Tag: 2015

Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2015-10-16.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2015 to Question 10532, how many local authorities have applied for funding from his Department for the transition to individual electoral registration.

John Penrose

In total, 116 local authorities are receiving additional funding to help target their remaining carry forward entries. They have all now been informed. Almost £700k was allocated to 60 authorities where carry forwards made up over 5% of their register in May. Furthermore, 70 local authorities successfully submitted bids for additional funding and will share £500,000. Of the 70, 14 authorities that are receiving direct funding successfully bid for more. In addition to the 70 successful bids, 2 further bids were received but were later withdrawn by both authorities.

The table sets out all 116 authorities who are receiving additional funding directly and those who submitted a successful bid along with the total amount they are receiving.

01/12/2022

Jo Churchill – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Churchill on 2015-10-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much (a) revenue and (b) capital funding has been provided per pupil in state (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in the county of Suffolk (A) in cash terms and (B) at 2015 prices in each financial year since 2005-06.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Average per pupil revenue funding figures for Suffolk are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.

Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:

Average revenue per pupil funding (cash)	2005-06 (baseline)	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13
Suffolk LA	3,590	3,820	4,100	4,290	4,500	4,760	4,680	4,680

These are in real terms using September 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:

Average revenue per pupil funding (real)	2005-06 (baseline)	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13
Suffolk LA	4,410	4,560	4,760	4,840	4,960	5,100	4,930	4,840

Per pupil figures are using DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.

The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks, namely schools, early years and high needs, means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The table below shows the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for Suffolk LA.

DSG schools block per pupil funding	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-2016
Suffolk LA (cash)	4,241	4,241	4,354
Suffolk LA (real)*	4,302	4,241	4,311

*Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 30.09.15

Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for Free School Meals, looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil amounts for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:

Pupil Premium per pupil (£)	2011-2012	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-2016
Free School Meal Pupil Primary	£488	£623	£953	£1323	£1320
Free School Meal Pupil Secondary	£488	£623	£900	£935	£935
Service Children	£200	£250	£300	£300	£300
Looked After Children	£488	£623	£900	£1900*	£1900*

*Also includes children adopted from care

Total Pupil Premium allocations for Suffolk local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:

Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions)	2011-2012	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-16 (prov.)
Suffolk	5.548	12.021	19.244	26.165	26.363

These figures in real terms:

Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions)	2011-2012	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-16 (prov.)
Suffolk	5.851	12.450	19.519	26.165	26.102

Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30.09.2015

The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.

Suffolk
£m	Capital allocations
2005-06	41.7
2006-07	33.0
2007-08	42.5
2008-09	47.6
2009-10	86.4
2010-11	75.4
2011-12	45.2
2012-13	64.1
2013-14	53.4
2014-15	36.7
2015-16 (prov.)	11.3

Notes:

1. Capital allocations includes capital grant and supported borrowing allocations.

2. Figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000.

3. Funding in 2015-16 is still subject to project progress and is therefore subject to change. The funding figures provided for 2015/16 only include formulaic programmes and payments to date. Further funding is yet to be released for capital programmes dependent upon project progress and this has not been reflected in the figures.

01/12/2022

John Baron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Baron on 2015-10-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of steps taken by NHS bodies to tackle loneliness.

Alistair Burt

The Department has not carried out an assessment of the impact of loneliness in England or in Basildon and Billericay. The Campaign to End Loneliness report Loneliness: the State We’re In (2012) demonstrated that loneliness has a very negative impact on health. Research identified by the Campaign to End Loneliness has shown it has an effect on mortality that is similar in size to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and is worse for us than obesity. Loneliness and social isolation is also associated with conditions such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, poor sleep and depression.

