Tag: 2015

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues about providing more comprehensive support for ex-servicemen and women and their families.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Career Transition Partership (CTP) contract for Service personnel was re-let on 1 October 2015; for the first time, CTP pulls all elements of transition support under one mechanism so that every Service leaver, regardless of time-served or reason for departure, has access to transition support. In addition, using the CTP contract mechanism, Joint Forces Command and the Royal Air Force are running an initial two year Spouse Employment Support trial offering a limited number of places for eligible Service spouses to access tailored employment support at selected locations.

    Spousal support is mirrored in wider initiatives, such as the Wolverhampton University business startup course. Originally funded for a two year period by the Armed Forces Covenant (LIBOR) funding, HSBC have provided additional funding to extend the project. It is a 10 month business start-up and mentoring programme designed specifically for Armed Forces families. Current funding will provide 540 places between now and 2020.

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD)has announced the development of a Families Strategy, in coordination with families and the 3rd Sector, during its annual Welfare Conference on 9 November 2015. At the same event, the Secretary of State welcomed Barclay’s Veterans Employment Transition Support (VETS) programme, which was launched on 19 November 2015 following an initial trial period; this is due to provide mentoring, training and advice to veterans. A partnership of leading companies and charities, it will support the MOD and CTP with additional avenues of support to help veterans and Service leavers.

    As part of the Armed Forces Covenant, the Covenant Reference Group (CRG) chaired by the Cabinet Office includes representatives from all of the main Government Departments. The CRG meets regularly to guide and direct work on the Armed Forces Covenant, including support for the veteran community. Other members of the CRG include the three Service Families Federations, the Confederation of Service Charities and other Armed Forces charities.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what level of co-operation there is between the National Crime Agency and authorities in the Republic of Ireland on combatting organised criminal activities taking place between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

    Mike Penning

    The Common Travel Area between the UK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies and the free movement of goods within the EU mean that close liaison and co-operation between UK and Irish law enforcement partners against serious and organised crime is both vital and valued by both sides. The National Crime Agency has dedicated resources currently working with Irish law enforcement agencies to tackle the threat from organised crime that affects both our countries.

    On 17 November 2015, the Northern Ireland Office published ‘A Fresh Start: The Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan’. The National Crime Agency will be involved in discussions with the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Office, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Immigration Enforcement in relation to the implementation of the agreement.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the breadth of physical activity opportunities beyond sport available to children (a) in and (b) out of school.

    Edward Timpson

    We want all children to lead healthy and active lives. The government will publish a new sports strategy by the end of 2015. The strategy will set out how the government intends to support young people to participate in, and engage with sport and physical activity.

    Schools can offer a variety of opportunities for children to be physically active. Physical education (PE) is a compulsory subject at all four Key Stages in the national curriculum for maintained schools. The curriculum sets out the expectation that pupils should be physically active for sustained periods of time. Teachers have the flexibility to organise and deliver a range of activities.

    Through the Primary PE and Sport Premium, the government has committed over £450m of ring-fenced funding to primary schools to improve the quality of their PE and sport provision.

    Other programmes focused on increasing physical activity include Change4Life Sports Clubs and the Young Ambassador Peer Leaders programme. Change4Life Sports Clubs aim to increase the physical activity, health and wellbeing of the least active children through healthy lifestyle activities. In May 2015, an independent evaluation on Change4Life Primary Clubs found that around 270,000 children participated in Change4Life Primary Clubs over the lifetime of the programme (2011/12 – 2014/15). Young Ambassadors are primary and secondary pupils who promote physical activity across their school and lead activities with their less active peers.

    Outside of school, more than 385,000 families signed up to the Change4Life 10 Minute Shake Up summer campaign and over 700,000 children participated. The campaign encouraged children to team up with some of their favourite Disney characters and enjoy 10 Minute Shake Up activities to keep them healthy and physically active.

