Tag: 2016

  • Roger Mullin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Roger Mullin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Mullin on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people in the workfare programme in (i) Fife and (ii) Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency moved into full-time employment in each of the last five years.

    Damian Hinds

    The Department does not operate a “workfare programme” therefore does not hold the information requested.

    The Department does publish some information on the Work Programme, however the information requested for those who moved into full-time employment whilst on the Work Programme is not available.

    Information is available for the number of Work Programme Referrals, Attachments and Job Outcomes (achieved when an individual has been in employment for 3 or 6 months, depending on their payment group), by various geographies and this can be found at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

    Guidance for users can be found at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started—SuperWEB2.html

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to limit the use of accessible toilets solely for disabled people.

    Gavin Barwell

    The Department for Communities and Local Government has commissioned research into existing guidance in Approved Document M (Access to and use of buildings) of the Building Regulations, including on the use of accessible toilets, and that research will help to guide the way forward where any change to existing legislation is needed. Legislating to restrict use of accessible toilets raises many complex issues including in defining who would, and who would not, be entitled to use such facilities and whether this would be enforceable. Government takes the view that current arrangements are practicable without the need for further legislation and, as a result, does not intend to pursue this further at this time.

  • Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when her Department plans to publish the terms of reference for its Renewable Heat Incentive consultation.

    Andrea Leadsom

    To be eligible for Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) support, all biomass combined heat and power (CHP) must be certified by the Combined Heat and Power Quality Assurance (CHPQA) scheme, and must demonstrate that they have a valid CHPQA certificate. Any installation claiming the CHP Renewable Obligation Certificate uplift will not be eligible for receiving support under the RHI scheme.

    We intend to reform the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) to improve value for money and reduce costs; improve cost control and budget management; and ensure the scheme focuses more on our long-term needs, while contributing to both our carbon and renewable energy targets. We plan to consult on the changes shortly. Therefore, I am unable to make specific commitments as to the future shape of the scheme at this point.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2016 to Question 22971, if he will require HM Revenue and Customs to collect data on the (a) the number of tax recipients who have their credits erroneously withdrawn and (b) reasons given for those withdrawals.

    Mr David Gauke

    Data could be obtained at disproportionate cost showing the volume of cases withdrawn.

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

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary full-time teachers have completed (i) three, (ii) five, (iii) 10, (iv) 15 and (v) 20 years of teaching since qualifying.

    Nick Gibb

    The information is not available in the format requested. The Department publishes statistics showing, for each calendar year since 1996, the number of teachers that have qualified and entered service and the percentage that remain in service in each following year.

    The number of teachers in our schools continues to grow year-on-year. Teaching has a lower turnover rate than the economy as a whole; 90 per cent of teachers in state schools stay in the profession from one year to the next. The latest data show that 72 per cent of teachers that qualified during 2009 and were in service by March 2010 were still in service five years later. Similarly, 62 per cent of teachers that qualified during 2004 and were in service by March 2005 were still in service ten years later.

    These statistics are published in table C2 of the additional tables in the School Workforce in England Statistical First Release, November 2014. This publication is attached and available on GOV.UK at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2014

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  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of men in Scotland who reach state pension age in 2016-17 will receive the full flat rate of the new state pension.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department cannot model the impact of the new State Pension at a regional or country specific level. Results for the whole of Great Britain can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491845/impact-of-new-state-pension-longer-term-reserach.pdf

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  • 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 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on taking steps to tackle recent reductions in the number of employers posting apprenticeship vacancies.

    Nick Boles

    Latest data shows that whilst the number of employers advertising vacancies has fallen, the number of apprenticeship opportunities posted on the ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ website has increased each year from 71,060 in 2010/11 to 200,460 in 2014/15.

    The Apprenticeship Delivery Board and Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network work with employers to champion apprenticeships and increase the number of places on offer. The Skills Funding Agency also works closely with the National Employer Services Team in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships.

