The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what equality impact assessment the Government has undertaken on the implications of the planned abolition of maintenance grants.
Joseph Johnson
An Equality Analysis has been carried out and will be published alongside the regulations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultation HM Revenue and Customs conducted with its staff based in Yorkshire prior to its decision to locate its regional hub in Leeds.
Mr David Gauke
On 12 November, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the next stage of its ten-year modernisation programme. As part of that, the department demonstrated its long-term commitment to Yorkshire and the Humber by setting out that it would establish a Regional Centre in Leeds.
A number of factors were considered by HMRC when deciding where to locate its new Regional Centres. In addition to cost, it considered local and national transport links, the local labour market, supply of future workforce and the retention of current staff and skills.
HMRC modelled the impact of locating the Regional Centre for Yorkshire and the Humber in both Bradford and Leeds. For both scenarios, it took into account the potential loss of jobs for staff expected to be outside of reasonable daily travel (defined as approximately 1 hour from home to work, though dependent on individual circumstances).
HMRC first shared its transformation plans with its employees 18 months ago. Since then has held more than 2,000 events across the UK, setting out how and why it is changing. The department is committed to continuing to support all of its employees who are affected by these changes.
Staff in Yorkshire attended a number of face-to-face events, providing feedback on the potential location of the regional centre. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances in one-to-one meetings with their manager.
This transformation programme will ultimately enable HMRC to deliver better public services at lower cost to the taxpayer. It will generate estate savings of £100 million a year by 2025.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools facilitate highly-able pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds accessing the best universities.
Mr Sam Gyimah
Widening participation in higher education (HE) is a priority for this government, building on the real progress being made in the last 5 years. In England the entry rates for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds were at record levels in 2014, rising from 13.6 per cent in 2009 to 18.2 per cent in 2014. Applications from this group also reached a record high in 2015, with the latest data showing a 21 per cent application rate. As set out in the Green Paper on Higher Education, published on 6 November, this government has set a goal to double the proportion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering HE by the end of this Parliament from 2009 levels. Schools have a critical role in delivering on this commitment.
We have introduced compulsory study of the key English Baccalaureate subjects to make sure more pupils get the rigorous academic education they need to succeed in getting a place at university.
We are also committed to continuing the pupil premium, protected at current rates, so that pupils from the poorest backgrounds get the help they need, including the most able.
Work is underway to implement collaborative national networks that will provide single points of contact to help teachers and advisers to find out about HE outreach activity in their area, and give general advice about progression to HE. A total of £22 million is being provided in 2014-16, and 35 networks will cover schools across England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department are engaged on work related to climate change in (a) posts around the world and (b) London.
James Duddridge
a) As of 1 August 2015 (last available figures for overseas posts) 85.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff resource was spent on climate change/low carbon economy/energy security issues in 16 priority posts overseas supported by an additional 17 FTE staff in seven other G7 and multilateral posts.
b) As at 20 November 2015 16 FTE staff in London work directly on climate change issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of infection in NHS hospitals have been attributed to antibiotic resistant infections in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
Ben Gummer
Public Health England (PHE) collects data only on key pathogens and antimicrobials identified from positive blood specimens reported through hospital laboratories and infection control teams. Data is not collected in a format that allows attribution of antibiotic resistance to all cases of infection in National Health Service hospitals. It is therefore not possible to determine a total number of infections attributed to antibiotic resistance in each of the last five years. PHE is working, with partner organisations, to address antimicrobial resistance through the implementation of the UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to amend the Act which results from the Investigative Powers Bill in the event of repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998.
Mr John Hayes
The draft Investigatory Powers Bill will provide law enforcement and the security and intelligence agencies with the powers they need to keep the UK safe in a world of internet-enabled communications and evolving technologies. The Bill specifies that all the powers will be subject to appropriate safeguards and robust oversight arrangements.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assurances he has received from Govia Thameslink Railway on the recruitment, training and in-service dates of train drivers.
Claire Perry
The Department is in regular dialogue with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and each railway period they provide a report relating to drivers which details headcount, new driver recruitment and number of drivers expected to complete their training in the future. Since the start of the year over 120 drivers have completed their training across the GTR franchise and there are currently over 200 drivers in training.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made on progress towards the target of 25 per cent female representation on FTSE 100 corporate boards by 2015.
Caroline Dinenage
Women now make up 26.1 per cent of directors on the boards of FTSE 100 companies. This exceeds the Lord Davies target of 25 per cent. We have no more all male boards in the FTSE 100 and more women on FTSE 350 boards than ever before.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disability discrimination tribunals have been brought against his Department as an employer in each of the last five years.
Justin Tomlinson
In the years since 2011 staffing levels in DWP have reduced from 109,445 to 84,610.
The number of disability discrimination tribunals DWP lost in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 is 5, 6, 13, 2, and 2 respectively.
The number of disability discrimination tribunals dismissed in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 is 14, 23, 17, 25, and 19 respectively.
The number of disability discrimination tribunals withdrawn in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 is 36, 57, 50, 14, and 10 respectively.
The number of disability discrimination tribunals settled in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 is 28, 24, 16, 14, and 6 respectively.
The number of disability discrimination tribunals DWP won in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 is 21, 30, 23, 6 and 2 respectively.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger on 2015-11-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many women were present as representatives at the recent meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIL in London.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
On 28-29 October, the UK hosted the fourth meeting of the Global Coalition’s Communications Working Group, along with our Coalition Co-Chairs, the United Arab Emirates and the US. Ministers and senior officials from 32 Coalition countries participated. 149 delegates were involved in the meeting over the two days, of whom 43 were women.
The meeting focused on digital communications and what more coalition governments could do, in partnership with civil society and digital industry, to promote positive voices and to ensure those promoting extremism and violent extremism online were not left unchallenged.
The meeting agreed that highlighting women’s voices was a key part of the Coalition’s response to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s propaganda.