Tag: 2016

  • Will Quince – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Will Quince – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Will Quince on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to announce the successful bids for the Condition Improvement Fund for 2016-17.

    Edward Timpson

    The deadline for applications to the Condition Improvement Fund 2016-2017 was 16 December. All applications are now being assessed and moderated against the published criteria to ensure that those with the greatest need receive funding

    We expect to announce successful projects by the end of March 2016.

  • Clive Betts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Clive Betts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 2 of Budget 2016, whether the £3.5 billion savings to public spending to be achieved by 2012-20 will affect the four year funding settlement to local councils announced by his Department in December 2015.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    While the Government has not yet completed its departmental efficiency review to help identify further savings in 2019-20, we expect the four year allocations confirmed in the final settlement on 10 February 2016 to be the amounts presented to Parliament each year, should councils choose to accept the offer.

    We look forward to councils publishing efficiency plans by 14 October 2016 that demonstrate how the greater certainty on offer can bring about opportunities for further savings. However, if councils prefer not to have a four year settlement we cannot guarantee their future levels of funding.

    We have been clear that funding allocations in 2019-20 may be subject to the implementation of 100% business rate retention, something councils have asked for over decades and which we are working with the sector to deliver.

  • Baroness Deech – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Deech – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Deech on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 25 April (HL7413), how the pre-approved EU list of named civil servants is approved, and by whom; and how that process is subject to independent auditing, and by whom.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK uses the EU PEGASE mechanism to earmark funds to payment of vetted PA civil servants and pensioners. The list of PEGASE Direct Financial Support eligible beneficiaries is determined each month by Deloitte auditors on the basis of the EU eligibility criteria. The list of approved recipients is subject to a vetting process that includes screening against international (including Israeli) ad hoc sanctions lists.

  • Lord Trefgarne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Trefgarne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Trefgarne on 2016-06-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to secure adequate supplies of anti-TB vaccine for use on badgers, in view of the present shortage.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The ongoing shortage of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, and the need to prioritise available stocks for humans, is impacting on supply for badger vaccination projects. Following advice from Public Health England (PHE) in December 2015, Defra took the decision to suspend attempts to source BCG vaccine for the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme and other private badger vaccination deployment projects in England until this situation is resolved.

    We are seeking regular updates from PHE about the vaccine shortage so that once the situation is resolved we can be in a position to re-start ordering of vaccine at the earliest opportunity.

  • Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2016 to Question 38976, on married quarters, what assessment his Department has made of the habitability of the 10,187 void properties.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Department continually assesses the condition and thus the habitability of its housing stock, including void properties.

    With the introduction of the Combined Accommodation Assessment System (CAAS) on 1 April 2016, all Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the UK were subject to a physical survey and/or extrapolation from like properties on the same estate. Void properties were assessed as part of the survey programme.

    For void properties, 92% were assessed as being at Decent Homes Standard (DHS) and 8% below. In line with the commitment given in the Armed Forces Covenant, SFA below DHS will not be allocated to incoming Service families. For families living in properties below the DHS they will be offered to move to a different property where we can.

    Overall 83% SFA exceed the Decent Homes Standard.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many EU nationals are recorded by the Disclosure and Barring Service as having worked in regulated activity for (a) children and (b) adults in each year since 2012.

    Sarah Newton

    The Disclosure and Barring Service does not collect this specific information.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many motorhome owners from continental Europe visited England in each of the last five years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The information requested is not collected by the Department.

    The Department collects information on the number of passengers and passenger vehicles travelling to England from Europe via rail and ferry, however in both cases it is not possible to identify the vehicle type, or whether the passengers are motorhome owners.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, on what date he last visited a food bank in Scotland.

    David Mundell

    I have not visited a food bank in my capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he will make representations to the government of Pakistan on its blasphemy laws and the potential for the death penalty to be imposed for breach of those laws.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    UK Ministers regularly raise the blasphemy laws, which have been misused against both Muslims and others, with the authorities in Pakistan. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) and the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) have discussed human rights concerns, including blasphemy laws, with Prime Minister Sharif.

    I raised our concerns directly with the Pakistani High Commissioner in London. As a priority, I encourage the Government of Pakistan to reduce the number of offences attracting the death penalty, which currently includes blasphemy, and to abide by its international obligations. The Foreign Secretary reiterated UK opposition to the death penalty during his visit to Pakistan this week.

  • Keir Starmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Keir Starmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to provide long-term funding for the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education.

    Nick Gibb

    Every young person should learn about the Holocaust and the lessons it teaches us today. In recognition of its significance, the Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within the national curriculum.

    Since 2008, the Department for Education has funded UCL Institute of Education’s Centre for Holocaust Education which has seen more than 7,000 teachers benefit from their programme since 2011.

    The Department has renewed the funding for 2016-17 and will continue to do all it can to promote, support and fund teaching of the Holocaust.