Tag: 2016

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK rail operators who may lose their franchise as a result of the recently announced proposals to transfer the responsibility for inner suburban rail services in London from his Department to Transport for London maintain and improve their services while this change takes place.

    Claire Perry

    No current franchises will be affected by the proposals, therefore we would not expect to see any operator lose their franchise as a result. The proposed transfer will take place at the start of, or within the, successor franchises.

  • 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 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage older professionals to enter the teaching profession for the first time.

    Nick Gibb

    Career changers are an important source of new teachers and bring relevant knowledge and skills from their previous employment. The number of teachers returning to the profession has increased from 11,710 in 2011 to 14,100 in 2014.

    In 2015/16, 21% of new entrants to initial teacher training (ITT) courses were aged 30 and above. Our marketing campaign, Your Future Their Future, uses a range of advertising to promote teacher recruitment. As part of this we run a month-long ‘New Year New Career’ sub-campaign in January of each year which is dedicated to attracting more career changers to teaching.

    We provide specific support for career changers to make the transition to teaching and particularly for the subjects that are needed the most, which includes:

    • The School Direct (salaried) route, which is specifically targeted at career changers with three years’ work experience and allows them to earn a salary whilst they train to teach.

    • Working with 18 School Direct lead schools to develop and recruit to flexible School Direct (salaried) courses in mathematics and physics, starting in September 2016.

    Career changers can access support including bursaries or scholarships of up to £30,000 tax-free; advice and guidance from the expert advisers on the Get Into Teaching Line; help with arranging school experience to assist with their ITT application; and access to our free Train to Teach events.

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2016 to Question 33647, whether he plans to continue the Fit for Work programme for the full length of the contract.

    Justin Tomlinson

    In England and Wales, the Fit fir Work contract was awarded on the 25th July 2014 for a period of 5 years. DWP continues to undertake contract management with the supplier. In Scotland, the service is delivered via an agency agreement with the Scottish Government, made in November 2015 and reviewed annually.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-06-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to establish social services and psychosocial support for unaccompanied minors brought to the UK from refugee camps in Europe.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    As announced by the Prime Minister on 4 May and now reflected in the Immigration Act 2016, we will work to admit unaccompanied refugee children to the UK from elsewhere in the EU, where this is considered to be in the child’s best interests.

    The legislation is clear that consultation with local authorities is needed before any figure is set. We are working closely with local authorities and consulting NGOs, the UNHCR, UNICEF and relevant Member States to establish suitable processes to im-plement this initiative.

    We are committed to act as quickly as we can but we must take the necessary time to ensure we have the capacity to resettle and support those who are resettled.

    We must also ensure that we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK. We will be working closely with local authorities to find suitable placements within the UK. Statutory agencies at a local level are best placed to understand and meet the needs of all children and will continue to make decisions about the right accommodation and support services for those who are looked after. Unaccompanied children will be eligible for foster care if it is considered that that this placement type will provide appropriate support and best meet their individual needs.

    The UK has well-established and effective safeguarding procedures to ensure the safety of children who come to the UK. All children brought to the UK will be given the care, support and education they require.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on maintaining that Department as a stand-alone government department and on strengthening its role; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs Theresa May

    This Government remains committed to continuing the UK’s leading role on international development, including through spending 0.7% of GNI on aid. The Department for International Development has a critical role to play not only in tackling poverty but helping the UK play a confident, engaged and ambitious role in the world.

  • George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital NHS Trust, (b) St Helens and Knowsley Hospital Services NHS Trust, (c) Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, (d) Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, (e) Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust and (f) Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spent on agency medical staff in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department does not collect data on which specific area of employment provider expenditure was incurred under. Data is however collected in totality for employees under temporary or agency contracts. The total temporary and agency staff expenditure incurred by the six providers for 2014-15 and 2015-16 is shown in the table below.

    Provider body

    2014-15 £000

    2015-16 £000

    Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen

    11,652

    11,244

    St Helens and Knowsley

    8,403

    12,251

    Aintree

    14,927

    11,253

    Wirral

    6,181

    12,849

    Southport and Ormskirk

    11,115

    15.080

    Warrington and Halton

    11,562

    15,957

    In addition to payments made for medical staff, the figures in the above table include the costs of temporary and agency workers engaged in other activities, such as employees contracted for provision of other administration and support services.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff in his Department are working on matters related to (a) European policy, (b) the future of Europe, (c) reform of the EU, (d) the renegotiation of the UK’s relationship with the EU, (e) the EU referendum and (f) the consequences of the EU referendum; how many full-time equivalent staff are working on such matters; what the (i) staff and (ii) other cost of such work is; what proportion of that work is undertaken by such staff on (A) communications, (B) strategy and (C) policy; whether his Department has established any specific unit or units to deal with those matters; to whom such (1) staff and (2) units report; whether his Department has issued guidelines to staff on those matters; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in Britain – so we get a better deal for Britain and secure our future. The Department is appropriately resourced to support the Government’s priorities in Europe, including the renegotiation and referendum.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, following changes to universal credit taking effect in April 2016, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the number of children in poverty of the introduction of universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    The Government is committed to working to eliminate child poverty and improve life chances for children. Work remains the best route out of poverty, and Universal Credit is designed to strengthen incentives for parents to move into and progress in work. Evidence shows claimants move into work significantly faster and earn more than under the current system. In addition, from April 2016 Universal Credit provides for 85% of childcare costs meaning more support for hardworking families.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the local licensing authorities on the introduction of five-year private hire operator licences by local authorities.

    Andrew Jones

    Five-year private hire vehicle operator licences were introduced in October 2015. Since that time, local licensing authorities have not made any representations to me on the subject.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2016 to Question 30208, whether she plans to give Ministerial approval to relax the restrictions of the public sector exit cap on employees of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority who leave work after 1 October 2016.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The proposed public sector exit payment cap will apply to organisations classified as being within the public sector by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This includes the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s sites, which are funded by the UK taxpayer.

    It is envisaged that there will be discretion to relax conditions of the cap in exceptional circumstances, for example where there are genuine cases of hardship. This discretion, which would be considered on a case by case basis and which would be subject to Ministerial approval, will be provided for in the exit cap regulations.