The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-04-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress he has made on the Social Work Practice pilots; and which local authorities are taking part in those pilots.
Mr Edward Timpson
The Social Work Practices pilot concluded in 2012. In November last year the Government commenced Part 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 to allow all local authorities to explore new models of provision if they wish to.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the amount spent per person on flood defences in (a) England and (b) Wales in each year since 2001 to date; and what estimate he has made of the amounts in each year to 2016.
Dan Rogerson
The figures are as follows:
(a)
|
Average Defra spend per head on flood and coastal erosion risk management in England (£) |
|
|
2005/06 |
9.51 |
|
2006/07 |
9.47 |
|
2007/08 |
9.34 |
|
2008/09 |
10.61 |
|
2009/10 |
11.83 |
|
2010/11 |
12.53 |
|
2011/12 |
10.71 |
|
2012/13 |
10.77 |
|
2013/14 |
11.34 |
|
2014/15 |
14.86 |
|
The figures for each year is the total Defra spend on flood and coastal erosion risk management divided by the most recent ONS population estimate for mid-2012 |
|
· Figures before 2005/06 are not available in a comparable format.
· Figures for 2013/14 and 2014/15 are budget allocations.
· Figures for 2015/16 are not available as the budget has not yet been set.
(b)
Flood management in Wales is a devolved matter and Defra has made no estimate of the amount spent per person.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote the commercialisation of scientific and technical research undertaken by GCHQ.
Hugh Robertson
GCHQ works closely with business to release Intellectual Properties (IP) which are suitable for more general use in the outside world. For example through its information assurance arm, Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG), it operates a number of schemes which enable individuals and companies to gain CESG endorsement of products and services via technical assessment.
GCHQ is additionally running a number of pilot cases looking at ways of improving its coordination with SMEs and larger industry partners including on Open Source publishing and licencing to SMEs and larger industry partners. GCHQ is also sponsoring research institutes in Cyber Security and running innovation calls aimed at SMEs. The latter initiative in partnership with organisations such as the Centre for Defence Enterprise and the technology Strategy Board.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-04-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to criminalise psychological abuse and coercive control.
Norman Baker
Domestic abuse is already a crime. There are a number of offences that make domestic abuse illegal, including actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm and assault. The cross-Government definition is clear that domestic abuse is any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.
Assault can extend to non-physical harm, and this can include psychological, financial, and emotional abuse. Stalking and harassment legislation, which criminalises a course of conduct, can apply to intimate partner relationships.
Last September, the Home Secretary commissioned Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary to conduct a review of the response to domestic abuse across all police forces. HMIC published its findings in March 2014, emphasising that the key priority is a culture change in the police so that domestic violence and abuse is treated as the crime that it is, and pointing out that the police use the full range of tools already available to them.
The Home Secretary will chair a national oversight group to oversee delivery against each of HMIC’s recommendations on which I will also sit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people employed in the UK solar PV sector in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.
Gregory Barker
DECC does not hold this data.
In March the National Solar Centre estimated that the industry employs 13,723 people on a full time basis.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much solar PV was installed under the 50kW to 5MW feed-in tariff bands in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014 to date.
Gregory Barker
The table below shows the total number of 50kW to 5MW solar PV installations accredited under the Feed-in Tariff scheme.
|
From April |
Number of installations |
Total installed capacity (kW) |
|
2010 |
11 |
956 |
|
2011 |
231 |
84,478 |
|
2012 |
212 |
36,878 |
|
2013 |
180 |
30,071 |
|
2014 [1] |
2 |
320 |
Installations are grouped into years based on their ‘commissioning date’ i.e. the date the technology was physically installed and deemed to be up and running.
[1] Includes installations commissioned to the end of March 2014. April 2014 statistics will be published at 09:30am on Thursday 22nd May 2014 on the DECC website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monthly-small-scale-renewable-deployment).
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) North Lanarkshire and (d) Airdrie and Shotts constituency applied to the jobseeker’s allowance hardship regime and were (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful in each of the last four years for which figures are available.
Esther McVey
This data is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Highways Agency in maintaining roads in (a) Huddersfield, (b) Kirklees and (c) Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Highways Agency Business Plan sets out the strategic objectives and the in-year targets to be achieved. It includes a target covering road surface condition. Each Highways Agency region contributes to those targets, including Yorkshire and the North East. The Agency’s performance against the targets for the financial year 2013/14 is due to be published in its Annual Report by summer 2014.
The Agency is unable to identify separately the contribution to Business Plan targets by individual constituency or local authority area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-05-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answers of 28 February 2014, Official Report, columns 556-7W, on Serco, what liability his Department has for termination payments to Serco for its surrender of the contract for running community payback in London; and how much his Department will have to pay to Serco for its surrender of that contract.
Jeremy Wright
I refer the Honourable MP to the response sent to him in 28th February 2014 under PQ 187896, PQ 187897, PQ 187898, and PQ 187894 which can be found on Hansard under the reference columns 556-7W, for ease of reference, the link is:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140228/text/140228w0003.htm
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) the the government of Sri Lanka’s decision to proscribe a number of Tamil groups and individuals for alleged links to terrorist activities and (b) the effect this will have on the reconciliation process.
Mr Hugo Swire
I am concerned at reports that the Sri Lankan government has proscribed a number of individuals and Tamil organisations operating outside Sri Lanka. Whilst we respect the right of the Sri Lankan government to take appropriate action against individuals and groups where there is clear evidence of their involvement in terrorist activities, our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka has made clear to the Sri Lankan government that proscription should not be used to prevent or stifle the right to freedom of speech, particularly at a time when Sri Lanka’s human rights record is under international scrutiny. We believe that this development is not conducive to a successful reconciliation process and will continue to monitor developments closely.