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Tag: 2016

  • 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 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications from maintained schools to convert to academy status were (a) approved and (b) declined by each regional schools commissioner in 2015.

    Edward Timpson

    The table below shows the total number of applications received in 2015 from Local Authority maintained schools and how many of these were subsequently approved or declined. The information is split by the RSC region in which the schools are located. Please note that the decision to approve or decline may in some instances have been made by ministers.

    RSC region

    Total number of applications received in 2015

    Number of applications received in 2015 that were approved

    Number of applications received in 2015 that were declined

    East Midlands & Humber

    59

    43

    3

    Lancashire & West Yorkshire

    42

    35

    1

    North

    63

    49

    0

    North East London & East

    55

    55

    0

    North West London & South Central

    55

    52

    0

    South London & South East

    56

    49

    1

    South West

    90

    74

    0

    West Midlands

    113

    100

    1

    Total

    533

    457

    6

    A small number of applications received in 2015 have been withdrawn or not yet decided.

    The data is correct as at 1 July 2016.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities in England have held council tax referendums in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The only council tax referendum to date was held by the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner. A proposed 15.8% increase in the Commissioner’s precept was rejected by a margin of 70% to 30% in May 2015.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2015 to Question 19214 and with reference to Chapter 3 of the National Audit Office Report, entitled The Superfast (Rural) Broadband Programme: update, published in January 2015, for what reason the amount spent per cabinet is approximately double the amount estimated by the National Audit Office.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The costs reported in the January 2015 National Audit Office Report were based on average direct cabinet costs in September 2014, which were lower than envisaged at the time of the contract. Underspends at the end of the projects will be available for further investment in superfast broadband roll-out.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23898, what (a) estimate he has made and (b) target he has set for the number of the liaison psychiatry services in A&E departments which will meet (i) Core, (ii) Core 24, (iii) Enhanced 24 and (iv) Comprehensive standard as set out by the NHS South West Strategic Clinical Network by 2020.

    Alistair Burt

    The latest available data, based on the 2nd annual national survey of liaison psychiatry carried out by the University of Plymouth on behalf of NHS England in April 2015, provides the following estimates of service grading in line with NHS South West Strategic Clinical Network’s service model specification:

    Service model

    Number of acute hospitals

    None

    11

    Sub-core

    134

    Core

    21

    Core 24

    10

    Enhanced 24/Comprehensive

    3

    The Government announced a £247 million investment over four years to 2020/21 to expand provision of liaison mental health in acute hospital settings. NHS England estimates that this will bring at least 50% of acute hospitals to the ‘Core 24’ service grading.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether (a) ex-intravenous drug users and (b) former-sex workers will be included in the review of blood donations by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs.

    Jane Ellison

    The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) is carrying out a review of blood donor selection criteria. Currently a working group is being formed. The process will fully involve stakeholders, similar to the previous 2011 SaBTO review, and contacting stakeholders inviting their contribution to the review will begin imminently. The terms of reference will include input from stakeholders and be published once approved by SaBTO which will be at their next meeting. The review will be holistic and evidence relating to the risks of blood-borne infections in people who have previously injected drugs or received money or drugs for sex will be included. The review will be incremental, with published progress reports and any intermediate advice.

    It is anticipated that the group will publish its final report in 2017.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the running costs were for the 56 capital based science projects which his Department has funded for each year since 2007, referred to in the NAO Report entitled BIS’s capital investment in science projects, HC 885, published on 10 March 2016; and what the projected running costs for those projects are for each year to 2020-21.

    Joseph Johnson

    Running costs for 2014-15 for the 56 projects are given in Appendix 3 of the NAO Science Capital report where facilities are operational. These figures come from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and its Partner Organisations and provide an indication of annual running costs of these projects.

    Project level management and allocation of funding for the majority of ongoing science projects is done at Partner Organisation level, in accordance with the delivery responsibilities of the Partner Organisations BIS funds. BIS does not hold this level of information centrally and it would not be possible to collect this information for each of the years since 2007, and estimates for future years, without disproportionate cost. However, the Government has protected the science and research budget in real terms in the 2015 spending review to ensure science spending remains on a sustainable footing and continues to deliver world-class research.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 34222, on the humanitarian situation in Madaya, for what reasons the UN had to seek written approval from the Syrian regime.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Attempting to deliver humanitarian assistance without the consent of the parties to the conflict is extremely challenging. There is a risk that shipments of humanitarian assistance would be physically stopped and confiscated, humanitarian staff placed in danger and that convoys could come under attack. Likewise, delivering assistance without consent may risk undermining ongoing negotiations on humanitarian access to the 4.6 million people in hard to reach areas across Syria.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the tasks and role of UK military personnel committed to service at the headquarters of the UN.

    Earl Howe

    The UK currently has four military personnel at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York:

    The Deputy Military Advisor to the UN Secretary General and Deputy Head of the Office of Military Affairs (OMA).

    A Special Assistant/Military Assistant to the Military Advisor to the UN Secretary General and Head of the OMA.

    A Military Planner within the Military Planning Service of the OMA.

    A Gender Advisor seconded to the OMA.

    These officers support the UN by: providing strategic and operational military advice on the efficiency and the effectiveness of military components in UN Peacekeeping missions; conducting research and contributing to the development of policy; maintaining close links to national Permanent Missions to the UN; and liaising with non-governmental organisations. The Gender Advisor also ensures implementation of Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), providing advice on recruitment and force generation, and support to military gender advisors at Field Headquarters. WPS and the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative are HMG priorities, and the Gender Advisor is uniquely placed to influence the UN’s work on these issues.

  • Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on compliance with the EU Marine Strategy Framework after the UK has left the EU.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The UK’s vision is for clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse seas and oceans.

    Until we leave the EU, EU law continues to apply, so we continue to comply with the requirements of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

    We are now preparing to negotiate our exit. Defra will be working with the Department for Exiting the EU on the UK’s withdrawal and future relationship, liaising closely with other key departments. The Government will work with industry and the public to develop these new arrangements. The Government is committed to improving our environment and achieving the UK vision for our seas and oceans.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will review the operation of the scheme requiring letting agents to publicise their fees to consumers.

    Gavin Barwell

    In May 2015, the Government introduced measures in the Consumer Rights Act 2015 that require letting agents to publicise prominently in their offices and on their website, a full tariff of their fees, whether or not they are a member of a client money protection scheme and which redress scheme they are a member of.

    We are committed to reviewing the impact of transparency requirements. We recently established a working group with Baroness Hayter and Lord Palmer to look at how Client Money protection is currently operating and whether to go further by making use of the powers taken through the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to make Client Money Protection (CMP) mandatory.