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  • Mr Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Adrian Sanders on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an estimate of the capital costs incurred by schools as a result of the implementation of universal infant free school meals; and whether the capital funding provided by his Department to schools to date covers such costs.

    Mr David Laws

    The Department for Education consulted with a number of local authorities and schools in the autumn, in order to assess the potential capital needs to meet the new universal infant free school meal (UIFSM) entitlement. Circumstances differ between schools, and between authorities, but those discussions gave us an assessment of the range of likely costs.

    Based on those discussions, we believe the £150 million of capital funding announced last December is an appropriate figure to support schools and authorities in meeting the new UIFSM entitlement. We know that many schools and authorities are still in the process of considering the best way of delivering this. That is why we are supplementing this capital support with the package of implementation support measures announced on 6 March, in order to offer advice and guidance to schools and local authorities that need assistance in implementing the policy.

  • 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 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what records his Department keeps of use of Government-funded credit cards by employees of Ofsted.

    Mr David Laws

    This question is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his response has been placed in the House Library.

  • Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to reduce absences from school due to bullying.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Government has made tackling all forms of bullying a top priority. It is never acceptable for a child to be bullied, victimised or harmed in any way and the Government does not want any young person to be absent from school due to the effects of bullying.

    All schools are required, by law, to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. Ofsted now holds schools clearly to account for their effectiveness. Under the current Ofsted framework, school inspectors consider pupil behaviour and safety, which includes how well schools prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination.

    In the Education Act 2011, we strengthened teachers’ powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour, including bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items and search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images on mobile phones which might be linked to cyberbullying.

    We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations: Beatbullying, the DianaAward, Kidscape and the National Children’s Bureau, to develop effective measures in school to prevent and tackle bullying.

    Good schools create a positive ethos with clear expectations about pupil behaviour that prevent bullying from happening in the first place and deal with it quickly if it does occur.

    We recognise the effect that bullying can have, that is why on 17 March 2014 we published a factsheet to help schools identify and support pupils which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.

  • 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 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, who is responsible for monitoring and approving the use of Government-funded credit cards by employees of Ofsted.

    Mr David Laws

    This question is a matter for Ofsted. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Library.

  • Mr Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Adrian Sanders on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he held with schools and local authorities for the purposes of drafting departmental advice on universal infant free school meals.

    Mr David Laws

    Since the announcement of universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), Departmental officials have engaged in a number of discussions with primary school head teachers and their representatives, local authorities and other interested parties, to explore how this policy can be implemented so that the benefits of universal free school meal provision for children and families are maximised.

    The content of the departmental advice document on universal infant free school meals, which was published on 6 March, was based on feedback gathered through these discussions. Before it was published, the document was commented on by the Department’s UIFSM external reference group, which includes representatives from schools and local authorities.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, What recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues about the Government’s policy on devolution and decentralisation.

    Mr Nick Clegg

    I meet regularly with Ministerial colleagues to discuss this Government’s policy of decentralising responsibility to the most appropriate levels.

  • Dr Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dr Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Julian Huppert on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report, The medical implications of vehicle-mounted water cannon with special reference to the Ziegler Wasserwerfer 9000 (WaWe 9) system, published by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in 2013.

    Damian Green

    The Home Secretary has now received the request to authorise water cannon for
    use by the police in England and Wales. She is considering this request and
    will announce her decision in due course and lay the relevant information in
    the House Library.

  • Mr David Nuttall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mr David Nuttall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr David Nuttall on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual saving to the defence budget will be from the disbandment of the Second Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The annual cost of a Regiment will depend on that Regiment’s size, role and manpower mix and will comprise a combination of personnel, training, infrastructure and equipment. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

    However, based on manpower capitation rates, the average annual cost of a Light Infantry Battalion is in the region of £27.5 million.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of local authorities which registered for emergency financial assistance under the Bellwin Scheme as a result of recent flooding have received payment within 15 working days.

    Brandon Lewis

    [Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]

    Bellwin provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet uninsurable costs they incur when responding to a major emergency in their area. The level of funding over time is casually linked to the scale of flooding or other emergency. It operates by local authorities retrospectively claiming spending back.

    As at 27 March 2014, only five local authorities have submitted Bellwin claims in respect of the recent flooding. One of these claims was paid within 15 days. The other four claims have only been received in the last few days and should also be paid within 15 days. Local authorities have until the end of June 2014 to apply.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-03-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have utilised their full tax-free ISA allowance in each of the last three years in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency.

    Mr David Gauke

    Until 1 July 2014 there are two allowances for ISAs: a cash and an overall allowance. This answer assumes you are asking about the overall allowance.

    The following table contains the number of individuals who made full use of their (£10,680) ISA allowance in 2011-12 in the UK and in Scotland.

    Country

    Number of individuals (thousands)

    Scotland

    73

    United Kingdom

    1,005

    A breakdown for 2012-13 and 2013-14 is not yet available. Constituency-level statistics are not available.

    As announced at Budget 2014, from 1 July 2014 the overall annual New ISA subscription limit will be increased to £15,000 and can be used for either cash or stocks and shares investments, or any combination of the two, up to this limit.

    This measure will reduce income tax on savings for people constrained by the current limits, improving incentives to save and increasing real household disposable incomes. Over 6 million people are expected to benefit from these increases, including over 5 million adults expected to be constrained by the cash ISA limit.