UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2015

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Poole Unitary Authority area has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department does not hold information centrally on the amount or type of land held by community land trusts.

    The Department’s annual Green Belt statistics monitor the amount of land designated as Green Belt in England and any changes to the designated area since the previous year. The statistics record the change by local planning authority.

    Of the local planning authorities for which information was requested, the following have made changes to the Green Belt in the last five years:

    East Dorset reduced the area of designated Green Belt in 2014-15 by 160 hectares to 16,720 hectares, a reduction of 1 per cent; and

    Purbeck increased the area of designated Green Belt in 2012-13 by 460 hectares to 8,200 hectares, an increase of 6 per cent.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much gift aid has been (a) requested and (b) reclaimed from (i) donors and (ii) charities in circumstances in which people making registered charitable donations for gift aid ended the year below the income tax threshold in each of the last five years.

    Damian Hinds

    Individual donors are responsible for ensuring that they have paid sufficient tax to cover any Gift Aid reclaimed on their donations.

    In practice, where HMRC identifies tax to cover issues as a result of its compliance activity with a charity, it may invite the charity to make good any shortfall on behalf of their donors. The charity is not legally obliged to repay any over-claimed Gift Aid and the responsibility always remains that of the donor.

    Details of how much Gift Aid is reclaimed separately from donors and charities is not available.

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children and young people acquire the skills necessary to make healthy food choice.

    Edward Timpson

    There are opportunities across the school curriculum for children to be taught the skills they need to make healthy food choices. In science lessons at key stages 1 and 2, children are taught to describe the importance for humans of exercise and eating the right amounts of different types of food and that humans need the right types and amount of nutrition. In secondary science, children are taught about the content of a healthy human diet, such as carbohydrates, fats and oils, proteins, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and water, and why each is needed. They also learn about the consequences of imbalances in the diet, including obesity.

    In design and technology lessons (key stages 1 to 3), children are taught about food, nutrition and healthy eating and how to cook a repertoire of dishes. Pupils in primary schools are taught about healthy eating and the importance of a good, balanced diet. In secondary schools, children’s knowledge becomes more in-depth as they learn how to feed themselves and others affordably and well and learn where their food comes from.

    Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education also provides opportunities for pupils to learn about health and wellbeing, including being taught what constitutes a healthy lifestyle, the benefits of physical activity and healthy eating.

    It is important that children eat nutritious, tasty food at school as fuel for learning, to help their growth and development and so that they develop healthy eating habits. The School Food Standards, introduced in January 2015, severely restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods. They help ensure that pupils always have healthy options for their school lunch.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authority staff report bullying and intimidation each year.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Bullying and intimidation are serious matters and all employers, including local authorities, should have in place arrangements to ensure employees can safely report this behaviour, including by those in a senior position.

    My Department does not collect information about incidents of bullying or intimidation of local authority staff, nor have we made any assessment of council codes of conduct to protect officers from such behaviour.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department’s target is for time taken to respond to letters and emails from hon. Members; what the average time taken by his Department to respond to such letters and emails is; and how many such letters and emails received between 1 January and 30 September 2015 remained unanswered after eight weeks.

    Mr David Lidington

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers aim to respond to all correspondence from Honourable Members within 20 working days of receipt. However, due to the complex nature of certain items of correspondence, it is not always possible to meet this deadline.

    FCO Ministers responded to around 81 per cent of correspondence from parliamentarians between 1 January and 30 September 2015 within 20 working days. During this period, FCO Ministers sent a total of 5702 letters to Members of Parliament, Peers and Members of the Public.

    Detailed information on the average time taken to respond to correspondence is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to implement the family test; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Officials in my Department have liaised with DWP as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it and encourage routine use of the Test. Thiscould includetraining officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevantevidence, learning materials and best practice.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish details of his proposal to introduce Ofsted-style ratings for clinical commissioning groups’ mental health services.

    Alistair Burt

    My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has announced that the new Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) assessment framework being developed by NHS England will contain six key clinical areas, including mental health. The framework will be published in March 2016 and will be operational from 1 April 2016.

    An annual assessment of these clinical areas will be moderated by independent panels of experts. Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of MIND, has been appointed panel chair for mental health.

    A first simple assessment of all CCGs in these six areas will be published in June 2016. The formal annual summative assessment of all CCGs for 2016/17 will happen at the end of that financial year and be published in summer 2017. The annual assessment will be based on a four point scale of outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place in the Library a copy of the 1984 Joint Intelligence Committee paper JIC(84)(N)45, entitled Soviet Union: concern about a surprise NATO attack.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    It would not be appropriate to release this report on grounds of National Security.

  • Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Government’s immigration policies on the number of international students enrolling in UK universities.

    James Brokenshire

    We have an excellent offer for international students who wish to study at our world-leading institutions and there remains no limit on the number who can do so. As a result, the UK remains the second most popular destination in the world for international higher education students, and our excellent universities continue to attract large volumes of overseas students.

    Annual visa applications from international students to study at British universities are now 17 per cent higher than they were in 2010, with visa applications to our elite Russell Group universities up by 39 per cent since 2010.

    The most recent figures produced by the Higher Education Statistics Agency also show a 6 per cent increase in the number of full-time non-EU new enrolments to UK higher education institutions between 2012/13 and 2013/14.

  • Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Toby Perkins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to ensure homes are adequately heated over the winter and protect against deaths due to the cold weather.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are supporting older and vulnerable people to keep warm through support including the Energy Company Obligation and the Warm Home Discount. Over 1.6 million measures have been installed in around 1.3 million households through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) alone.

    This year, over 2 million households will get help under the Warm Home Discount scheme– including an automatic electricity bill discount of £140 for over 1.3 million of the poorest pensioners. In winter 2014/15, Winter Fuel Payments were made to around 12.5million older people in around 9 million households. The Cold Weather Plan, published by Public Health England, helps to raise awareness of the harm to health from cold, and provides guidance on how to prepare for and respond to cold weather.

    The Government has also provided around £3 million to fund the creation of the ‘Big Energy Saving Network’ which focuses on helping consumers understand tariffs and switching options as well as how they could benefit from energy efficiency programmes available to them. As we approach winter, my officials will continue to maximise awareness of the Energy Saving Advice Service (ESAS –contact number 0300 123 1234), which also provides a referral service for ECO Affordable Warmth.