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Tag: 2015

  • Sadiq Khan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Sadiq Khan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential for the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived to assist efforts to help homeless EEA nationals in the UK.

    Priti Patel

    The UK allocation from the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) is €3.96m for the 2014-20 period and will be used to expand breakfast club provision in deprived areas in England. The Department for Education received interim funding of €541,216 in advance of the scheme commencing. Officials are currently exploring options for the best way for the scheme to be administered.

    Since FEAD was created from within structural funds allocations and has some similarities to ESF, DWP Ministers took the initial decisions on our negotiation position on the size of the UK allocation and on the use of the funds. Responsibility for implementing the Fund now sits with DfE, and we have agreed this response with them. We will discuss with officials there whether all correspondence, PQs and so on, should now be their responsibility, or whether we retain a policy lead.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kirsten Oswald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-12-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on differences in the (a) criteria used by the Financial Ombudsman’s Service and Financial Services Compensation Scheme to determine cases and (b) determinations reached by those bodies.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Treasury Ministers and officials receive regular representations on a wide range of issues.

    As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Treasury’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.

  • Clive Efford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Clive Efford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on plans to introduce a Horserace Betting Right; and if he will make a statement.

    Tracey Crouch

    Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the Horserace Betting Right. We will make an announcement in due course.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2015 to Question 13628, whether the £230 million spend incurred by BT is an addition to the £683 million recorded as state aid receipts in BT’s accounts.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The £230m is BT expenditure and would therefore be in addition to receipts recorded on the BT annual accounts.

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the physical and mental health of refugees arriving by boat at RAF Akrotiri; and what steps he plans to take to ensure the wellbeing of those refugees.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The transit facility at Dhekelia Station in Cyprus has been developed with advice from the Department for International Development (DfID) and has been visited by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative in Cyprus, who has said that the conditions of the facility exceed the standard of comparable set-ups.

    We have a DfID adviser embedded at the transit facility who continues to advise on best practice which has enabled us to maintain these high standards.

    All of the migrants have been assessed by medical personnel and provided with any necessary treatment.

  • Steven Paterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.98 in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, published on 23 November 2015; how many of the 10,000 military personnel available to assist civil authorities are (a) based in Scotland and (b) available to be used to assist civil authorities in Scotland.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Under the deployment plan the Ministry of Defence and police have identified a range of security tasks that the military will undertake in order to release police firearms officers to respond to a major counter-terrorism (CT) incident. A proportion of these are in Scotland although we do not reveal the specific numbers of personnel involved for reasons of operational security.

    The plan also allows us to generate a far more significant surge of military personnel to deploy in response to a major CT incident. These personnel deploy across the UK, including in Scotland. Military units have a responsibility for this task on a rolling basis, including the 9,810 personnel based in Scotland.

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

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of provision of play opportunities for children with disabilities and complex needs.

    Edward Timpson

    Play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning. The importance of play is recognised in the Early Years Foundation Stage framework[1], which states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity. Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.”

    Early Years educators and Early Years teachers are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. It is for individual schools and settings to provide opportunities for play for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs.

    We welcome the report published by Sense and their continuing efforts to support deafblind children and young people.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework–2

    “

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect of cancelling the carbon capture and storage on oil recovery from the North Sea oil field over the next 20 years.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government’s view remains that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has a potential role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s power and industrial sectors. There are also potential opportunities for the oil and gas and CCS industries to work together.

    The Wood Review identified a range of key issues faced by the maturing UK continental shelf, which the Government and industry must jointly address to deliver maximum economic recovery (MER) of UK petroleum. In response, the Government has established the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) as a body focused on delivering MER. This has attracted strong industry support.

    The OGA is considering the role of CCS in the technology and decommissioning strategies it is developing and will engage with the CCS industry to ensure that opportunities between the industries are identified and explored wherever possible.

    DECC will continue to engage with industry and academia, to understand the potential for any future schemes to enhance oil recovery from the North Sea.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to increase the number of qualified staff working on early education settings.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The extended free childcare entitlement for working parents of three- and four-year-olds will provide eligible parents with 30 hours of free childcare per week. The government provides guidance in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, which sets out the ratios within which providers must operate. We expect providers to recruit accordingly, and that the market will respond to demand in local areas. The childcare market has proven that it is adaptable as demonstrated by the increase of 230,000 places since 2009. The timetable for implementation of the extended entitlement ensures that the market has time to expand.

    The quality of provision is central to ensuring benefits to children, and the main driver of quality in a setting is its workforce. The qualification levels of the childcare workforce has risen over recent years and we want the sector to continue to attract highly qualified staff with a strong aptitude for working with young children to deliver good quality childcare.

    We are taking steps to improve the process for those training to become Early Years Educators and Early Years Teachers. In 2016, the government will review progression routes within the sector to determine what more can be done to enable good quality staff to maximise their potential and forge a successful career within early years. This will build on existing investments in staff training and development that have brought high performing schools and private, voluntary and independent providers together to share good practice and improve transition into school for young children.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Craig Whittaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage people to consume locally-sourced food produce.

    George Eustice

    The Government recognises the value that high-quality, locally produced food has to consumers, communities and the economy. The Great British Food Campaign was launched on 3 November to celebrate the achievements of British food and drink and to ensure that the conditions are right for its quality, creativity and reputation to flourish.

    2016 will be the Year of British Food. It will celebrate the quality and provenance of Britain’s producers, manufacturers, retailers and restaurateurs allowing everyone to benefit from and share the UK’s culinary heritage.