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Tag: 2015

  • Michael Fabricant – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Michael Fabricant – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the likely effect on (a) passenger and (b) freight traffic on the West Coast Mainline following completion of Phase 1 of High Speed 2; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The construction of High Speed 2 (HS2) will release capacity on the existing network, including the West Coast Mainline, reducing crowding, improving resilience and reliability across the network, and improving journey opportunities for passengers. This released capacity could also provide space for at least an extra 20 West Coast Main Line freight paths helping to meet forecast freight demand and taking lorries off the road network. Phase One of HS2 will also bring substantial benefits in its own right, providing additional capacity and improved connectivity.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the average amount the Youth Justice Board will pay for each place for a child in (a) Medway secure training centre, (b)Oakhill secure training centre, (c) Rainsbrook secure training centre, (d) Cookham Wood young offender institution, (e) Feltham young offender institution, (f) Parc young offender institution, (g) Werrington young offender institution and (h) Wetherby young offender institution; and what the average amount the Youth Justice Board paid on average for each place for a child in each of those institutions was in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

    Andrew Selous

    Secure Training Centres (STCs) typically cater for younger offenders with multiple or complex needs and therefore have smaller units and higher staff ratios than Young Offender Institutions (YOIs).

    The Youth Justice Board calculates the average cost of custody per place per year based on assumed full occupancy of all youth secure establishments. Table 1 shows the average costs for a place per year at each of the specified STCs and YOIs for each year since 2013/14.

    Table 1: Average costs per place per year by youth secure establishment

    Establishment

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    (a) Medway STC

    £214,606

    £157,110

    £138,051

    (b) Oakhill STC

    £204,301

    £210,926

    £217,485

    (c) Rainsbrook STC

    £175,479

    £181,194

    £134,955

    (d) Cookham Wood YOI

    £76,051

    £53,915

    £81,089

    (e) Feltham YOI

    £53,690

    £55,120

    £68,548

    (f) Parc YOI

    £67,995

    £68,611

    £69,331

    (g) Werrington YOI

    £55,638

    £57,090

    £91,306

    (h) Wetherby YOI

    £46,688

    £59,579

    £70,505

    Notes:

    1. Prices not adjusted for inflation
    2. Business rates are included for STCs (business rates are charged on non-domestic property).
    3. Costs do not include VAT where this is applicable (STCs and Parc).
    4. Advocacy service prices are included for STCs and YOIs. The advocacy service is an independent service that supports young people within the secure estate.
    5. These costs do not include costs associated with escorting of young people between courts and secure accommodation.

    In 2015/16 the YJB became responsible for commissioning education in public sector YOIs, which was previously funded through the Education Funding Agency. New YOI education contracts have also increased the number of education hours available to young people.

    Costs at Medway and Rainsbrook STCs reduced between 2014/15 and 2015/16, following contract renegotiations and the removal of healthcare costs from these contracts. The Oakhill contract includes costs associated with healthcare, unlike the other two STCs.

  • Baroness Coussins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Coussins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Coussins on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to reverse the shortfall of 21 per cent in the number of modern foreign language teachers, as calculated by the Department for Education’s initial teacher training census for 2014–15.

    Lord Nash

    To support recruitment to languages Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in 2016/17, we have increased the bursary rates for postgraduate languages trainees on fee-based courses. Trainees with 2:1 degree classification will now receive £25,000 (up from £20,000 in 2015/16 in 2015/16) and those with a 2:2 will receive £20,000 (up from £15,000 in 2015/16).

    We offer potential languages trainees a range of support. The Premier Plus programme is available to candidates wanting to teach languages. This service includes support from a dedicated advisor; access to exclusive events; and regular communications with important news and application hints and tips. Languages candidates are also eligible for the funded School Experience Programme, helping them gain classroom experience to assist with their ITT application. Before they begin their training, languages applicants may benefit from funded Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses, through which they can improve either their first or their second additional language. Bursary support is also available for applicants undertaking an SKE course.

    Furthermore, we want to attract qualified languages teachers who wish to return to the profession. We have recently launched a new pilot programme designed to help schools to attract and support returning teachers; this includes funding for returning language teachers. We will be undertaking a national marketing campaign to support this initiative.

  • Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Tyrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Tyrie on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his timetable is for reaching a decision on plans to increase airport capacity in the South East.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps. A decision on airport capacity will be made in due course.

  • Lord Inglewood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Inglewood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Inglewood on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the social security benefits budget last had a clean and unqualified audit report from the NAO.

    Lord Freud

    It is the DWP consolidated resource account (not budget) that is audited each year by NAO.

    In his certificate of the 2014/15 accounts the Comptroller and Auditor General stated to the House of Commons that, in his opinion, the Department’s financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Department’s and the Departmental Group’s affairs as at 31 March 2015.

    The consolidated resource account has been given a qualified regularity opinion in each of the years that it has been audited (since 1999-00) because of the level of fraud and error in certain benefits.

    The qualification is due to material amounts of fraud & error in benefit expenditure. In the 14/15 accounts this was estimated at 1.9% of benefit expenditure, the eventual outturn was 1.8%.

  • Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent changes to the student opportunity fund on the number of people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education.

    Joseph Johnson

    We have taken significant steps to widen participation in higher education. In particular, from 2015/16, we have removed the cap on student numbers, enabling more people than ever before to benefit from higher education. We have also established a stronger framework with increased responsibility placed on providers to widen access. The Director of Fair Access has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 containing an estimated £745m to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds – up from £404m in 2009/10.

    The Green Paper Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice, CM 9141 sets out additional steps the Government plans to take to increase the proportion of students from disadvantaged background entering higher education including through the new guidance that we plan to issue to the Director of Fair Access, and through the social mobility taskforce being set up by Universities UK.

    We will work with the Higher Education Funding Council for England to target the Student Opportunity Fund in the most effective way and with the Director of Fair Access to ensure that universities take more responsibility for widening access, prioritising activities that demonstrate the greatest value for money.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increasing business rates on retailers’ capacity to tackle low pay.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government recognises that business rates represent a fixed cost which can be more burdensome during times of economic difficulty. It is currently considering the impact of business rates on the retail sector as part of the ongoing business rates review. The review will complete by the end of the year.

    Further, the Chancellor recently set out major plans to devolve new powers from Whitehall to local areas to promote growth and prosperity. This includes giving councils the power to reduce business rates to support businesses in their area.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is planned that RAF pilots will rely upon information provided by personnel on the ground to identify and attack targets territory in Syria occupied by ISIS.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The information used to identify and strike targets is derived from a number of different sources and assessed rigorously for compliance with UK rules of engagement, UK law and international law. It is not our practice to comment in detail on how specific operational targets are derived, as to do so would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the assistance that could best be offered to help prevent the loss of highly-skilled manufacturing jobs at MAHLE in Kilmarnock.

    Anna Soubry

    This is disappointing news for the MAHLE workforce and their families. Economic development is devolved to the Scottish Government and as such I am not in a position to comment on their response to this announcement. This Government stands ready to work with the Scottish Government if needed but I note that they are already working with the company over how they might tailor their PACE support programme (their equivalent to our Rapid Response Service) to help those facing redundancy.

  • Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 June 2015 to Question 2734, what changes to phosphate pollution levels in Hertfordshire’s chalk rivers have been recorded over the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    Overall, the phosphate levels in Hertfordshire’s rivers have remained stable over the past 12 months. Phosphate can remain present in river sediments for a number of years, and it can take five to 10 years to show any signs of ecological recovery following phosphate reductions.