The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-02-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensures that in cases where jobseeker’s allowance claimants are sanctioned, local authorities suspend housing benefit only in cases where it is appropriate to do so.
Esther McVey
I refer the Hon. member to the reply given to the Rt Hon. Member for East Ham on 5 January 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2015-02-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have been apprehended when illegally entering the United Kingdom in Northern Ireland at the border with the Republic of Ireland in each of the last three years.
Lord Bates
I refer the noble Lord to the answer of 26th January 2015, to Question 221443 given by my hon. Friend the Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock on 2015-02-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what due diligence is carried out and by whom before ministerial appointments are made.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
As was the case under previous administrations, ministerial appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister, in line with the Ministerial Code.
For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a life peerage, the independent House of Lords Appointments Commission vets nominations. For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a peerage in order that they might sit in the House of Lords to take up a ministerial role, the Commission consults the main regulatory authorities, including HMRC, before giving advice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hamwee on 2015-02-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether representatives from the entertainment industry have been consulted on proposed changes to the rules and guidance relating to visitor visas to the United Kingdom.
Lord Bates
We consulted with a wide range of sectors on our proposals to streamline the visitor routes and produce new, clearer Immigration Rules and guidance for visitors. These included business groups, tourism bodies and representatives from the arts and creative sectors which included organisations that work in the entertainment industry.
The new Immigration Rules for visitors will be laid in Parliament on 26 February and will come into force in April. More details will be available then.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many post offices in which public funds were invested to convert them to a (a) main or (b) local post office have (i) temporarily or (ii) permanently closed in each of the last five years.
Jo Swinson
The Government understands the important role that post offices play in communities across the country and since 2010 has committed nearly £2 billion to maintain, modernise and protect a network of at least 11,500 branches that continues to meet strict access criteria that see, for example, 99% of the population nationally living within three miles of a post office outlet.
This Government has also committed that there will be no programme of Post Office closures and there are currently around 11,700 post office branches in the UK, with the Post Office network at its most stable for over two decades.
As the provision of post offices and the investment made under its network transformation programme are the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on these matters. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew George on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reason he decided to amend section 106 agreements in respect of small and medium sized builders and rural areas not covered by section 157 of the Housing Act 1985.
Brandon Lewis
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer of 12 February 2015 to Question 223176.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the average number of hours children spent exercising in schools each week in (a) the UK and (b) each region of the UK in each year since May 2010.
Mr Edward Timpson
The Department for Education does not hold information on the average number of hours children have spent exercising in schools each week since May 2010.
Following the recent review of the national curriculum, PE continues to be compulsory at all 4 key stages.
Through the primary PE and sport premium we are also providing over £450 million of ring-fenced funding across three academic years until 2016. The funding goes directly to primary schools, to be spent on the improvement of PE and sport, so that all pupils develop a healthy lifestyle. We published a research brief into the use of the primary PE and sport premium in September 2014. Our findings show that the mean amount of time spent on curricular PE in primary schools has increased by 13 minutes from 109 to 122 minutes a week from 2012/13 to 2013/14. 84 per cent of schools reported an increase in pupil engagement with PE during school time and 83 per cent saw an increase in participation in after school clubs.
Our research was based on a survey of 586 primary schools between April and July 2014. Our full report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pe-and-sport-premium-an-investigation-in-primary-schools
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 23 October 2014, Official Report, column 1142, what progress he has made on establishing the independent review of papers and evidence relating to oral hormone pregnancy tests; and when he plans to appoint a panel alongside the chair for that review.
George Freeman
The terms of reference for the review were endorsed by the Commission on Human Medicines in December 2014 and a suitable Chair for the panel has been identified. The areas of scientific expertise required for the review and suitable candidates within these disciplines have also been identified. The Government is in the process of obtaining all relevant documents and evidence for the review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Randall on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many calls have been logged in total since the government-funded trafficking helpline run by the NSPCC was established; and how many confirmed victims of human trafficking have been identified as a result of such calls.
Karen Bradley
The Modern Slavery helpline was set up on 31 July 2014 as part of a wider
national communications campaign. Between 31 July 2014 and 29 January 2015,
the NSPCC helpline received a total of 654 contacts. These contacts comprise
383 referrals, 82 advice cases, and 189 enquiries. The helpline ensures that
potential victims are referred to the appropriate agencies, including law
enforcement, for immediate support and assistance. As a result, the NSPCC does
not record the number of confirmed victims of modern slavery, including human
trafficking.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hoyle on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to end dog fighting.
Lord De Mauley
Dog fighting has been banned in this country for over 100 years. It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and punishable by up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of £20,000 or both. In addition, the police have powers to investigate allegations of dog fighting as well as powers of arrest against those suspected of being involved in this barbaric practice.