Tag: 2016

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been allocated for the establishment of a Northern branch of the New Schools Network; what the timetable for the establishment of that branch of Network is; and what plans he has for where that branch of the Network will be located.

    Edward Timpson

    The New Schools Network (NSN) is an independent charity that aims to improve the quality of education in the state sector, particularly for the most deprived children. It works with free school groups from all regions of England.

    In the Budget, NSN was allocated £200,000 grant funding for a new Northern centre to encourage more innovative free schools in the region. NSN has already allocated a member of staff, who is based in Manchester, to work specifically with groups in the North and further recruitment will begin shortly.

    NSN has plans to operate a similar model in the Midlands.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many reported drink-related violent incidents involved the use of alcohol bottles in each of the last five years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

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

  • John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent representations he has received on section 75 employer debt in pension funds; and if he will make a statement.

    Richard Harrington

    Last year, we undertook a call for evidence on issues around section 75 debt and employers in multi-employer schemes and have been actively considering the responses.

    More recently, we have been engaging direct with interested parties as we seek to ensure the appropriate balance between protection for members and burdens on employers.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the potential effect of leaving the EU Customs Union on UK GDP.

    Mr David Gauke

    The relationship we build with the EU will be bespoke to the UK. There are of course a number of different models for EU trade relations from which we can learn. We understand the advantages and disadvantages of those models, and are analysing closely the impact which adopting them would have on the UK economy and UK trade. However, the UK and its economy are utterly unique so the deal we secure will be unique too.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the Government’s plans to commemorate (a) the First World War and (b) the Battle of the Somme.

    Tracey Crouch

    Since the Prime Minister set out plans for the Centenary in October 2012 the Government has delivered highly successful commemorative events for the start of the First World War and the Gallipoli Campaign.

    In May 2016, commemorative events will be held for the Battle of Jutland, and in July 2016, we will mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme by holding national events at the Thiepval Memorial in France, at Manchester Cathedral, and at Heaton Park. In addition, a national vigil will be held at Westminster Abbey, and there will also be vigils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    Other centenary activities such as the UK Tour of the “poppies” and the national repair and conservation of War memorials also continue, more details can be found at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/first-world-war-centenary

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  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of high inflation in Malawi.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Malawi has one of the highest rates of inflation in Africa: double digit inflation is commonplace. High inflation, alongside high fiscal deficits, debt and interest rates, are lowering business confidence and crowding out private investment. Social services are being delivered from a constrained budget with high levels of government borrowing. Poor harvests in 2015 and poor rainfall due to the ongoing El Nino are affecting the national economy and Malawi is now facing its worst food insecurity crisis in a decade. The UK and international partners are responding.

    DFID Malawi works closely with other development partners, in particular the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to monitor the macroeconomic situation in Malawi. The IMF’s Article IV Consultation in December 2015 concluded that “an appropriately tight fiscal policy is needed to support monetary policy actions aimed at placing inflation on a downward trajectory.” DFID is working with the World Bank to inform the Government of Malawi’s next Development Strategy.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many appeals against Local Planning Authority decisions by developers he has received under Section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in each year since 2009-10; in how many of those cases in each year did he exercise his powers under Section 79 of that Act to (a) allow under Section 79(1)(a), (b) dismiss under Section 79(1)(b), (c) decline to determine under Section 79(6), (d) dismiss under Section 79(6A) the appeal and (e) amend the planning authority’s original decision in any way; and in how many such cases the Local Planning Authority subsequently paid compensation to the developer as a result of his decision.

    Brandon Lewis

    The attached table only covers Section 79 (1)(a) and Section 79(1)(b).

    We do not hold the data on section 79(6) as the legislation is very rarely used with only a handful of cases in the last 7 years. In addition, the Section 79 (6) ‘compensation’ element only allows for a party to apply for costs. This can only occur where a party has behaved unreasonably, and this has directly caused another party to incur unnecessary or wasted expense. The costs order states the broad extent of the expense the party can recover from the party against whom the award is made. It does not determine the actual amount. PPG ‘Appeals’ section 4 relates.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of qualified doctors required in the NHS who are (a) GPs and (b) working in hospitals.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department has set up Health Education England to plan the future healthcare workforce for England. It is responsible for ensuring a secure workforce supply that reflects the needs of local service users, providers and commissioners of healthcare.

    The number of doctors required is a matter for service commissioners and their provider partners to establish in providing a high quality service to patients and in taking into account the mechanisms through which those services will be provided. Delivery plans to meet the NHS Five Year Forward View are currently being established in collaboration via the Sustainability and Transformation Plan process. These plans will include early views on the shape of the future workforce.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of herds had bovine TB breakdowns in 2015 which had also had such breakdowns in the previous three years in (a) high risk, (b) edge and (b) low risk areas.

    George Eustice

    The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) maintains and manages this information on behalf of Defra and is responsible for its publication in the annual England TB surveillance reports. The data for 2015 is not yet available. The most recent data available is for 2014 and published in the England TB surveillance report for 2014[1]:

    • High Risk Area: 3078 herds had a breakdown of which 1798 (58%) had a breakdown in the previous 3 years.

    • Edge: 332 herds had a breakdown of which 85 (26%) had a breakdown in the previous 3 years.

    • Low Risk Area: 107 herds had a breakdown of which 15 (14%) had a breakdown in the previous three years.

    [1] Bovine tuberculosis: Infection status in cattle in England

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of staff in her Department were (a) payroll and (b) non-payroll staff in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2015-16.

    Sir Desmond Swayne

    DFID provides monthly workforce management information as part of its commitment to transparency. Information on staff numbers and costs is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfid-workforce-management-information-public-body.

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