The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-10-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what social work practice pilots are still running.
Edward Timpson
The social work practice pilots concluded in 2012. In November 2013 the Government commenced the first part of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 to allow all local authorities to explore new models of provision, if they wish to.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 18 November (WS305), whether the assertion that every home and small business will get smart meters means that it will be compulsory to have them installed.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Government has placed an obligation on energy companies to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters at all domestic and smaller non-domestic premises by the end of 2020. However, there is no obligation on customers to accept a smart meter if they do not wish to have one installed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to control the population of grey squirrels; and if she will hold discussions with shooting organisations on their potential role in such control.
Rory Stewart
In December 2014 Defra and the Forestry Commission published an updated grey squirrel action plan for England. This reaffirms the Government’s commitment to working with land owners and other organisations as part of a reinforced package of measures to support targeted grey squirrel control. The action plan includes:
Defra is also one of 32 signatories to the UK Squirrel Accord, which aims to bring a concerted and coordinated approach to securing the future of our red squirrels and woodlands, and to controlling the introduced grey squirrel. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) is also a signatory and a meeting of all the signatories is planned for 10 November.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the timescale is for the availability of postgraduate masters degree loans as announced in the Autumn Statement 2014; and whether he plans to extend the loans policy to postgraduate research masters and doctoral research.
Joseph Johnson
The Government is committed to enhancing its support for postgraduate study and wants more people to have the opportunity to build on their academic success through access to a higher level qualification. The Government has now announced that a Master’s loan will be available to individuals up to age 60 from 2016/17. It also set out details of the next steps to provide more support for Doctoral study.
Further information is available via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/postgraduate-study-student-loans-and-other-support
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Crisp on 2015-11-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support low- and middle-income countries to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030.
Baroness Verma
We remain committed to supporting the most vulnerable countries and communities to better withstand and recover from the impact of disasters. However, we are still assessing the full implications of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 for DFID programmes.
The Sendai Framework is one of many guides which we can draw on to help shape our approach to safeguarding development gains from the impact of disasters. DFID is already supporting developing countries to help them reduce risk and build resilience, through its support to multilaterals and through country programmes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2015-11-23.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the use of the financials service messaging platform Symphony.
Harriett Baldwin
The Chancellor has had no communications with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in regards to the messaging platform Symphony
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Quirk on 2015-11-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so in what specific ways, they are sponsoring or encouraging research in forensic linguistics with a view to extending its use in the criminal justice system and the immigration services.
Lord Bates
A forensic linguistic process, known as “language analysis”, has been used by the Home Office for immigration purposes for over ten years. The capability is provided by two private suppliers, who were contracted following a competitive tender in 2014.
Language analysis is used to assist in identifying an individual’s true place of origin where it is in doubt, and to deter individuals from making fraudulent asylum claims based on false claims of origin for actual or perceived benefit. It is just one of the tools employed to help confirm an individual’s nationality.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2015-11-23.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the bank referral scheme announced in the 2015 Budget in providing accessible finance to small and medium-seized enterprises.
Harriett Baldwin
The bank referral scheme is not yet up and running but the Government is committed to delivering this policy which will help small and medium sized enterprises access the finance they need to grow and expand.
Since the Government announced the Finance Platform policy at Budget 2014 significant progress on implementation has been made. The Government has consulted, passed primary legislation and is now close to making secondary legislation.
The British Business Bank is currently undertaking a due diligence process on Finance Platforms that have expressed an interest in becoming designated and will advise HM Treasury on designation in the Spring; with the policy expected to ‘go live’ later in 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the value of stationery that has been (a) lost and (b) stolen from the Prime Minister’s Office in each of the last five fiscal years; and what the cost was of replacing such stationery.
Matthew Hancock
The Prime Minister’s Office is part of the Cabinet Office. No stationery was reported as lost or stolen from the Cabinet Office in any of the last five fiscal years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Liddell-Grainger on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many mobile telephone masts are due to be erected in the UK by March 2016.
Mr Edward Vaizey
This Government has committed to ensuring that 90 per cent of the UK landmass will have voice and SMS coverage by 2017.14 telephone masts have been completed and are providing mobile coverage in areas of Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Lincolnshire, Somerset, Suffolk and Northern Ireland. Over 50 other potential mast sites are currentlybeing progressed by our supplier with the aim of delivering as many of these as possible by the project end date of 31 March 2016.