The Government has not made an assessment of the steps the National Health Service and local authorities have taken to tackle loneliness. Given the complexity of loneliness and the different ways that people are affected there is no single solution that can tackle loneliness and having a range of interventions and solutions is helpful. The Department has funded the Social Care Institute for Excellence to develop and run the Prevention Library which includes examples of emerging practice to prevent, reduce or delay peoples care and support needs from deteriorating. This includes examples of what NHS bodies and local authorities have done to tackle loneliness such as the NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group Living Well programme and LinkAge supported by Bristol City Council.

Prevention is core to the Government’s approach to people managing their health and care needs. My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health set out in his speech to the Local Government Association on 1 July that we all have a responsibility at an individual, family, and community level to identify people with care needs such as loneliness and provide support and improve their wellbeing.

Through the Care Act 2014 the Government has placed a duty on local authorities to have measures in place to identify people in their area who would benefit from universal services to help reduce, delay or prevent needs for care and support. This includes needs that may arise from loneliness and social isolation.

The Department has supported a ‘digital toolkit’ for local commissioners, which was developed by the Campaign to End Loneliness, and is now incorporated in their guidance Loneliness and Isolation: Guidance for Local Authorities and Commissioners. This supports commissioners in understanding, mapping and commissioning for loneliness and social isolation in their communities, and includes promising approaches to tackling loneliness.

We are building a better understanding of how prevention can maintain people’s wellbeing and the evidence base on the effectiveness of interventions is expanding. Through the Prevention Library local authorities can learn from emerging practice, and exchange ideas and experience of the impact of information, advice and befriending services.

01/12/2022
Damian Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Damian Green on 2015-10-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of calls received by Action Fraud result in a police investigation; and if she will make a statement.

Mike Penning

It is the responsibility of the local Chief Constable, in conjunction with their Police and Crime Commissioner, to determine the resources they devote to tackling fraud and cyber crimes locally. The Government does not hold data on the proportion of calls received by Action Fraud which result in a police investigation.

Action Fraud is the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, and takes reports on behalf of all police forces in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Action Fraud was set up to improve reporting of what has traditionally between an underreported crime type. Official figures support the decision to centralise reporting: in the year ending June 2015, recorded fraud offences more than trebled from 72,000 before the centralisation of reporting to over 230,000.

Action Fraud works in conjunction with the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB): both are operated by the City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud. The NFIB analyses Action Fraud crime reports, spotting links between victims in different force areas, and preparing intelligence packages for police forces to consider for enforcement action. As fraudsters and cyber criminals can target multiple victims across different police force areas at the same time, connecting these crimes gives the best chance of suspects being identified.

Not all crimes recorded by Action Fraud and analysed by the NFIB will have viable investigative leads: fraudsters and cyber criminals may be based overseas or use false details to mask their identities. Nevertheless, in 2014/15 the number of crimes sent to police forces was almost 62,000. This was an increase of over 50% on 2013/14. Reports made to Action Fraud also support disruption of the enablers of fraud and cyber crime, including websites and telephone numbers. The NFIB has a programme of work with industry to take this forward. NFIB also issues intelligence assessments of the fraud threat which helps the police determine their response. Neither Action Fraud nor the NFIB carry out investigations: it remains the responsibility of local police forces to decide whether and how to proceed with an investigation of the crimes they are sent by the NFIB.

01/12/2022
Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what matters have been discussed under the Memorandum of Understanding on judicial co-operation entered into with Saudi Arabia in September 2014.

Dominic Raab

Initial exploratory discussions have taken place regarding possible areas for cooperation.

01/12/2022
Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to deal with the problem of aircraft being targeted by laser pens.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as independent aviation safety regulator, is co-ordinating an industry-wide initiative to decide what further measures are needed to reduce the risk of an accident from laser pens. As part of this process, the CAA is working with a wide range of key stakeholders including relevant Government Departments, emergency services, air traffic control, airports, and airlines. The CAA has also published a Safety Notice providing guidance on the action that aircraft crew and air traffic controllers should take during and after an incident.

01/12/2022
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.

01/12/2022
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.

01/12/2022
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.

01/12/2022
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.

01/12/2022