Tag: 2016

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many full-time equivalent staff there were in the Skills Funding Agency in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15.

    Nick Boles

    The table below outlines the total number of staff employed by full-time equivalence in the Skills Funding Agency:

    2010-11

    1459

    2011-12

    1580

    2012-13

    1200

    2013-14

    1142

    2014-15

    788

    Staffing numbers have reduced as part of the Civil Service reform programme. Alongside this, the Skills Funding Agency has prioritised its resources to focus on 3 million apprenticeship starts. The latest Statistical First Release shows an upward trajectory of apprenticeship starts.

  • Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the number of people who have left Yemen as refugees since March 2015.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Between March 2015 and 15 February 2016, the UN estimates that 171,585 people have arrived in Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Oman from Yemen, including Yemeni refugees and asylum-seekers, and people of other nationalities seeking protection.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress he has made on the electrification of the Leeds- Harrogate-York railway line.

    Andrew Jones

    Network Rail is taking the recommendations of the North of England Electrification Task Force into account in assessing the case for further electrification of the national rail network, including the Leeds-Harrogate-York line. It plans to publish a draft update to the industry electrification strategy this year.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what projects his Department has funded in (a) 2015 and (b) 2016 to promote abolition of the death penalty.

    Mr David Lidington

    With regard to projects funded in 2015/16, I refer the Hon. Member to my answer of 14 January 2016 to the Rt Hon. Member for Hendon (Dr Matthew Offord). (21301).

    https://wqa.parliament.uk/Questions/Details/27418

    Decisions on the allocation of the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy in 2016/17 have not yet been taken.

  • George Kerevan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    George Kerevan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Kerevan on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether there is any involvement of China National Nuclear Corporation as a stakeholder in the construction or ownership of the Hinkley Point C reactor.

    Andrea Leadsom

    This is a commercial matter for EDF Energy.

    Any company involved in the UK civil nuclear sector must meet the robust requirements of our regulatory regime.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2016 to Question 39223, what criteria officials of her Department have to follow to fulfil the aim of processing refugee integration loan applications as quickly as possible.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The rules setting out eligibility for integration loans are set out in the Integration loans for Refugees and Other Regulations 2007. All the factors set out in these Regulations are considered for each application received for an integration loan.

    We do not intend to set a target time for processing loans less than the 28 day support period given to those granted refugee status. However processes are reviewed on a regular basis and the department aims to respond to all applications as quickly as possible.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate has been made of the forecast change in the number of people aged 80 and over between 2015 and 2035.

    Chris Skidmore

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22026, what proportion of the £47 million paid to local authorities under the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme was subsequently paid by local authorities to households which were not entitled to flood compensation payments.

    James Wharton

    Local authorities are responsible for the administration and delivery of the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme.

    They determine how to use the money to best meet local need and ensure value for money. My Department does not collect detailed information on the payments that have been made through the Scheme. However, officials are aware that of more that 15,000 payments made to households, fewer than 50 have been found to be incorrect. Those have been returned to the local authority in question.

  • Caroline Nokes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Nokes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Nokes on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many family courts have designated safe waiting rooms for vulnerable victims and witnesses.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government is committed to supporting victims of domestic violence and abuse.

    The Ministry of Justice is undertaking research to explore how the family judiciary are currently managing cases where unrepresented alleged perpetrators of abuse can cross-examine vulnerable witnesses in the family court, and to establish what, if any, additional provisions could be considered to support them in doing so. A report will be published in due course.

    The research did not aim to assess the psychological impact of any cross-examination on victims of domestic abuse. However, some of the findings relate to the considerations the judiciary make in managing such cases appropriately, and the report will outline options to further protect vulnerable witnesses in the family court. It was out of scope of this research to explore cases where an unrepresented litigant who is a victim of domestic abuse may have to cross-examine their alleged abuser.

    Family judges have a range of powers and training to manage difficult court room situations and to ensure they are handled sensitively for victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable witnesses. Judges can intervene to prevent inappropriate questions or have questions relayed. Practical protections, for example, protective screens, video links, separate waiting rooms and separate entrances are available where appropriate. It is for the judge involved, on the basis of the evidence, to determine how the framework will be applied in a particular case.

    The family courts take the issue of domestic violence extremely seriously. The Child Arrangement Programme and Practice Direction 12J set out a strong and clear framework where domestic violence is alleged and all judges receive specific training on this framework.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been employed on zero-hours contracts in (a) Burnley and (b) Lancashire in each of the last six years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.