UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2015

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the contribution that the Hoo Green to Bamfurlong spur of High Speed 2 is likely to make to reducing capacity constraints on the West Coast Main Line; and what account that estimate takes of (a) rail freight and (b) passenger services to Warrington Bank Quay and elsewhere.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Network Rail has identified[1] that crowding issues on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) mean that, whilst there is the potential to run a small number of additional services, the WCML will be effectively full by 2024. The lack of capacity will become even more acute beyond 2024 as demand continues to grow. This will negatively affect both freight and passenger services. The western leg of HS2 Phase Two alleviates these capacity constraints in the Warrington area.

    [1] Network Rail: West Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve the retention rate of newly qualified teachers; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    Teacher retention rates have remained stable for over a decade. Approximately 90 per cent of teachers are in service in the year after they qualify, and 72 per cent of those who qualified in 2009 were still teaching 5 years later. Over the longer term, over 60 per cent of teachers remain in service 10 years after qualifying.

    But we recognise that it is vital for schools to be able to retain good teachers – that is why we have made significant policy interventions in the areas that teachers tell us matter most such as improving pupil behaviour and reducing unnecessary workload. We have appointed behaviour expert Tom Bennett to lead a review to ensure new teachers are fully trained in dealing with disruptive children, and to consider all of the challenges of managing behaviour in 21st century schools.

    We have established three groups to address the biggest concerns that teachers raised in the workload challenge – marking, planning and data management. The groups will create principles for practice and make specific recommendations for action. All three groups are due to report to Ministers in spring 2016.

  • Lord Bradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Bradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people serving (1) life sentences, and (2) imprisonment for public protection sentences, were authorised by the Parole Board for transfer to open prison conditions in each month since January 2013.

    Lord Faulks

    The table below gives a breakdown of the number of indeterminate sentence prisoners who were recommended by the Parole Board for transfer to open conditions.

    The data covers the period from 1 January 2013 to 31 October 2015, broken down by month, and distinguish between those serving a life sentence and those serving an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection.

    These figures have been drawn from a live administrative IT system which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

    Jan

    Feb

    Mar

    April

    May

    June

    July

    Aug

    Sept

    Oct

    Nov

    Dec

    Totals

    2013

    Open Recommendations made by PB:

    IPP

    57

    62

    66

    73

    69

    78

    61

    68

    67

    60

    64

    54

    779

    Lifer

    59

    48

    40

    48

    51

    51

    46

    43

    37

    47

    41

    27

    538

    Approved for Transfer:

    IPP

    52

    58

    59

    60

    70

    65

    77

    76

    63

    74

    47

    80

    781

    Lifer

    38

    63

    44

    40

    53

    38

    58

    48

    38

    50

    33

    47

    550

    2014

    Open Recommendations made by PB:

    IPP

    62

    68

    41

    74

    54

    49

    69

    48

    35

    44

    50

    48

    642

    Lifer

    44

    31

    31

    28

    36

    33

    40

    28

    17

    24

    38

    24

    374

    Approved for Transfer:

    IPP

    65

    46

    74

    45

    38

    26

    54

    43

    41

    64

    48

    46

    590

    Lifer

    30

    34

    39

    21

    15

    20

    23

    23

    28

    31

    20

    29

    313

    2015

    Open Recommendations made by PB:

    IPP

    61

    47

    49

    48

    46

    56

    38

    32

    33

    32

    N/A

    N/A

    442

    Lifer

    39

    28

    28

    25

    25

    38

    22

    23

    24

    33

    N/A

    N/A

    285

    Approved for Transfer:

    IPP

    57

    41

    54

    40

    42

    63

    55

    34

    35

    35

    N/A

    N/A

    456

    Lifer

    31

    16

    36

    26

    16

    33

    35

    24

    22

    22

    N/A

    N/A

    261
  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the Government will require the parts and equipment used in the construction of the Hinckley Point C nuclear power station to be manufactured in the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    As my rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out to the Energy and Climate Change Committee, EDF predict over 60% of the HPC project’s construction value will go to UK companies. The Government is working with EDF and other developers to maximise the opportunities for UK businesses linked to Hinkley and proposed future new nuclear projects. We have put in place a number of initiatives to help UK suppliers’ bid for new nuclear contracts.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many contracts between the National Health Service and the private sector have been subject to (1) contract query notes, (2) termination of contracts, and (3) financial sanctions, since the Health and Social Care Act 2012 came into force.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    As part of the transformation of commercial and procurement functions, NHS England and the clinical commissioning groups will be developing a centralised view of the contract data as recommended in the Centre for Health and Public Interest independent body report. Information in accordance with that report will be available in the future.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government is doing to encourage Saudi Arabia and other parties to the conflict in Yemen to refrain from using explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas in Yemen.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    International Humanitarian Law (IHL) provides that no weapon should be used indiscriminately, disproportionately, or to deliberately target civilians and civilian objects. These rules are applicable to situations where explosive weapons are used in populated areas.

    We take all reports of alleged violations of IHL in Yemen very seriously. We have raised our concerns with the Saudi Arabian-led coalition and received assurances that they are complying with IHL. We continue to engage with them on those assurances and urge all parties to the conflict to act in compliance with IHL.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the response to conditions in the southern Yemen city of Taiz.

    Baroness Verma

    The people of Taiz are in urgent need of humanitarian supplies. The city continues to experience intense fighting, which is making it extremely difficult for aid agencies to deliver humanitarian assistance. There are reports that efforts to access the city and provide relief have been consistently blocked by the Houthis over the past month.

    The UK continues to call on all parties to facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered access to all people in need in Yemen. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and support UN and NGO partners’ efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to Taiz city.

    On 27 September 2015, the Seretary of State announced an additional £20million for humanitarian assistance to Yemen, bringing our overall contribution for 2015-16 to £75million and making the UK the 4th largest bilateral donor to Yemen crisis

  • Emma Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Emma Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of student nurses had already studied for a degree before training as a nurse in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the number of new student nurses who have studied for a degree likely to start training as a nurse in each of the next five years.

    Ben Gummer

    The information about the proportion of student nurses that had already studied for a degree before training as a nurse is not collected by the Department. Statistical information can be obtained from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

    The Government does not have estimates of the number of student nurses who have studied for a degree and likely to start training. However we intend to make an exemption so that student nurses midwives and allied health professionals who already have a degree can access loans.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who has been appointed to the Community Engagement Forum; what criteria were used to make those appointments; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    Individuals are not appointed to the Community Engagement Forum. Attendance at the meetings will rotate to allow ministers to hear directly from a wide range of individuals and groups taking a leading role in challenging extremism as well as sharing thier expertise and initiatives on building stronger community relationships.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to publish the results of the Government’s review of alcohol consumption.

    Jane Ellison

    The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is overseeing a United Kingdom-wide review of lower-risk alcohol guidelines so that people can make informed choices about their drinking at all stages of their lives.

    The Guidelines Development Group, a group of independent experts, was tasked with developing the lower-risk drinking guidelines for the UK CMOs to consider. The group have researched and developed a proposal on the guidelines, including a UK wide approach for guidance on alcohol and pregnancy. We will be consulting on these shortly.