The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what process is in place to monitor the actions of the government of the Republic of Ireland relating to the 1998 Belfast Agreement.
Lord Dunlop
The Government remains in regular contact with the Irish Government relating to the Belfast Agreement in accordance with the established three-stranded approach.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2015-12-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the reasons for the increase in the contract target costs of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
No assessment was made by the Department for Transport of the reasons for the increase in the contract target costs of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road. Norfolk County Council officials provided the Department with information on this and with the papers provided to their Councillors prior to the meeting on 6 November where the revised cost of the scheme was approved.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has assessed the potential of liquid petroleum gas as a replacement for diesel in (a) passenger cars, (b) taxis, (c) HGVs, (d) vans and (e) public sector fleets.
Andrew Jones
As part of a consultation in 2014 on amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) the department considered the potential benefits of biopropane in delivering GHG savings. In recognition of this, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation was subsequently amended to increase rewards for suppliers of that fuel from April 2015.
The department, working with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, have evaluated a range of options for tackling poor air quality; this formed the basis of the Government’s draft air quality plans that recently went to public consultation. Switching to LPG can provide air quality benefits but may not be easily deployed in all vehicle types.
As part of the department’s 2014 Clean Vehicle Technology Fund (CVTF) grant scheme, Birmingham City Council were awarded £500,000 to enable the conversion of 80 older black cabs from diesel to LPG which will help improve air quality on some of the most polluted roads. There is a possibility of funding through the current CVTF grant scheme being used to support further LPG conversions in other areas.
We are considering many competing priorities across Government as part of the Spending Review, including measures to tackle air quality pollutants and reduce other harmful emissions. The outcome of the Spending Review will be announced later in the autumn.
The department regularly meets with motor manufacturers and their representative body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Discussions on how manufacturers can act to tackle poor air quality cover a range of measures.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-12-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what incentives and performance targets exist to encourage HM Prison Service to improve rates of testing for hepatitis C among prisoners.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Improving the proactive detection, surveillance and management of infectious diseases in prisons is a shared priority for the National Offender Management Service, NHS England and Public Health England, as described in the Second National Partnership Agreement published earlier this year. A copy is attached.
Included within this work programme is implementation of the blood-borne virus (BBV) opt-out testing programme for people in prisons, which includes testing for Hepatitis C virus infection as well as Hepatitis B virus and HIV.
The ambition is to have BBV opt-out testing in all adult prisons in England by end of the financial year 2016-17.
While there are currently no financial incentives or direct performance targets, performance in this activity is measured by NHS England through the collection of data via the Health & Justice Indicators of Performance. The data are used by NHS England commissioners to performance manage healthcare providers in prisons.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Royal Prerogative of Mercy has been granted to Moussa Koussa; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The Royal Prerogative of Mercy can only be exercised following a conviction. Moussa Koussa has never been convicted of any offence in the UK, therefore the question of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy has never arisen.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-12-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the appointment process for Regional School Commissioners.
Lord Nash
The eight Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) take decisions in the name of the Secretary of State in relation to schools and academies (including free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools). The RSCs were appointed through open competition, with successful candidates being appointed for their outstanding leadership skills and track record. The process was overseen by the Civil Service Commissioner. RSCs are line managed by the national Schools Commissioner.
The responsibilities of RSCs include:
a) monitoring the performance of the academies, free schools, UTCs and studio schools in their area;
b) taking action when an academy, free school, UTC or studio school is underperforming;
c) approving the conversion of maintained schools to academies and making the decision on the sponsor for new academies in areas where the local authority has identified a need for additional school places;
d) making recommendations to ministers about free school applications and advising on whether approved free school projects are ready to open;
e) encouraging organisations to become academy sponsors or to establish free schools, approving applications to become sponsors and helping to build the capacity and capability of existing sponsors within their area;
f) approving changes to open academies, for example: changes to age ranges, mergers between academies, and changes to MAT arrangements;
g) addressing underperformance in local authority maintained schools through sponsored academy arrangements.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received on increasing the number of English and mathematics teachers in further education and sixth form colleges.
Nick Boles
Ministers and officials at both the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have on-going discussions with stakeholder organisations and colleges about the need to ensure well qualified and skilled teachers of English and mathematics in both FE colleges and sixth form colleges, as we set out in our FE Workforce Strategy and National College for Teaching and Leadership business plan.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Sharp of Guildford on 2015-12-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the annual £210 million ring-fenced funding for adult community education is to be continued; and if not, what level of funding such community education will receive in future.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
We have protected the core adult skills participation budget in cash terms, at £1.5 billion. Further details on what the settlement means for the Further Education sector is set out in the Skills Funding Letter.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he made to the President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi of Egypt about the case of Israa Al-Taweel.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Although the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) did not raise this specific case on 5 November, he discussed human rights issues in Egypt with President Sisi. He raised a number of concerns, including around the detention of political activists, mass trials and restrictions on freedom of expression.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Howe of Idlicote on 2015-12-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how a child is defined within the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
Baroness Shields
For the purposes of protecting children from viewing or listening to unsuitable material, section one of the Broadcasting Code defines children as those aged under fifteen years. For the purporses of safeguarding children involved in programmes, the Code protects all young people under the age of eighteen.