Tag: 2016

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the extent of regional disparities in publicly-funded opportunities outside schools for children to learn musical instruments without charge; and if he will make an assessment of the effect of such disparities on the music industry.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government invested £171m between 2012-15 in 123 Music Education Hubs to ensure that children aged 5-18 have the opportunity to sing or learn a musical instrument. A further £75m of funding was made available for 2015/16. We have subsequently introduced a new, fairer funding system which reflects both the total number of pupils and the number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. This means hubs can target money towards pupils who need it most and local areas are now much more accountable for how they deliver music. Alongside Hubs, the Government has also introduced the In Harmony programme which inspires and transforms the lives of children through community-based orchestral music-making in areas of exceptional deprivation. Both of these programmes offer opportunities for children and young people in the local area to attend after school sessions to learn music.

    In addition, originally set up by DCMS and UK Music and now overseen by UK Music, we have helped to create 14 pilot music rehearsal spaces for young people in a range of urban and rural areas of England experiencing multiple deprivation. The funds were used to provide instruments and equipment, and contributed towards the cost of necessary capital works, such as sound proofing.

  • Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of all defendants charged with (a) rape, (b) sexual offences other than rape and (c) domestic violence were aged (i) 14 to 17, (ii) 18 to 24, (iii) 25 to 34, (iv) 35 to 44, (v) 45 to 54, (vi) 55 to 64 and (vii) over 65 in the last 12 months.

    Jeremy Wright

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains both a central record of defendants in cases flagged as rape or domestic abuse and, additionally, the number whose principal offence at finalisation was categorised as a sexual offence other than rape.

    These data can be disaggregated with reference to a series of ‘age bands’ based on the defendant’s date of birth at the time their proceeding was registered onto the CPS’ digital case management system (CMS). It is not possible to separately report the individual ages within each band.

    The attached tables show the latest published data available (2014-15) on the number and proportion of defendants prosecuted, by age band, for (a) rape, (b) sexual offences other than rape and (c) domestic abuse.

  • Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Rural Payments Agency will maintain the current level of resources until the 2016 applications are logged and the issues with the 2015 applications are resolved; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    We understand the importance of Basic Payment Scheme payments to farmers and Defra has ensured that the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has all the resources it needs to complete claims processing for 2015 and to help farmers and agents to submit their 2016 applications as promptly as possible.

    For 2016, applications are coming in with nearly 40,000 received either online or by paper. RPA has 14 support centres and a helpline to provide assistance to help farmers to claim.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the opinion paper by the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration Eat Fat, Cut the Carbs and Avoid Snacking to Reverse Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, whether they plan to revise NHS and Public Health England campaigns that discourage the consumption of dairy products, including full-fat milk, butter, cream and cheese.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Public Health England does not plan to revise its campaigns and dietary advice in light of the recent opinion paper published by the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration.

    Government advice continues to encourage consumption of dairy products as part of a healthy, balanced diet in line with the Eatwell Guide; advising people to choose lower fat varieties of milk and dairy products where possible, due to the evidence that high intakes of saturated fat are associated with raised blood cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to simplify the citizenship application process for EU nationals.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    All those applying for naturalisation as a British citizen must meet the statutory requirements that are set out in the British Nationality Act 1981. These include a period of lawful residence, settled status, good character, and knowledge of language and life in the United Kingdom. These apply equally to EEA and non-EEA nationals.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-10-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Sudan Unit and the British Ambassador to the Republic of Sudan last engaged with opposition groups in Sudan, in particular those members of the Sudan Call alliance; and, following the signing of the Sudan Roadmap Agreement, whether a delegation from the Sudan Call alliance will be invited to London in order to deepen political engagement with that group.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Both the UK Special Representative to Sudan and South Sudan and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Sudan engage with opposition groups regularly, most recently at a joint meeting with the Sudan Call alliance of opposition groups in Khartoum in September. The UK Special Representative also met with representatives of the National Umma Party, including Sadiq El Mahdi, in Addis Ababa on 23 September. We will continue to develop our relations with these groups both in Sudan and elsewhere.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the maximum number is of (a) trains and (b) international trains which are able to stop at Stratford International station in each hour.

    Claire Perry

    The Department for Transport does not hold detailed information on the network capability and capacity of the stations on the HS1 network. HS1 Ltd, as the infrastructure manager, is responsible for producing the timetable for the line of route, within the technical and operational capability of the network. HS1 Ltd can be contacted at:

    HS1 Ltd

    12th Floor, One Euston Square

    40 Melton Street

    London

    NW1 2FD

  • Lord Harrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Harrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harrison on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the finding of the report by the Fair Admissions Campaign and the British Humanist Association last year An Unholy Mess that a significant number of religiously selective schools are requiring practical or financial support for associated organisations such as churches and synagogues from parents, and what steps they are taking to address this.

    Lord Nash

    Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.

    Where an objection is made to the Schools Adjudicator, if the arrangements are found to be unfair or fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority must make changes to ensure their arrangements are compliant without undue delay. Where an admission authority fails to implement decisions of the adjudicator, the Secretary of State may direct the admission authority to do so.

    We continue to keep the Code under review, and, where we consider any changes are necessary to make the admissions system work more effectively for parents, these will be subject to a full public consultation.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the operational readiness of UK-based tanks; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    As at February 2016 the Challenger 2 fleet was assessed to meet 100% of the fleet size and deployability requirements as set out in the 2015/16 Army Readiness Order.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2016 to Question 29835, and with reference to the Answer of 10 June 2013 to Question 158962, for what reasons information on the number of national minimum wage inquiries made to the Pay and Work Rights and Acas helplines relating to the domiciliary care and residential care sectors is not being collected at the previously available level of disaggregation.

    Nick Boles

    Information on the number of National Minimum Wage enquiries made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) and Acas Helpline for the ‘domiciliary care’ and ‘residential care’ sectors has never been systematically collected.

    However, additional information about a complaint is collected after it is referred to HMRC and investigated further. This can include more detailed information on the sector in which the employer in question operates.