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Stewart McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart McDonald on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to encourage energy providers to join the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Participation in the Warm Home Discount Scheme is mandatory for energy suppliers with 250,000 or more domestic customer accounts. The scheme includes a provision which allows non-obligated energy suppliers to voluntarily provide rebates to a Core Group of low income pensioners.

  • Mark Prisk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mark Prisk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Prisk on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what date in January 2016 is set for her Department to announce its decision on feed-in tariffs following its review.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are currently analysing feedback submitted during the Feed-in Tariff review consultation and intend to publish a Government response as soon as possible.

  • John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many employees of academies, in which roles, are paid more than the Prime Minister.

    Nick Gibb

    The data provided to the Department by schools in the November 2014 School Workforce Census shows that 52 head teachers in academy schools in England were paid a salary of £142,500 or more.

    Of the other roles within the scope of the School Workforce Census, there were fewer than five teachers in academies receiving a salary of £142,500 or more.

  • John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost is to the Exchequer of the City Deals in each city region to date.

    Greg Hands

    The Government has agreed mayoral devolution agreements worth £30m a year for 30 years with combined authorities in Greater Manchester, Sheffield City Region, The North East, and Liverpool City Region. The Government has also agreed a mayoral devolution agreement worth £15m a year for 30 years with Tees Valley and an agreement worth £36.5m a year in the West Midlands. These are all subject to 5-yearly gateway assessments to confirm the investment has contributed to growth.

    These agreements are another significant step in the Government’s ambition for the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine respectively.

  • John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many heads of academies are paid more than the Prime Minister.

    Nick Gibb

    The data provided to the Department by schools in the November 2014 School Workforce Census shows that 52 head teachers in academy schools in England were paid a salary of £142,500 or more.

    Of the other roles within the scope of the School Workforce Census, there were fewer than five teachers in academies receiving a salary of £142,500 or more.

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress is being made on the implementation of 30 hours of free childcare for working parents.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    On 1 June 2015, the government introduced a Bill to create a new entitlement to 30 hours of free childcare for working parents of three and four-year-olds.

    The entitlement is on track to be implemented early for some families in some areas from September 2016, with full roll-out across England from September 2017. More details will be available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-bill-policy-statement

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage the teaching of emergency first aid skills in schools.

    Edward Timpson

    There is nothing more important than keeping children and staff safe. Schools can teach emergency first aid and life-saving skills through personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, and the best ones already do. The non-statutory PSHE Programme of Study produced by the PSHE Association, teaches young people how to recognise and follow health and safety procedures, ways of reducing risk and minimising harm in risky situations, and how to use emergency and basic first aid. We have put in place a new duty requiring schools to support all children’s medical needs and have set-up a scheme so they can buy defibrillators at a reduced price.

    The Department for Education also works closely with expert organisations such as the Red Cross and St John Ambulance who provide learning materials to schools, including life-saving training kits produced by the British Heart Foundation. These kits provide young people with first-hand experience of life-saving skills and we have promoted the use of these via the termly school email and social media channels. The Department is also providing £254,911 in funding for St John Ambulance via the Character Grant, which will select 31,500 pupils for first aid training.

  • Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department conducted an economic impact assessment of the proposed byelaw changes for the waters between the mainland of Scotland and the Island of Raasay.

    Mark Lancaster

    The views submitted by members of the public and other local stakeholders as part of the public consultation on the proposed changes will be used to inform if the Ministry of Defence is justified in producing an economic impact as this is not required as part of the review process.

    Full and proper consultation on the proposed new byelaws with local fishing communities and stakeholders is part of the current byelaws review process. The review was preceded by initial discussions between QinetiQ and local fishing communities over the summer. While the byelaw review has been extended to the end of November 2015, there is no plan to suspend the on-going public consultation phase of the byelaw review.

  • Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made with the implementation of the recommendations made in Lord Ashcroft’s Veterans’ Transition Review, published in February 2014.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) resettlement policy is continuously reviewed and the most recent update was issued in October 2015.

    Good progress has been made against the recommendations made in the Veterans’ Transition Review. Of the discrete recommendations 29 are fully in place and considered closed; and a number of remaining recommendations are partially in place with further development planned and time-tabled.

    The MOD continues to work with a number of charities, and the Government is committed to supporting their work. Actions already delivered include the provision of a 24-hour helpline for veterans, better support for those that leave the Service early so that all Service leavers get the provision they need, financial education for new recruits and better transfer of medical records.

    The MOD’s own Veterans Welfare Service is on the ground in every part of the UK providing one to one help and support to veterans with housing and any other problems they may have. Further work is under way to create a directory of Service charities so it is easier for veterans to find the support they need, and the contract for career transition support has been re-let to ensure it best meets the needs of veterans looking for jobs and training.

  • Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the proposed byelaw changes for the waters between the Scottish mainland and the Island of Raasay.

    Mark Lancaster

    In accordance with the byelaws review process the Ministry of Defence has engaged with the Scottish Government Criminal Justice Division regarding the proposed new British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre Byelaws.