The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on what dates the Inter-Ministerial Group on Oil and Gas met representatives from that industry to discuss its plan for the UK oil and gas workforce.
Andrea Leadsom
The members of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Oil and Gas regularly meet with industry in their roles and use this to inform the group’s work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Merriman on 2016-06-09.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect of the National Citizen Service on life chances.
Mr Rob Wilson
NCS is open to all young people and can significantly improve life chances. 7 in 10 participants felt more confident about getting a job in the future after NCS. Young people eligible for free school meals participate in high numbers and demonstrate stronger positive impacts in building resilience. The NCS Bill will make NCS a permanent feature of British life for young people from every background.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-06.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the government of Israel in the light of the concern expressed by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine about the death of a refugee and the high number of civilian injuries from live ammunition on 16 August during an Israeli military incursion into Fawwar refugee camp.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
While we have not made specific representations to the Israeli authorities over this issue, we have regularly raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities about the Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) use of live fire, urging robust and transparent investigations where appropriate. We understand the IDF is currently investigating the circumstances of the death.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Suttie on 2016-10-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many new members of staff appointed to work in the Department for International Trade have been recruited from outside the civil service; and what proportion of those staff are consultants on fixed-term contracts.
Lord Price
Following her appointment on 13 July 2016 the Prime Minister established the Department for International Trade (DIT). The DIT aggregates UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), UK Export and Finance (UKEF) and Trade Policy Units from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
Until such time as a transfer of functions order establishes my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade as a corporation sole, DIT remains a unified Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department for accounting purposes. The transfer of functions order (No 2016/ 992) laid on 19 October 2016 will come into effect on 9 November 2016.
As DIT is currently being formed, details of the staff that the Department employs is being finalised, whilst employee transfers and recruitment are taking place.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received on local authority non-compliance with statutory requirements in relation to (a) education, health and care plans and (b) the Local Offer; what mechanism is in place to ensure that local authorities comply with such statutory requirements; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure such compliance.
Edward Timpson
We are monitoring implementation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) reforms very closely. We undertake termly surveys of local authorities and Parent Carer Forums. We also engage in regular dialogue with voluntary and community sector partners, including parent representatives, and we monitor issues raised in ministerial and official correspondence.
The SEND reforms are complex and will take time to embed fully. The transition period from statements to Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) runs until 2018. Our team of SEND Advisers has focused on improving the quality and timeliness of Local Offers and EHCPs, and is offering support to local authorities. In 2015, we responded to widespread feedback to extend the timescale for transferring a statement of SEN to an EHCP from 16 weeks to 20 weeks. We have also provided workshops on Local Offers and on transition; we are currently working with partners to run a series of workshops for local authorities on drafting good EHCPs.
Early in the process, feedback showed that local authorities were at different stages in developing their Local Offers. All local authorities now have a Local Offer in place, and are working with their partner bodies, families and young people to ensure Local Offers respond to local needs.
Parents/carers and young people have various options if they are dissatisfied with the way an authority has acted in relation to an EHCP or about the Local Offer. They may wish to complain directly to their local authority, following its formal complaints procedure. Once a local authority’s complaints procedure has been exhausted, the complaint can be referred to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO). The LGO can investigate complaints of maladministration or service failure made by parents/carers and young people about their local authority, including non-compliance with statutory duties relating to EHCPs and the Local Offer. The LGO will not usually investigate complaints about decisions that the local authority has taken in relation to EHC needs assessments and plans that can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability).
If a complaint is not resolved locally or by the LGO, it can be referred to the Secretary of State under sections 496 and 497 of the Education Act 1996. If the Secretary of State finds that the local authority has failed to carry out a statutory duty, or has done so unreasonably, she can then issue a direction to the authority in order to put matters right, if it is expedient to do so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on HIV support services of changes to commissioning and delivery of such services.
Jane Ellison
Decisions on funding and access to social care support services for people with HIV are made by local authorities. The Care Act 2014 sets out the legal framework for social care in England, and this applies to all adults with support needs including those living with HIV.
Diagnosed early most people with access to HIV treatment can expect a near normal life expectancy. Public Health England monitors the results of individuals receiving NHS HIV treatment. In 2014, 91% of people attending for care were receiving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment of which 95% were virally suppressed and very unlikely to be infectious to others. The United Kingdom is already ahead in meeting two of the three ambitious UNAIDS 90/90/90 global goals of 90% of people with HIV being diagnosed, 90% on ARV treatment and 90% viral suppression for those on ARV treatment by 2020.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department plans to provide to (a) the public and (b) potential investors on the proposed sale of the M6 Toll Road.
Andrew Jones
The Department provides a wide range of information about the UK road network, including traffic counts for all major roads. However it does not plan to provide any information specifically on the proposed sale of the M6 Toll Road.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Damian Collins on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to commemorate the life of Bobby Moore and to mark the 60th anniversary of his captaincy of the 1966 England FIFA World Cup winning team.
David Evennett
Sir Bobby Moore OBE made an exceptional contribution to English football – his leadership and skill inspired not only the 1966 squad, but also subsequent generations of aspiring footballers at clubs across the country.
The FA is leading commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the 1966 World Cup win, which the Government supports. The FA will be making a formal announcement in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of dairy products procured for his Department was sourced from British producers in the latest period for which figures are available.
Mr David Lidington
For the financial year 2015/6, 84% of dairy products (by value) procured as part of the UK contracted catering service in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were sourced from British producers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-06-08.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2016 to Question 905207, what definition of the digital economy is used by (a) his Department, (b) the Office of National Statistics and (c) other government bodies.
Mr David Gauke
The Treasury does not have a specific definition of the digital economy, and we are unaware of other attempts by Government bodies to create such a definition.