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  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to apply in all circumstances the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s principles that local councils should have first refusal when assets are being disposed of.

    Mr Mark Francois

    There is no such principle. In accordance with Treasury guidelines the Department is required to achieve best value for money in the sale of each site.

    In the case of Kirton in Lindsey, following the aborted sale to the Homes and Communities Agency, the MOD decided to proceed straight to the open market. The department will be happy to receive a tender from North Lincolnshire District Council to be considered along with all other bids in fair and open competition.

  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will ensure that North Lincolnshire Council has first refusal for the acquisition of the Kirtin in Lindsey base.

    Mr Mark Francois

    There is no such principle. In accordance with Treasury guidelines the Department is required to achieve best value for money in the sale of each site.

    In the case of Kirton in Lindsey, following the aborted sale to the Homes and Communities Agency, the MOD decided to proceed straight to the open market. The department will be happy to receive a tender from North Lincolnshire District Council to be considered along with all other bids in fair and open competition.

  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the cohort achieved an A* to C grade in (a) GCSE mathematics, (b) GCSE English and (c) GCSE English literature at the end of (i) Year 11, (ii) Year 12 and (iii) Year 13 in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr David Laws

    The following tables show the proportion of 15, 16 and 17 year-olds (based on academic age) who had achieved A*-C grade in GCSE English and GCSE mathematics for the last 10 years. The figures cover young people who were in the state sector at academic age 15. Academic age refers to the age at the start of the academic year, so the majority of young people of academic age 15 will be in year 11. The data source used for this analysis does not differentiate between English Literature and English Language so may include those that have A*-C in either subject.

    Tables that show key stage 4 results for English and English Literature are available here: http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2012-to-2013-revised

    Proportion achieving A*-C grade in GCSE English by academic age and cohort

    Academic age

    Cohort academic age 15 in

    15

    16

    17

    2001/02

    53%

    55%

    56%

    2002/03

    54%

    56%

    56%

    2003/04

    54%

    56%

    57%

    2004/05

    56%

    58%

    59%

    2005/06

    57%

    59%

    60%

    2006/07

    58%

    60%

    61%

    2007/08

    59%

    62%

    63%

    2008/09

    61%

    64%

    65%

    2009/10

    66%

    68%

    69%

    2010/11

    69%

    70%

    71%

    Source: DfE Young Person’s Matched Administrative Dataset.

    Proportion achieving A*-C grade in GCSE mathematics by academic age and cohort

    Academic age

    Cohort academic age 15 in

    15

    16

    17

    2001/02

    47%

    48%

    49%

    2002/03

    46%

    48%

    48%

    2003/04

    47%

    49%

    50%

    2004/05

    50%

    52%

    52%

    2005/06

    51%

    54%

    54%

    2006/07

    53%

    56%

    56%

    2007/08

    56%

    58%

    59%

    2008/09

    58%

    61%

    62%

    2009/10

    62%

    64%

    65%

    2010/11

    65%

    67%

    67%

    Source: DfE Young Person’s Matched Administrative Dataset.

    “

  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools and academies have (a) opened a new sixth form and (b) closed their sixth form in each year since 2005.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Department for Education does not collect the data in the format requested.

  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve awareness of and early intervention for rheumatoid arthritis.

    Norman Lamb

    In 2009, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published clinical guidance on the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults, which set outs best practice on the diagnosis, care, treatment and support of patients. The guidance makes clear the importance of early diagnosis and is explicit that suspected cases should be referred as an urgent priority for specialist assessment and that early initiation of treatment can prevent irreversible damage to joints.

    In addition to this, information on the diagnosis and treatment of RA can also be accessed via the NICE Clinical Knowledge summaries website at:

    http://cks.nice.org.uk/rheumatoid-arthritis

    and more general information for the public can be found on the NHS Choices website at:

    www.nhs.uk/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis

    Through the mandate we have asked NHS England to make measurable progress towards making our health service among the best in Europe at supporting people with ongoing health problems, such as RA, to live healthily and independently, with much better control over the care they receive.

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-05-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedures his Department has put in place to ensure that mail received by recorded delivery at jobcentres is logged and dealt with immediately; and what assessment he has made of whether such procedures are carried out across all jobcentres.

    Mike Penning

    All DWP mail, whether recorded delivery or otherwise, is opened and distributed to the appropriate office for action from one of the 2 Mail Opening Units. The only exceptions being items identified “OFFICIAL–SENSITIVE”, “SECRET”, or “TOP SECRET” and providing a named individual is included.

  • Alun Cairns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alun Cairns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alun Cairns on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential benefits and risks of commercial mobile networks providing the emergency services communications network.

    James Brokenshire

    The potential benefits and risks have been considered in detail as part of the
    Outline Business Case, which recommended this direction of travel and was
    approved by the emergency services, lead departments and the devolved
    governments of Wales and Scotland during March 2014. These risks and issues
    will be updated as the Full Business Case is developed during the procurement
    phase, which was launched on 14 April 14.

  • David Anderson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Anderson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure the viability of the financial position of the North East Refugee Service; and for what reasons her Department has not yet paid exit costs to that organisation.

    James Brokenshire

    Negotiations on the exit claim are underway between the Home Office and the
    Refugee Council and we hope to conclude these as soon as possible. The North
    of England Refugee Service was a subcontractor of the Refugee Council, and the
    Home Office is therefore unable to negotiate directly with the North of England
    Refugee Service.

  • David Anderson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Anderson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Islington of 2 September 2013, Official Report, columns 294-5W, on Israel, what recent steps he has taken to raise allegations of corporate complicity in human rights abuses and international law violations by G4S in Israeli prisons with G4S.

    Hugh Robertson

    International law does not impose direct obligations on corporations. However, the British Government encourages British companies to show respect for human rights in their operations in the UK and internationally. This is why in September 2013, we launched the UK Action Plan based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

    Through the Overseas Business Risk Service we provide online advice to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which British businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions on climate change he has had with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive.

    Gregory Barker

    My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions with ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on climate change.