UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2015

  • Jon Trickett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jon Trickett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled people are given appropriate support to lead an active and independent lifestyle.

    Justin Tomlinson

    This Government has an ambitious vision for disabled people, which is set out in our cross-government disability strategy: Fulfilling Potential which we published in 2013.

    Fulfilling Potential aims to remove the barriers that disabled people face to enable them to fulfil their potential, live independently and have equal opportunities to play a full and active role in society.

    We developed our approach with disabled people and it reflects what they have said is important to bring about the changes that will have a real and lasting impact on their day-to-day lives.

    As part of our approach we are committed to continuing to provide support for those disabled people who need it, whilst enabling those who can work to do so. We continue to spend around £50 billion on services and benefits for disabled people. We are committed to halving the disability employment gap and over the last year, we have seen disability employment increase by over 226,000.

  • Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the report by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, Downward mobility, opportunity hoarding and the glass floor, published in June 2015, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of that report’s findings that children from better-off families are hoarding opportunities in the education system in the labour market.

    Nick Boles

    This report by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission raised some important issues around social mobility in the UK. As you will be aware the Government is concerned with this issue and plan to tackle this problem, as highlighted by the Prime Ministers’ Conference speech earlier this month.

    I would like to highlight however, that this report was largely focused on a cohort of British children born in 1970. So while it is important in illustrating that social mobility in the UK has been poor for a long period of time it bears no reflection on the Government’s current policies.

    Concerning current policies and their implications on social mobility it is clear that the achievement of over 2 million apprenticeships in the last parliament and the target of 3 million in this is helping to increase social mobility by providing young people with the skills they need in order to acquire professional careers. This policy alongside an increase in participation in higher education, helped by policies such as the removal of the student cap, has helped start to bridge the skills and educational gaps which were previously detrimental to social mobility.

  • Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in relation to the decision to award MTCNovo the contract to run Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre, what assessment they have made of the experience that company has in running residential establishments that care for vulnerable children; and whether MTCNovo, including its partners or significant subcontractors, has been found to have breached human rights or equality legislation in the last three years, either in the United Kingdom or abroad.

    Lord Faulks

    MTC and their main partner Amey were subject to robust and rigorous assessment at the pre-qualification stage of the competition. This included a thorough examination of health and safety, equalities, human rights and discrimination policies, and a requirement to demonstrate their experience of managing children and young people.

    There were no findings of a breach in human rights or equality legislation.

  • Baroness Falkner of Margravine – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Falkner of Margravine – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Falkner of Margravine on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have taken place at a senior level with the government of Spain regarding a referendum on Catalonian independence, following the regional elections on 27 September.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    There have been no official discussions with the Government of Spain regarding a referendum on Catalonian independence since Catalonia’s regional election on 27 September.

  • Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to extend their definition of a notifiable crime to include (1) all driving offences, or (2) all driving offences that cause injury.

    Lord Bates

    There are no plans to extend the definition of a notifiable crime to include all driving offences or all driving offences that cause injury.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what mechanisms are in place to ensure that Department for International Development policy and funding streams support integrated population, health and environment programmes.

    Baroness Verma

    Taking the new Global Goals as our starting point, a number of reviews are underway across DFID to ensure that DFID maintains a high quality and high impact development programme. We will report findings and programming recommendations over the coming months.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report commissioned by the British Pakistan Christian Association, entitled Education, Human Rights Violations in Pakistan and the Scandal Involving UNHRC and Asylum Seekers in Thailand; and whether, in the light of this report, they plan to review the risk of the persecution of Christians in Pakistan and update their guidance document Pakistan: Christians and Christian Converts.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office will be considering the report commissioned by the British Pakistani Christian Association alongside a range of other material to make a full assessment of the situation of Christians in Pakistan, and will revise its country information and guidance if necessary.

    The Home Office considers that the treatment of asylum seekers in Thailand is primarily a matter for the Thai authorities.

  • engineering and chemical sectors”; how many wells would be required to achieve such levels of investment and employment; and over what time period such levels would be achieved.” – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    engineering and chemical sectors”; how many wells would be required to achieve such levels of investment and employment; and over what time period such levels would be achieved.” – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by engineering and chemical sectors”; how many wells would be required to achieve such levels of investment and employment; and over what time period such levels would be achieved.” on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Prime Minister on 11 September (HC9076), on what evidence they base the statement that investment in shale could reach £33 billion and support 64

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    EY’s 2014 report, ‘Getting Ready for UK Shale Gas: Supply chain and skills requirements and opportunities’ identifies that over the period of 2016–32 c.£33bn of spend could be required to bring up to 4,000 wells into production. At peak this equates to around £3.3bn of spend and some 64,500 jobs (6,100 of which are direct roles).

    The full report can be viewed at:

    http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Getting_ready_for_UK_shale_gas/$FILE/EY-Getting-ready-for-UK-shale-gas-April-2014.pdf

    “

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the amount of each year’s budget for the Northern Ireland Parades Commission since its establishment.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Parades Commission is responsible for the management of its own budget and, in line with the Public Processions Act (NI) 1998, it is also responsible for the publication of its Annual Report and Accounts. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible for ensuring that the annual report is laid in Parliament. The total expenditure for the Parades Commission for each year since its establishment in 1998 is listed below:

    Financial Year (£000s)

    2015/16 810 (projected)

    2014/15 969

    2013/14 916

    2012/13 1,373

    2011/12 958

    2010/11 1,023

    2009/10 1,032

    2008/09 1,130

    2007/08 1,062

    2006/07 1,740

    2005/06 1,460

    2004/05 1,166

    2003/04 1,292

    2002/03 1,296

    2001/02 1,308

    2000/01 1,138

    1999/2000 1,055

    1998/99 1,147

  • Lord Scriven – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Scriven – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to change the rules for public servants so that senior public officers who work during strikes do not get extra payments, as was the case with three senior officers of the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service during strikes in 2014–15.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Pay policy for members of staff is the responsibility of individual fire and rescue authorities.

    The Government is grateful to those members of staff who worked to ensure the safety of their communities during periods of strike action by members of the Fire Brigades Union.