The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on non-payroll staff in his Department in 2015-16.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The final figure will be published in the Department’s 2015/16 Annual Report and Accounts in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the introduction of personal independence payments on future rates of claims for attendance allowance.
Penny Mordaunt
Individuals in receipt of PIP before the age of 65 will continue to receive PIP as long as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria. This mirrors Disability Living Allowance, the benefit that preceded PIP. Anyone that becomes disabled after the age of 65 will be able to claim Attendance Allowance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to provide additional resources to local authorities or schools for sex and relationships education.
Edward Timpson
We want schools to provide all young people with a curriculum that equips them for success in adult life. High-quality sex and relationship education (SRE) and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education have a vital role to play in this.
SRE is compulsory in maintained secondary schools. Academies and free schools do not have to teach SRE, but many choose to do so as part of their statutory duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.
When teaching SRE, all schools, including academies through their funding agreement, must have regard to the Secretary of State’s Sex and Relationship Education guidance. The existing SRE guidance was last updated in 2000. We have received requests about updating the guidance which we will consider carefully.
Schools and teachers have the freedom to design lessons that meet their pupils’ needs, taking account of pupil and parent views. Teachers are encouraged to develop their practice with the support of specialist organisations and expert professionals. Many of these specialist organisations have produced resources that can be used and adapted by schools.
We hold regular meetings with Ofsted about a range of matters. As the Secretary of State said at the Education Select Committee hearing in September 2016, we need to look again at how schools deliver high-quality PSHE, including SRE. We are considering all the options, including the need for any statutory powers, and will come to a view soon.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will introduce a ban on plastic microbeads in cosmetic products similar to that introduced in the US.
George Eustice
The UK and neighbouring countries are working with industry to achieve a voluntary phase out of plastic microbeads in cosmetics and soaps.
The issue was discussed at the OSPAR Conference in 2014 and the cosmetics industry in Europe has committed to act.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to require GP surgeries to provide his Department with details of all the Med 3 fit notes they issue in respect of people receiving disability benefits.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department will receive anonymised and aggregated GP practice level statistics on Med 3 forms or ‘fit notes’.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in his Department.
Michael Fallon
Special Advisers provide policy, political, and communications advice to Ministers, across the business of the Department in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nusrat Ghani on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage data-sharing between highway authorities, mapping providers and satellite navigation companies to limit the use of inappropriate routes by HGVs.
Andrew Jones
The Government is putting the UK at the forefront of innovation in road transport. For example, we are establishing the UK as a global centre for excellence in connected and autonomous vehicles, creating a ‘Connected Corridor’ from London to Dover to enable vehicles to communicate wirelessly with infrastructure and potentially other vehicles, and planning trials of truck platooning on our motorways.
The Department has brought together satnav manufacturers, mapping companies, local authorities and other industry organisations in a Satnav Summit and in further discussions. We are working with these parties to improve the information satnavs provide to road users, and enable better co-operation and information-sharing between local highway authorities and the industry through joint working.
ITS UK, an industry body, have also worked with the freight and haulage industry to promote the use of appropriate satnav devices designed specifically for HGVs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Financial Assistance Scheme paid out in each of the last six years.
Justin Tomlinson
The information is in the table below.
|
Financial Year |
Amount paid by the FAS £million |
|
2009/10 |
34.15 |
|
2010/11 |
45.77 |
|
2011/12 |
74.14 |
|
2012/13 |
110.91 |
|
2013/14 |
159.75 |
|
2014/15 |
187.75 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2016-06-06.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in (a) Bristol South constituency and (b) England have had child benefit stopped for a young person because that person took up an apprenticeship.
Damian Hinds
The information is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy on state pension age increases of the Pensions Policy Institute briefing note, published on 27 July 2016, on the effect of rises in state pension age on vulnerable people; and if he will make it his policy to allow early access to a full or reduced state pension for people who have 45 years of national insurance contributions.
Richard Harrington
The Government will consider the evidence on future approaches to State Pension age in the course of the first review of the State Pension age, conducted under Section 27 of the 2014 Pensions Act, which will report by 7 May 2017.