Tag: 2016

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what basis the contribution to broadband installation costs for the very remotest properties will be calculated; and whether there will be an upper limit on the contribution which individual households are required to make.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Work is ongoing on the design of the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) and the reasonable cost threshold. The independent telecoms regulator Ofcom will provide technical analysis and recommendations to help inform both of these, as well as identify the premises likely to be within the USO footprint. These are expected to be predominantly in rural areas, but there will also be urban and suburban homes and businesses eligible to request a connection under the USO.

  • Khalid Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Khalid Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Khalid Mahmood on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide full financial support and administrative oversight for the relatives of the victims of the Birmingham pub bombings of 1974; and if she will ensure that past and future expenses of those victims relating to investigations into those bombings are reimbursed or paid from the public purse.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Prime Minister has received correspondence from the families of the victims of the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings, requesting a special scheme be set up for funding of the families’ legal representation at the newly reopened Coroner’s inquest into the bombings. The Government is carefully considering these requests, and will respond directly to these parties in due course.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to amend the Cycle to Work scheme to incorporate a higher maximum allowance for disabled cyclists requiring specialist cycles.

    Andrew Jones

    We are in the process of reviewing the Cycle to Work Scheme guidance published on GOV.UK and are engaging with other Departments, such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), HMRC and HMT to get a firmer view on any possible changes that could be made. As part of this review, we will consider the level of the maximum allowance.

  • Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 18865, who has attended each meeting of the Community Engagement Forum to date; and who has been invited to attend future meetings.

    Karen Bradley

    In his speech on countering extremism in July 2015, the Prime Minister said that he wanted to hear directly from all those in our society who are tackling extremism. The Community Engagement Forum is one of the ways the Prime Minister is doing this. The Forums provide a platform for a wide range of partners to share their experiences and learn from each other. Attendance at the Forums is fluid to ensure Ministers can hear from a wide range of partners. To date, the Community Engagement Forum has met on 13 October 2015 and 19 November 2015. The attendees have been from a wide range of backgrounds and were representatives of all parts of the UK.

    The following individuals attended the first meeting of the Community Engagement Forum on 13 October 2015

    David Cameron, Prime Minister

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for Countering Extremism

    Theresa May, Home Secretary

    Louise Casey, Department for Communities and Local Government

    Max Chambers, Special Adviser on Home Affairs

    Camilla Cavendish, Number 10

    Brendan Threlfall, Number 10

    Arooj Shah, Councillor, St Mary’s Ward, Oldham

    Sean Harriss, Chief Executive, Lambeth Council

    Paul Martin, Chief Executive, Wandsworth Council

    Sheikh Musa Admani, Imam and Muslim chaplain, City University, London

    Fareed Ahmad, Ahmadiyya Muslim Association

    Farooq Aftab, General Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association

    Michael Nazir-Ali, former Bishop of Rochester

    Khatun Sapnara, circuit judge

    Aina Khan, solicitor

    Fiyaz Mughal OBE, Director, Faith Matters

    Sadja Mughal OBE, Director, Jan Trust

    Haras Rafiq, Managing Director, Quilliam Foundation

    Sara Khan, Co-founder and Director, Inspire

    Wahida Shaffi, Near Neighbours Coordinator; National Women’s Programme Lead, Christian Muslim Forum

    Faiza Vaid, Executive Director, Muslim Women’s Network

    Aysha and Kiran Iqbal Patel, Directors, Odara

    Kamal Hanif OBE, Executive Head, Waverley School, Birmingham

    Alun Francis, Principal and Chief Executive, Oldham College

    Imam Qari Asim, Chief Imam, Leeds Makkah Mosque (was invited but unable to attend)

    The following individuals attended the second meeting of the Community Engagement Forum on 19 November 2015:

    Rt. Hon. Nicky Morgan MP, Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities

    Lord Ahmad, Minister for Countering Extremism

    Louise Casey, Independent review on isolated communities

    Alun Francis, Principal and Chief Executive of Oldham College

    Aina Khan, Head of Islamic Department, Duncan Lewis Solicitors

    Sajda Mughal OBE, Managing Director at Jan Trust

    Mary Ney, Supporting Commissioner, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

    Syima Aslam, Organiser of Bradford Literary Festival

    Farook Yunus, Leader of Kumon Y’all

    Sara Khan, Director and Co-founder of Inspire

    Shaukat Warraich, Chief Executive, Faith Associates

    Anil Bhanot OBE, Managing Trustee and Director of Hindu Council UK

    Gillian Merron, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews

    William Nye, Secretary General of the General Synod of the Church of England

    Lord Singh of Wimbledon CBE, Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations

    Christine Fischer, Catholic Education Service

    Pascale Vassie, Executive Director, National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education (NRCSE)

    Martin Pratt, Director of Children, Schools and Families, Camden Council

    Matthew Coffey, Chief Operating Officer, Ofsted

    Phil Champain, Director 3 Faiths Forum

    Her Honour Judge Khatun Sapnara, Circuit Judge East London Family Court and Kingston Crown Court

    Sue Robb, Head of Early Years, 4Children

    The next Community Engagement Forum is scheduled for 14 January 2016. The government is also engaging directly at ministerial level with representatives from community, faith and civil groups, and have engaged directly with both the Scottish and Welsh governments.

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the report of Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain on the Bahraini government’s implementation of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have noted the report by Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain which assesses the progress the Government of Bahrain is making against the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry Report (BICI). In June 2014, the UN Human Rights Council presented similar findings by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. That is why we continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to ensure full implementation of the BICI recommendations, as well as those accepted in their UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review, and we are offering UK assistance to help them achieve this.

  • Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Shuker on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is her Department’s policy to publish details of repayments to the public purse made by cancelled or withdrawn free schools.

    Edward Timpson

    Total pre-opening revenue costs for Luton Girls’ Academy will be published by end March 2016. This will take into account a repayment of grant which was made by the Trust in July 2015.

    In line with the Government’s transparency agenda the Department’s policy is to publish expenditure data in a manner helpful to the public. With that in mind we publish the full pre-opening revenue cost of cancelled or withdrawn free school projects once the amount of expenditure, taking into account any repayments, has been finalised.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of pupil referral units were graded as outstanding by Ofsted in each year since 2012.

    Nick Gibb

    This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32506, what proportion of asylum claims made by unaccompanied children of refugees who had already been granted asylum in the UK were granted in each of the last three years.

    James Brokenshire

    I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 March 2015 to his question 30647. The Home Office publishes quarterly figures on asylum claims from Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) in the Immigration Statistics release. This includes information on applications received, decisions made by sex, age and country of nationality.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what opportunities the Department offers to trainee soldiers under the age of 18 to re-sit GCSEs as part of their elective personal development.

    Mark Lancaster

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 May to Question number 37109.

  • Alan Meale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Alan Meale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Meale on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which signatories to the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Scheme 1974 were consulted by his Department prior to the inclusion in the tender document to administer that scheme a requirement that all claims to that scheme be accompanied by a grant of probate.

    Jesse Norman

    There was no separate tender document for the administration of the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Scheme (CWPS), hence there was no such consultation.