    We are launching a new apprenticeships communications campaign in May, jointly designed with DWP, which will promote the benefits of apprenticeships to young people, parents and employers. This will build on National Apprenticeship Week 2016, which saw more than 30,000 apprenticeship places pledged by businesses.

    We also work closely with DWP to ensure that information about apprenticeship vacancies is available to jobseekers through Universal Jobmatch.

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

    Julian Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average length is of the transition period for personnel of each of the Armed Forces between a decision of the Medical Board recommending discharge and that discharge taking place; and what support is given to personnel during that period to support the transition to civilian life.

    Mark Lancaster

    This information is not held in the format requested. However, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) does hold information on the average length of time between attendance at a medical board and the date of medical discharge for UK Regular Armed Forces personnel.

    For those UK Regulars discharged between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2015, the median averages are as follows:

    Service

    Median average number of days between a medical board and subsequent medical discharge

    Royal Navy

    132

    Royal Marines

    133

    Army

    223

    Royal Air Force

    173

    Those who are medically discharged are entitled to the highest level of resettlement provision through the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), regardless of how long they have served or the nature and cause of injuries. We also offer specialised support for wounded, injured and sick personnel and those with the most complex barriers to employment to ensure they receive the most appropriate support within their recovery pathway. This is delivered through the Defence Recovery Capability and is supported by the Career Transition Partnership Assist (CTP Assist) programme. The purpose of CTP Assist is to deliver an individualised, needs-based service to those Service personnel who face the greatest barriers to employment given their medical condition.

    The MOD Veterans’ Welfare Service (VWS) provides welfare support automatically to those medically discharged, with an ‘on request’ service for all other members of the veterans community.

    The Transition Protocol is an established practice to ensure the effective transition of health and social care for injured Service leavers to local public providers. There is regular and close co-operation between the MOD, the Department of Health, NHS England and the Devolved Administrations in order to ensure that it is working successfully.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department’s policy is on making the pension age for Civil Nuclear Constabulary police officers the same as that for police forces under the responsibility of the Home Office.

    Jesse Norman

    Government policy is for public sector workers to have a normal pension age equal and linked to the state pension age. Parliament defined ‘members of a police force’ in the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 in such a way as to exclude Civil Nuclear Constabulary officers from the special arrangements that were made for Home Office police forces under that Act. A recent High Court judgement confirmed this interpretation. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will work with the Civil Nuclear Police Authority to put in place the appropriate pension arrangements for Civil Nuclear Constabulary officers, within the parameters set out in the legislation.

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding per head has been allocated for childcare in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) the UK in the financial years (i) 2016-17 and (ii) 2017-18.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Funding for the free early years entitlements is allocated on a local authority basis. In 2016-17, the relevant hourly funding rates per child were as follows:

    LAs

    Three and Four Year old Entitilement

    Two year old entitlement

    Barnsley

    £3.99

    £4.85

    Bradford

    £5.19

    £4.85

    Calderdale

    £4.15

    £4.85

    Doncaster

    £3.87

    £4.85

    East Riding of Yorkshire

    £4.40

    £4.85

    Kingston upon Hull City of

    £4.20

    £4.85

    Kirkless

    £4.37

    £4.85

    Leeds

    £4.09

    £4.85

    North East Lincolnshire

    £3.72

    £4.85

    North Lincolnshire

    £4.39

    £4.85

    North Yorkshire

    £4.49

    £4.85

    Rotherham

    £4.07

    £4.85

    Sheffield

    £4.51

    £4.85

    Wakefield

    £4.14

    £4.85

    York

    £3.63

    £4.85

    The figures given above relate to England. Childcare policy for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is devolved. In 2016-17, the national average hourly funding rate paid by the Department for Education to local authorities in England, is £4.51 for three and four-year-olds and £5.09 for two-year-olds.

    All funding rates for three and four-year-olds are exclusive of the Early Years Pupil Premium which is an additional funding stream for disadvantaged children.

    The new funding rates under our proposed early years national funding formula from 2017-18, can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/early-years-funding-changes-to-funding-for-3-and-4-year-olds

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