The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-06-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the potential effect of the tax-free childcare scheme on childcare prices; and if he will make a statement.
Nicky Morgan
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer that I gave on 25 March 2014, Official Report, column c152W.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department gives schools and teachers on online abuse from a student towards a teacher.
Elizabeth Truss
Guidance to schools about online abuse by pupils towards teachers is set out in our advice document, ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying’. This guidance signposts schools to ‘Digizen.Org’ who offer a range of advice and support for school staff. Schools can also access a range of practical resources from the UK Safer Internet Centre.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on diagnosing food allergy in children and young people in a primary care and unit setting are adhered to by general practitioners.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guideline, Food allergy in children and young people, published in 2011, sets out best practice on the care treatment and support for children and young people with food allergy. NICE clinical guidelines are designed to support healthcare professionals in their work, but they do not replace their knowledge and skills and experience in deciding how best to manage patients.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Miss Anne McIntosh on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many projects have received funds from the Regional Growth Fund in (a) Thirsk and Malton constituency, (b) North Yorkshire and (c) the North of England in each of the last five years.
Michael Fallon
No Regional Growth Fund (RGF) awards have been made in the constituency of Thirsk and Malton.
The following table shows the number of projects and programmes in the region that have been awarded RGF grants in Rounds 1-4 and the years in which the selected bidders for each round were announced.
|
RGF Round |
Year selected bidders were announced |
The North (North East, North West, Yorkshire & Humberside) |
North Yorkshire |
|
1 |
2011 |
27 |
0 |
|
2 |
2011 |
90 |
1 |
|
3 |
2012 |
50 |
0 |
|
4 |
2013 |
30 |
0 |
Selected bidders for Round 5 were announced in April 2014 and Round 5 contracting is under way.
Businesses in the North of England can apply to regional and national RGF programmes for support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2014-06-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has accrued to the Exchequer in VAT receipts from the sale of sanitary products in each of the last five years; and if he will review the applicability of such a tax with existing equality legislation.
Mr David Gauke
VAT receipts from the sale of sanitary products, subject to the reduced rate of VAT, are estimated to have been approximately £15m in each of the last five years.
VAT rules apply the standard rate of 20 per cent to most goods and services. While there are exceptions to this standard rate, these are strictly limited under EU VAT law.
One such exception is that female sanitary products can be subject to a reduced rate of VAT. Since 2001, the UK has therefore applied a 5 per cent reduced rate of VAT, the lowest permissible under EU law, to the supply of sanitary products.
The application of VAT in the EU, including rates and flexibilities afforded to member states in this regard, is governed by EU law. It means, for example that the Government cannot apply a zero rate tofemale sanitary products. That would require a change to EU VAT legislation, which would require a proposal from the European Commission and the unanimous agreement of all 28 member states.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding his Department has allocated to the maintenance of war memorials in each of the next three years; what steps it takes to ensure that war memorials are maintained to a high standard; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The DCMS-run Memorial Grant Scheme has a budget of £543,000 for this financial year. Grants are available to charities and faith groups, and can be used to repair and maintain war memorials. The Government has today announced that it will give the War Memorials Trust up to £3 million over the First World War centenary period to boost the funds available to local communities for the repair and conservation of war memorials. English Heritage, Imperial War Museums and Civic Voice will together be given £1.5 million over the same period to deliver better protection through Listing, a greater pool of specialist skills, a national register of war memorials, and a network of trained volunteers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Menzies Campbell on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the (a) Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, (b) 2 Close Support Battalion REME and (c) 110 Provost Company RMP are scheduled to move to Leuchars; how many military personnel make up each unit; and how many (i) spouses and (ii) school-age children are attached to each unit.
Mr Mark Francois
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Royal Scots DG) and 2 Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (2 CS Bn REME) are due to relocate to RAF Leuchars during the summer of 2015, whilst 110 Provost Company (110 Pro Coy), Royal Military Police, will arrive in tranches from late 2015 to 2018.
The number of personnel, spouses and school aged children are as follows:
| UNIT | Personnel | Spouses | Children(0-4) | Children(5-16) |
| Royal Scots DG | 404 | 141 | 118 | 151 |
| 2 CS Bn REME | 263 | 108 | 53 | 91 |
| 110 Pro Coy | 138 | 38 | 30 | 35 |
| Total | 805 | 287 | 201 | 277 |
Dependents data is subject to change due to inflow and outflow of personnel to and from the units and has been estimated for planning purposes.
Fife Education Authority has visited the units in Germany and are in regular contact with officials regarding the number of children relocating to RAF Leuchars.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Reckless on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many places for initial teacher training starting in 2014 have been allocated to (a) Schools Direct and (b) higher education providers.
Mr David Laws
We initially allocated 15,254 places to School Direct and 23,095 places to higher education institutions for the 2014/15 academic year.
Further details of the initial allocations have been published on the gov.uk website:
We will publish final allocation information reflecting any changes later this year.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Gibb on 2014-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department’s executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies hold with the Educational Testing Service or any of that organisation’s subsidiaries.
Gregory Barker
Neither (a) The Department of Energy and Climate Change nor (b) its non-Departmental public bodies hold any contracts with the Educational Testing Service or its subsidiaries.
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 make representations to the Iranian govrnment on the arrest of Silas Rabbani, Karaj Farshid, Fathi Alireza, Seyydin, Mohammad Rohangir, Surush Saraie, Escander Rezale, Shahnin Lahouty and Medhei Ameruni; and if he will urge that government to confirm that those people are healthy and safe in the location where they are and that their families be made aware of this.
Hugh Robertson
We are aware of the arrests of Silas Rabbani, Karaj Farshid, Fathi Alireza, Seyydin, Mohammad Rohangir, Surush Saraie, Escander Rezale, Shahnin Lahouty and Medhei Ameruni. We remain deeply concerned about the detention and treatment of all prisoners of conscience in Iran and the ongoing discrimination against Christians and other minority religious groups. We have called for the Iranian government to protect the rights of all minority groups in Iran and end the persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith. The UK’s non-resident Chargé d’Affaires raised the issue of freedom of religion with the Iranian authorities during his visit to Iran on 12 March.