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Tag: 2015

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Government’s policy is on the provision of incremental annual pay rises for personnel of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    As part of its New Employment Model programme, Defence is developing a new pay model which will be simpler, more transparent and provide Service personnel with greater pay predictability, removing some of the unpopular and divisive features of the current pay model. However, the details of this new pay model, including incremental progression arrangements, cannot be finalised until the outcome of the Spending Review is known.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is sufficient lift capacity to airlift the two new strike brigades to theatres of operation.

    Penny Mordaunt

    As part of the SDSR and our plans for Joint Force 2025 we are investing more than £178 billion in buying and maintaining equipment over the next decade. This includes the modernisation and investment in our air transport fleet which will include the C17, A400M, Voyager and C130J platforms. We are still developing our plans for how the Army’s new strike brigades will be deployed, but part of the extra capability we expect them to offer is the ability to deploy at pace by air, sea or to self-deploy over land.

  • Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent representations she has received from local authorities on the time taken to implement Education Health Care Plans.

    Edward Timpson

    Special Educational Needs (SEN) advisers within the Department are in regular contact with local authorities, to provide them with support as they implement our reforms to the system for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

    These reforms were introduced in September 2014. Since October 2013, local authorities and parents have taken part in termly surveys, to provide their views on the preparation and implementation of these reforms. These surveys asked for feedback on various issues, such as the transition of children and young people with SEN statements; learning difficulty assessments (LDAs); Education, Health, and Care Plans; and the introduction of EHC Plans more generally.

    In response to this feedback, the Department announced a change to the transition arrangements on 10 July 2015. From 1 September 2015, a local authority has 18 weeks, following a notice period of two weeks, to conclude a transfer review, when considering whether to replace an SEN statement with an EHC Plan. This maximum time limit has been extended from 14 weeks. The Department has also provided support for local areas in managing this transition process: this support includes a series of regional workshops in September and October 2015, led by DfE SEN advisers.

    Local authorities have until 1 April 2018 to conclude transitions from SEN statements to EHC plans for all children in their area. Young people in further education and training who receive support as a result of an LDA can choose to request an EHC needs assessment. All young people who receive support as a result of an LDA, who will continue in further education or training beyond 1 September 2016, must have an EHC plan by that date, where one is needed.

    We continue to monitor progress with implementation.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost of regional school commissioners in each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    At present, I am unable to provide detailed information on the budget for the Regional Schools Commissioners for each of the next three years.

    The Department’s spending review settlement was agreed in November. The Department has now begun a business planning process to devolve this budget internally to specific activities and functions. This work is intended to finish in early 2016, when the future budgets for all the Regional School Commissioners’ offices, including the South-Central and North-West London office, will be agreed for the next financial year (2016-17) and beyond.

  • Jess Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many planning areas in England are in need of additional primary school places by September 2016; in how many of those planning areas there has never been an application to open a primary or all-through mainstream free school; and in how of those planning areas there are no primary or all-through mainstream free schools.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department collects information from each local authority on the number of available school places and pupil forecasts through the annual school capacity survey (SCAP). The main tables contain local authority level data. The underlying data on school capacity is published at school level and pupil forecasts at planning area level. The latest published data, relating to the position as reported at May 2014, can be found on GOV.UK [1].

    The Department also publishes local authority basic need scorecards for primary schools. The latest scorecards relate to 2014 capacity and contain departmental estimates of the number of additional primary school places needed to meet demand in 2016/17, once existing plans for new places have been factored in. The latest data and details of the methodology used for the estimates can be found on GOV.UK [2]

    The scorecard summary data shows that across England around 63,000 additional primary places were estimated to be needed to meet demand in 2016/17, based on capacity and planned places at May 2014. The Department does not publish data on the number of additional primary places needed to meet demand at planning area level.

    The Department does not currently publish basic need scorecards for secondary school places.

    Between 2003/4 and 2009/10 the total number of school places in the system reduced by 200,000, against a backdrop of rising birth rates. That is why the Coalition Government doubled the funding available to create new school places during the last Parliament to £5 billion, and this Government has committed to invest a further £7 billion during this Parliament. The latest published information shows there were 445,000 more school places in May 2014 than in May 2010, and we know that many more places have been delivered since then or are in the pipeline.

