The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on how many occasions the Future High Streets Forum has met this year; and who has attended each such meeting.
Penny Mordaunt
The Future High Streets Forum has met three times this year, on 21 January, 29 April and 8 July. Attendee details can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/future-high-streets-forum
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the net benefit to UK defence exports as a result of the recent Farnborough Airshow.
Matthew Hancock
Farnborough is an important showcase for the UK Defence sector, the Department does not make estimates of defence exports arising as a result of the Farnborough Airshow, but recent figures released show that defence exports grew by 11% in 2013 to £9.8 billion. Previous exhibitions such as Farnborough 2012 are likely to have contributed to these figures.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that parents of disruptive children are made fully aware of their child’s bad behaviour.
Mr Nick Gibb
The majority of schools are safe and disciplined environments, where teachers are respected and pupils learn in an orderly environment. Nevertheless, Ofsted indicated in its 2013 annual report that there are 700,000 pupils in schools where behaviour is just not good enough.
The Government has taken strong action to support schools in maintaining discipline and developing a culture of respect for teacher authority. In the Education Act 2011, we strengthened teachers’ powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour. Teachers can now issue same-day detentions and search pupils for banned items. We have also provided clarity on the use of reasonable force. Earlier this year we outlined a range of tough but proportionate sanctions that teachers can use to punish poor behaviour and maintain discipline. From January 2014, Ofsted introduced ‘no-notice’ inspections for schools with behaviour issues.
All schools must, by law, have a behaviour policy and make this known to parents, usually by placing it on the school’s website. Our advice makes clear that it is vital that the behaviour policy is well understood by staff, parents and pupils, and that it is consistently applied.
Good schools recognise the importance of engaging parents and have developed their own approaches according to the particular circumstances of the school. In March 2014, we published a series of case studies on managing behaviour and bullying, which include examples of what good schools are doing to engage parents in a spirit of openness and shared responsibility. These case studies are published online at:
www.gov.uk/government/collections/managing-behaviour-and-bullying-in-schools-case-studies
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2014, Official Report, column 304W, on the Green Deal Scheme, what the average amount paid has been to households under the Green Deal Home Improvements Fund to date.
Amber Rudd
As at 14 July 2014, 6,607 vouchers have been issued under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund with a maximum potential value of £36,484,100.
Data on numbers of vouchers issued is currently published weekly on the Gov.Uk website at:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government’s position is in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations on any weakening of farm animal welfare provisions in the UK; and if she will make a statement.
George Eustice
The Government continues to support the European Commission in seeking equivalence in animal welfare standards between the EU and US as an important part of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations and will strongly resist any attempts to undermine our high national standards or those of our Community partners.
In parallel, we are working with the European Commission through the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to ensure that global standards of animal welfare match those of the EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of the sale on stolen antiquities to fund violent conflict and terrorism in Iraq.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The British Government takes the funding of terrorist organisations through any means very seriously. The Government is concerned by recent reports that stolen antiquities may be funding terrorist activity by groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). The Government is also concerned by any destruction of important cultural heritage.
The Government endorsed guidelines on countering trafficking in cultural property and related offences at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its twenty-third session in May 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of the theft of antiquities by ISIS and their sale in the international arts market.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The British Government takes the funding of terrorist organisations through any means very seriously. The Government is concerned by recent reports that stolen antiquities may be funding terrorist activity by groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). The Government is also concerned by any destruction of important cultural heritage.
The Government endorsed guidelines on countering trafficking in cultural property and related offences at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its twenty-third session in May 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will extend victims’ rights to victims of mentally disordered offenders to be more comparable with those rights afforded to victims in the criminal justice system.
Mike Penning
The Government’s new Victims’ Code, which came into force on 10 December 2013, strengthens the rights of victims of crime, including where the offender is mentally disordered. The Code provides victims with clearer entitlements and better tailors services to individual need. Under the Code, criminal justice agencies must provide enhanced services to victims of the most serious crime; persistently targeted victims; and vulnerable and intimidated victims.
Since 2001, victims of specified sexual and violent offences where the offender receives a sentence of twelve months or more have been offered the Probation Victim Contact Scheme, which enables them to make representations about which licence conditions a prisoner should be subject to on release, and to be informed about key stages of sentence such as release on temporary licence and full release.
The Victim Contact Scheme was extended by legislation to victims of mentally disordered offenders with restrictions in July 2005, and to victims of mentally disordered offenders without restrictions in November 2008.
Since April 2014, there has been a presumption that victims of restricted mentally disordered offenders will be told if they are granted permission for escorted or unescorted leave from hospital for rehabilitative purposes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy that the operation to remove fibroids by MR Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) be available on the NHS.
Jane Ellison
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for determining clinical commissioning policy (including the availability of, or eligibility for, NHS funded treatment) on fibroid treatments. Local CCGs decide on how to best use funding allocated to them, underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local healthcare needs.
The Department is aware that in November 2011, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published Interventional Procedures Guidance [IPG413]: Magnetic resonance image-guided transcutaneous focused ultrasound for uterine fibroids.
The Department expects CCGs to consider any relevant NICE guidance as they design services to meet the needs of patients.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Evans on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of procedures regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which were carried out in Wales, was conducted without anaesthesia in 2013.
Norman Baker
During 2013 in Wales, regarding the number of regulated procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA):
(a) 36,010 involved mice, of which:
(i) 18,886 involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) 7,206 involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(b) 3,345 involved rats, of which:
(i) 10 involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(c) 24 involved guinea pigs, of which:
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(d) none involved hamsters
(e) 3 involved rabbits, of which:
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(f) none involved horses and other equids
(g) 396 involved sheep, of which:
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(h) none involved pigs
(i) 643 involved birds, of which
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(j) 165 involved amphibians, of which
(i) 9 involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(k) none involved reptiles
(l) 11,927 involved fish, of which:
(i) none involved genetically-modified animals
(ii) none involved animals with a harmful genetic defect
(m) none involved cats
(n) none involved dogs
(o) none involved new world primates
(p) none involved old world primates
During 2013 in Wales, regarding the proportion of regulated procedures under ASPA in different types of designated establishment:
(a) 2.8% (1,462) were performed in public health laboratories
(b) 96.7% (50,826) were performed in universities and medical schools
(c) none were performed in NHS hospitals
(d) none were performed in Government Departments
(e) none were performed in other public bodies
(f) none were performed in non-profit making organisations
(g) 0.5% (251) were performed in commercial organisations
During 2013 in Wales, regarding the proportion of regulated procedures under ASPA:
(a) all (52,539) were carried out for fundamental and applied studies other than toxicity.
(b) none were carried out for toxicity tests or other safety and efficacy evaluation.
In 2013 in Wales, regarding the number of animals used in regulated procedures under ASPA:
(a) 18,707 genetically modified animals were used
(b) 7,206 animals with a harmful genetic defect were used
During 2013 in Wales, 59.3% (31,202) of regulated procedures under ASPA were undertaken without anaesthesia.
During 2013 in Wales, 51,576 animals were used in regulated procedures under ASPA.
During 2013 in Wales, 52,539 regulated procedures under ASPA were conducted