    The government is also keen to encourage more pupils to walk to school. Statutory guidance for local authorities on travel and transport to school was published in July 2014. Local authorities have a duty to promote the use of sustainable travel and transport and to develop a strategy for sustainable local travel.

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the residential tenancy provisions of the Immigration Bill would come into force in Scotland if enacted.

    James Brokenshire

    The Prime Minister made clear in his immigration speech of 21 May that the Government intends to roll out the Right to Rent scheme across the whole of the UK. The roll out is being taken forward in a phased manner. Having started in a part of the West Midlands, the next phase will extend the scheme across the rest of England as of 1 February 2016. The Government intends to roll out the scheme to the rest of the UK thereafter as part of the final phase. In relation to the provisions that relate to the private rented sector in the Immigration Bill 2015-16, the Bill also enables for these provisions to be enacted across Scotland at a later date.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recent figures on household food waste published by the Waste and Resources Action Programme; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce domestic food waste.

    Rory Stewart

    Working through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), we are helping households waste less and save money through the Courtauld Commitment and the Love Food Hate Waste campaign. They have contributed to a 15% reduction in the amount of household food and drink waste between 2007 and 2012, from 8.3 m tonnes to 7.0 m tonnes. The current phase of the Courtauld Commitment has a target to reduce household food waste by a further 5% by the end of this year.

    In addition, signatories have reported a 7.4% reduction in supply chain waste between 2009 and 2012, with interim results for Courtauld 3 showing a further 3.2% reduction by 2014.

    WRAP is currently brokering a new agreement, Courtauld 2025, which is expected to start next year and will build on this progress.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of whether the current sentencing framework for mothers with children takes sufficient account of the needs of those children.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council. They are available on the Sentencing Council website. They confirm that the gender of the offender is irrelevant for sentencing purposes in accordance with Equalities duties. They also confirm that where the offender is the sole or primary carer for dependent relatives, this should be taken into account for sentencing purposes as a mitigating factor.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much game meat has entered the human food chain from licensed hunting activities on land owned by Government Departments or agencies in each year since 2010.

    Jane Ellison

    As part of its regulation of approved meat establishments, the Food Standards Agency collects throughput figures on the number of animals slaughtered or processed at each premises. Game meat processed at approved game handling establishments will come from trained hunters and be supported by an appropriate declaration. There is no requirement to detail on these declarations whether the game is from land owned by Government Departments or Agencies.

  • Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to encourage an increase in the number of HGV drivers in the UK to meet demand for such drivers.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department’s agencies are taking action on HGV driver testing and licensing. This includes recruiting 78 new driving examiners, as well as 65 in training and 41 offered posts. Licence renewal times where there are not medical issues have reduced and changes are being made to the operation of parts of the medical renewals process. The Department is working with other parts of Government to encourage and enable more people to become lorry drivers, including via apprenticeships and action related to Jobcentre Plus.

    I note that over 55,000 tests were conducted in 2014-15, the highest total since 2008-09. Further, the number of Large Goods Vehicle practical and theory tests of all types conducted during July to September 2015 was 34 per cent higher than in the same quarter of 2014.

  • David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage the sale of UK produce to new global markets.

    George Eustice

    In October 2013 we launched the ‘Food and Drink – International Action Plan’. This has resulted in over 4,000 companies receiving Government support and contributed to securing nearly £1bn of business for these companies. We have opened over 100 new markets for exports of animal and animal products to non-EU markets and created a faster, more efficient electronic health certification process. We are in the process of developing a new Exports Action Plan with the industry, which is due to be launched early next year.

    Defra Ministers continue to champion our excellent food and drink overseas. I visited Anuga (the world’s largest food and drink trade show) earlier this year and the Secretary of State has recently been to China to further market access discussions and support the launch of the ‘Food is GREAT’ campaign there. Earlier this month she also set out our plans for Great British Food, which will celebrate the wonderful food and drink the UK has to offer.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many young people are classified as long-term unemployed in the Dorset County Council area.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.