The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2014-03-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the percentage cost over-run established by the management board for any budget in the Department for Communities and Local Government to merit being tabled at the departmental management board; and how many times in the last 12 months that has occurred.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
The Department’s financial position is reviewed on a regular basis.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to tackle unauthorised absences of pupils during term-time.
Lord Nash
We know from evidence that pupils who have regular attendance at school are four times more likely to achieve five or more A*-C grades at GCSE including English and maths than those pupils who are persistently absent. This is why the Department for Education reduced the threshold at which pupils are classified as being persistently absent, from 20 to 15 per cent of school missed. This measure enables schools to identify earlier those pupils with troubling attendance patterns, and to do something about them.
In 2012, we increased the level of the school attendance penalty fines of £50 and £100 to £60 and £120 respectively; and in 2013 reduced the overall timescales for paying fines from 42 to 28 days. Our reforms are working. In 2012/13, 300,895 pupils were persistently absent, down from 433,130 in 2009/10. This is a fall of almost a third. 130,000 fewer pupils were missing 15% of school in 2012/13 compared to 2010/11.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the report by UNICEF Under Siege: the devastating impact on children of three years of conflict in Syria, published in March.
Baroness Northover
This report provides an account of the impact this most brutal and damaging conflict is having on the lives of Syrian children. DFID shares UNICEF’s concerns for the 5.5 million children who are affected by the crisis, more than double the number in March 2013. The needs of Syrian children are a major priority for the UK’s humanitarian assistance in Syria and the region.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Quirk on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Nash on 15 October 2013 (WA 76–7) and 21 October 2013 (WA 122), by what mechanism they have subsequently monitored the enhancement of teaching in maths and English, and with what outcomes.
Lord Nash
The new national curriculum sets out very clearly what should be taught to pupils. However, it deliberately gives teachers the flexibility to decide how to teach it. The Department for Education expect schools to identify the support that they need to prepare for the new curriculum, recognising that different schools will face different challenges.
The Department has provided funding to teaching schools to work with their alliances and beyond, and we have been signposting schools to the range of free support that is available in English and mathematics including the resources developed by the National Literacy Trust and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics. The sector-led expert subject groups have been providing audit tools and guidance, and publishers are bringing a variety of new materials to market.
The Government is funding a national network of around 30 maths hubs to drive up the quality of mathematics teachers. Each hub will be led by an outstanding school and will provide support to all schools in the area, across all areas of mathematics education. Systematic phonics has been emphasised in the teaching of early reading in the new national curriculum because evidence shows that it is the most effective way of teaching all children to begin to read. We have provided match-funding of £23 million to primary schools to purchase high quality phonics resources.
Ofsted, as part of their on-going programme of inspection, report on the quality of teaching in schools to ensure that teaching in subjects such as English and mathematics is resulting in improved achievement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remark by Lord Nash on 9 July 2013 (HL Deb, col 225), that they are focusing heavily on ensuring that teachers have the resources to deliver the new curriculum
Lord Nash
The new national curriculum sets out very clearly what should be taught to pupils. However, it deliberately gives teachers the flexibility to decide how to teach it. We expect schools to identify the support that they need to prepare for the new curriculum, recognising that different schools will face different challenges.
The Department for Education has provided funding to teaching schools to work with their alliances and beyond, and we have been signposting schools to the range of free support that is available in English and mathematics including the resources developed by the National Literacy Trust and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics. The sector-led expert subject groups have been providing audit tools and guidance, and publishers are bringing a variety of new materials to market.
The Government is funding a national network of around 30 Maths Hubs to drive up the quality of mathematics teachers. Each hub will be led by an outstanding school and will provide support to all schools in the area, across all areas of mathematics education. Systematic phonics has been emphasised in the teaching of early reading in the new national curriculum because evidence shows that it is the most effective way of teaching all children to begin to read. We have provided match-funding of £23 million to primary schools to purchase high quality phonics resources.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the penalties for driving a motor vehicle without insurance.
Baroness Kramer
If taken to court, an offender faces a maximum fine of up to £5,000 and up to 8 penalty points on his/her driving licence.
There is a fixed penalty of £300 for this offence which also carries 6 penalty points.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, during the shortlisting of the bid from Keolis and Eurostar to operate the East Coast Main Line franchise, they made representations to the government of France in respect of allowing United Kingdom companies to bid for passenger franchises on the French rail network.
Baroness Kramer
The UK Government continues to support the opening of rail markets across the European Union.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to recognise passports issued by Russia to residents of Crimea following the annexation of that territory from Ukraine as valid travel documents.
Lord Taylor of Holbeach
The Government is clear that the UK does not recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea which we view as illegal.
Some residents of Crimea already hold Russian nationality, and were in possession of a valid Russian passport before Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Subject to any travel ban imposed upon an individual, the UK will continue to recognise any legitimate holder of a Russian passport with a valid UK visa or entry clearance as eligible to travel and seek entry to the UK.
In terms of UK visa applications, those applying for visitor visas can apply at any location. Applications for visas in other categories should, in line with paragraph 28 of the Immigration rules, be made in the country or territory in which they are living. Therefore, Russian passport holders living in Crimea would be able to apply for a visit visa anywhere in the world, including Russia; but any non-visit applications would need to be made in Ukraine.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of Feronia’s registration in the Cayman Islands with sustainable economic development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Baroness Northover
CDC is a public limited company with an independent Board and takes individual investment decisions independent of DFID. Information about the investment and its expected development impact is available on CDC’s website http://cdcgroup.com/Media/News/CDC-invests-US181m-in-agribusiness-in-the-Democratic-Republic-of-Congo/.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the work of Feronia fits with the National Development Strategy of the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Baroness Northover
CDC is a public limited company with an independent Board and takes individual investment decisions independent of DFID. Information about the investment and its expected development impact is available on CDC’s website http://cdcgroup.com/Media/News/CDC-invests-US181m-in-agribusiness-in-the-Democratic-Republic-of-Congo/.
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