Tag: 2015

  • Vernon Coaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Vernon Coaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how public investment infrastructure in superfast broadband is calculated by his Department.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The funding allocations published by DCMS in February 2014 were based on maximising the numbers of premises that could be covered by superfast broadband, in addition to ensuring that each of the devolved nations had an allocation in line with the Barnett funding formula.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assistance the Government has given to (a) Kent Police, (b) Kent County Council, (c) other operational organisations and (d) businesses to cover costs incurred during the implementation of Operation Stack in Summer 2015.

    Mike Penning

    In respect of Kent police, the Home Office has recently received an application from the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner for Special Grant funding for the additional costs relating to Operation Stack. I will carefully consider the bid and make a decision in due course.

  • John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Mann – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of any shortfall in the number of qualified mathematics teachers in each English region.

    Nick Gibb

    During the academic year 2014/15 there were 33,400 mathematics teachers in state-funded schools in England. The vacancy rate was low, with only 1.4% of all mathematics teaching posts in secondary schools vacant. Mathematics continues to be a popular subject for teacher training, with nearly 2,500 training in 2015/16. During this period we achieved 93% of our postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT) target in mathematics.

    Each year we estimate the number of mathematics teachers we need to train using the Teacher Supply Model. This estimate is based on assumptions about pupil numbers, teaching practice, curriculum changes, and teacher deployment. The department does not hold estimates of shortfalls for teachers in any particular subjects or regions. It is up to schools to decide what teachers they need, in what specialisms and with what qualifications.

    Nevertheless, we realise that within the context of a strong economy, recruitment for all STEM subjects is challenging. We have continued to offer scholarships and bursaries worth up to £25,000 tax free for those candidates entering mathematics initial teacher training in academic year 2016/17. Through the School Direct (salaried) route we provide schools with additional grant funding to boost trainees’ salaries in mathematics.

    Furthermore, in March the Prime Minister announced a package worth up to £67 million to transform mathematics and physics teaching in England by recruiting 2,500 additional mathematics and physics teachers and providing subject knowledge training to 15,000 non-specialist serving teachers.

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has published on the size of plastic bags used to carry liquids through airport security.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport has published guidance for passengers and industry on the GOV.UK website on the use of plastic bags to carry liquids through UK airport security. This includes advice on the nature of the plastic bag required. Many UK airports also provide guidance on their websites.

    The Civil Aviation Authority provides advice and guidance for airports on the definition of a liquid. The main regulation covering liquids, aerosols and gels, EU Regulation 185/2010 also sets out the rules and requirements.

  • David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will call on his Ethiopian counterpart to allow peaceful protest in the Oromia region and withdraw paramilitary forces.

    James Duddridge

    The UK Government is deeply concerned about the current situation in Oromia and in particular about the reported deaths of a number of students. The Department for International Development Parliamentary Under Secretary of State raised our concerns with the Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister on 11 December and urged the authorities to exercise restraint. We will continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Ethiopia, including on the use of force.

  • Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) local authority, and (2) housing association, supported housing schemes there are in England, and how many residents participate in each type of scheme.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    We do not hold this information. More information on the scale, shape and cost of the supported accommodation sector should be available through the evidence review jointly commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions. The review is due to report by April 2016.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce and treat irregular heartbeats in infants that can lead to premature death.

    Ben Gummer

    Sudden loss of life can occur through diagnosed and previously undiagnosed heart conditions in children of any age. This is a devastating event to the families involved and there is no simple solution to prevent every case.

    A large part of the review of congenital heart services that reported in July 2015 focused on producing gold standards for the care of children and infants with heart problems. These standards have now been agreed and will be implemented in April 2016.

    One of the key workstreams arising from the review is improvement in detection of heart disease early in life and there are increasing numbers of specialists involved in this area of cardiology. Research and development strives to improve identification of high risk cases and refine screening programs to aid in reducing these shocking events.

  • Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 5 November (HL3049), what representations they have made to the European Commission regarding the inclusion of the government of Bosnia-Herzegovina in future meetings in which the Western Balkans migratory route is discussed.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government has not made representations to the European Commission regarding the inclusion of the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in future meetings in which the Western Balkans migratory route is discussed.

    The Government advocates tackling root causes of migration, robust enforcement of immigration rules and returns in all transit countries as well as EU Member States, and managed resettlement of genuine refugees. We welcomed and participated in the High Level Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean – Western Balkans Route in Luxembourg on 8 October which all countries of the region, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Turkey and all EU Member States attended and we support the urgent implementation of the 17-point Plan agreed among leaders of Member States and countries most affected on 25 October.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of womb cancer.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England (PHE) runs the ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaigns to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of specific cancers, and to encourage those with symptoms to see their doctor promptly.

    Although womb cancer is not covered by ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ specifically, Public Health England is looking at developing an approach to raise awareness of generic symptoms that can indicate a wider number of cancers and the need to visit the doctor promptly with these symptoms. This work is currently in development, with the help of a number of experts, including clinicians and charities.

    The NHS Choices website provides information on the symptoms of womb cancer and when to seek medical advice. This can be found by searching ‘womb cancer symptoms’ on NHS Choices: http://www.nhs.uk/pages/home.aspx

    “

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their policy to suspend existing arms export licences, and to refuse new ones, if a country is believed to be committing violations of international law during an armed conflict.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    All export licence applications are carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. A licence will not be issued for any country if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the Criteria

    We keep all licences under review in the light of changing circumstances in countries of destination for UK arms exports.