Tag: 2016

  • Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make representations to exam boards to remove the five per cent marking for spelling and grammar for dyslexic students.

    Nick Gibb

    In 2013 the Government restored the policy of marks for spelling, punctuation and use of grammar (SPaG)to GCSE exams as a key part of our commitment to high standards and to ensuring that GCSEs match expectations set in the highest performing jurisdictions internationally. It gives a real incentive to teachers to provide effective support to all their students to improve their written communication skills.

    For those pupils with special educational needs, including those with dyslexia, appropriate reasonable adjustments, including extra time, are available, as necessary. Details can be found in the Joint Council for Qualifications’ “Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration” at: http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance

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  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to evaluate the progress of his Department’s ultra-low emission vehicle communications strategy.

    Andrew Jones

    The Go Ultra Low campaign, which we run in conjunction with eight major vehicle manufacturers and that is intended to explain the benefits of ultra low emission vehicles to fleet and consumer audiences, is subject to a programme of ongoing evaluation. We survey the campaign’s audiences at key campaign milestones to test its performance. To date, Go Ultra Low has exceeded government and industry campaign benchmarks on key measures. Of those surveyed who recalled seeing campaign activity, 71% have taken action as a result of having seen our advert, and the campaign’s website is now averaging 51,000 visitors a month following a four-fold increase in 2015 compared to 2014. The Go Ultra Low campaign is an important part of the UK’s programme to support the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles, leading to market growth of 94% in 2015.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what financial and other resources the Government makes available to UK Trade and Investment trade envoys.

    Anna Soubry

    To fulfil their overseas and UK travel commitments, there is a dedicated budget for the Trade Envoys.

    Total cost of the programme to date has been £424,529

  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to assist the Nigerian government to support access for internally displaced children in that country to (a) education and (b) healthcare.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    In education, DFID is supporting the Government of Nigeria’s Safe Schools Initiative, which aims to restore safe access to learning for children affected by conflict. The Initiative has supported over 90,000 displaced children to return to school, providing learning materials and training teachers on psychosocial support. In health, DFID is supporting the International Committee of the Red Cross, who have helped restore basic health care services for 225,000 people affected by conflict, and provided 150,000 immunisations for children.

    All of our programmes, including those that assist internally displaced children, work with government authorities and other donors to influence national plans and strategies, and to strengthen education and health systems.

  • Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether there is still a development case for bilateral aid for India and Turkey; and whether they have plans to end bilateral aid to those, and similar, countries.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK does not have a bilateral aid programme in Turkey. We help Turkey address the consequences of the Syria crisis and migration challenges as the country hosts the highest number of refugees in the world, by providing support to refugees in Turkey, jointly with international partners.

    The UK’s bilateral aid programme in India has changed with India’s development. A middle-income country and major trading partner, India is still home to one third of the world’s poorest people. The UK ceased its traditional aid programme to India in 2015, and our support now focuses on promoting inclusive economic development, both reducing poverty and strengthening UK trade and investment opportunities.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many civil servants in her Department are paid through limited companies.

    Andrea Leadsom

    All Civil Servants employed by the Department of Energy and Climate Change are paid through the departmental payroll system and none are paid through limited companies.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the estimated cost to the public purse is of implementing online voter registration in Northern Ireland.

    Kris Hopkins

    The cost of extending the digital registration service to Northern Ireland is being met by the Cabinet Office as part of the wider project to implement digital registration throughout the UK.

    This work is ongoing and the current estimate of costs is approximately £250,000.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether additional resources allocated for mental health services are ring-fenced in order to prevent any of those resources being used for alternative services in order to offset any NHS spending constraints.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England is responsible for allocating funding resources for health services including mental health. The Government has committed to an additional £1 billion by 2020/21 to support the implementation of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. This is in addition to the £1.4 billion over five years to improve children and young people’s mental health announced in 2014/15. We are holding NHS England to account through the NHS Mandate to ensure this investment delivers improvements in mental health.

    We will continue to work with NHS England and other arm’s length bodies to monitor and track progress against the mental health commitments of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and Future in Mind.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which debt collection agencies are used by the Debt Market Integrator.

    Matthew Hancock

    The companies that bid to provide Debt Market Integrator services were as follows;

    Single Bidders:

    • Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP
    • CGI IT UK Ltd
    • Capita Business Services Ltd
    • HP Enterprise Services UK Ltd
    • SYNNEX Concentrix UK Ltd
    • TDX Group Ltd
    • arvato AG

      Consortia:

    • Equiniti Ltd/First Direct

      As of 12/01/ 2016 The debt collections agencies providing service for Indesser through the Debt Market Integrator contract are:

      Walker Love

      Rossendales

      Akinika

      Advantis

      CCS Collect

      Drydens

      Apex

      Bluestones

      Freds

      Rossendales

      Walker Love

      Moorcroft

      Past Due

      CCI Legal

      The private sector partner owns 75% equity in Indesser.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what actions he has taken as a result of receiving the Final Report of the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    We are looking at the conclusions of the UN Panel of Experts’ report carefully. We recognise the importance of the work of the UN Panel of Experts. Looking at the information available to us, we have assessed that there has not been a breach of IHL by the coalition.