The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff employed by his Department received each level of performance rating in their end of year performance assessment for 2013-14.
Anna Soubry
This information is not yet available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the guidance published by his Department on 25 March 2014, on Sure Start centres: local authority duties, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the core purpose of Sure Start children’s centres.
Elizabeth Truss
Sure Start children’s centres statutory guidance was published in April 2013; the web page containing it was last reviewed on 25 March 2014.
The statutory guidance states the core purpose of Sure Start children’s centres is to improve outcomes for young children and their families, with a particular focus on those in greatest need. The Department extensively consulted on draft statutory guidance, including the core purpose, in 2012. The response was positive, with 85% of respondees (local authorities, children’s centre managers, voluntary sector bodies and others) finding the document clear on statutory duties.
As I said to the Education Committee on 18 June, Ofsted is going to be moving to a local-authority-based inspection regime for children’s centres and I am very happy to look at the core purpose, particularly in the light of what Ofsted put out as their inspection regime, if there is a lack of clarity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Byles on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Answer of 14 May 2014, Official Report, column 593W, on electricity, what recent discussions he has had with the Independent Renewables Generators Group on the timing of the introduction of auctioning; what assessment he has made of independent generators’ ability to raise project finance against the Offtaker of Last Resort before October 2014; and if he will make a statement.
Michael Fallon
I met with the Independent Renewable Generators Group on 24th February 2014 and discussed the introduction of auctioning for Contracts for Difference (CfDs).
The Offtaker of Last Resort will support independent renewable generators by providing for the worst-case route-to-market, allowing generators to raise project finance without necessarily having to enter long-term PPAs. As a result, such generators are likely only to need short-term PPAs in order to maximise their secured revenue and level of gearing. We are on track to deliver the final policy and introduce enabling regulations ahead of first allocation of CfDs. CfD applicants will, therefore, have a high degree of clarity about the arrangements for OLR in advance of the first auctions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with his counterparts in Egypt and Libya lessening the threat along the borders of those countries caused by terrorist networks in Libya.
Hugh Robertson
The National Security Adviser visited Egypt on 10-11 June and Libya on 16 June, and discussed the situation on the Libyan-Egyptian border with the then Egyptian Foreign Minister Fahmy and Libyan PM Al Thinni. We will continue to discuss means to lessen the threat along Libya’s borders with the Government of Libya and those of neighbouring states.
The UK is providing direct support to strengthen Libya’s borders. We have a Border Security Adviser embedded with the Libyan Border Security HQ, and provide four UK experts to the EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM), including the Deputy Head of Mission. The UK’s Defence Advisory Training Team provides advice and training to the Libyan Ministry of Defence and institutions, including the Border Security Force.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the briefing notes issued by the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights dated 20 June 2014, on the legislative amendment before the Israeli Knesset relating to force-feeding and medical treatment of prisoners on hunger strike, what steps he is taking to ensure that international human rights and international humanitarian law human rights are upheld by all parties.
Hugh Robertson
Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv met with an official from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office on 17 June and expressed our concern over the bill. We are continuing to monitor developments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Sanders on 2014-06-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps his Department has taken to further the provision of high speed broadband in the Heart of the South West area.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Devon and Somerset has already received nearly £32 million to provide superfast broadband to 95% of premises by early 2016. We have recently announced a further £22.75 million to extend coverage to 95% by 2017 . Devon and Somerset will also be the location for one of the pilots looking at the potential to go beyond 95% coverage.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-06-27.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2014, Official Report, column 675W, on Mapeley, how many years the Private Finance Initiative contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Mapeley Steps Contractor Limited has left to run.
Mr David Gauke
As explained in the answer I gave on 1 July 2014, Official Report, Column Reference 581W, a copy of the contract, which runs until April 2021, can be viewed on the National Archive website at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/freedom/steps-contract.htm
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many nursery places were available in City of York constituency in 1995-96 and in each year since.
Elizabeth Truss
I have asked Ofsted to respond using the data they hold on registered nursery places. The Ofsted Director for the Early Years, and North-East, Yorkshire and the Humber, Nick Hudson, will write to the Hon. Gentleman, and a copy of his response will be placed in the House Libraries. Some providers such as schools with nursery provision for children aged three or over are exempt from registration. The number of places therefore may not include the full range of early years provision available in the area.
The Department for Education’s Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey[1] collects data on all registered childcare places, including those in maintained schools and nurseries. These figures are therefore more comprehensive than the Ofsted figures; however data is only available at a national and regional level, and in this case only for the North East, Yorkshire and Humberside combined.
[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2011
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hectares of Forestry Commission public forest estate there was in Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 2008-09; and what the make-up of such forest was.
Dan Rogerson
The latest figures for area of the Forestry Commission public forest estate in the Yorkshire and Humber region are set out in the table below. The data is organised to show area of coniferous woodland and broadleaved woodland. Land on the public forest estate which does not fall into either of these two categories is shown as ‘other’; this includes open habitats and land waiting to be restocked after felling.
|
|
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Broadleaved |
2,488 |
2,594 |
2,680 |
2,704 |
2,749 |
2,782 |
|
Conifer |
15,015 |
14,726 |
14,446 |
14,285 |
14,030 |
13,923 |
|
Other |
4,267 |
4,362 |
4,244 |
4,259 |
4,469 |
4,545 |
|
|
23,779 |
23,693 |
23,382 |
23,260 |
23,261 |
23,264 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average gross earnings of a full-time equivalent NHS nurse were in (a) cash and (b) real terms in (i) England and (ii) York in 1996-97 and in each year since.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The primary source of National Health Service earnings data is published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Data on average basic pay per full-time equivalent is taken from this publication. This is based on Electronic Staff Record data which is only available from 2008-09 onwards so the data series cannot be extended into early years. Data relating to York relates to the former North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust and York Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust. For reference a comparison of basic pay per headcount, which has not specifically been requested, is provided.
England
|
Year |
Average Total Earnings Cash £ |
Average Total Earnings Real Terms £ |
|
2008-09 |
28,384 |
31,784 |
|
2009-10 |
29,412 |
32,056 |
|
2010-11 |
30,174 |
32,050 |
|
2011-12 |
30,439 |
31,596 |
|
2012-13 |
30,657 |
31,270 |
|
2013-14 |
30,917 |
30,917 |
York
|
Year |
Average Total Earnings Cash £ |
Average Total Earnings Real Terms £ |
|
2008-09 |
27,988 |
31,341 |
|
2009-10 |
29,000 |
31,607 |
|
2010-11 |
30,194 |
32,071 |
|
2011-12 |
30,743 |
31,912 |
|
2012-13 |
31,787 |
32,423 |
|
2013-14 |
30,123 |
30,123 |