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Tag: 2015

  • David Crausby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Crausby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the projected transport budget per capita in Greater Manchester after the devolution agreement comes into effect.

    Andrew Jones

    Government committed to provide Greater Manchester with a devolved, multi-year transport funding settlement in their Devolution Deal which was agreed in November 2014. The transport funding to be devolved to Greater Manchester will be agreed as part of the Spending Review to be announced later this month.

  • Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe regarding the disappearance of Itai Dzamara.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government has been following this case closely since Itai Dzamara’s abduction in March 2015. Together with EU Member States, we have repeatedly called on the Government of Zimbabwe to undertake a full investigation. The EU issued a local statement on 11 September expressing deep concern about Itai Dzamara’s welfare. We continue to urge the Zimbabwean authorities to do everything they can to enable him to recover his freedom, and to respect their legal obligation to report on the progress of the investigation. The EU Delegation is in contact with Mr Dzamara’s family.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 7.4 of the Explanatory Memorandum for the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Local Housing Allowance Amendments) Order 2015 (S.I., 2015, No. 1753), how the Government plans to define higher rent increases for the purposes of determining eligibility for additional funding under the Targeted Affordability Fund.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Since 2014/15 the Government has made available £140 million in Targeted Affordability Funding (TAF). Over the next five years TAF will be drawn from recycling a percentage of the savings from the freeze of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates. As a result of the level of savings produced by the freeze next year there will be no TAF available in 2016/17; however, there will be funding from 2017/18 to 2020/21.

    From 2017/18 around 30 per cent of the potential savings per year from the freeze to LHA will be used to support areas where higher rent increases are causing a shortage of affordable accommodation.

    The level of TAF in 2016/17 would have been the same if, as planned, LHA rates had been uprated by CPI inflation. This is because the CPI forecast in September was zero (0.01 per cent) and therefore LHA rates would not increase in 2016/17 but would remain at the 2015/16 levels.

    The amounts of TAF which will be available each year from 2017/18 and the plans to distribute it will be announced in due course.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 4 December (HL3456), what urgent action they are taking to remedy the shortage of male teachers and teaching assistants.

    Lord Nash

    We value diversity in the workforce but want the best people in the classroom, regardless of their gender; evidence shows that the quality of teaching is the single most important factor in determining how well pupils achieve. We are pleased that the quality of entrants to initial teacher training, as measured by degree class, remains high, with 18 per cent of postgraduate entrants, a new record, holding a first-class degree. Recent figures show that 26 per cent of teachers in publicly funded schools in England are male. The proportion of men starting initial teacher training programmes in 2015/16 is 31 per cent. The proportion of entrants to the School Direct (salaried) scheme in 2015/16 who are male is 34 per cent.

    Given this performance, the government does not feel that top-down targets for the recruitment of men into initial teacher training would be appropriate. Similarly, it is schools that employ teaching assistants and they are best placed to decide who are the most appropriate for that role regardless of gender.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) advisers and (b) managers were interviewed during the course of the investigation which led to the dismissal of two advisers at Plaistow Jobcentre in May 2014.

    Priti Patel

    Allegations of misuse of the Flexible Support Fund at Plaistow Jobcentre were investigated fully by the Department’s professionally trained investigators. It is not appropriate for the Secretary of State to disclose detailed information about internal investigations as providing this information would risk individuals being identified.

  • Angela Rayner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Rayner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Rayner on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on protecting people from harassment from nuisance calls.

    Nick Boles

    My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with his counterpart at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on a wide variety of issues.

  • Mrs Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Mrs Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Sharon Hodgson on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2015 to Question 12304, what the names are of the main stakeholders who the Government consulted on the terms of reference of the Review into Secondary Ticketing Market.

    Nick Boles

    The following stakeholders were invited to provide input:

    All England Lawn Tennis Club

    Association of Leading Visitor Attractions

    CBI

    Competition and Markets Authority

    eBay UK Ltd (StubHub)

    England and Wales Cricket Board

    England Rugby Football Union

    European Commission Representation in the UK

    Fan Freedom

    Lawn Tennis Association

    Northern Ireland Executive

    Parliament

    Royal Opera House

    Scottish Government

    Society of London Theatre

    Sport and Recreation Alliance

    STAR (Secure Tickets from Authorised Retailers)

    Ticketmaster

    UK Music

    Viagogo

    Welsh Government

    Which?

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been employed in Dundee by the Government and its agencies in each year since 1990.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which Diwali celebrations he, his predecessor or Ministers in his Department attended in 2014 and 2015.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    DCLG Ministers attended the following Diwali functions:

    2014:

    The All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus at the House of Commons (15 October 2014) – Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles MP

    Deputy Prime Minister’s Diwali function at Admiralty House (22 October 2014) – Stephen Williams MP

    Conservative Party event to celebrate Diwali at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (27 October 2014) – Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles MP

    2015:

    Prime Minister’s Diwali reception at No10 Downing Street (10 November 2015) – Rt. Hon. Greg Clark MP and Baroness Williams of Trafford

  • Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the change in tax income receipts arising from net migration being limited to tens of thousands.

    Mr David Gauke

    No estimate has been made of the change in income tax receipts arising from net migration.

    Since May 2010 the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has served as the Government’s independent fiscal watchdog. This includes responsibility for issuing five-year forecasts for the economy and public finances, at least twice a year, and assessment of the key sensitivities to this medium term forecast.

    The OBR has not viewed changes to net migration as one of the key risks or sensitivities to the medium term forecast.