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  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure the retention of (a) rural post offices and (b) jobs in rural post offices.

    Jenny Willott

    Since 2010 the Government has committed nearly £2 billion to maintain, modernise and protect a Post Office network of at least 11,500 branches that meets strict access criteria that ensure fair and reasonable access to Post Office services, including in rural communities. For example, the access criteria require 99% of the population nationally to live within three miles of a post office outlet. The Post Office is the only retailer in the UK that meets these criteria. Furthermore, the Government has been consistently clear that there will be no programme of branch closures, and under this Government the Post Office network is at its most stable for a generation.

    The overwhelming majority of rural branches are owned and operated by private businesspeople known as subpostmasters who provide access to Post Office services under contractual arrangements. Subpostmasters are responsible for employing the staff required to deliver Post Office services.

  • 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 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answers of 29 April 2014, Official Report, columns 559-60W and column 560W, on schools: inspections, for what reason local authorities are inspected separately from schools maintained by local authorities but academies are not inspected separately from the head offices of academy chains.

    Mr David Laws

    Ofsted can inspect local authorities to see whether they are fulfilling a number of statutory duties. Academy head offices do not have the same statutory duties. However, Ofsted already inspects academy chains through batched inspections. It has recently undertaken focused inspections of academies within E-ACT multi-academy trust, and has previously inspected a group of academies within the AET chain.

  • Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on the public funds available to local authorities of the creation of a Single Fraud Investigation Service.

    Esther McVey

    The Local Authority Administration Grant for 2014/15 will not be reduced due to the implementation of the Single Fraud Investigation Service. The proposals for 2015/16 and 2016/17 onwards are currently out for consultation with our key stakeholders, including Local Government representative groups.

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 411W, on families: advisory services, how many couples were eligible for the relationship support trial (a) overall and (b) in each pilot area; how many couples took part in each such trial area; and what the underspend in the project has been spent on.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Information about this trial is available in the Evaluation report, which can be found at:

    www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/262849/DFE-_RR311.pdf

    The underspend on the allocated budget for the trial has been used to meet other priorities.

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a code of practice on the circumstances in which recovery action will be taken for overpayments of universal credit, jobseeker’s allowance and employment and support allowance.

    Esther McVey

    A copy of the Code of Practice What happens if you are overpaid Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance will be placed in the House Library.

    The Code of Practice is available on GOV.UK and can be accessed through the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-happens-if-you-are-overpaid-universal-credit-jobseekers-allowance-or-employment-and-support-allowance

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 17 March 2014, Official Report, columns 53-4WS, on the Higgins Review, who is undertaking the review of connections between HS2 and the Continent announced in that Statement; and when he expects the review to be completed.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Secretary of State has asked HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to consider how to improve connections between the rail network and the continent, in a way that could be implemented once the initial stages of HS2 are complete. The report will explore options that will stand the test of time and will be completed before the end of next year. The remit of the work is being considered and will be finalised shortly.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 17 March 2014, Official Report, columns 53-4WS, on the Higgins Review, whether the review of connections from HS2 to the Continent announced in that statement will take account of potential demand for domestic services between HS2 and HS1; and what assessment he has made of the likely level of such demand.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Secretary of State has asked HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to consider how to improve connections between the rail network and the continent, in a way that could be implemented once the initial stages of HS2 are complete. The report will explore options that will stand the test of time and will be completed before the end of next year. The remit of the work is being considered and will be finalised shortly.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 17 March 2014, Official Report, columns 53-4WS, on the Higgins Review, what progress has been made on the review of connections from HS2 to the Continent announced in that Statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Secretary of State has asked HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to consider how to improve connections between the rail network and the continent, in a way that could be implemented once the initial stages of HS2 are complete. The report will explore options that will stand the test of time and will be completed before the end of next year. The remit of the work is being considered and will be finalised shortly.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 17 March 2014, Official Report, columns 53-4WS, on the Higgins Review, whether the review of connections from HS2 to the Continent announced in that statement will assure the provision of (a) a segregated double track link and (b) any other dedicated railway link between HS1 and HS2.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Secretary of State has asked HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to consider how to improve connections between the rail network and the continent, in a way that could be implemented once the initial stages of HS2 are complete. The report will explore options that will stand the test of time and will be completed before the end of next year. The remit of the work is being considered and will be finalised shortly.

  • Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department gives alongside UK non-governmental organisations operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to assist in obtaining compensation from the Israeli authorities for projects demolished in Area C.

    Hugh Robertson

    We have not provided support to non-governmental organisations operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) to assist in obtaining compensation from the Israeli authorities for projects demolished in Area C. However, we continue to support Palestinians facing demolition or eviction orders in the OPTs through support to the Norwegian Refugee Council legal aid programme, which helps individuals to challenge these in the Israeli legal system.