Tag: 2016

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-09-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 4 April (HL7139), whether they have published their vision and business case for improved recycling, and if so, what action they are now taking to follow it up with a plan to deliver simplified and consistent recycling collection systems.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The framework for greater consistency in household recycling in England, devised by Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and an Advisory Group was published on 13 September. The framework, along with the supporting evidence and case studies, is available on WRAP’s website.

    There are various work streams continuing under the framework WRAP is also working with a number of councils that would like to explore the business case and introduce service changes in line with the consistency framework.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to make funding available for remedial work on the flood defences on the north bank of the River Ribble, west of Miller Park; and when that remedial work is planned to take place.

    Rory Stewart

    Remedial work on flood defences on the north bank of the River Ribble, to the east of Miller Park, will take place in two phases.

    Preston City Council started the first phase of temporary repair work on 18 January 2016. The target date for completion is 22 January 2016.

    The Environment Agency recovery programme will prioritise repair works across Cumbria and Lancashire using a risk based approach. The level of protection offered by flood defence assets will be restored by autumn 2016. This programme will include the second phase of permanent repairs to the flood defences on the north bank of the River Ribble.

    The Environment Agency is not aware of any damage to flood defences east of Miller Park requiring remedial works.

  • David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on removing from local authorities powers to veto planning applications for fracking.

    James Wharton

    Mineral planning authorities have a responsibility to consider planning applications for shale gas exploration under the Town and Country Planning regime. Planning law requires that applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the local authority area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The Government has taken steps to ensure this locally led regime is effective, as set out in Written Ministerial Statements of 16 September, HCWS201 and HCWS202. This includes making available £1.2 million to ensure mineral planning authorities have adequate resource to reach timely decisions.

    Community involvement in planning applications and people’s safety and the environment will remain paramount. No decision has been made to take shale gas exploration out of this local authority led process.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to improve apprenticeship standards among employers.

    Nick Boles

    We have taken significant steps to improve the quality of apprenticeships. Apprenticeships now must have substantial training; last at least 12 months; and lead to full competency in an occupation.

    We are going further by giving employers the opportunity to design high quality apprenticeships across a range of occupations to meet their skills needs. More than 1300 employers are involved with 205 new apprenticeships standards already published and more than 150 are in development.

    The new Institute for Apprenticeships will support improvements in the quality of apprenticeship standards in England. It will be responsible for setting quality criteria for the development of standards and assessment plans, reviewing, approving or rejecting them; and quality assuring some end point assessments.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had on the (a) positive and (b) negative effects of e-cigarettes on people who try to stop smoking.

    Jane Ellison

    The best thing a smoker can do to improve their health is to quit smoking for good.

    The Department recognises that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) can help smokers quit and the evidence indicates that they are considerably less harmful to health than cigarettes.

    This Government has committed to publishing a new tobacco control plan to further reduce the prevalence of smoking in England. The development of this plan is underway and will be published later this year. The new strategy will consider the role of e-cigarettes in further reducing the prevalence of smoking in England. To help inform this element of the strategy the Department has been engaging with e-cigarette experts to ensure that local authorities and Stop Smoking Services are provided with up to date, evidenced based advice on e-cigarettes.

    Whilst the Department has not made a formal assessment of the number of e-cigarette users who have resumed smoking, the evidence suggests that in the short-term, relapse rates are lower in those using e-cigarettes to quit.

    The Department has not made an assessment of the number of e-cigarette users who have purchased vaping supplies from black market sources.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the resignation of Ahmet Davutoğlu as Prime Minister of Turkey on the viability of the agreement between the EU and Turkey on migrants.

    Mr David Lidington

    I pay tribute to Prime Minister Davutoğlu for his partnership with the UK both as Prime Minister and previously as Foreign Minister. Turkey is a vital friend and ally with whom we cooperate on a host of issues, including tackling the migration crisis. We look forward to continuing that strong cooperation with President Erdoğan and a new Prime Minister once installed.

  • Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2016-06-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what level of resourcing from the international community needs to be applied to meet the Global Fund’s target of saving an additional eight million people at risk of dying from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

    Baroness Verma

    The investment case for the Fifth Replenishment of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) projects that a successful replenishment of $13bn will enable the Global Fund to save 8 million lives and avert up to 300 million new infections over the period 2017-2019.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43403, what the evidential basis is for his assertion that no hon. Members have handed in the text of their Bill; what discussions he and his officials have had with House authorities on the status of each of the Private Members’ Bills presented on 29 June 2016; and which Bills have been received by Parliamentary Counsel in draft as part of the process of discussion with Departments.

    Mr David Lidington

    Bills formally submitted to the Public Bill Office are available to all Members and are published online. Government Departments are holding discussions with several Members about their Bills.

    The Government will set out its position on each Bill at the relevant Second Reading.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner’s letter to her of 13 January 2016 on the introduction of a ban on the sale of zombie knives.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government continues to work with the police and partners to ensure we reduce violence and knife crime, and in the year ending June 2015, knife crime recorded by the police was 17% lower than 2010. We are aware of concerns about zombie knives and we are currently considering representations including the letter of 13 January from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the West Midlands and on 21 January from the prospective mayoral candidate for London Zac Goldsmith. A reply will be sent shortly and we will offer to meet with the PCC.

    We are currently considering what action to take against the prevalence of zombie knives on our streets. We are talking to retailers, including Amazon, about the action they can take. There are strict laws on the sale of knives to under 18s and on how knives can be marketed. We are concerned about any knives being carried in public especially if used to threaten and inflict violence. It is a criminal offence to possess a knife in public without good reason, and if a person is convicted a second time they now face a minimum mandatory custodial sentence following the introduction of this change by the Government in July 2015.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how she monitors how (a) academies, (b) primary schools and (c) other schools are following her Department’s Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) Guidance when teaching SRE.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government believes that all children should have the opportunity to receive a high quality and appropriate sex and relationship education (SRE). SRE is compulsory in all maintained secondary schools and many primary schools also teach it in an age-appropriate way. The Government also expects academies and free schools to deliver SRE as part of their provision of a broad and balanced curriculum.

    Any state-funded school teaching SRE must have regard to the Secretary of State’s SRE guidance (2000). The Department has received requests about updating the existing SRE guidance which we will carefully consider.

    Initial Teacher Training (ITT) is currently determined by the Teachers’ Standards, which all trainee teachers must be able to demonstrate by the end of their training. The Standards set out the key principles of good subject pedagogy and the importance of subject knowledge development across the curriculum. Schools and headteachers are best placed to determine which staff learning activities will be most beneficial for their schools and we expect them to lead the personal development of their teachers to improve the quality of all round teaching.

    The Department supports schools’ efforts to improve PSHE teaching by drawing schools’ attention to a range of high quality PSHE education teaching resources, including quality resources, lesson plans, a programme of study, factsheets and case studies. These resources are kite-marked by the PSHE Association to ensure that schools can trust the materials they use and improve their teaching.

    Ofsted does not inspect individual curriculum subjects. However, aspects of PSHE education and SRE will inform its judgment on personal development, behaviour and welfare. Inspectors must also consider the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. Schools have responsibility for acting upon the inspection reports they receive and any weaknesses will be considered when the school is next inspected.

    We expect schools to ensure that young people, whatever their developing sexuality or identity, feel that SRE education is relevant to them and sensitive to their needs. The statutory SRE guidance is clear that schools should teach about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Sexually transmitted infections are also covered as part of the national curriculum for science at key stage 3.

    We welcome the supplementary SRE guidance ‘SRE for the 21st Century’ produced by Brook, the PSHE Association and the Sex Education Forum, which includes guidance on ensuring that SRE is inclusive. All children and young people, regardless of background or identity, are entitled to quality SRE that helps them build confidence and stay healthy.