The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contingency preparations they are making across departments for managing the transition of policy in the event of the UK voting to leave the EU.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The Government’s position is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they are giving to the government of Ethiopia to encourage the development of a strong private sector able to sustain economic development and employment.
Baroness Verma
The UK Government supports the Government of Ethiopia’s vision of becoming an industrialised, resilient country that is less reliant on aid. DFID Ethiopia is investing in an exciting portfolio of programmes to help deliver this, underpinned by rigorous analysis of the key constraints to growth and private sector development.
DFID is helping to create 45,000 jobs and raise the incomes of 65,000 people through our support to key Ethiopian priority sectors; increasing the availability of financial products to 350,000 people through support to micro-finance institutions and banks; and helping to increase incomes for over 1.4 million households by providing land certificates to farmers.
We are also supporting the Government of Ethiopia to use its own resources well to encourage growth and private sector development. We will provide technical advice on public investment to help the Government improve the effectiveness of its spending. This will include bringing in more private sector finance over time, for example through Public Private Partnerships– i.e. a contract between a private party and government which can bring additional financing as well as expertise. In addition, our work on tax will help the Government meet its revenue targets, improve the business environment, limit corruption and increase transparency.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Chancellor of the Exchequer last visited Africa to promote trade, investment and economic development; which countries he visited; and when he next intends to make such a visit.
Lord Price
Details of ministerial visits overseas are published on a quarterly basis and can be accessed via the gov.uk website. For security reasons, the Chancellor’s engagements are announced as and when appropriate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Prime Minister last visited Africa to promote trade, investment and economic development; which countries he visited; and when he next intends to make such a visit.
Lord Price
Details of ministerial visits overseas are published on a quarterly basis and can be accessed via the gov.uk website. For security reasons, the Prime Minister’s engagements are announced as and when appropriate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Naseby on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 24 February (HL6112), what processes the Department of Health has reviewed in the light of the guidance issued by the Cabinet Office on 6 February; what changes they have made, including in respect of individual contracts; and what are the details of each contract subject to such changes.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Department’s current policy already clearly states that grants will not be awarded if there is any indication within the application that some or all of any funding awarded will be used to support political activities. This condition is reinforced by a standard terms within the Grant Award letter.
In light of the draft implementation guidance issued by Cabinet Office on 6 February, the Department has engaged with relevant internal and external stakeholders to prepare for the mandatory implementation of the Cabinet Office guidance from 1 May 2016.
As announced on 27 April the introduction of the clause has been paused, pending a review of the representations made, and to give further time to consider any necessary adjustments to the wording of the clause, or the policy on its implementation.
The Cabinet Office are continuing to consider the comments of all interested parties, ahead of the introduction into grant agreements of the clause aimed at protecting taxpayers’ money from being wasted on government lobbying government.
The draft implementation guidance has been withdrawn, along with the go-live date of 1 May 2016. Further details will be announced in due course, including a revised implementation date and the Department will be working towards the revised timetable once it is received.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Naseby on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what definition of lobbying” is used by the Department of Health in its grant application process.”
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Department does not provide definitions of specific words used in the grant application processes, used by Voluntary Sector organisation. The Department policy clearly states that grants will not be awarded if there is any indication within the application that some or all of any funding awarded will be used to support political activities.
Grants Hub issued award letters have a standard term in the award letter which reinforces that no aspect of the activity being funded by the Department should be party political in intention, use or presentation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the report produced by the Insolvency Service on the collapse of the Comet Group, and whether they will take that report into account when conducting any review of the circumstances leading to the collapse of BHS.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
The Insolvency Service investigated Comet under provisions of the Companies Act, which means it is not possible to publish the report.
The Insolvency Service continuously builds on the experience gained in all its investigations to inform its work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the 100-year embargo on declassification of the papers of the 1963 Denning inquiry into the Profumo affair has been reduced to a shorter retention period.
Lord Bridges of Headley
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given by my predecessor to his previous question on 13 December 2013. The Government is working with the National Archives to transfer the Denning papers to Kew. We will make a further announcement in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Henig on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the successful candidates admitted to the Direct Entry Inspector programme were still in post as of 1 April.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The direct entry to superintendent scheme has been running since 2014; over the three years of its operation it has had a total of 2,049 applications.
The first direct entry scheme to inspector launched this year. There were 1,647 ap-plications and the selection process is ongoing. The first cohort are expected to start in November.
Details of success and retention for the direct entry to superintendent scheme are outlined in the table below.
|
Year |
Applications |
Successful at the assessment centre |
Started the scheme |
In post at 1 April 2016 |
|
2014 |
867 |
13 |
9 |
8 |
|
2015 |
542 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
|
2016 |
640 |
– |
– |
– |
Assessment centres for the 2016 inspectors’ and superintendents’ schemes will take place this summer.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Henig on 2016-04-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many candidates have applied for admission to the Direct Entry Inspector programme since its inception, and of those, how many were successful.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The direct entry to superintendent scheme has been running since 2014; over the three years of its operation it has had a total of 2,049 applications.
The first direct entry scheme to inspector launched this year. There were 1,647 ap-plications and the selection process is ongoing. The first cohort are expected to start in November.
Details of success and retention for the direct entry to superintendent scheme are outlined in the table below.
|
Year |
Applications |
Successful at the assessment centre |
Started the scheme |
In post at 1 April 2016 |
|
2014 |
867 |
13 |
9 |
8 |
|
2015 |
542 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
|
2016 |
640 |
– |
– |
– |
Assessment centres for the 2016 inspectors’ and superintendents’ schemes will take place this summer.