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  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the additional (a) salary and (b) other costs which are incurred by schools in London, compared with those outside London; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    On Monday 7 March the Department published our consultation for a national funding formula, which is now open until 17 April. The consultation explains our proposals to use an area cost adjustment to reflect variation in labour market costs, given the significant impact of such costs to school spending. We are currently consulting on which methodology we should use to do this, and will bring forward our response in due course, once the consultation has closed.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review eligibility arrangements for the teacher’s Pension Scheme to enable supply teachers to participate in that scheme.

    Nick Gibb

    The Teachers’ Pensions Regulations currently provide for supply teachers to participate in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) where they are employed by a scheme employer. These are local authorities (LAs), academies and further education colleges. This includes supply teachers who are recruited by a supply agency but then employed directly, under a contract of employment, by the scheme employer.

    Where supply teachers are self-employed or remain employed by a supply agency and their services are provided under a ‘contract for services’, it is not possible for them to participate in the TPS as there is no organisation to undertake the employer role, including remitting contributions to the scheme.

    The Department does not plan to review these arrangements and considers that it is for employers and teachers to determine how supply teachers are employed, which can in turn enable access to the TPS under the current arrangements.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 2 March 2016, Official Report, column 943, what the evidential basis is for the statement that there are 36,500 fewer pupils in overcrowded schools than in 2010.

    Edward Timpson

    I refer the Honourable member to my response to question 29204 submitted to Parliament on Friday 4 March 2016. The answer shows that the total number of primary and secondary pupils in excess of capacity has reduced by 47,513 between 2010 and 2014.

  • Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tommy Sheppard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to deploy (a) Fijian soldiers serving in the British Army and (b) other Army resources for humanitarian purposes in Fiji in response to the recent cyclone.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Ministry of Defence’s humanitarian relief deployments are typically in response to either a request from the Department for International Development or directly from the government affected. The UK did not receive a request for assistance from the Fijian government and so currently has no plans to deploy personnel or assets.

  • Owen Thompson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Owen Thompson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance is issued under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 to homes along the route of convoys transporting nuclear weapons.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 apply to areas, defined in each case by the Office for Nuclear Regulation, surrounding nuclear sites. The regulations do not apply to road transport and therefore no guidance is issued.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26813, what the job titles are of those people in receipt of excess fares allowance, paid car allowances or subsidised health insurance.

    Mark Lancaster

    Personnel in receipt of Excess Fares Allowance, Paid Car Allowance or Subsidised Health Insurance are employed in the Job Families outlined below:

    Business Management and Improvement

    Estates

    Commercial

    Finance

    Communications and Media

    Health Professionals

    Corporate Support

    Health, Safety and Environmental Protection

    Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Commercial

    Human Resources

    DE&S Corporate Services

    Information

    DE&S Engineering

    Internal Audit

    DE&S Finance and Accounting

    Logistics

    DE&S Human Resources

    Policy Strategy and Parliamentary

    DE&S Information Management and IT

    Portfolio, Programme and Project

    DE&S Integrated Logistics

    Security

    DE&S Project Controls

    Training and Education

    DE&S Project Management

    Defence Intelligence

    Engineering and Science

    Notes:

    Job Families are a broader grouping based upon the type of role.

    Job Families where five or less personnel are in receipt of one or more allowances have not been included.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are being taken to improve the mutual supply chain of goods and services between the Mount Pleasant Military Base and small and medium-sized enterprises and the Chamber of Commerce in the Falkland Islands.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Secretary of State discussed these issues with the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses when he visited the Falkland Islands in February. British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI) will continue to work with the local commercial sector, including the Falkland Islands Chamber of Commerce, to develop opportunities for local supply of good and services including by small and medium-sized enterprises, within the legal and regulatory constraints that govern the Ministry of Defence’s commercial activity. For example, we have recently put in place arrangements for the supply of locally generated renewable energy to BFSAI and to employ local companies for infrastructure work.

  • Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that bodies undertaking anti-doping investigations in UK sport have access to the most up-to-date science and technology; and if he will make a statement.

    David Evennett

    UK Anti-Doping’s dedicated Science and Medical team work closely with the Drug Control Centre at King’s College London and others to research new substances and methods of using performance enhancing substances, as well as provide expertise in helping to develop new detection methods.

    Under the World Anti-Doping Code, UK Anti-Doping can store samples for up to 10 years to allow retrospective testing of samples as new testing methods are developed.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding his Department has allowed to arts groups in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency in each of the last three years.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Morecambe and Lunesdale has enjoyed record levels of funding over the past three years – £105,182 in 2013/14; £164,390 in 2014/15; and £321,295 in 2015/16 (year to date to 7th March).

    This investment from Arts Council England has supported a number of exciting projects, including Lancaster Arts Partnership First Fridays, the Mirrored Minds Research and Development project.

  • Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds into anti-doping in UK sport; and if he will make a statement.

    David Evennett

    UK Anti-Doping is an Arms Length Body of DCMS and regularly advises my Department on all anti-doping matters.