    Over this Parliament, we have committed to open at least 500 new free schools.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-capacity-academic-year-2013-to-2014

    [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/primary-school-places-local-authority-basic-need-scorecards-2014

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  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the recommendations of the report by the Dogs Trust entitled Puppy Smuggling: The Scandal Continues, published in July 2015.

    George Eustice

    The Dogs Trust’s report highlights that responsibility for stopping the illegal movement of puppies begins in the country where they are born. The UK Chief Veterinary Officer has written to the authorities in the countries highlighted in the report to remind them of their duty to ensure that the requirements of the EU pet travel scheme must be fully complied with. This approach has previously resulted in investigations in EU Member States and appropriate action being taken, including the suspension of veterinarians’ licenses. We will continue to alert the authorities in any Member State where we become aware of issues in relation to the operation of the pet travel scheme.

    The UK carries out more checks on pets at the border than most other EU Member States. In order to carry pets, transport companies must be approved by the Animal and Plant Health Agency to ensure that they have the necessary facilities and trained staff. It is a condition of approval that the transport company check 100% of those pets declared to them for compliance with the EU pet travel scheme. Stringent penalties are in place where people are found to be breaking the rules. Defra actively shares intelligence it gathers relating to abuse of the pet travel scheme with Local Authorities (who are enforcement bodies) and other EU countries for them to further investigate and take any necessary action.

    The illegal trade is ultimately driven by demand and so we have published guidance on the steps pet owners can take to avoid buying an illegally imported pet. See: https://www.gov.uk/buying-a-cat-or-dog. Defra has also worked closely with the Pet Advertising Advisory Group to drive up standards for online advertisements.

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  • Ronnie Cowan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Ronnie Cowan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that oil produced in UK waters is sent to oil refineries in the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK encourages a well-functioning global market for oil and oil products. The UK’s 6 refineries are well supplied by both domestically produced and imported crude oil, which they purchase in line with their commercial strategy. This diversity and flexibility of supply ensures that UK refineries and consumers are able to benefit from the most affordable prices.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to support the rebuilding of Syria after the end of the conflict in that country.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria. We have committed over £1.1 billion to date, making us the second largest bilateral donor to the international response.

    The UK is now updating our planning to reflect the timeline envisaged in the Vienna political process and are asking others to do the same. The scale of the task will be enormous, complex and take a long time to complete. The UK’s response will therefore be part of a wider international effort.

    The initial priorities will be to support stabilisation and transition including safety and security, reconciliation, transitional justice and confidence building measures. Meeting protection and basic needs will remain a priority, along with helping displaced persons to return. We will also look to build local governance structures in liberated areas. Over time the focus will shift to longer-term reconstruction, which includes the re-building of Syria’s shattered infrastructure, economy, services, and society. The expertise of the UN, International Financial Institutions and the private sector will be essential.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to improve air quality at Heathrow Airport; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra officials met with representatives from Heathrow Airport and the neighbouring Local Authorities to discuss the Heathrow Air Quality Action Plan as it was being developed. Since the Plan has been implemented regular meetings have taken place to understand the impacts of actions on local air quality.

    The Government has also recently consulted on plans to improve air quality in the UK. The plan for the Greater London Urban Area sets out actions required to meet the EU limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by 2025.

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the £1.8 million expenditure on mental health services for armed forces veterans by his Department in 2014-15 was spent.

    Alistair Burt

    NHS England has £1.8 million per annum baseline (recurrent to 2019/20) funding for veterans mental health services. This funding is used to provide 10 veterans mental health teams across England to meet locally identified needs of veterans and manage the network of providers of NHS commissioned veterans mental health services.

    The funding also provides access for veterans to on-line mental health counselling services provided by the Big White Wall.

    In addition, NHS England provides £3.2 million a year to commission the Armed Forces service charity Combat Stress to provide specialised inpatient services for the treatment of complex post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

    In 2014/15 further funding of £1.68 million was used to fund three pilots to develop and test enhanced models of care for veterans.

    The pilots will:

    – develop a joint substance misuse and mental health service model for veterans;

    – develop an outpatient service for veterans with moderate to severe PTSD; and

    – develop a modal of care to address the barriers that some veterans experience in accessing mental health services.

    Veterans are also able to access the full range of NHS mental health services in the same way as the wider public.