Tag: 2015

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding was allocated to further education in (a) Yorkshire and (b) Leeds in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The department does not hold all of the information requested. However, those institutions that are funded for Further Education provision through the Education Funding Agency are included in data published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-education-funding-allocations

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  • Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the recommendations set out in the NHS England report Achieving world-class cancer outcomes: a strategy for England 2015-2020 are implemented without delay.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations to improve cancer outcomes set out in the new five-year strategy of the Independent Cancer Taskforce.

    As part of putting in place a governance structure for delivery of the strategy, NHS England has appointed Cally Palmer as NHS National Cancer Director. She will lead the implementation of the strategy, as well as new cancer vanguards using outcomes-based commissioning to redesign care and patient experience. Ms Palmer is Chief Executive of the Royal Marsden Hospital.

    The Independent Cancer Taskforce’s report outlines that earlier diagnosis could contribute to saving a further 11,000 lives per year.

    Our announcement of a commitment that by 2020, National Health Service patients will be given a definitive cancer diagnosis or the all clear within 28 days of being referred by a general practitioner, means that patients, particularly those with harder to diagnose cancers, will be diagnosed faster and the period of anxiety while waiting will be reduced.

  • 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 paragraph 13 of the joint ministerial declaration on UK/French cooperation in tackling ongoing illegal migration in Northern France and across Europe, issued on 20 August 2015, when she plans to publish the study of other Channel and appropriate North Sea ports that could be used by criminal gangs exploiting migrants, referred to in that declaration.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office has no intentions to publish the study of Channel and North Sea ports that is referenced in the Joint Ministerial Declaration of 20 August. Publishing such a report could reveal security vulnerabilities that might be exploited by criminals groups that seek to transfer illegal migrants and contraband material into the UK via clandestine means.

  • 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, with reference to her announcement on 9 February 2015 on an independent review of policies and procedures affecting the welfare of those held in immigration removal centres, and pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Immigration of 10 September 2015, Official Report, column 601, when she expects that review will be published.

    James Brokenshire

    Stephen Shaw CBE, the former Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales, has recently completed his independent review into welfare in detention and his report has been submitted. His findings are being carefully considered before the report is published by laying it before Parliament, alongside the Government’s response to the recommendations.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of poor player behaviour and discipline by Premier League football players on the field on the reputation of UK sport; and if he will hold talks with the Professional Footballers’ Association and FA to discuss improving that behaviour and discipline.

    Tracey Crouch

    Government believes that professional footballers have a responsibility to set a good example, especially to children in terms of acceptable behaviour. This is something I have discussed with both the chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association when we met recently, and with the FA as part of our regular discussions on a range of football matters.

    More generally The PFA works in partnership with the FA and the professional Leagues to implement key areas within football’s inclusion and anti-discrimination plan. Through the plan, a new code of conduct has being introduced from the start of this season, as part of a series of measures to address on-field behaviour in English football. The new code sets out the standards required and consequences for non-compliance.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the prevalence of giant hogweed.

    George Eustice

    Giant hogweed has been present in the UK for over a century and is widespread. Biocontrol methods have been considered in the past but suitable candidates from the plant’s native range have not been found.

    Giant hogweed is, however, listed on schedule 9 and subject to section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it an offence to plant, or cause this species to grow, in the wild. In addition, Local Authorities and the Police now have powers to issue Community Protection Notices under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, requiring landowners to take action to control species like giant hogweed where they are having a detrimental effect on local people’s quality of life.

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will issue a response to EDM 373, Applying Results of Experiments on Animals to Humans.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government considers that the carefully regulated use of animals in scientific research remains a vital tool in improving the understanding of how biological systems work and in the development of safe new medicines, treatments and technologies.

    At the same time, the Government believes that animals should only be used when there is no practicable alternative and it actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs), in particular through funding for the National Centre for the 3Rs, and also through ongoing UK-led efforts to encourage greater global uptake of the 3Rs.

    Advances in biomedical science and technologies – including stem cell research, in vitro systems that mimic the function of human organs, imaging and new computer modelling techniques – are all providing new opportunities to reduce reliance on the use of animals in research. As part of this, Innovate UK is awarding £4m this year to fund collaborative projects with industry to support the development and application of new non-animal technologies.

    EU and UK law requires safety testing on animals before human trials for new medicines can begin and animal research still plays an important role in providing vital safety information for potential new medicines.

    The Early Day Motion (EDM 373) rightly draws attention to the UK life science sector’s Concordat on openness in animal research which was launched last year, and provides new opportunities for transparency and debate in this area. www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/communications-media/concordat-annual-report-2015/.

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  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the reasons are for the proposal to include in the new postgraduate loans scheme proposed for England part-time taught masters students studying at a minimum of 50 per cent intensity not via distance learning.

    Joseph Johnson

    A consultation on the proposed postgraduate Master’s loan scheme was held earlier in the year. The consultation covered proposed terms and conditions, including an age eligibility criterion and the eligibility of distance learning. Consultation responses are currently being analysed and the Department will respond in the autumn.

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many non-UK overseas personnel the Royal Navy plans to recruit or loan from other countries’ armed forces for each year up to 2020.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Royal Navy has no plans to recruit from non-UK armed forces.

    We work closely with many nations and provide opportunities for their personnel to serve with the Royal Navy through a range of schemes, such as loans, exchanges and liaison postings. There are no set targets, and these are conducted on a case by case basis.

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

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2015 to Question 2405, what the total cost to state-funded schools of hiring agency teachers was in (a) Brighton Pavilion constituency, (b) Brighton and Hove local authority area and (c) England in each year since 2010.

    Nick Gibb

    Information for the expenditure on agency supply teaching staff is available online in the following locations.

    Spend data on agency supply staff by maintained schools at a national level is available in the publication ‘Expenditure by Local Authorities and Schools on Education, Children and Young People’s Services: 2013-14’ (Table 3), at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-education-and-childrens-services-spending-2013-to-2014

    Spend data on agency supply staff by academies at a national level is available in ‘Income and expenditure in Academies in England: 2012 to 2013 (Experimental Statistics)’ (Raw data SATS table) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-and-expenditure-in-academies-in-england-2013-to-2014

    Detailed Information on the income and expenditure of local authorities and schools (including academies) can be found in the Department’s local authority and school finance data publications at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-local-authority-school-finance-data

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