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Tag: 2014

  • Baroness Royall of Blaisdon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Royall of Blaisdon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what effect they consider that the provisions contained within clause 21 of the Infrastructure Bill will have onthe policy stated in their response to recommendation 27 of the Independent Panel on Forestry’s Final Report.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    There has been some uninformed and misleading speculation on this issue, as I am happy to make clear that the Infrastructure Bill’s provisions will have no impact on the Public Forest Estate. This point was also made by my noble Friend, Baroness Kramer, during Second Reading on 18 June 2014, Official Report, Column 899.

    Clause 21 of the Infrastructure Bill is completely unconnected to the Government’s stated policy to establish a new public body to hold the Public Forest Estate.

    The Government has no intention of transferring land from the new body to the Homes and Communities Agency, as the Public Forest Estate is currently in use and not declared surplus. As such, the powers will not be used in relation to this body and will therefore have no effect on it.

    Instead, Clause 21 simply enables surplus land to transfer directly from named public bodies directly to the Homes and Communities Agency, rather than being transferred into the ownership of a Whitehall department first, saving unnecessary bureaucracy. The underlying policy intention is to make it easier for surplus and redundant brownfield land to be sold and help build more homes.

    The Clause 21 arrangements will only apply to public bodies included on a list set out in secondary legislation. I can confirm that this list will not include the new body to hold the Public Forest Estate.

  • Lord Lea of Crondall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Lea of Crondall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lea of Crondall on 2014-04-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of annuities purchased over the last five years for which data are available were worth (1) between £500 and £2,000 per annum, (2) between £2,001 and £5,000 per annum, (3) between £5,001 and £10,000 per annum, and (4) between £10,000 and £20,000 per annum, in value at the point of purchase.

    Lord Newby

    There is no requirement for individuals to report the purchase of an annuity and the Government does not collect data on the number or purchase value of annuities. Industry data is collected and published by the Association of British Insurers and may be found on their website https://www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Industry-data/

    “

  • Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 17 December 2013 (WA 189), what was the text of the Somali nationality law which required in the case of Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed the loss of Somali nationality on his naturalisation as a British citizen.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The following is a direct quote from Article 10 of the 1962 Somali nationality law which governed loss of Somali citizenship – Any Somali citizen who:
    a) having established his residence abroad, voluntarily acquires foreign country (sic);
    b) having established his residence abroad, and having acquired, for reasons beyond his will, foreign citizenship or the status as subject of a foreign country, declares to renounce foreign citizenship;
    c) being abroad and having accepted employment from a foreign Government or voluntarily serving in the armed forces of a foreign country, continues to retain his post, notwithstanding the notice from, the Somali Government that, unless he leaves the employment or the service within a definite period of time, he shall lose Somali citizenship; shall cease to be a Somali citizen.

  • Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to A UK Strategy for Agricultural Technologies, what progress has been made in identifying skills needed to support the agri-tech research progress; and what steps he is taking to ensure the identified skills are being procured.

    Mr David Willetts

    The Agri-Tech Strategy Leadership Council is delivering the skills commitments in the Strategy. Current work includes working with the UK Research Councils and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to map the gaps in research skills; working with the Agri-Skills Forum to promote the professionalisation of careers in agriculture; and working with Government to help shape the new Rural Development Programme with respect to agri-skills.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes local authorities are required to make to their information technology services in order to remain connected to the gov.uk secure network.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The Public Services Network (PSN) is a new and trusted single network for government. Ninety-eight per cent of local authorities have already transitioned to PSN, with the remainder due to transfer before the end of summer.

    The Cabinet Office is supporting local authorities as they transition to PSN by providing guidance, project managers and information assurance specialists.

  • Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Julie Elliott – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much solar photovoltaic generating capacity was installed on roof tops under the 250-5MWp FIT band in 2013; and how much capacity will be so installed in 2014.

    Gregory Barker

    In 2013 5MW of solar photovoltaic (across 10 installations) was installed under the 250-5MW FIT band. The Central FIT Register, from which these figures are taken, does not contain information on whether these installations are located on roof tops or ground mounted but all schemes under this tariff band will be wired to provide electricity to a building.

    However the government is actively focused on unlocking to deployment in the mid-sized market. Our current estimates suggest that around 20-230MW may be deployed in the 250-5000kW tariff band in 2014; this range reflects the uncertainties described above.

  • Adrian Bailey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Adrian Bailey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Bailey on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many higher national diplomas and (b) higher national certificates have been completed in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr David Willetts

    The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on student qualifiers at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The number of students registered at an English Higher Education Institution, who qualified with a Higher National Diploma (HND) and a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in the last 10 years can be found in the table below.

    It has not been possible to provide a time series data for FECs because of the disproportionate cost in providing this analysis.

    Qualifiers from HND and HNC courses by mode of study

    Registered at English Higher Education Institutions

    Academic year 2003/04 to 2012/13

    Level of study

    Mode of study

    2003/04

    2004/05

    2005/06

    2006/07

    2007/08

    2008/09

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    HND

    Full-Time

    7,660

    6,035

    5,025

    3,980

    3,475

    2,630

    2,635

    2,460

    2,385

    1,955

    Part-Time

    1,575

    1,465

    1,140

    1,140

    860

    720

    710

    565

    540

    515

    Total

    9,235

    7,500

    6,165

    5,120

    4,335

    3,350

    3,345

    3,025

    2,925

    2,470

    HNC

    Full-Time

    135

    125

    160

    160

    75

    55

    135

    160

    115

    215

    Part-Time

    3,940

    3,195

    2,995

    2,780

    2,745

    2,900

    3,155

    2,320

    2,275

    1,785

    Total

    4,075

    3,320

    3,155

    2,945

    2,825

    2,955

    3,295

    2,480

    2,390

    2,000

    Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record

    Notes:

    1. Figures are based on HESA qualifications obtained population and have been rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of five, so components may not sum to totals.

    2. Students registered at English HEIs will include both students studying at English HEIs and students franchised at Further Education Colleges.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the highest number of previous convictions for burglary for an individual convicted of an offence of burglary without being sent to prison was in each year since 2010.

    Jeremy Wright

    It has not been possible to obtain this information. I will write to the Honourable member in due course.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of potential savings to the public purse from the Shared Services Connected Ltd venture.

    Mr Francis Maude

    There has been cross-party agreement on the need for Shared Services for a decade but until recently all too little was achieved.

    Independent Shared Service Centres will deliver a lower cost better quality of service, helping us to deliver a faster, smaller and more unified Civil Service.

    Shared Service Connected Limited will contribute to the savings deliveredto the taxpayer by the transformation of back office functions, which will total over £400m by 2015/16.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects to announce the finalists for each community rehabilitation company; and if he will make a statement.

    Jeremy Wright

    The contract winners for each Community Rehabilitation Company will be announced by the end of 2014. Bids to run the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) have yet to be submitted, but are expected in June 2014. In mid December 2013, the 30 bidders who passed the first stage of the competition to bid for the rehabilitation contracts were announced and approximately one third of the bidders included a potential mutual organisation within their consortium. A list of the bidders who have been successful at this stage can be found at:

    https://www.justice.gov.uk/transforming-rehabilitation/competition

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