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  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent on biodiversity on the public forest estate in each year since 2004-05.

    Dan Rogerson

    While all sustainable forest management on the public forest estate can benefit biodiversity, the following table shows the money spent by the Forestry Commission specifically for the benefit of biodiversity:

    Financial year

    Spend on public forest estate (£)

    2004-05

    2,719,442

    2005-06

    3,673,847

    2006-07

    4,785,114

    2007-08

    3,871,339

    2008-09

    4,456,223

    2009-10

    4,787,026

    2010-11

    5,196,665

    2011-12

    4,132,597

    2012-13

    3,730,628

    2013-14

    3,831,024
  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of waste collected in City of York has been recycled in each year since 2008-09; and what funding his Department provided to City of York local authority to increase recycling rates in each of those years.

    Dan Rogerson

    The proportion of household waste collected in City of York which was recycled for the five years since 2008/9 is presented in the table below:

    Year

    Percentage
    (Rounded)

    2008/9

    45%

    2009/10

    43%

    2010/11

    45%

    2011/12

    46%

    2012/13

    46%

    The proportion of all waste collected by City of York Council (household and non-household) which was recycled for the five years since 2008/9 is as follows:

    Year

    Percentage
    (Rounded)

    2008/09

    44%

    2009/10

    42%

    2010/11

    44%

    2011/12

    46%

    2012/13

    45%

    These statistics are taken from data submitted by the Council.

    Local authorities receive revenue support grant and council tax to fund waste collection and disposal. These funds are not ring-fenced. We have no record of funding to York City Council specifically to increase recycling rates over this period.

  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many (a) single-pensioner households in York and (b) two-pensioner households in York have received Warm Front assistance in each year since the inception of that scheme; and what the average spend has been on each such household.

    Gregory Barker

    The last year of the Warm Front Scheme was 2012-13. There has been no further change in the Warm Front figures for York local authority area since my answer to you on 9th July 2013.

  • Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much his Department has spent on the Warm Front scheme in York local authority area in each year since the inception of that scheme.

    Gregory Barker

    The last year of the Warm Front Scheme was 2012-13. There has been no further change in the Warm Front figures for York local authority area since my answer to you on 9th July 2013.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Nicholas Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, for what reasons he decided against change following his review into his Department’s check-off system for employees’ trade union subscriptions.

    Gregory Barker

    My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State did not share the views of my rt. hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on this issue.

    He also noted advice from the Department that the Department is charged a fixed cost for payroll services based on the number of employees, so there would be no immediate cost saving to the taxpayer in removing the check-off agreement.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the performance of Pearson VUE in delivering skills tests for prospective teachers on behalf of his Department.

    Mr David Laws

    As the current contractor delivering the skills test for prospective teachers, Pearson VUE reports weekly to officials on day-to-day delivery against agreed service levels. Pearson VUE is also appropriately engaged in handover of the service to the new contractor.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what Pearson VUE’s process is for appealing test results and complaints procedure.

    Mr David Laws

    Pearson VUE operates a skills test helpline through which candidates’ queries and complaints are managed. There is no appeals process against test results.

    If a candidate considers that there was a technical or administrative error with the delivery of the test or marking, they are able to raise this either at the test centre at the time of the test or subsequently via the skills test helpline.

    All such requests are considered on a case-by-case basis by Pearson VUE. Where appropriate, Pearson VUE escalates appeals to the Standards and Testing Agency to make the final determination.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations he has received regarding Pearson VUE’s delivery of QTS numeracy and skills tests.

    Mr David Laws

    There have been representations made by individuals and candidates regarding Pearson VUE’s delivery of the skills tests. These representations have been in relation to technical issues encountered by candidates at the time of sitting the test and requests for appeals where candidates feel there have been exceptional circumstances which should result in another attempt at the test in question being permitted. All representations of this nature are fully investigated by the Standards and Testing Agency.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which office in his Department or its arms length bodies has responsibility for the oversight of outsourcing QTS numeracy and skills tests to Pearson VUE.

    Mr David Laws

    The skills tests for prospective teachers were developed under a contract let by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) to Pearson VUE in 2009. The Teaching Agency took over responsibility for oversight of contract management in 2012 when the TDA was abolished. Since November 2013, responsibility has rested with the Standards and Testing Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Education.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, under what circumstances schools are permitted to require religious headcoverings or other religious items as part of compulsory uniform; and if he will issue revised guidance on this matter to Ofsted.

    Mr David Laws

    Our guidance to schools on school uniform is clear that schools must have full regard to their obligations under equalities law, and act reasonably, fairly and flexibly in the interests of all their students.

    A school that required compulsory religious items as part of its policy may be at risk of breaching the Equality Act 2010; we would expect all schools to act flexibly in response to reasonable requests to vary their uniform policy.

    The Department’s guidance on school uniform is available online: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.

    “