Tag: 2014

Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government Response to Lord Heseltine’s report No Stone Unturned: in Pursuit of Growth, when he expects to publish a draft legislative reform order to ensure that the current legislation on combined authorities is fit for purpose.

Brandon Lewis

As I told the House on 18 March 2014, Official Report, Column 704, and as my rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles) indicated on 3 March 2014, Official Report, Column 621, we are minded to amend legislation to allow councils that do not share the same boundaries to join a combined authority, if they wish. This change can be delivered through a Legislative Reform Order, subject to statutory consultation and approval of Parliament.

November 1, 2022
Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has for the future of the Public Defender Service.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The Public Defender Service (PDS) will continue to deliver a range of quality services within the criminal defence market from advice and representation at the police station and magistrates courts through to advocacy in the higher courts.

November 1, 2022
Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nick Gibb on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will list all academy sponsors with 10 or more academies. [R]

Mr Edward Timpson

Sponsors with 10 or more academies are:

· Academies Enterprise Trust (AET)

· Academy Transformation Trust

· ARK Schools

· Cabot Learning Federation

· CfBT Education Trust

· Clifton Diocese

· David Ross Education Trust (DRET)

· Diocese of Salisbury Academies

· Diocese of Wakefield

· E-ACT

· Elliot Foundation

· Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust

· Harris Federation

· Kemnal Academy Trust, The (TKAT)

· Northern Education Trust

· Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service (NRCDES)

· Oasis Community Learning

· Ormiston Academies Trust

· Outwood Grange Academies Trust

· REAch2 Academy Trust

· School Partnership Trust Academies (SPTA)

· The Education Fellowship Trust

· The Griffin Schools Trust

· The Primary Academies Trust

· United Learning

November 1, 2022
David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to ensure a high standard of teaching in numeracy and literacy.

Elizabeth Truss

We have published a more rigorous curriculum for English and mathematics. The new national curriculum sets expectations that match those in the highest-performing education jurisdictions in the world, challenging pupils to realise their potential in an increasingly competitive global market. It increases the level of demand from an early age, with greater emphasis on arithmetic, including learning times tables to 12 x 12 by age 9 and removing calculators from key stage 2 tests in mathematics, and on phonics, grammar and vocabulary development in English. GCSEs in English language and mathematics are also being reformed to be more challenging and give stronger guarantees of literacy and numeracy, with the mathematics GCSE in particular covering more than the current GCSE.

We are confident that our reform to the national curriculum will give teachers greater flexibility and freedom, which will help to raise standards and expectations for all pupils. It has been significantly slimmed down and will free-up teachers to use their professional judgement to provide support that best meets the needs of their pupils.

We have invested in and reformed initial teacher training (ITT) to focus on attracting the very best graduates with the right qualities for teaching into the profession through making more scholarships available; using bursaries to attract more of the most talented graduates in key subjects such as maths and physics and supporting the expansion of the highly-successful Teach First programme. Teach First is now the largest graduate recruiter in any sector in the United Kingdom.

In 2013/14, we recruited 96% of the overall number of trainees we set out to recruit and the proportion with first-class or 2:1 degrees has risen 3 percentage points (74%) – a record compared to last year (71%). We have raised the bar for entry into ITT by making skills tests tougher, limiting candidates to two re-sits and making passing the tests in literacy and numeracy a requirement before entering, rather than exiting, ITT.

Sir Andrew Carter has been appointed to lead an independent review about the effectiveness of ITT. As part of this, the review will look at ITT courses for both primary and secondary teaching to consider how well trainees are equipped to become outstanding teachers.

November 1, 2022

Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of employees in his Department of what (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.

Dan Rogerson

Information for core Defra staff is as follows.

Grade

Gender

Compressed Hours

Term Time Working

Part Time

Male

Female

60%

Male

Female

14%

Male

Female

18%

HEO

Male

Female

20%

SEO

Male

Female

21%

Grade 7

Male

Female

28%

Grade 6

Male

Female

10%

21%

SCS

Male

Female

23%

Notes:

The term “reduced hours” has been interpreted as meaning part-time working.

Other information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only by incurring disproportionate costs.

November 1, 2022

Robert Syms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Syms on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, in determining the reduction in UK carbon dioxide emissions arising from Navitus Bay, what allowance his Department for UK carbon dioxide emissions from backup baseload generation to cover (a) for maintenance and repair downtime and (b) for the failure of the wind to blow in the operating range.

Gregory Barker

The Department does not undertake analysis or hold information of this nature relating to specific developments. The average load factor for offshore wind farms using five year historical data from 2008 to 2012 inclusive is 33.1%.

November 1, 2022
Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of an offence contrary to articles 43 to 54 of the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, in each of the last four years.

Simon Hughes

My department’s Court Proceedings Database holds information on criminal justice statistics only in England and Wales. Criminal Justice Statistics in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland.

November 1, 2022
Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the meeting between President Salva Kir and Riek Machar in Addis Ababa on 10 June 2014.

Mark Simmonds

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Summit on 10 June saw President Salva Kir and Riek Machar recommit to their earlier cessation of hostilities agreement, and agree to "expedite and complete dialogue on the formation of a transitional government of national unity within 60 days". This is an important step in the peace process. Both leaders must continue to respect the commitments they have made by reining in their fighters on the ground and engaging constructively in the Addis peace talks. The UK, along with our troika (UK, US and Norway) and EU partners, continues to support IGAD efforts to resolve the crisis.

November 1, 2022
Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2013, Official Report, columns 455-6W, on the Electoral Register, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Electoral Commission’s review of public engagement strategies.

Mr Gary Streeter

The Electoral Commission informs me that its Report, titled ‘Readiness for the transition to Individual Electoral Registration’ was published on 31 March with a copy placed in the House Library. The Commission’s report includes the conclusions of its assessment of all Electoral Registration Officers’ (EROs’) public engagement strategies, which found that all EROs have the right plans in place to identify the challenges for their particular local area and what mechanisms they will use to engage with residents to maximise registration. The Commission has also written to the honourable member with a copy of its report.

November 1, 2022
Liam Fox – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Fox on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what efforts his Department is making to support the Iraqi government in maintaining stability in that country.

Hugh Robertson

We are continuing to play an active role, providing a range of political and humanitarian support. On 12 June, we deployed a team of humanitarian experts to Northern Iraq. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) subsequently announced a £3million emergency aid package for civilians fleeing the violence in Mosul and surrounding areas. The package will help provide clean water and sanitation and essential medicine, as well as help the UNHCR establish camps for Internally Displaced People. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and are working with key partners, including the Red Cross/Red Crescent and UN agencies.

I met Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari in London on 12 June and underlined the our support for the Iraqi government and the people of Iraq in their struggle against terrorism. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague)has been engaging actively with international leaders in recent days on how to respond to the current situation in Iraq, including discussions with US Secretary Kerry, the Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian Foreign Ministers, and the Israeli Minister for National Security.

We have made clear the need for an inclusive and unified approach within Iraq. The immediate need is for the Iraqi Security Forces to stabilise the situation, working with civilian and regional authorities in order to establish unity and cooperation across the country. Regional actors also can and must play a constructive role.

November 1, 2022