Tag: 2016

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in an early years setting are in receipt of the service pupil premium.

    Edward Timpson

    No children in an early years setting are in receipt of the service child element of the pupil premium grant. The grant is payable to schools and local authorities for pupils in year groups reception to year 11.

    The number of school-age children in England eligible for the service child pupil premium in January 2016, broken down by Key Stage, is provided in the table.

    Reception

    Key Stage 1

    Key Stage 2

    Key Stage 3

    Key Stage 4

    Total

    Number of pupils (headcount)

    6,008

    13,098

    26,489

    17,479

    10,358

    73,432

    Source: School Census, January 2016

  • Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Argar on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the tree-planting rates have been in England in each year since 2006.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Forestry Commission collect and publish National Statistics for England on the area, in hectares, of new woodland planting. It also estimates the number of trees planted, based on the average number of trees planted per hectare in the grant supported planting. In 2015-16 this average was 1,566 trees per hectare.

    Table 1 below provides annual planting area published by the Forestry Commission since 2006 and its estimate of the number of trees planted.

    In 2015-16 the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) supported 546 hectares of planting and it is estimated that 165 hectares of woodland was created, without RDPE support, bringing the total created during 2015-16 to 711 hectares.

    In the period April 2016 to June 2016, a further 422 hectares of woodland was recorded as being planted with RDPE support.

    The RDPE figures reflect the slow initial take up of Countryside Stewardship support for woodland planting. Planting is recorded at the time the grant is paid, which means that some planting will have taken place in the previous financial year to that in which it is recorded. Approximately 1,292,000 trees were planted in England with RDPE support since April 2015.

    Table 1: New planting of woodland in England since 2005-06

    Financial Year to 31st March

    a) New planting by land area

    b) Estimated number of trees

    Thousand hectares

    Million trees

    2005-06

    3.7

    4.1

    2006-07

    3.2

    3.5

    2007-08

    2.6

    2.9

    2008-09

    2.5

    2.8

    2009-10

    2.3

    2.5

    2010-11

    2.5

    2.8

    2011-12

    2.7

    3.0

    2012-13

    2.6

    2.9

    2013-14

    3.3

    3.6

    2014-15

    2.4

    2.6

    2015-16

    0.7

    0.8

    Source: Forestry Statistics 2016 (Forestry Commission)

  • Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 9 December 2015 (HL4410), whether any other Commonwealth countries prohibit the public observance of any religion other than Islam; and what discussions they have held with the Commonwealth authorities over freedom of religion.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Further to my previous answer there are no other Commonwealth countries where the public observance of any religion other than Islam is prohibited. We continue to believe that all Commonwealth members should abide by the Commonwealth Charter which emphasises the need to promote tolerance, respect, understanding, moderation and religious freedom as critical steps in promoting peace and prosperity.

    At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in November 2015, Heads reaffirmed the importance of human rights. They recognised that freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of religion or belief are cornerstones of democratic societies, and important for the enjoyment of all human rights, including the right to development, and are fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. They also emphasised the need to protect individuals from all forms of violence and discrimination.

    We will continue to raise individual cases and highlight practices and laws that discriminate against people on the basis of their religion or belief with those countries concerned. We will also continue to encourage Commonwealth partners to embrace the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter, including the freedom of religion or belief. We also look forward to discussing freedom of religion and other issues with the new Commonwealth Secretary General when she takes up office in April.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2016 to Question 24211, whether it is her policy that former school sites should be retained for potential new school provision in areas of expected new housing growth.

    Edward Timpson

    The Secretary of State is keen to ensure that education land is used to support the stated priority for the Department in ensuring that there are sufficient good quality school places in the system. In granting consent for any disposal of publicly-funded land, the Secretary of State takes into account whether there is a basic need for additional school places in the area, and whether the land could be used to support an academy or free school. The requirement for the Secretary of State’s consent to dispose of publicly funded land extends to former school sites that have been used as a school within the last 8 years. For former playing field sites, it extends to 10 years.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to tackle human rights violations against the Rohingya.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We continue to press the Burmese authorities, both in public and in private, to take urgent steps to tackle the appalling situation of the Rohingya by improving security and the humanitarian situation, lifting restrictions on freedom of movement and finding a sustainable solution on citizenship. I pressed the government of Burma on this in July 2015 when I visited Rakhine State for the second time. Most recently, I raised the issue with the Burmese Foreign Minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, in September 2015 in New York.

    Addressing Rakhine and the persecution of the Rohingya community is one of the most pressing challenges facing the incoming government in Burma. We will continue our efforts to address the serious human rights violations against the community with the new administration.

  • Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the International Tennis Federation about the issue of equal prize money for men and women in tennis tournaments.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    HMG has had no such discussions.

  • Kate Hollern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kate Hollern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which contractors his Department has a contract with either directly or indirectly by sub-contract which is valued at £10,000 or more; and what the (a) value and (b) timetable is of each such contract.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence currently has around 4,000 contracts with suppliers of all sizes. I am withholding the full list of contracts as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Under the Transparency Agenda, details of contracts awarded over £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder, which can be located at the link: https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the doctrine and concepts are of the 77th Brigade; and how those doctrines and concepts were developed.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Doctrine provides the philosophy and enduring principles by which military forces guide their actions. 77th Brigade uses a combination of NATO and UK doctrine including for Civil Military Cooperation, Security, Stabilisation, Information and Media Operations, as well as Peace Support and Humanitarian Assistance.

    The doctrine applied by 77th Brigade has been developed through collaboration with NATO allies, within the UK military and with other Government Departments. It will also have called on the experience and expertise of other nations and academia. The doctrine is dynamic, being constantly tested against experience, and crafted for a contemporary environment, and will therefore continue to develop as new or anticipated challenges appear.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support to find school places is available for British families with school-age children returning to the UK after a long period of time.

    Edward Timpson

    Any British national has the right to apply for a school place irrespective of where they live and any state-funded school must admit their child if they have space. Local authorities must provide information about all schools and available places in their area.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the government of Colombia on steps to integrate child soldiers back into that country’s society.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    Between 1999 and February 2015, the Colombian Government helped 5,730 minors to leave armed groups and rejoin Colombian society. The UK part-funds this process through the UN Trust Fund, to which the UK has given £4.2m. The UK welcomes the recent decision of the FARC that all minors would leave its camps. The UK is also helping to ensure that the needs of children are given consideration in the implementation of the peace accords. Through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, the UK funds a Colombian national expert to provide advice to Colombian Government negotiators on this issue.