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Tag: 2015

  • Chris Ruane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris Ruane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    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.

  • Andrew George – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew George – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    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.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    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

    “

  • Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    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.

  • John Randall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John Randall – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    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.

  • Lord Hoyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Hoyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    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.

  • John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) funds and (b) grants his Department makes available for the refurbishment or improvement of railway stations.

    Claire Perry

    The Department for Transport currently operates a number of schemes that makes funds available to enhance facilities at stations.

    The Access for All programme and the Small Schemes fund provide improvements in accessibility. The National Stations Improvement Programme and Stations Commercial Project Facility are designed to deliver enhancements to passenger facilities. The New Station Fund has been established to help fund the construction of new stations.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to commission an independent review of the benefits and sanctions regime.

    Priti Patel

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 June 2015 to Question UIN 170.

    “

  • Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of Child Support Agency enforcement rates for payment of child maintenance.

    Priti Patel

    The latest published figures show 88% of cases on the 1993 and 2003 schemes and 88% of case groups on the 2012 scheme contributing towards their current maintenance liability.

    Where a non-resident parent fails to meet their liabilities, the Child Support Agency has a range of enforcement powers. For example, child maintenance can be taken directly from bank accounts and wages; and the Government has also introduced a new power to disclose non-compliance to credit reference agencies.

    The total number of enforcement actions taken by the Agency can be found on page 41 of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics June 2015 available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-statistics–2.

    “

  • Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, 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 relatively high levels of income inequality are a contributing factor to why social mobility in the UK is relatively low by international standards and has not increased in the past 40 years.

    Priti Patel

    This Government is committed to tackling poverty, extending opportunity and ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, can fulfil their potential. We know that having parents in work, and educational attainment are the strongest determinants of future life chances.

    Our approach to improving life chances is based on high levels of employment, a welfare and tax system that supports work and allows people to keep more of what they earn, and raising educational attainment for all children.