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  • Andrea Leadsom – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrea Leadsom – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrea Leadsom on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to work with police forces across the country to protect children from online sexual exploitation.

    Norman Baker

    The Government is committed to preventing online child abuse. Details of the Government plans to strengthen the protection of children from online sexual exploitation were published last summer in the Action Plan of the National Group to tackle Sexual Violence Against Children and Vulnerable People. Copies will be placed in the House Library and can be found at the following link;

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/230443
    /Sexual_Violence_against_Children_and_Vulnerable_People.pdf

    The Child Exploitation Online Protection Command of the National Crime Agency (NCA-CEOP) is the UK’s national law enforcement agency committed to preventing and tackling the sexual abuse of children both online and offline. In 2012/13, NCA-CEOP safeguarded and protected 790 children, an increase of 85% on the previous year.

    The NCA-CEOP Command works closely with all 43 police forces in England and Wales, Police Scotland and PSNI.

    In January 2013, the police created a National Child Sexual Exploitation Action Plan which sought to improve the police response to all forms of CSE both online and offline. Each force has now completed a benchmarking exercise, allowing them to understand and improve their capability to deal with CSE.

    HMIC are close to completing an inspection into the policing of online sexual exploitation and should be publishing their findings in the near future. This will help us identify best practice and also where the service needs to improve to deal with the proliferation of indecent images on the internet and grooming.

  • Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Gerald Kaufman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to reply to the letter to him dated 20 February 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms T Morris.

    George Eustice

    The Secretary of State has replied to the hon. Member’s letter and the response will be with him shortly.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 33W, on flood control, what the reasons are for the disparity between the figures given in that Answer and those contained in the Red Book Table 2.1 Line 34 for 2014-15 and 2015-16.

    Dan Rogerson

    The figures that I provided in my answers of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 33W, relate to increases in Government funding for flood defence in England announced in the Budget 2014. The figures in the Red Book Table 2.1 Line 34 for 2014-15 and 2015-16 include consequential funding for the devolved administrations. The presentation of these figures is consistent with the rest of the table and the standard way of presenting fiscal costs in Budgets.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) 20 highest and (b) 20 lowest value contracts awarded by his Department were in each financial year since 2009-10.

    Dan Rogerson

    The 20 highest and 20 lowest value contracts awarded by Defra for the respective financial years are set out in the table attached.

    We are unable to provide data for 2009/10 as we did not have a central contracts management system in place prior to April 2010.

    The lowest value for contracts shown here is £10,000. Any purchasing below that level is made under standard purchase order terms and conditions rather than through a specific contract. These are not recorded on our central system.

    The data does not included contracts for research and development which are not held centrally and could only be included at disproportionate cost.

  • Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Alan Whitehead on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what modelling he has undertaken of the viability of the offtaker of last resort system for independent renewable energy generators under the revised arrangements for auctions for contracts for difference for established technologies.

    Gregory Barker

    We do not consider that the method of allocating Contracts for Difference (CfDs) has a direct impact on the viability of the offtaker of last resort (OLR).

    We have recently consulted on the OLR and are currently considering responses. Based on those responses, we will consider whether further modelling is necessary to ensure/verify that the OLR is viable as proposed.

  • Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Alan Whitehead on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what consultation he plans on regulations relating to houses in multiple occupation as part of the forthcoming consultation on regulations relating to minimum standards of energy efficiency for the private rented sector.

    Gregory Barker

    The Department intends to publically consult on the regulations relating to Minimum Standards of Energy Efficiency in the Private Rental Sector (secondary regulations for section 43 of the Energy Act 2011) before summer 2014. How the regulations may apply to houses in multiple occupation is expected to form part of this consultation.

  • 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 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he plans to allow Ofsted to inspect bodies which run chains of academy schools.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Ofsted already inspects academy chains through batched inspections of schools within chains. It has recently undertaken focused inspections of academies within the E-ACT multi-academy trust and has previously inspected a group of academies within the AET chain. This has shown to be an effective approach and there are no plans to widen Ofsted’s role to inspect head offices.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2014, Official Report, columns 787-8W, on pupil exclusions: autism, how his Department deals with allegations that schools are disregarding the statutory guidance on exclusion in respect of students with autistic disorders.

    Elizabeth Truss

    As part of their legal duties in relation to exclusion, schools must have regard to the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education. Parents approaching the Department with concerns about an exclusion are informed about the formal routes of challenge available to them and directed to sources of free and impartial advice. If the Department identifies that a governing body has acted unlawfully or unreasonably in carrying out its legal duties, and it would be expedient to do so, then the Secretary of State could issue a direction. The Department would also pass to Ofsted any relevant evidence that fell within the inspectorate’s remit.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what systems his Department has in place to monitor the implementation of the Government’s commitment to give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child when making new policy and legislation; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education co-ordinates the UK’s submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), on behalf of other Government Departments and the devolved administrations, for the Committee’s five-year review of implementation of the UNCRC in the UK. This report will be submitted shortly and will include examples of action taken to ensure that new policies and legislation which impact on children are compliant with the UNCRC.

    The Department has undertaken child’s rights impact assessments for the key policy and legislative changes in recent years, notably in respect of the Education Act 2011 and the Children and Families Act 2014. We also ensure that children’s rights issues are considered as part of the Home Affairs Committee clearance process.

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber were adopted in each of the last five years.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The number of looked after children in Yorkshire and the Humber who were adopted in the years ending 31 March 2009 to 2013 is shown in the table below. Information at constituency level is not available.

    Year

    Number of looked after children in Yorkshire and The Humber

    2009

    420

    2010

    400

    2011

    400

    2012

    450

    2013

    510

    This information has been taken from table LAE1 of the Statistical First Release “Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers) – year ending 31 March 2013”. This Statistical First Release also includes information at local authority level and can be found on the Department’s website via the link below.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption.

    “