Blog

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many defibrillators are provided in each building her Department manages.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The number of defibrillators held in buildings managed by the Department is as follows:

    Building

    No. of defibrillators

    3 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW

    1

    55 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2EW

    1

    Atholl House, 86-88 Guild Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6AR

    1

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much the Government plans to spend from the public purse on supporting or enabling exploratory and productive fracking in the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government supports the safe and sustainable development of unconventional hydrocarbons, but we will not subsidise shale gas development. Exploration and production are a commercial matter for developers.

    The Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil (OUGO) has been established within DECC to lead on the policy area and co-ordinate work with other Government Departments and regulators. This is to encourage the development of the UK’s shale industry whilst ensuring that robust regulations are in place to safeguard public safety and protect the environment.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of (a) known available oil and gas reserves and (b) reserves estimated to be found as a result of fracking she plans to be left unexploited.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The amount of exploitable oil and gas reserves is determined by their commercial viability, which is a decision for industry. The shale gas industry in the UK is still at a very early stage and production has not yet started. The Government will not be able to forecast the scale or timing of shale development until the results from first exploration sites are available and it is possible to estimate the extent of gas that can be technically and commercially recovered.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy that personal social health, economic and education be compulsory in all schools.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government wants all young people to leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. High quality personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) teaching has an important role to play in providing young people with a curriculum for life, which equips them with the skills and understanding they need to manage their lives, succeed and stay safe. We have made it clear in the introduction to the framework of the national curriculum that all schools should teach PSHE.

    We have committed to improving the quality of PSHE and intend to make significant progress on this issue during this Parliament. The Department for Education is currently working with headteachers and other experts to identify how we can continue to improve the quality of PSHE for every pupil.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve personal social health and economic education in schools.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government wants all young people to leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. High quality personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) teaching has an important role to play in providing young people with a curriculum for life, which equips them with the skills and understanding they need to manage their lives, succeed and stay safe. We have made it clear in the introduction to the framework of the national curriculum that all schools should teach PSHE.

    We have committed to improving the quality of PSHE and intend to make significant progress on this issue during this Parliament. The Department for Education is currently working with headteachers and other experts to identify how we can continue to improve the quality of PSHE for every pupil.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people achieved qualified teacher status in religious studies in each of the last five years.

    Nick Gibb

    The numbers of new entrants to religious education initial teacher training (ITT) courses in England, and the target levels, for each of the last five years are as shown in Table 1 below.

    The numbers of people achieving qualified teacher status (QTS) in religious studies in each of the last five years are as shown in Table 2 below.

    Table 1: New entrants to Religious Education ITT courses.

    Year

    Postgraduate ITT new entrants

    Postgraduate ITT target

    Percentage of the postgraduate target achieved

    Undergraduate ITT new entrants

    2011/12

    463

    446

    104%

    15

    2012/13

    471

    439

    107%

    12

    2013/14

    367

    450

    82%

    12

    2014/15

    386

    537

    72%

    8

    2015/16

    411

    650

    63%

    14

    Table 2: Final year religious education trainees obtaining QTS awards.

    Year

    Postgraduate

    Undergraduate

    Number awarded QTS

    Number not awarded QTS

    Total

    Percentage awarded QTS

    Number awarded QTS

    Number not awarded QTS

    Total

    Percentage awarded QTS

    2009/10

    755

    96

    851

    89%

    12

    2

    14

    86%

    2010/11

    762

    78

    840

    91%

    19

    2

    21

    90%

    2011/12

    464

    71

    535

    87%

    17

    7

    24

    71%

    2012/13

    419

    65

    484

    87%

    25

    5

    30

    83%

    2013/14

    321

    23

    344

    93%

    12

    0

    12

    100%

    Further information is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-teacher-training

  • Fiona Mactaggart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Fiona Mactaggart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she last met the Home Secretary to discuss support for unaccompanied asylum seeking children and trafficked children; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government attaches high priority to ensuring that unaccompanied asylum seeking children and trafficked children who arrive in the UK are safe and well cared for. Responsibility for this rests with local authorities.

    On 15 December 2015, the Minister for Immigration and Ico-hosted a round table with key local authority representatives to discuss how this responsibility can be shared more evenly between local authorities, in order to relieve pressure on children’s services in those areas with a disproportionately high number. We believe that sharing out this responsibility will benefit both the children involved and other children already in the care of those authorities. Ensuring that unaccompanied asylum seeking children are safe and well supported will remain of paramount importance for any new arrangements arising out of these discussions.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Oral Answer to the hon. Member for Litchfield of 14 January 2016, how the media-smart literacy resources regarding body image are distributed to parents.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Media Smart media literacy resource is owned by Media Smart, which is an arm of the Advertising Association. The resource is currently being updated and will be available on their website in due course.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure schools in deprived areas have adequate money in their budgets to take children on school trips connected to the curriculum.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    At the last Spending Review, the Chancellor announced that the Government would meet its manifesto commitment to protect the core schools budget throughout this Parliament. We have also protected the pupil premium at its current rates, worth £2.5 billion annually. Additionally, all local authorities must include a deprivation factor in their local funding formulae, through which they distribute funding to schools in their locality. It is for individual schools to decide how best to use their funding to raise the attainment of pupils, including those from deprived backgrounds, which can include visits in support of the curriculum.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how the PSHE Association guidance on body image is distributed to teachers.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The PSHE Association guidance on body image is available for download from the PSHE Association website. This is a freely available resource that can be accessed by anyone wishing to find out further information on how to address this topic, and what resources are available to do so. Anyone accessing the website, including teachers, can download the document here: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?ID=1437