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Tag: 2014

  • Mr Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Jim Cunningham on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) converter academies and (b) maintained schools achieved a lower percentage of students achieving five GCSE A* to C grades including English and mathematics than the previous year in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.

    David Laws

    The requested information is published in the 2012/13 performance tables[1].

    [1]http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download_data.html

    “

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current tools available to enforcement officers to take swift action in tackling food fraud.

    Jane Ellison

    The Food Standards Agency (FSA) works with local authority enforcement officers to ensure that food law is applied across the entire food chain. Direction and guidance on the approach that local authority food law regulatory services should take is given in the statutory Food Law Code of Practice (the Code). The FSA regularly assesses the effectiveness of tools available to these enforcement officers through undertaking audit of local authorities’ enforcement services, reviewing the Code and ensuring lessons are learnt from major incidents.

    The Code sets out instructions and criteria to which the authorities must have regard and is periodically reviewed to ensure that it reflects current enforcement practices and supports local authorities’ delivery of their official control obligations and that enforcement is consistent, effective and proportionate.

    The FSA provides specific tools to support local authorities with investigations relating to potential food fraud. The FSA operates the Food Fraud Database, which utilises specialist intelligence management software to record intelligence reports and identify links, and uses this to assist local investigations. The FSA also provides local authorities with financial support through its Fighting Fund, expert advice through its Food Fraud Advisory Unit and holds dedicated training courses for enforcement officers.

    In addition, the FSA is building an enhanced intelligence gathering network to increase the opportunity to capture and act on intelligence which may be indicative of future risks relating to food fraud, as well as producing strategic and tactical assessments to share with relevant enforcement agencies.

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

    Mike Penning

    There were 7 workplace nurseries operated by third parties, including some provision for subsidised places, on DWP premises on 5 May 2010; all of which were still in operation on 5 February 2014.

    DWP does not directly operate any workplace nurseries. The department is reviewing the position of all on site nursery provision, and until the review is complete, it cannot confirm whether any nursery will close.

    No information is held on executive agencies and non-departmental bodies. There would be a disproportionate cost to source that information

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received from train operating companies on the performance of the Operational Research Computerised Allocation of Tickets to Services system.

    Stephen Hammond

    We have received no recent representations from train operating companies on the performance of the Operational Research Computerised Allocation of Tickets to Services system.

  • Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Curran on 2014-04-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the next meeting of the Finance Ministers Quadrilateral will take place; and what will be discussed at this meeting.

    Danny Alexander

    The last Finance Quadrilateral was held on 18 November 2013.

    No formal minutes of the meeting were taken, but Ministers present discussed the general economic outlook for the UK and for each of the devolved administrations, as well as looking forward to the forthcoming Autumn Statement. Agreement was reached at the meeting regarding the framework under which the devolved administrations could carry forward Financial Transactions capital into future years.

    The Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Finance Ministers from the devolved administrations aim to meet regularly in Quadrilateral format, complimenting bi-lateral meetings and conversations throughout the year. It is anticipated the next Quadrilateral will take place over the coming months. No date or agenda has yet been set.

  • Karen Lumley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Karen Lumley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Lumley on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many middle schools there are in England; and how many of those schools are academies.

    Mr David Laws

    There are 190 schools in England that are recorded on Edubase, the Department’s database of education providers, as being middle schools. Of these, 59 are converter academies and three are sponsored academies.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether members of the Carrington Wire Pension Fund are able to access the Pension Protection Fund.

    Steve Webb

    The Carrington Wire Defined Benefit Pension Scheme entered a Pension Protection Fund (PPF) assessment period in February 2013.

    During a PPF assessment period the PPF establishes whether the scheme can afford to secure benefits which are at least equal to the compensation that the PPF would pay. The scheme will transfer to the PPF unless it has sufficient assets to pay benefits greater or equal to PPF compensation levels or it is rescued, for instance, by another employer taking responsibility for it.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the potential effect on levels of passenger ticket revenue of London Midland’s proposal to reduce the number of revenue protection staff.

    Stephen Hammond

    London Midland is not currently in receipt of revenue support. Unless revenue was to fall to such an extent that they were to be eligible for such payments, the revenue during this franchise term is entirely its risk. London Midland has assured us that their staff restructuring plans will not prevent them fulfilling their obligations in meeting the requirements of the Franchise Agreement. Therefore, unless revenue was to fall to the extent that London Midland were eligible for revenue support payments, no further assessment is planned.

  • 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, what steps he is taking to offer compensation to initial teacher training applicants who have been wrongly advised that they failed the professional skills test and denied the opportunity to train as teachers.

    David Laws

    The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) has written to candidates who were incorrectly notified that they had failed the Professional Skills Tests and provided a helpline number to contact should they wish to discuss their options or seek support.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to ensure that there is no excessive delay in issuing passports.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    As My Rt. Hon. Friend the Home Secretary explained in the House on 12 June, we have agreed a range of measures to deal with the current high levels of demand for passports. I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 12 June 2014, Official Report, columns 693 and 694.