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  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with the United States Department of Defense (USDoD) in respect of the installation by BT of a special communications system to link RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire with the USDoD headquarters in Washington DC and the US Africa headquarters for unmanned aircraft operations in Djibouti.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The installation of US communications systems at RAF Croughton is a matter for the United States Visiting Forces. No discussions have taken place in respect to the installation by BT of a special communications system to link RAF Croughton with the Department of Defence headquarters in the US, and US Forces in Djibouti.

  • Fiona Mactaggart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Fiona Mactaggart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made made of the accuracy of the ONS index of rental prices; and what recent assessment he has of the changes in the cost of private renting in Slough since 2010.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Office for National Statistics responded quickly to the need for better data by developing the quarterly Index of Private Housing Rental Prices, first published in June 2013 and dating back to January 2005 for England.

    Currently the Office for National Statistics is consulting users of the index to identify improvements. The index is produced with a robust methodology, which is published and is based on extensive administrative data on rental values including both on-going and newly agreed tenancy agreements. Once the methodology is further tested and assessed, and the publication meets user needs, the Index of Private Housing Rental Prices will be assessed against the Code of Practice to achieve National Statistic status.

    The index is available for Great Britain and its constituent countries; however it is not available at local authority district level. According to most recent figures the average cost of privately renting housing in England increased by 1.0 per cent in the 12 months to December 2013 – a fall in real terms.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate the Government has made of the likely change in the number of people in the UK who will be aged 90 years and over between 2012 and 2023.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2014-03-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of pupils in English schools were entered for drama GCSE in each of the last 4 years.

    Lord Nash

    The requested information[1] has been provided in the following table.

    Percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4 entered for music and drama GCSEs in England, 2009/10 – 2012/13

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    Drama

    13

    12

    11

    11

    Music

    7

    7

    7

    7

    Note: Figures underlying the percentages are available in table 7 of the “GCSE and equivalent results” statistical first release for each year. 2012/13 figures are based on revised data, all other years are final. Data includes entries by pupils in previous academic years.

    [1] These figures are published in the “GCSE and equivalent results” statistical first releases for each year at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4.

    “

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2014-03-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of pupils in English schools were entered for music GCSE in each of the last 4 years.

    Lord Nash

    The requested information[1] has been provided in the following table.

    Percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4 entered for music and drama GCSEs in England, 2009/10 – 2012/13

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    Drama

    13

    12

    11

    11

    Music

    7

    7

    7

    7

    Note: Figures underlying the percentages are available in table 7 of the “GCSE and equivalent results” statistical first release for each year. 2012/13 figures are based on revised data, all other years are final. Data includes entries by pupils in previous academic years.

    [1] These figures are published in the “GCSE and equivalent results” statistical first releases for each year at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4.

    “

  • Lord Turnberg – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Turnberg – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2014-03-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with Mahmoud Abbas on continuing the negotiations with Israel for a two-state solution.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Government is having regular discussions about the current peace talks with the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), most recently had a discussion on 3 April with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the peace process. The Foreign Secretary met with the Israeli Minister for Intelligence, International Relations and Strategic Affairs, Yuval Steinitz on 8 April where they discussed the latest in the peace process.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees whether there are plans to sell or give away the tiles currently being replaced in the Palace of Westminster.

    Lord Sewel

    The Encaustic Tile Programme is a seven year conservation programme to replace and repair the encaustic tiles throughout the Palace of Westminster. As part of the programme, tiles which are in good condition are either left in place or re-used elsewhere whenever possible.

    In some cases, the tiles cannot be re-used elsewhere, and the Administration and Works Committee in the Lords and the Administration Committee in the Commons have agreed that, in these cases, some tiles should be kept for archival purposes, some tiles should be donated to museums or related institutions, and a limited number of tiles should be sold.

    The Committees in both Houses are currently discussing the details of this proposal.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-03-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether youth offending teams are given access to students’ special needs statements as of right.

    Lord Faulks

    Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) can request access to special needs statements from the education services arm of local authorities who hold them, but they have no access to these as of right. Under the Education (Special Educational Needs) (England) (Consolidation) Regulations 2001, local authority education services are not permitted to share these statements, without the student’s consent, with external parties including YOTs, except for prescribed reasons which include where the local authority in question judges it necessary to do so in the interests of the child, on the order of a court or for the purpose of any criminal proceedings.

    Under the Children and Families Act 2014, YOTs and local authorities will be required to co-operate in the exercise of the authority’s functions relating to children and young people with special educational needs, for example in the assessment for and preparation of Education and Health Care plans in relation to young people known to the YOT.

  • 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 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department records the number of referrals made to local third-sector advice providers (a) to use the telephone, (b) for help filling in forms and (c) providing other support.

    Esther McVey

    It is not our policy to refer people to third-sector providers to use the telephone or get help in filling in our forms. As such we do not collect this information. Where third party providers are the most suitable people to provide suport or advice we would signpost claimants to them.

  • 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 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate has been made of how much his Department is likely to save annually as a result of the removal of warm phones from Jobcentre Plus offices.

    Esther McVey

    We estimate ongoing yearly total savings of £1.92m from 14/15.

    Savings will be reinvested in providing extra digital equipment to support the delivery of an assisted service for vulnerable claimants.