The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many consultants’ contracts were terminated early in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what the cost of each such termination was in each of those years.
Andrea Leadsom
This information is not readily available, and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the potential effect on the cost of health and criminal justice services of the proposed housing benefit cap for people living in supported accommodation.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department for Work and Pensions jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned an evidence review into the shape, scale and cost of the supported housing sector.
Off the back of this evidence, we will conduct a policy review to ensure support is focused on the most vulnerable and the appropriate groups are safeguarded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-25.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to mitigate the risk posed to the economy by the increased Chinese debt load.
Harriett Baldwin
The Treasury continuously monitors global economic developments, including in China, and their impact on the UK as part of the normal process of policy development.
As one of the most open trading economies in the world with a large financial sector, we have to recognise that the UK is not immune to the continued problems being experienced in the world economy.
Nonetheless, the Bank of England’s 2015 stress tests modelled a severe slowdown in commodities and emerging markets. No banks were required to submit revised capital plans following the stress tests. These results indicate that the UK banking system would have the capacity to continue to lend to the real economy, even under such a severe adverse scenario.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate the number of unregistered schools in England.
Edward Timpson
We are currently investigating institutions that may be operating as unregistered independent schools in England, as referred to by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw in his recently published letter. We will make a statement about progress in due course.
It is important to recognise that new settings come to our attention and existing ones close, or are confirmed not to be operating as schools on a regular basis.
Sir Michael Wilshaw’s published letter can be accessed on GOV.UK at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unregistered-schools-ofsted-advice-note
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the cost to (a) government and (b) industry of the Defence Growth Partnership (i) was in 2014-15, (ii) was in 2015-16 and (iii) is for 2016-17.
Jesse Norman
The Defence Growth Partnership (DGP) is an industry led group, established jointly by industry and government to deliver export-led growth within the Defence sector. It does not receive any public funding. Since 2014, it has enabled joint industry and government resource equivalent to £50 million over three years to achieve its agenda: £30 million for strengthening the UK Defence & Security Organisation and establishing the UK Defence Solutions Centre (UKDSC). The remaining £20 million is currently delivered through a number of initiatives supporting the DGP’s growth agenda: establishment of the Centre of Maritime Intelligent Systems (CMIS); Dual Use Technology Exploitation (DUTE) cluster and the MOD Innovation Challenge fund.
Government and industry have committed through a mix of cash and resource equivalent to £3.8m in 2015-16 to the UKDSC and a similar figure is predicted for 2016-17. As of 1 April 2016, there were 4 staff directly employed by the UKDSC and 28 secondees from across the 16 DGP Partner Companies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department sought legal advice in advance of redrafting the Building Bulletin 100 guidance relating to sprinkler systems in school buildings; and what assessment her Department made of that advice.
Nick Gibb
We are currently consulting on updating the Fire Safety Design for Schools – Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) guidance as it is nearly 10 years old. However, there is no change to the policy regarding the installation of sprinklers in new school buildings, and the requirement for a proper fire risk assessment to determine the need for sprinklers in new schools is consistent with the BB100 guidance from 2007.
All new schools are assessed on a case-by-case basis for fire safety and, where it is concluded that sprinklers must be fitted to protect property or keep children safe, they will be. All schools must comply with building and fire safety regulations.
As there has been no change in policy, no legal advice was required in the development of the draft updated BB100 guidance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political, economic and security situation in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
I visited Erbil in December where I met a range of Kurdistan Regional Government ministers and officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, civil society contacts and members of the British military deployment in northern Iraq. I welcomed the recent military progress achieved by the Kurdish Security Forces against Daesh, particularly the liberation of Sinjar in November, and was able to see firsthand the contribution of British military training, equipment and support to counter-Daesh efforts. I encouraged progress on implementation of the economic reforms needed to manage the current economic downturn, as well as a rapid return to negotiations with Baghdad to secure a sustainable revenue sharing arrangement. To members of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and political party representatives, I underlined the importance of all the parties working together to resolve the issue of the KRG presidency peacefully, in the spirit of compromise and respecting democratic principles.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of his Department’s £13.9 million First World War commemoration funding will be provided to projects in Northern Ireland; and to which such projects that funding will be provided.
David Evennett
The Heritage Lottery fund have allocated £13.9m to 58 projects in Northern Ireland to commemorate the First World War. The projects are spread across Northern Ireland and two are in South Antrim. I have asked the HLF to write to you with details of all the projects.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on applying to the EU Solidarity Fund as a result of flooding in Wales in late 2015 and early 2016.
James Wharton
The UK Government has been working with Wales and Scotland to understand their impacts from the flooding events of 2015 and early 2016. These conversations will continue to enable us to demonstrate the impacts to the UK for an EU Solidarity Fund application.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the number of UK firms based in the East Midlands that trade with other EU member states; and how many people are employed by each such firm.
Anna Soubry
HMRC Regional Trade Statistics on the number of firms trading with the EU are publically available through the UKTradeInfo website.
HM Treasury has published estimates of the number of UK jobs linked to EU exports broken down by region. These are available through the GOV.UK website.