Tag: 2015

  • Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons the matters within his Department’s responsibility in Schedule 1 of the draft Wales Bill have been designated as reserved.

    Joseph Johnson

    The reservations listed in Schedule 1 to the draft Wales Bill reflects the Government’s view of where the Welsh devolution boundary lies following the devolution of further powers to the Assembly provided for in the draft Bill.

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many serving members of the regular Army have been transferred to the staff and personnel support branch in each year since 2010.

    Mark Lancaster

    Since 2010 the numbers of trained regular officers and soldiers transferring to the Adjutant General’s Corps Staff and Personnel Support Branch, AGC(SPS), each calendar year are as follows:

    2010 – 130

    2011 – 160

    2012 – 50

    2013 – 40

    2014 – 60

    2015 to 31 October – 150

    Where there is a shortage of key personnel, the Army offers a transfer bonus which is payable to soldiers upon successful completion of the transfer into the specified trade.

    From 2010 to 2013, transfer bonus payments of £1,500 each were made to 73 soldiers who transferred into the AGC(SPS) as Military Clerks or Combat Human Resource Specialists. No payments were made from 2014 onwards. The amount spent each calendar year since 2010 is as follows:

    2010 – £52,500

    2011 – £51,000

    2012 – £3,000

    2013 – £3,000

  • Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on developing a right to mutualise within the public sector; and if he will make a statement.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government is committed to supporting the growth of public service mutuals and delivering the manifesto commitment to guarantee the right to mutualise within the public sector. The Government will set out its plan in more detail in due course.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2015 to Question 18442, on Ilois: resettlement, if he will undertake work to investigate all available sources of funding before a decision is taken on resettlement; and if he will seek funding from the Secretary of State for International Development, the US, the EU, the private sector and external funding organisations for such resettlement.

    James Duddridge

    The Government will consider all funding sources in its decision on resettlement.

  • Stephen Tim – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Tim – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Tim on 2015-11-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether there are alternative mechanisms for tax credits claimants to inform his Department of changes to their childcare arrangements other than the tax credits helpline.

    Damian Hinds

    Currently a tax credit customer can inform HMRC of changes to their childcare arrangements via the post as well as contacting the tax credits helpline.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many cyber attacks have been prevented on government systems in each year from 2010 to date.

    Matthew Hancock

    For security reasons we do not comment on specific details of cyber security attacks but we are continuously monitoring and managing the security risks to all HMG systems.

    We take cyber security very seriously; since 2011 we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme to protect the UK from cyber attack.We will invest £1.9b in cyber security over the next five years to protect the UK from cyber attacks. This ambitious level of investment will include: a programme of active cyber defence; creation of a National Cyber Centre and an ambitious skills programme.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to coordinate additional support for and recognition of the importance to modern British culture of the video games industry from (a) the BFI, (b) Arts Council of England and (c) other public agencies.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    This Government recognises the cultural value of video games and the importance of the industry to the UK economy. The games sector is particularly well placed to deliverfurther prosperity in the regions and help increase UK exports. The creation of a video games archive and additional support for video games from public agencies were proposed in the recent industry report, A Blueprint for Growth.It also highlighted the contribution video games make to British culture and our economy, as well as the potential for further growth. We are currently reviewing the evidence in the report, its various recommendations and any implications for our future policies.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on civil contingencies of the policies announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    My officials and I worked closely with departments and the Treasury in preparing for the spending review to ensure that crucial civil contingencies capabilities were maintained. The settlement outlined in the Autumn Statement strikes the right balance between protecting the public and communities and reducing the budget deficit.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that guidance on changes to the disabled students’ allowance is easily accessible to (a) parents and (b) schools.

    Edward Timpson

    Reforms to the special educational needs and disability system mean local authorities must publish information in their Local Offers about support available to young people in Higher Education (HE), including Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) and the process and timescales for making an application for DSAs. We would expect this information to cover changes to DSAs.

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is currently considering the responses made to the recent consultation on proposed changes to DSAs, and the government response to the consultation will be published in due course. The proposed changes aim to make HE as accessible as possible, to re-balance support between HE providers and DSAs, and to improve value for money.DSAs will remain available to complement the support provided by institutions, and students will continue to receive the support they need.

    BIS has been clear that any changes implemented will take effect from August 2016 for the Academic year 2016/17. BIS will be working closely with the Student Loans Company and other stakeholders, to ensure that correct information is easily available.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18925, which visits referred to that (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department made included a visit to a food bank.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department does not hold the information requested. Ministers have conducted visits to food banks in various capacities, including in their roles as Members of Parliament.