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Tag: 2014

  • Kevin Brennan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kevin Brennan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which contractors will be responsible for the professional skills test for initial teacher training entrants for the 2014-15 academic year.

    David Laws

    No contract has been agreed with any contractor as yet. The Department for Education is in the process of negotiating a contract through a framework agreement. Once a contract has been signed we will make public the identity of the contractor.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training they provide for magistrates.

    Lord Faulks

    Responsibility for the training of magistrates rests with the Lord Chief Justice and this is exercised through the Judicial College. The National Training Programme for Magistrates provides the framework of training and appraisal for magistrates who sit as chairs and wingers for each of the jurisdictions of Adult Court, Youth Court and Family Court in England and Wales.

    The training programme supports the learning and development of magistrates to a consistent standard across England & Wales to enable them to perform their duties effectively. Magistrates will go through an induction process and thereafter attend continuation training. The Judicial College supports the training process by providing Bench Books for the Adult, Youth and Family proceedings. Where a need is identified, the Judicial College will also provide training materials to the magistracy for the implementation of major legislation and other changes.

    Magistrates are advised in court by their legal advisers who, as professional lawyers, will keep themselves up-to-date with legal developments.

  • Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr David Hanson on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of people from Syria who will relocate through the vulnerable persons relocation scheme between 29 January 2014 and 30 May 2015.

    James Brokenshire

    The Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme has been put in place to relocate to the UK some of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees, displaced to neighbouring countries by the on going conflict. We anticipate that it will support several hundred people over the next three years. On-going discussions with a number of local authorities regarding participation in the scheme will determine exact numbers to be relocated between 29 January 2014 and 30 May 2015. Given the continuing nature of these discussions, it is therefore too early to have a clear indication of the type of accommodation that will be available to house the relocated refugees.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to bring their proposals to give HM Revenue and Customs power to remove money from bank accounts without prior judicial process for consideration or agreement by the House of Lords; and, if so, how.

    Lord Deighton

    The Government is consulting on the Direct Recovery of Debts until 29th July. This policy will modernise and strengthen HMRC’s ability to recover tax and tax credit debts from those who are refusing to pay what they owe but have sufficient funds in their accounts.

    The Government intends to publish a response document and draft legislation later this year. This draft legislation will be consulted on before it is included in next year’s Finance Bill, where it will be subject to the usual Parliamentary scrutiny.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will list the registration rates for students in higher education institutions in the UK in ranked order for the most recent period available.

    Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that it does not hold data on the registration rates of students by higher education institution.

    The Commission has conducted an analysis of the results of the dry run of the confirmation process to be used during the transition to IER. This indicated that students were one of the groups less likely to be matched against the Department of Works and Pensions database.

    This analysis and all the associated data is available to EROs across the country. This has allowed them to identify areas, such as those with large student populations, where they may need to target more of their resources in order to maintain or improve levels of registration.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their intention for on-site legal surgeries be held in HMP The Verne.

    Lord Faulks

    Earlier this year the Legal Aid Agency conducted an expression of interest exercise among existing contract holders providing immigration surgeries at other Immigration Removal Centres, with four providers confirmed as interested in operating surgeries in HMP The Verne. Communications will be issued shortly regarding when these services are likely to commence.

  • Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2014-03-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on the ability of small businesses to manage sickness absence of abolishing the Percentage Threshold Scheme for recovering statutory sick pay.

    Mike Penning

    The SSP Percentage Threshold Scheme compensates employers with high levels of sickness absence but an independent review of sickness absence[1] found it does nothing to tackle the causes of absence. As a result, the Government accepted a recommendation in the Review to abolish the Percentage Threshold Scheme. The Government also accepted a recommendation to establish a Service (now known as the Health and Work Service) to offer specialist occupational health assessment and advice to employers, employees and GPs. The Service is designed to reduce the costs of sickness absence for employers by addressing the obstacles preventing a return to work, and supporting employees back to work as quickly as appropriate. It will be funded from the savings made from the abolition of the PTS and will provide a more proactive way to manage sickness absence.

    Small businesses are least likely to have access to occupational health services, and will benefit from having access to occupational health assessments and advice through the HWS.

    [1] Black, C. and Frost, D (2011) Health at work – and independent review of sickness absence.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress his Department has made in reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training since May 2010.

    Matthew Hancock

    Latest quarterly figures published in May show that the proportion of 16-18 year olds NEET is 6.7% – down a third since 2010 and the lowest on record.

  • Mr Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Chuka Umunna on 2014-03-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of teachers teaching in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) London, (d) Lambeth and (e) Streatham parliamentary constituency have undertook specialist training on educational provision for children and young people on the autism spectrum in each of the last five years.

    Edward Timpson

    These figures are not collected centrally. Schools make their own decisions on what training their staffs need to support their pupils based on the individual circumstances of the school.

    The Department for Education funds the Autism Education Trust (AET) to provide tiered training on autism: basic awareness training for teaching and non-teaching staff at level 1; practical knowledge and hands-on tools and techniques for all staff working directly with children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders at level 2; and level 3 training for those seeking more advanced knowledge and those pursuing a training role, such as lead practitioners in autism and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators. Between 2011 and 2013 the AET received grant funding to provide training to schools and from 2013 to 2015 is receiving funding under contract to provide training to early years providers, schools and further education colleges.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-06-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 13 May (WA 493), what is the amount of the annual charge used to calculate the net presentvalue of the Thameslink rolling stock project and the number of diagrammed multiple units and diagrammed vehicles to be provided.

    Baroness Kramer

    The aggregate net present value for the supply and maintenance of the new Thameslink trains (including the provision of depots) is £2.8 billion in 2014 prices. Cross London Trains Ltd will lease 1140 vehicles as 115 trains, consisting of 55 12-car units and 60 8-car units, to the Thameslink operator to support an assumption of 109 diagrams. The final number of diagrams to be operated will be determined through the planning process for the December 2018 timetable.