The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2015-12-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on claimants with mental illness of his proposals to extend jobseeker’s allowance conditionality.
Priti Patel
We have made no proposals to extend Jobseekers Allowance conditionality.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-11-10.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the funding offer for the Pioneer Communities Project was withdrawn; and what the basis was for the withdrawal.
Greg Hands
The Government announced at Autumn Statement 2014 funding for the Department for Education for an “Early intervention pilot for 0-2 year olds – to pilot a new approach to ensure that the most effective early intervention actions are taken during a child’s earliest years, to prevent avoidable problems later.”
This measure was to be delivered by the Department for Education, who worked with a number of stakeholders including Her Majesty’s Treasury, the Wave Trust and the Early Intervention Foundation to identify options to deliver the project.
As no contract has been signed for this measure, in June 2015 the Department for Education undertook not to proceed with the measure in this financial year.
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 brownfield land in Mid Dorset and North Poole 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.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Mackinlay on 2015-11-10.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of people who will be subject to personal allowance restriction on incomes over £100,000 as a result of Clause 24 of the Finance Bill 2015 (restriction to Landlords’ interest deductibility) in each year between 2017-18 and 2020-21.
Mr David Gauke
It is assumed that the questions refer to clause 24 of the Summer 2015 Finance Bill: relief for finance costs related to residential property businesses.
15897
The additional taxation receipts arising from restrictions to Landlords’ interest deductibility of the Summer Budget Finance Bill 2015 has been estimated and published in the “Summer Budget 2015: policy costings” page 21:
15898
The number of taxpayers who will become higher rate taxpayers as a result of Clause 24 of the plans to restrict finance cost relief for individual landlords will not be estimated. It would only be possible to provide an estimate for the specific years requested at disproportionate cost.
15899
The number of taxpayers who will become subject to Personal Allowance restrictions as a result of the plans to restrict finance cost relief for individual landlords will not be estimated. It would only be possible to provide an estimate for the specific years requested at disproportionate cost.
15895
No estimate is available of the number of people that will be subject to the provisions of the High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge as a result of Clause 24 of the Finance Bill 2015. The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Catholic schools in supporting the integration of minority communities in (a) their student body and (b) the wider community.
Edward Timpson
The department does not conduct assessments on how effective Catholic schools are in supporting the integration of minority communities in their student body and the wider community.
All state-funded schools are required to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, actively promote fundamental British values and have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between peoples of different backgrounds and faiths. Pupils are taught about diverse national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the UK and the need for mutual respect and understanding. Ofsted’s inspection framework includes a focus on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Under the Equality Act 2010 Faith schools are not allowed to treat pupils less favourably in any other way because of their religion or belief, or lack of belief. Under the Public Equality Duty, faith schools must also have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different groups.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications for the erection of telephone masts have been rejected by local authorities in (a) the UK, (b) Cheshire and (c) Eddisbury constituency in the last 12 months.
Brandon Lewis
This information is not collected centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Environment Agency’s 2014 Long Term Investment Scenarios recommended optimum overall investment in flood defences of £750m to £800m each year to 2019-20; and whether she expects that level of overall investment to be achieved.
Rory Stewart
The Environment Agency’s Long Term Investment Scenarios report represents the best currently available projections of potential long term costs to manage flood and coastal risk under a range of scenarios reflecting future uncertainties. It will be kept under review as any further evidence emerges.
The report confirms that current Government investment plans to 2020, together with forecast local contributions, are in line with the level the Environment Agency’s assessment indicates is necessary to reduce overall flood risk by 5%.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to increase the accessibility of defibrillators for sports clubs.
Tracey Crouch
We take player safety in all sportsseriously, and it was one of the main themes of the recent sports strategy consultation.DCMS is considering the responses and the new strategy document will be published in due course.
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 report on the progress of the pilot being run in conjunction with the Department for Education to give schools access to a single point of contact for mental health.
Alistair Burt
The Department for Education and NHS England have commissioned Ecorys to undertake an independent evaluation of the Mental Health Services and School Link Pilots. The evaluation will run from October 2015 to November 2016, covering all 22 pilot sites with Ecorys formally reporting back to the Department for Education and NHS England towards the end of 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to table a new statutory instrument relating to the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees and to change their title to reflect their new role.
Mark Lancaster
This matter is under consideration.