Tag: 2014

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use in Northern Ireland of prize draws to increase voter registration.

    Greg Clark

    No direct assessment has been made by the Cabinet Office of the use of prize draws to improve electoral registration in Northern Ireland.

    However, we have learnt from the experience of Northern Ireland and used it to inform the development of Individual Electoral Registration (IER) in Great Britain. Unlike the transition to IER in Northern Ireland in 2002, in Great Britain data matching is being used to confirm the majority of current electors on the existing register without them having to make a new application. The Government has also provided £4.2 million funding which has been shared between five national organisations and all 363 local authorities in order to promote voter registration, particularly amongst under-registered groups.

  • Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2014, Official Report, column 456W, on motorways: repairs and maintenance, what the reasons are for the discrepancy between the figures of eight deaths in the preceding three years and 1,747 injuries in the preceding 12 months of people repairing motorways stated by the Highways Agency in a press release dated 21 October 2013.

    Robert Goodwill

    The figures quoted are based upon different data selection criteria and from different time periods. The answer of 27 February 2014, quoted from Official Report, column 456W (Motorways: Repairs and Maintenance), is the number of people repairing motorways killed or injured by vehicles in 2012 and 2013. The Highways Agency press release of 21 October 13, referred to the number of road workers killed and injured while improving and maintaining the strategic road network in England, irrespective of the causation or duties being undertaken. The 8 road workers killed occurred between 2009 and 2013 and the figure of 1,747 quoted in the same press release included a large volume of near misses, hazards and damage to plant and equipment where no injuries had been sustained.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what use his Department has made of the National Wellbeing Index introduced by the Office for National Statistics in formulating policy since the introduction of that Index in 2011; and what policies his Department has introduced to improve national wellbeing as defined in that Index since 2010.

    Dan Rogerson

    There is no National Wellbeing Index, but the Office for National Statistics has developed a dashboard of measures to monitor wellbeing, both subjective and objective, and in a number of domains.

    The most Defra relevant measures are:

    Where we live domain

    5.3 Accessed natural environment at least once a week in the last 12 months.

    Environment Domain

    10.2 Protected areas in the UK.

    10.4 Household waste that is recycled.

    It is too early to be able to show a large number of policies which have been influenced by the data, particularly when the statistics are experimental, but there is still a lot of ongoing work. In terms of my department’s policy work on wellbeing and the general approach, Defra officials provided written evidence for the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) Inquiry on Wellbeing initiated last year. This evidence was co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office and submitted on behalf of Government. The evidence document can be found here:

    http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/environmental-audit-committee/wellbeing/written/1069.pdf

    “

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was paid in jobseeker’s allowance to recipients in (a) Scotland and (b) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency in the last 12 months.

    Esther McVey

    The amount paid in Jobseeker’s Allowance in 2012/13 can be found in the table below.

    2012/13
    £m

    JSA

    Scotland

    478

    Kilmarnock & Loudoun

    12

    Source: DWP statistical data

    Note: Expenditure is shown for the last complete financial year. The benefit expenditure for Jobseeker’s Allowance can be found in the Parliamentary Constituency tables as per link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266825/pc-tables-201213.xls

    “

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the current average waiting time is for personal independence payment assessments to be completed and a decision made in (a) England and (b) Leeds.

    Mike Penning

    The information you have requested is not currently available.

  • Dr Phillip Lee – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Dr Phillip Lee – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Phillip Lee on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure more employers offer apprenticeships to 16 to 18 year-olds.

    Matthew Hancock

    We are building on the success of the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers by providing an additional £170m over the next two years. This additional support will fund over 100,000 incentive payments of £1,500 to employers. Grants will be targeted where they will be most effective.

    Apprenticeship reforms are putting employers in the driving seat of designing world-class standards for apprenticeships, making it easier for them to offer more Apprenticeships in the future.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Margaret Ritchie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent progress he has made on reinstating the Northern Ireland Aggregates Levy Credit Scheme.

    Nicky Morgan

    In January and February of this year, the government received two sets of follow up questions from the European Commission as part of their formal investigation into the Aggregates Levy Credit Scheme. Treasury officials worked closely with members of the industry and the authorities in Northern Ireland and have submitted further evidence in response to the questions posed.

    Whilst a new relief scheme cannot be considered until the investigation concludes, the government remains fully committed to reinstating an aggregates levy credit scheme in Northern Ireland.

  • Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nick Gibb on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the implementation of The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012. [R]

    David Laws

    Ofsted routinely checks school websites before inspections. If a parent, or other party, believes that a school is not complying with the requirements, they are entitled to raise this with the governing body. If their complaint is not resolved and they believe that the school has failed to discharge its duty or acted unreasonably, they can raise their complaint with the Secretary of State.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on legal costs incurred appealing against decisions by the Information Commissioner requiring the release of information about the universal credit programme since 2011.

    Esther McVey

    The Department’s records relating to legal costs do not distinguish between actions which the Department has brought and actions which it has defended or the stage of legal proceedings in respect of which each invoice for legal representation is paid. Disaggregating the data would take the costs of responding to the question over the disproportionate cost threshold.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which parties have received the £30 million for the Garden Bridge announced in the National Infrastructure Plan.

    Danny Alexander

    HM TREASURY

    Helen Goodman MP

    BISHOP AUCKLAND

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which parties have received the £30 million for the Garden Bridge announced in the National Infrastructure Plan. 195166

    DANNY ALEXANDER

    The £30 million contribution to the Garden Bridge from Government is conditional on a business case being produced that demonstrates the project represents good value for money. The business case is expected to be complete by mid 2014.

    Should the business case demonstrate that the project represents good value for money, Government will agree the detailed terms of funding with the Garden Bridge Trust.