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Tag: 2014

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements are in place to fund the expansion of the Combined Cadet Force; and what the estimated total cost of that expansion is.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Expansion of the Combined Cadet Force is under way through the joint Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Department for Education Cadet Expansion Programme which was launched in 2012. The programme is on target to provide 100 new cadet units in state schools in England by September 2015.

    The programme had an initial budget of £10.85 million to meet start-up costs for the first 100 units. Fixed and running costs of these units are being absorbed through efficiencies found from existing MOD budgets.

    The expansion programme is also supported by the Cadet Bursary Fund, a charitable fund launched by the Prime Minister in June 2014. This fund, which provides grants to help schools alleviate financial barriers to establishing new units, particularly additional staff costs, was supported with £1 million from LIBOR fines.

    The total cost of the expansion will depend on the number of cadets in each unit, and the eventual number of new units. It is too early to say how many cadets there will be in the first 100 new units and plans and funding for any expansion beyond September 2015 will be a matter for the Government returned after the election, and for the 2015 Spending Review.

  • Miss Anne McIntosh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Miss Anne McIntosh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Miss Anne McIntosh on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Greek counterpart on elections in that country in January 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Lidington

    Neither the Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) nor I have discussed the Greek elections with our counterparts in Greece. It is for the Greek people to decide on their government. We look forward to working with the Government of Greece after the elections and maintaining the excellent relations that we enjoy between our two countries, including in the context of our cooperation as members of NATO and the EU.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what budget was allocated by her Department to the Arab Women’s Enterprise Fund in each financial year from 2009-10; and what budget is allocated to that organisation for 2015-16.

    Justine Greening

    Information on previous budget allocations is available at http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/. 2015-16 allocations remain subject to ministerial approval.

    “

  • Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Griffiths – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Griffiths on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of registered sex offenders who travel abroad each year.

    Lynne Featherstone

    Public protection is a priority for this government, and the notification requirements for registered sex offenders form an invaluable tool in the management of offenders within the community. The UK has some of the toughest
    powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and we are committed to ensuring that the system is as robust as it can be.

    In 2012 this government extended and strengthened the system, including requiring offenders subject to the to the notification requirements to notify the police of all foreign travel.

    Registered sex offenders are managed by the local police force, and data on the number of registered sex offenders who travel abroad are not held centrally.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to provide retraining opportunities for (a) former employees of City Link and (b) others who have been made redundant in the parcel delivery sector.

    Esther McVey

    Jobcentre Plus through its Rapid Response Service (RRS) aims to address the effects of redundancies on individuals and the local community by helping those affected move into alternative employment quickly.

    RRS offers a range of support, tailored at a local level to the needs of the individual and the local labour market.

    Former City Link employees, or any other employee who has been made redundant in the parcel delivery sector would be eligible for RRS support and anyone who approaches their local Jobcentre will be advised and directed accordingly.

    In Scotland and Wales, RRS support is delivered in partnership with Skills Development Scotland (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) and the Welsh Assembly Government (Redundancy Action Scheme), respectively. The Department for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland (DELNI) leads support there. Each service is similarly serving the needs of City Link employees based there.

    Both DWP and BIS continue to work with the Administrator Ernst & Young and trade unions to see how we might further assist and support City Link employees in their movement back into employment.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Greg Mulholland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses were ordered by the Financial Services Ombudsman to award consumers fair compensation up to the £100,000 limit in each year from 2001 to 2011.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who are operationally independent from Government.

    These questions have been passed on to the FOS. The FOS will reply directly to the honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Heidi Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation Trust and (b) that Trust’s auditors on possible fraud within the Trust.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Trust reported to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) that a theft had occurred. The Trust undertook a full independent review, and the EFA monitored their response. The Department for Education’s most recent discussion with the Trust has been to confirm progress with the recovery of funds and the police investigation.

    The Department has not had recent discussions with the Trust’s auditors. The EFA reviewed the most recent audited accounts in early 2014.

    The Department does not hold a copy of the service level agreement between the Federation Trust and its schools.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of (a) stationery and (b) postage incurred when sending a ministerial reply to hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

    Amber Rudd

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s estimate of annual costs incurred for ministerial replies to Hon. Members is (a) £60 for stationery and (b) £5k for postage.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the delivery of the package of assistance pledged by the Prime Minister to the Nigerian government following the recent kidnapping of schoolgirls in that country.

    Mark Simmonds

    We continue to provide support to the Nigerian authorities in the search for the Chibok schoolgirls. In addition to the support announced by the Prime Minister, on 12 June we announced a further package of assistance. This package includes training and advice to the Nigerian armed forces; support to the Nigerian government in bringing increased development and prosperity to the North East; a commitment to draw 1 million more children into education in Northern Nigeria by 2020 and £1 million for the UN’s Safe Schools Initiative. We are agreeing the implementation of these measures with the Nigerian authorities and look forward to reviewing progress at a Ministerial meeting in Abuja in September.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of (a) stationery and (b) postage incurred when sending a ministerial reply to hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department estimates that in 2013 it spent approximately £3,900 on stationery for ministerial replies to hon. Member correspondence.

    All parliamentary post is delivered by a Departmental messenger, whose duties include, but are not limited to, delivering hon. Member correspondence. Any correspondence for constituency offices would be sent by post, when requested, but the Department does not record how many replies to hon. Members were sent to constituency offices.