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Tag: 2015

  • Anas Sarwar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Anas Sarwar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to work with the government of Malawi to enhance financial controls and transparency in that country, with a view to restoring bilateral support by the UK.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    General budget support to Malawi was suspended in 2011 due to concerns relating to human rights and public financial management. Tightly managed sector budget support for health and education was continued by all donors but following the Cash-gate scandal in November 2013 this too was suspended. There can be no consideration of putting UK funding through Malawi government systems until the integrity of the Government’s financial management systems has been restored and independently verified. However, the UK is still committed to poverty reduction and supporting poor people in Malawi, through a large programme of ongoing investments delivered, in health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, economic development and governance.

    In the wake of the Cash-gate corruption scandal in 2013, we have funded a forensic audit as well as technical assistance to the investigation agencies to help bring the culprits to court and continue to support public financial management reforms.

  • Shabana Mahmood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Shabana Mahmood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Prime Minister, when and how he was first made aware of files relating to HSBC and tax evasion.

    Mr David Cameron

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Washington and Sunderland West (Mrs Hodgson) on 11 February 2015, Official Report, columns 774-775.

  • Karl Turner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Karl Turner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers he has to vary, suspend and terminate the current tendering process for Northern Rail and TransPennine Express franchises.

    Claire Perry

    As part of the Department’s standard procurement process, the Secretary of State expressly reserves the right to make whatever changes he sees fit to the structure and timing of the procurement process or to cancel the process in its entirety at any stage. This arrangement is not particular to the Northern and Transpennine Express franchises.

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many challenges to benefits sanctions have been overturned as a result of tribunal interventions where his Department has not made reasonable adjustments under disability equality law; how his Department takes into account information from social services or health service staff before imposing such sanctions; and what processes ensure that adjustments are made before such sanctions are imposed on disabled claimants.

    Esther McVey

    The exact information you request on tribunal Interventions is not available.

    However, Decision Makers ensure that all relevant claimant circumstances are carefully considered before imposing any sanction. This may include information from social services and health service staff if it was relevant to the case. We do not sanction vulnerable claimants without making every effort to contact them or their carer/healthcare professional first. Clear and detailed guidance is used by Decision Makers to ensure that the necessary processes are followed in a consistent manner.

  • Ann McKechin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ann McKechin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann McKechin on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobseeker’s allowance applications processed by (a) Maryhill Job Centre and (b) Partick Job Centre were subject to monetary sanctions in (i) 2011, (ii) 2012, (iii) 2013 and (iv) 2014; and what the average length of such sanctions was in each such year.

    Esther McVey

    The number of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) decisions to apply a sanction by Jobcentre Plus office is published at:

    https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

    Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:

    https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

    Information requested on the average length of sanctions is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    “

  • Austin Mitchell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Austin Mitchell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Austin Mitchell on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the derivatives exposure is of each bank regulated by the UK authorities.

    Andrea Leadsom

    HM Treasury does not preserve specific information relating to the value, maturity or exposure of derivatives. Aggregate data on the derivative positions of UK banks is collected every quarter and made publicly available online by the Bank of England. The specific balance sheet position on derivatives for each bank will be published regularly in their annual report to shareholders.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    In line with the Civil Service wide commitment, DCMS provides guidance to staff and managers encouraging them to spend at least 5 days a year on their learning and development.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department’s training budget was in each of the last three financial years.

    Mr Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education holds a central training and development budget covering core education and training undertaken through Civil Service Learning. This includes development in core Civil Service skills including leadership and management, financial management and analysis. The table below shows the centrally managed budget for each of the past three financial years.

    Financial Year

    Budget

    12/13

    £700,000

    13/14

    £700,000

    14/15

    £600,000

    Additionally, directorates across the Department spend an element of their budgets on training and development which varies dependant on in-year development needs. The table below shows both central training and development spend and Directorate spend for each last 3 financial years.

    Financial Year

    Total spend

    Average number of staff (based on Full Time Equivalents)

    Average spend per member of staff (based on Full Time Equivalents)

    2014/15 (covering the period April to December only)

    £1.3m

    3353.7

    £390

    2013/14

    £2.2m

    3539.4

    £620

    2012/13

    £3.2m

    3801.1

    £840

    In addition to formal training, the Department for Education encourages staff to take advantage of a variety of different professional development opportunities not captured by this expenditure, including job shadowing, on-the-job training and peer mentoring.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

    Amber Rudd

    (£k)

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    Staff Training

    3,364

    3,861

    4,017
  • George Hollingbery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    George Hollingbery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Hollingbery on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which towns and cities in England and Wales have been most affected by flooding caused by urban surface run-off following heavy rain events in the last five years.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency publishes maps of locations at risk of flooding from surface water. The maps can be interrogated by place name or postcode.

    The maps can be found at:

    http://watermaps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/wiyby.aspx?topic=ufmfsw#x=357865&y=355121&scale=1

    “