Tag: 2014

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the baseline requirements are for wi-fi provision for all secondary schools to enable the use of one-to-one tablet computers in the classroom; and if he will make a statement.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education has no baseline requirements for Wi-Fi provision in all schools. Headteachers manage their own budgets and are best placed to decide the extent of Wi-Fi provision. Where schools are built or rebuilt via the Department’s capital programmes, IT infrastructure including Wi-Fi is installed to a standard that supports 1:1 tablet use in the classroom.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what equality impact assessments his Department has carried out on the proposed introduction of a secure college.

    Jeremy Wright

    In accordance with the Ministry of Justice’s duties under the Equality Act 2010, we considered the impact of the proposals set out in the Government’s response to the Transforming Youth Custody Consultation in January 2014. We will consider equalities impacts further as part of the consultation on the approach to the Secure College Rules during the passage of the Criminal Justice and Court Bill through Parliament, and throughout the development of the Project.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with representatives of the retail sector about measures that could be taken by shops selling alcohol to reduce the incidence of binge-drinking.

    Norman Baker

    Home Office Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of international
    partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private
    sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of
    these meetings are passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and are
    subsequently published on the Gov.uk website:
    http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-home-office

  • Adam Afriyie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Adam Afriyie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he for the future of the UK Census; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Government recognises the value of the census but I have long said that it is outdated in its current form and could be more effectively and more cheaply delivered. Decisions about its future will be announced in the usual way, but the Government agrees with the conclusion of the Public Affairs Select Committee that the census needs to change.

  • Mr Dominic Raab – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mr Dominic Raab – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Dominic Raab on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with which countries the EU as a legal personality is currently negotiating co-operation agreements in the field of justice and home affairs.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    I refer to the response provided by the Minister for Europe on 24 March [PQ 191707 Col 70W]. In addition, JHA agreements have been concluded between the EU and Brazil, Ukraine and Moldova during the course of this Government, which build on the borders and immigration aspects of the Schengen system, in which the UK does not participate.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with B&K Universal Ltd, Yorkshire Evergreen or their associates about their planning application for a facility at Grimston, Yorkshire for the breeding of dogs and other animals for laboratory use in the last 12 months.

    Nick Boles

    There have been no discussions between my Department and this company or their associates in the last 12 months. However, I can confirm that a planning appeal of an application to develop their facilities has recently been received, necessitating standard procedural communications with the Planning Inspectorate.

  • 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 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2014, Official Report, column 692W, on rural bus services, to which projects the £300 million funding for major bus projects has been allocated; and how much has been allocated to each.

    Stephen Hammond

    The table below sets out the schemes in the Department’s Local Authority Major Scheme Programme which are entirely bus based or which include elements related to bus improvements.

    Scheme Name and Status

    Local Authority

    Total Cost

    DfT Contribution

    Complete

    £m

    £m

    Mansfield Public Transport Interchange

    Nottinghamshire

    8.8

    7.2

    Rochdale Interchange

    Rochdale

    11.5

    7.0

    Weston Package Phase 1

    N. Somerset

    13.4

    9.3

    Fully Approved / Under Construction

    Portsmouth Tipner Interchange

    Portsmouth

    28.2

    19.5

    Access York Phase 1

    City of York

    22.7

    15.3

    Loughborough Town Centre Imp

    Leicestershire

    19.7

    14.8

    Ipswich Transport Fit for 21st Century

    Suffolk

    21.6

    18.3

    Worcester Integrated Transport

    Worcestershire

    19.7

    14.2

    Bath Transportation Package

    Bath & NE Somerset

    26.9

    11.0

    Manchester Cross City Bus

    Manchester

    43.2

    32.5

    S Yorkshire Bus Rapid Transit North

    S Yorkshire

    28.2

    15.8

    Pennine Reach (Blackburn)

    Blackburn w Darwen

    39.8

    31.9

    Programme Entry / Support Confirmed

    Bristol BRT Ashton Vale to Temple Meads

    Bristol

    46.7

    34.5

    South Bristol Link

    N. Somerset

    42.6

    27.6

    Bristol BRT North Fringe to Hengrove

    S. Gloucestershire

    92.9

    51.1

    Hucknall Town Centre Imp

    Nottinghamshire

    12.3

    8.5

    Elmbridge Transport

    Gloucestershire

    18.7

    14.1

  • Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what efforts they are making in respect of Morocco’s international human rights obligations in regard to the citizens of Western Sahara; and what steps they have taken in respect of neutralising the Moroccan wall and associated weaponry.

    Baroness Warsi

    We encourage concrete progress towards improving human rights in Western Sahara in discussions with the parties to the dispute over the territory, and at the UN Security Council. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Mr Robertson), discussed human rights in Western Sahara during his visit to Morocco in March. We welcome Morocco’s recent commitments to investigate complaints of human rights violations made to the National Council for Human Rights within three months, and to end military tribunal trials for civilians.

    Demining teams from the UN peacekeeping operation in Western Sahara (MINURSO), the Moroccan Army and Polisario continue to co-operate to clear unexploded ordnance on both sides of the Moroccan wall.

  • Alison McGovern – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alison McGovern – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of zero-hours contract positions advertised in Jobcentre Plus in England in the last 12 months.

    Esther McVey

    We do not advertise in jobcentres, all vacancies are now advertised on Universal Jobmatch. JSA claimants are not required to apply for zero hour contract jobs and are not penalised if they leave such a job

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2014-06-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in relation to their proposals to extend the power for local authorities to outsource their children’s social work functions including child protection, what assessment has been made of (1) the risks to children and young people, (2) the risks to the impartiality and integrity of statutory decision-making and interventions, and (3) the risks of conflicts of interest arising for third-party providers that bid for social work functions and for commissioned care placement.

    Lord Nash

    The Government is considering the outcome of its consultation on delegation of children’s social care functions. The proposals would place no obligations on local authorities and do not remove their statutory accountability for child protection and wider children’s social care.

    Should the proposals proceed, local authorities will need to ensure that any arrangements they put in place allow them to meet their statutory duties and properly manage questions of risk and conflicts of interest.

    Ofsted will consider these arrangements as part of local authority inspections and hold the authority to account for the quality of its children’s services.