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  • Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the guidance published by his Department on 25 March 2014, on Sure Start centres: local authority duties, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the core purpose of Sure Start children’s centres.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Sure Start children’s centres statutory guidance was published in April 2013; the web page containing it was last reviewed on 25 March 2014.

    The statutory guidance states the core purpose of Sure Start children’s centres is to improve outcomes for young children and their families, with a particular focus on those in greatest need. The Department extensively consulted on draft statutory guidance, including the core purpose, in 2012. The response was positive, with 85% of respondees (local authorities, children’s centre managers, voluntary sector bodies and others) finding the document clear on statutory duties.

    As I said to the Education Committee on 18 June, Ofsted is going to be moving to a local-authority-based inspection regime for children’s centres and I am very happy to look at the core purpose, particularly in the light of what Ofsted put out as their inspection regime, if there is a lack of clarity.

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

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to compensate local authorities whose leasehold title to land is transferred to academy trusts when the associated school achieves academy status.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust.

    We have no plans to compensate local authorities in relation to the transfer of leasehold title to academy trusts as the land in question will continue being used for its original purpose: the education of children in high-quality local schools. In addition, there are strict rules protecting publicly funded land used by academies, regardless of who holds the freehold. This is set out in guidance published online at:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice

    A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.

    “

  • Mark Reckless – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mark Reckless – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Reckless on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teacher training bursaries for (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15 have been allocated to high-priority subjects of physics and mathematics at each of the four bursary tiers.

    Mr David Laws

    Provisional figures on the number of trainees and proportion with a first or second class honours degree by subject are published in the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Census in November each year. Finalised figures are published the following year. Provisional figures for 2013-14 are available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/initial-teacher-training-trainee-number-census-2013-to-2014

    “

  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff employed by his Department received each level of performance rating in their end of year performance assessment for 2013-14.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The information requested is set out in the table below.

    Table 1: 2013-14 Performance Management Outturn Figures for the Department for Education

    Performance Rating

    Declared Disability

    No declared disability

    Not declared

    Top/Exceeded

    14%

    26%

    22%

    Achieving/Achieved

    69%

    66%

    68%

    Low/Must Improve

    17%

    8%

    10%

    The Department continues to take steps to ensure that its performance ratings are a fair reflection of individual performance. Over the last year, this has included independent members being present at end of year meetings where performance assessments are moderated and training for staff on how to avoid unconscious bias.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, with reference to the Answer of 28 January 2014, Official Report, column 510W, on electoral register: young people, how much funding his Department has made available to (a) Rock Enroll and (b) Bite the Ballot in each year for which data is available; and how many people each such organisation has directly registered in each year for which data is available.

    Greg Clark

    The Government is supportive of organisations that promote democratic engagement such as Bite the Ballot.

    Cabinet Office and Bite the Ballot co-developed the Rock Enrol learning resource in 2012/2013. The value of the contract was £25,700. The Government has made Rock Enrol freely available freely available on the gov.uk and Times Education Supplement websites.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, with reference to the Answer of 1 April 2014, Official Report, columns 555-6W, on electoral register, Northern Ireland, what actions resulted from his discussions with the Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office concerning the schools programme for electoral registration.

    Greg Clark

    The Government has made the Rock Enrol learning resource freely available on the Gov.UK and Times Education Supplement website amongst others.

    Additionally, the recent introduction of online registration in England and Wales will make it more convenient for young people to register to vote.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterpart on training and capacity building in the Egyptian army.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    The Secretary of State for Defence has not had any discussions with his Egyptian counterpart on training and capacity building in the Egyptian army.

    As part of wider UK defence engagement Ministry of Defence officials regularly discuss the potential for further engagement with a number of countries and may from time to time provide training as required and in accordance with wider Government policy.

  • Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Menzies Campbell on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what items of infrastructure have been (a) commissioned for installation and (b) installed at RAF Leuchars in preparation for the arrival of Army units and associated personnel; and how much each such item (i) is estimated to and (ii) has cost.

    Mr Mark Francois

    It is expected that over £5 million of investment will be made at RAF Leuchars to prepare for the arrival of Army units. This work is in the final stages of planning, we hope to begin the work soon.

  • Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Menzies Campbell on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what Typhoon Force mission-specific infrastructure at RAF Leuchars has been identified for deconstruction as a result of the transfer of the transfer of the Typhoon Force to RAF Lossiemouth.

    Mr Mark Francois

    No Typhoon mission-specific infrastructure at RAF Leuchars has been identified for deconstruction, nor is it likely to be.

  • Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Menzies Campbell on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost has been of transfer of all Typhoon Force mission-specific equipment and related removable fittings and fixtures from RAF Leuchars to RAF Lossiemouth; and what estimate has been made of the total cost of the transfer.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The principal transfer of Typhoon Force mission-specific equipment has been accomplished as part of an agreed change to an existing contract, at an additional cost of some £2.5 million.