Tag: 2015

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has held with the Care Quality Commission’s Head of Inspection on the number of vacant posts in the Commission’s inspection teams.

    Ben Gummer

    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England. The CQC is an executive non-departmental public body accountable to the Secretary of State for the efficient and effective discharge of its functions, duties and powers. The Department monitors CQC’s financial and operational performance and risks, including progress with recruitment of inspectors, at a general and strategic level through regular formal and informal accountability meetings. Ministers and the Permanent Secretary also hold regular meetings with the Chair and Chief Executive of the CQC and its Chief Inspectors.

  • Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress is being made to create a safer road layout on the A417 at Birdlip Hill roundabout; and what plans he has to convert that road to a dual carriageway.

    Andrew Jones

    As part of the Autumn Statement 2014 and the Roads Investment Strategy for 2015-2020, the ‘A417 Missing Link’ has been included as an improvement scheme for the South West. During this Road Period Highways England (HE) is preparing this scheme ready for delivery in the next Road Period, 2020-2025. The scheme will be designed to remove the congestion and safety problems between Cowley Roundabout and Crickley Hill.

    The scheme is currently nearing the end of the pre-options stage. To date HE has investigated the viability of scheme solutions. This included engaging consultants to review the traffic modelling for the area and to assess the environmental and economic impacts and constraints. The benefits and risks of the various options have been captured and cost estimates for the options prepared. Highways England have been working closely with key stakeholders on the options including Gloucestershire County Council, Cotswold Conservation Board and the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership. At this stage a number of potential solutions are still under analysis and the next stage is formal options identification.

  • Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the joint ministerial declaration on UK/French co-operation in tackling ongoing illegal migration in northern France and across Europe, issued on 20 August 2015, what support the Government has provided to the government of France for dedicated facilities for people claiming asylum, in order to draw them away from the frontier in Calais, as announced in that declaration.

    James Brokenshire

    The provision of humanitarian assistance for people on French soil is a matter for the French authorities. However, both Governments are committed to identifying and helping those people who are especially vulnerable or potential victims of trafficking. This is why the Home Secretary and French Interior Minister agreed in the UK-France Joint Declaration in August 2015 to set up a project to increase observation in the camps to identify those people; to provide medical help and protection where required; to put in place a system to transfer them to places of safety; and to ensure they are offered the appropriate advice and support from the French system. The project will assist with our commitment to tackle the organised criminal gangs who facilitate human trafficking, and we are working together with French law enforcement partners to identify and target these gangs to prevent this occurring in the first place. The UK has contributed almost £550,000 towards this project as part of the Joint Fund announced in September 2014. The 2015 Joint Declaration also commits the UK to a further financial contribution of £3.6 million per year for two years to support the French Government in a range of activities to reduce the numbers of migrants in Calais and the incentives for them to stay there.

  • David Burrowes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Burrowes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2015 to Question 10467, when she plans for the results of the application of the Family Test on orders seeking to control drugs that are dangerous or otherwise harmful when misused to be published.

    Mike Penning

    The Family Test was considered when developing previously published Impact Assessments on drug control orders but, in accordance with the published guidance, it was concluded there were no tangible direct impacts on families and it was not proportionate to apply the specific test. Impact assessments published alongside future orders seeking to control drugs will evidence consideration of the Family Test.

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-10-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to set out in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review that police budgets in Cumbria should not be reduced.

    Greg Hands

    Police reform is working and crime is down by more than a quarter since 2010, according to the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales.

    As with other spending decisions, no decisions have been taken on police funding beyond 2015/16. Future funding levels will be subject to the outcome of the Spending Review later this year.

  • Neil Gray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Neil Gray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2015-10-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether a kinship carer with more than two children in their care, either their own children or under a kinship arrangement, and who receives tax credits, will be affected by the decision not to permit an additional claim for the credits for a third child.

    Damian Hinds

    The Welfare Reform and Work Bill already allows for prescribed exemptions to apply to this policy. The government will set out further details in due course.

  • Helen Hayes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Helen Hayes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has asked Ofsted to inspect and report on how well schools are providing citizenship as part of the revised inspection framework with its focus on British Values, the Prevent duty and SMSC.

    Nick Gibb

    Individual subjects are not inspected by Ofsted inspectors. Ofsted do, however, look at factors that relate to citizenship, including Fundamental British Values (FBV) and Spiritual Moral Social Cultural (SMSC).

    Citizenship education is in the national curriculum at key stages 3 and 4 and helps young people to prepare to play a full part in society, informed by a sound understanding of what it means to be a responsible citizen. As a result of the national curriculum review, the government has revised the programmes of study in order to direct teaching towards the core knowledge and to give schools more scope to decide how to teach citizenship. Pupils also learn about democracy, government and how laws are made and upheld. Teaching should equip pupils to explore political and social issues critically, to weigh evidence, to debate, and to make reasoned arguments. It should also prepare them to take their place in society as responsible citizens.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Statement by the Minister for Courts and Legal Aid, of 15 October 2015, HCWS 239, on HM Courts and Tribunals Service, what the total cost to the Exchequer was of the discontinued procurement process referred to in the statement.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    As I told the House on 15 October, we took the decision not to outsource HMCTS compliance and enforcement services to a single supplier because of the need to ensure that any contract we let provided the best value for the taxpayer.

    The total cost of the Compliance and Enforcement Service Project as of end of September 2015 was £8,723,645.

  • Angela Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether primary legislation is required to implement the proposals on the adult skills budget in the Sheffield City Region Devolution Agreement, announced on 2 October 2015.

    Nick Boles

    One of the conditions for full devolution of adult skills funding in relation to the Sheffield City Region is that Parliament has legislated to enable transfer of the current statutory duties on my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to secure appropriate facilities for further education for adults from the relevant budget and for provision to be free in certain circumstances. Primary legislation would be needed for that purpose.

  • Joan Ryan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Joan Ryan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the findings and recommendations of the National Deaf Children’s Society report, One year on: impact of changes to the special educational needs system on deaf children, published on 1 September 2015; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced significant reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system. The new statutory framework will ensure that support is focused on needs and aspirations, enabling all pupils to achieve better outcomes in education and adult life.

    Since the Act came into force, in September 2014, there have been a number of significant changes to the SEND system, including the publication of ‘local offers’ of SEN services by local authorities; the introduction of streamlined education, health and care assessments; and new statutory protections for young people aged 16-25 in further education.

    Implementing these reforms requires substantial cultural and procedural change at local level. We are closely monitoring implementation and we are continuing to provide support.

    Local authorities in England each received a share of a £70 million reform grant in 2014-15; and of a further £45.2 million in 2014-15 and £31.7 million in 2015-16 to meet the additional costs of implementing the new SEN duties. Peer support is available to local authorities and their partners through a network of regional lead authorities. And we have funded a range of grants and contracts to provide advice and support to local authorities and their partners across education, health and social care. This includes support to parents and young people, through parent carer forums and the Independent Support programme (£15m per year in 2014-15 and 2015-16).