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  • Louise Ellman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Louise Ellman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on keeping Holocaust education part of the national curriculum.

    Mr Nick Gibb

    The Holocaust remains a compulsory part of the new national curriculum for history which was introduced in September 2014. On 13 January the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Government is committed to continuing to fund the Holocaust Educational Trust’s valuable ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ project in the next Parliament.

    To mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and with the help of the Holocaust Educational Trust, the Department held an event for staff on 15 January for Holocaust Memorial Day. A Holocaust survivor and two of the Holocaust Educational Trust’s young ambassadors gave presentations to staff.

  • Margot James – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Margot James – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margot James on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils in each primary school in Stourbridge constituency met the required standard of phonic decoding in the 2013-14 academic year.

    Mr Nick Gibb

    School level performance in the phonics screening check is not published in the performance tables. Schools are not held to account for their performance in this diagnostic check, although they do have to inform parents of their child’s result in the way they think most suitable. The results are available on www.raiseonline.org for schools to use and for local authorities and Ofsted as part of their inspections process.

    The overall proportion of pupils attending schools in Stourbridge constituency who met the required standard of phonics decoding by the end of year 1 in the 2013/14 academic year was 77%. Nationally 74% of year 1 pupils met the required standard of phonic decoding in the 2013/14 academic year.

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  • Thomas Docherty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Thomas Docherty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thomas Docherty on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 January 2015, HCWS183, by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, whether he expects any changes to the programme for the Submarine Dismantling Project as a result of changes announced to NDA Management at Sellafield.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    There will be no changes to the programme of the Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP) as a result of changes announced to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s management at Sellafield.

    The assessment of each shortlisted site for the interim storage of Intermediate Level radioactive Waste arising from the SDP will take account of the site operator’s ability to meet and deliver the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) requirement. The site assessment work is at an early stage; no decision has been made as to the final interim storage location.

    The MOD will continue to work closely with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on the SDP.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether UK armed forces will be employed in training Iraqi and peshmerga brigades to fight against ISIS.

    Mr Mark Francois

    For several months we have provided training and equipment to Kurdish forces, including infantry, combat first-aid, sharp-shooting and counter-IED training. The National Security Council agreed in December that we should do further work to scope the additional assistance we could offer to the Iraqi military. At this stage no firm decisions have been made.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure members of the armed forces helping with the Ebola outbreak have adequate protection against the disease.

    Mr Mark Francois

    We take the protection of military personnel exceptionally seriously: it is our highest priority.

    The key element of this protection is the training and briefing which is conducted prior to deployment, and which is tailored to their role in Sierra Leone, including the use/operation of the personal protective equipment issued. This training is supplemented on arrival in Sierra Leone and updated thereafter in line with the prevailing situation.

    All personnel returning from Sierra Leone will be screened for Ebola in line with current guidance from Public Health England. This is part of a much wider monitoring and screening process, which will run throughout an individual’s deployment.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is offering to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram.

    Mr Mark Francois

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2015 to Parliamentary Question 906917, to the hon. Member for Bedford (Richard Fuller).

  • William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William McCrea on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to make a formal public acknowledgement of the sacrifice made by British troops deployed to Afghanistan in recent years.

    Mr Mark Francois

    British Service personnel served with great courage and distinction throughout the Afghanistan campaign. As the Prime Minister has made clear, the UK military personnel who sadly paid the ultimate price will never be forgotten. Neither will this Government forget those who were injured in the course of their Service.

    In addition to the many public acknowledgements, Defence has rewarded the bravery and sacrifice of those who served in Afghanistan through the awarding of medals to those who deployed. Further, the names of those who have lost their lives are recorded on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA). In addition, the Bastion Wall monument is in the process of being replicated at the NMA, with a re-dedication service to be held later this year.

    In November 2014, the Prime Minister announced plans for a monument to those who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. This work is being taken forward by an independent committee, chaired by Lord Stirrup and supported by the Ministry of Defence, with fundraising led by The Sun newspaper. Our hope is that the monument will be unveiled in 2016.

  • Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Griffiths on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many families are resident on (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy, (c) Marines and (d) Royal Air Force bases (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad.

    Anna Soubry

    The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Griffiths on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many children live on (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy, (c) Marines and (d) Royal Air Force bases (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad.

    Anna Soubry

    The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department has spent on marketing for the Right to Buy scheme in (a) Hammersmith and Fulham and (b) Hammersmith constituency in each year since 2010.

    Brandon Lewis

    I refer the hon. Member to my answer today to Question UIN 219547. Identifiable spending in the local authority area was £9,986 in 2012-13 and £1,461 in 2013-14. Further information cannot be disaggregated . Figures are not available at a constituency level.