The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) small and medium-sized enterprises and (b) other businesses have signed up to the Cyber Essentials Scheme.
Mr Edward Vaizey
At the end of January 2016, 1,674 Cyber essentials and Cyber essentials Plus certificates have been issued, of which 80% were awarded to micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the supply of newly-qualified teachers is not affected by imbalances in the distribution of teacher training places at a sub-regional level.
Nick Gibb
The Department for Education has changed the approach to initial teacher training (ITT) allocations for the 2016 to 2017 academic year. The National College for Teaching and Leadership are not allocating a specific number of places to individual organisations for postgraduate ITT courses due to start in the 2016 to 2017 academic year. Instead, eligible schools, school-centred initial teacher training providers (SCITTs) and higher education institutions (HEIs) will be able to recruit as many trainees as they feel they need (subject to a limited number of controls), until the overall system has recruited a sufficient number.
As School Direct and SCITT partnerships cover large geographical areas, we are monitoring recruitment at a regional level only. To date, the only challenge in geographical distribution of ITT places has been found in the London region in recruitment to primary, which was recruiting slower than other regions. In this case we have allowed school led routes (i.e. School Direct (tuition fee) and SCITTs) in this region to continue to recruit to primary courses to ensure that enough trainees are recruited.
We are prepared to use reserve recruitment controls in other subjects, or for other regions as required.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gale on 2016-03-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the NHS of NHS England cutting the role of National Clinical Director for Adult Neurology, and the end of national funding for neurological work by clinical networks.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s Medical Director, has undertaken a review of the National Clinical Director (NCD) resource designed to focus clinical advisory resources on areas where major programmes of work are currently being taking forward, or areas identified as priorities for improvement. As a result of the review, NHS England has proposed to change the way in which clinical advice is received in speciality areas in the future, streamlining and strengthening its clinical advisory mechanisms in support of the Five Year Forward View and the National Health Service’s key improvement priorities.
Whilst there will no longer be a specific NCD role for neurology, NHS England will continue to secure expert clinical advice from its Clinical Networks and through its relationships with professional bodies and by appointing clinical advisors. Access to advice will be through clinical leads and members of the NHS England-funded neurology clinical networks, the Neurology Clinical Reference Group and Royal Colleges. It is expected that these new arrangements will be in place shortly.
During 2016/17, the focus of NHS England’s improvement efforts delivered through Strategic Clinical Networks will be on a smaller range of key national priorities, including cancer, mental health, diabetes, maternity and urgent and emergency care (with a focus on cardiovascular disease transformation). Whilst there is no additional funding nationally, clinical and local networks of care can determine what can be done at a local or regional level if it is considered a local or regional system priority. Nationally, the policy team is considering how key aspects of the work on neurology can be taken forward through alternative mechanisms and partners.
In addition, the Neurology Intelligence Network (NIN) is a joint partnership programme between Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England to support the generation and dissemination of neurology related health intelligence. PHE currently funds the on-going design, development and management of the NIN.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Clegg on 2016-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Sheffield City Council on the assets of community value scheme.
Mr Marcus Jones
Sheffield City Council has not approached the Department for any discussions on the Assets of Community Value scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-06-13.
To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church of England will make an assessment of the effect of austerity on communities in the most deprived areas as measured by the English Indices of Deprivation 2015.
Mrs Caroline Spelman
The Church Commissioners have no plans to undertake such an assessment.
Through its network of parishes and dioceses the Church of England is present in all the communities of England. The clergy and people of the Church of England are well placed to hear, articulate and respond to the needs and concerns of local communities. This plays an important role in informing the public engagement of the Church on social policy matters especially at local level.
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 at key stage (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3 and (d) 4 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
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farmers had still not received the money they are due from the Rural Payments Agency under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme by the end of 14 October 2016 in (a) England, (b) Cumbria and (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.
George Eustice
As at close of business 14 October, in addition to claims which the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) cannot pay due to legal reasons such as probate, there are 2 BPS claims to complete for England. For Cumbria and the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency all claims have been completed and payments issued.
RPA has investigated all 13,600 claim queries identified since June through its planned payments reconciliation process and made top-up payments where necessary. The Agency continues to review new queries.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their representatives in any UK embassies are banned from making representations concerning capital punishment in any country or countries.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
No such bans exist. On the contrary, the pursuit of the abolition of the death penalty is part of what the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has called the “every day work” of our missions in countries which continue to implement the death penalty.
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, which school sites have been approved or are being considered for disposal in the (a) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, (b) Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council and (c) Greater Manchester Combined Authority areas.
Edward Timpson
The Secretary of State is currently considering two applications to dispose of school land in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Since February 2013, the Secretary of State has approved the following applications to dispose of school land from:
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council:
Greater Manchester Combined Authority:
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the average cost of floor space is at his Department’s office at (a) St Paul’s Place, Sheffield and (b) 1 Victoria Street, London.
Joseph Johnson
We have committed to making changes to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) by 2020 that will result in a more flexible Department, reduced headcount and far fewer delivery bodies.
Our business needs to be designed in a way that works for this smaller workforce and more streamlined structures.
To support this direction of travel, we are moving towards seven or so centres by 2020, supported by a regional footprint for those whose work needs to be at a local level.
We want each of these centres to focus on a key business activity so that we can bring the relevant expertise together.
We are proposing that one of these centres will be a combined BIS headquarters and policy centre in London, close to our Ministers.
The average cost of floor space at each of the Department’s offices is:
a) £483.64 per sqm at St Paul’s Place
b) £686.20 per sqm at 1 Victoria Street
The annual rent paid by BIS over the last 5 years is:
|
Year |
(a) 1 Victoria Street |
(b) St Paul’s Place |
|
2015-16 |
£11,004,000 |
£209,304 |
|
2014-15 |
£11,004,000 |
£209,304 |
|
2013-14 |
£11,004,000 |
£209,304 |
|
2012-13 |
£11,004,000 |
£209,304 |
|
2011-12 |
£11,004,000 |
£209,304 |
By the end of this reform programme in 2020, we will have fewer employees in London and BIS as a whole, and aim to save £350million in operating expenditure overall. The vast majority of employees within the BIS Group will continue to be based outside London.