Tag: 2014

  • Chris Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chris Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Evans on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of school-age pupils who have been illegally excluded from school in each of the last five years.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education’s statutory guidance makes clear that all exclusions from school must be lawful, reasonable and fair. The guidance sets out schools’ responsibilities in relation to exclusion and includes examples of unlawful use of exclusion. There is no excuse for a school not to adhere to the correct process, and Ofsted takes seriously any evidence that a school has acted unlawfully in its use of exclusion.

  • Meg Hillier – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Meg Hillier – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Meg Hillier on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her statement of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 831, on Stop-and-Search, which police forces have signed up to the revised code on stop-and-search to date.

    Damian Green

    The Home Office is currently in discussion with all police forces on the Best
    Use of Stop and Search Scheme. The Scheme already has the backing of the
    Metropolitan Police – the biggest user of stop and search in the country – and
    the intention is to launch the Scheme in the Summer.

  • Richard Benyon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Benyon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Declaration of the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, what consideration her Department has given to ensuring that wildlife crime offences are made recordable offences.

    Norman Baker

    Offences relating to the illegal purchase and sale of the world’s most highly endangered species are already included in the Home Office Counting Rules for police recorded crime, with the specific crime recording code of 99/3. This includes the illegal trade in iconic species such as elephants, rhinoceroses and tigers, which provided the focus to the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, 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.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is measuring National Wellbeing, not as an index but through a framework of 41 indicators which capture social progress around important aspects of life for individuals, communities and the nation. The statistics are experimental and as such we should not expect to have examples of major policies that have been heavily influenced by the wellbeing data at this stage.

    Since the introduction of the ONS framework for measuring National Wellbeing in 2011, DCMS has worked closely with the ONS to introduce sport and culture participation measures within ONS’ national wellbeing headline measures for adults (May 2013). In January this year, measures of sport and culture were also included within ONS’ initial national child wellbeing measures. DCMS’ National Statistic ‘Taking Part’, on culture and sport engagement, has measured subjective wellbeing since 2005/06. In 2012 ONS’ subjective wellbeing questions were also added to support further analysis of wellbeing impacts.

    Our policies of ‘Getting more people playing sport’ and ‘Supporting vibrant and sustainable arts and culture’ are directly linked to ONS’ national wellbeing measurement. DCMS continues to work to better understand and consider the impact of its sectors and policy on people’s wellbeing across a number of the domains in ONS’ national wellbeing measures including health, education, crime and unemployment. For example, in our recently released reports on ‘Quantifying the Social Impacts of Culture and Sport1‘ and ‘Quantifying and Valuing the Wellbeing Impacts of Culture and Sport2‘

    1https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/quantifying-the-social-impacts-of-sport-and-culture

    2 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/quantifying-and-valuing-the-wellbeing-impacts-of-culture-and-sport

    “

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the joint investment between his Department and First Great Western to fund additional standard class capacity and a refresh of first class is provided by his Department.

    Stephen Hammond

    At this stage, the amounts involved are commercially confidential, as private sector contractors are involved in undertaking the work on behalf of First Great Western. However, the basis on which the allocations have been made is equitable and reflects among other things the need for the public sector contribution to achieve value for money and to secure the Rail Investment Strategy imperative of improved standard class capacity on the Great Western route. The information about the amount borne by the Department to fund the standard class reseating in this joint investment will be provided once the works are completed.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, 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.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Secretary of State for Education, my Right hon. Friend, the Member for Surrey Heath, Michael Gove, is responsible for a wide-range of issues which relate to a number of the key determinants of children’s well-being as captured in the ONS’ Children’s well-being measures in the Measuring National Well-being Programme. These include policies designed to raise educational attainment, promote take-up of early years education, tackle bullying in schools and reduce child poverty.

  • 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, what support his Department provides to assist deaf people in seeking employment.

    Mike Penning

    We do not target our employment support exclusively at individuals with particular impairments. Instead, through a range of programmes, we aim to identify and meet the needs of the individual, including the needs of deaf people.

    The Work Programme is the biggest single Welfare to Work programme, which provides personalised back-to-work support for unemployed people, including disabled people. For those that have more complex needs, we have a range of specialist disability employment programmes, including Access to Work, Work Choice and Residential Training Colleges, all of which support deaf people to take up and remain in employment. In particular, Access to Work can provide funding towards tailored support for deaf people such as specialist aids and equipment and British Sign Language Interpreters.

    Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisers can provide support and advice for disabled people who need help finding and retaining employment.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have currently been waiting (a) up to one month, (b) one to two months, (c) two to three months, (d) three to four months, (e) four to five months and (f) more than six months for their appeal against their being deemed fit for work to be determined.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits including a person’s entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

    Whilst a work capability assessment (WCA) can be a key factor in an ESA decision, it is not the only consideration. Appeals are brought against ESA refusals, and not WCA decisions themselves. The Tribunal does not record information on those ESA appeals in which the WCA decision is a factor, and as such HMCTS does not hold the specific information requested.

    Information on appeals against ESA decisions is published by HMCTS in Tribunal Statistics Quarterly. The most recent report for the period January to March 2014, published on 12 June 2014, can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2014

    “

  • Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the advantages to deaf people of funding a team of interpreters through the Access to Work scheme rather than being assigned a single interpreter by their employer.

    Mike Penning

    We have not made any assessment of the advantages to deaf people of funding a team of interpreters through the Access to Work scheme. We appreciate that each situation is unique and may require a bespoke solution.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gareth Thomas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will reply to the hon. Member for Harrow West’s letter of 2 June 2014 regarding Mr Abdi Kadir Mumin of Harrow; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    I wrote to the hon. Member on 10 June 2014.