Tag: 2016

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking in the light of the concerns raised by the National Children’s Bureau that academy schools are refusing to take children with special needs in order to take pupils who are likely to get the best results.

    Lord Nash

    The School Admissions Code and equalities legislation prevents any school from taking account of a child’s SEN or disability in deciding whether to admit him or her. Children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities who do not have a statement of SEN or an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan which names a school, will apply to schools as mainstream applicants. In these circumstances, academies, like local authority maintained schools, are required to comply with the statutory School Admissions Code in applying their admission policies. Any parent whose application is refused has a right to appeal to an independent appeal panel and the School Admission Appeals Code requires the panel to uphold any appeals where a school has not applied its admission policy correctly. The panel’s decision is binding on the school.

    When a child has a statement of SEN or an EHC plan, naming a school, the law requires the school to admit the child (including if it is an academy). If an academy named in a pupil’s statement of SEN or EHC plan were to refuse to admit him or her, we would not hesitate to take action.

  • Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 3.35 of Educational excellence everywhere, Cm 9230, if she will issue guidance on levels of remuneration for non-executive academy trust directors.

    Edward Timpson

    Academy trusts are independent charities and must comply with charity law. This means that trust directors can only receive payment for carrying out trustee duties with Charity Commission authorisation.

    The Charity Commission will only authorise payment to academy trustees where it has been clearly shown to be in the charity’s interests. They will consider issues such as the reasons for payment, whether conflicts of interests are managed appropriately, whether the Principal Regulator (for academies this is the Secretary of State for Education) is agreeable and whether payment of any trustees is in the longer-term interests of the charity. These arrangements are set out in the Department’s Governance Handbook, available on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-handbook. It is up to trusts to decide on the level of any such remuneration.

    Academy trusts operate under a robust accountability system which holds them to account for the results they achieve and their use of resources. This includes a requirement to publish audited accounts each year allowing the wider public chance to hold academy trusts to account to help make sure that spend is securing better outcomes for pupils.

    “

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on developing a scheme to publish pass rates of instructors as set out in his Department’s Motoring Services Strategy; and how much funding he has allocated to that project.

    Andrew Jones

    The proposal to publish pass rates of Approved Driving Instructors forms part of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s broader plans to improve overall standards and transparency.

    The Agency has been exploring with the ADI National Association Strategic Partnership (NASP) the development of a voluntary ‘earned recognition’ scheme which would acknowledge and recognise the extent to which Approved Driving Instructors are compliant with regulations and/or adopting high professional standards.

    The Agency will want to discuss the voluntary publication of pass rates with NASP as part of their ongoing discussions. Once the scope of the proposals has been determined appropriate funding will be allocated to the overall programme of reforms.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-07-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost to the Exchequer has been of reductions to corporation tax since 2010.

    Mr David Gauke

    Overall cuts delivered to corporation tax will be worth almost £15bn a year to business by the end of this Parliament. This has enabled businesses to increase investment, take on new staff, increase wages, or reduce prices.

    Official costings of any policy announcements can be found in Budget or Autumn Statement documents. The cost of the cut to 17% for instance can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2016-documents/budget-2016#policy-decisions

  • Lord Bruce of Bennachie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Bruce of Bennachie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bruce of Bennachie on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to secure the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe following her five-year prison sentence in Iran; and what priority they assign to reuniting Nazanin and her daughter with her husband in the UK.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government continues to raise its strong concerns about Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s five year sentence. Iran does not recognise dual nationality for Iranian nationals and therefore has not provided any information to us about Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case or the charges against her. On 11 September our Acting Ambassador to Tehran raised our concerns with the Iranian Government and pressed for urgent confirmation of the charges. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), raised our strong concerns for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe with Iranian President Rouhani on 9 August. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), similarly raised her case with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif on 4 August, and followed up in writing on 29 August. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) met Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family on 8 September to reassure them that we will continue to raise her case with the Iranian authorities at the highest levels at every available opportunity.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps fully to implement the Energy Intensive Industry Compensation package.

    Anna Soubry

    On 14 December, the EU Commission approved our first state aid case – to commence relief from the indirect costs of the Renewables Obligation and small-scale Feed-in-Tariff . Eligible companies are now able to apply for compensation. Scheme guidance and application forms were published on 19 January 2016 and details can be found on the GOV.UK website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewables-obligation-and-small-scale-feed-in-tariffs-apply-for-compensation. We continue to be in dialogue with the EU Commission on the second element of our State Aid Application to compensate competitors of eligible Electricity Intensive Industries (EII) to ensure they do not face competitive distortions. Compensation paid under the EII scheme is in addition to the £148 million of support the Government has already given to EIIs to mitigate the impact of climate policy.

    “

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the armed forces have to commemorate the Battle of the Somme.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is the lead Government Department for the Somme Centenary Commemorative Programme.

    The Ministry of Defence and Her Majesty’s Armed Forces are providing significant support to the three major events in Thiepval, London and Manchester and also providing support to a large number of other events that are being run by Regiments and other military organisations. These other events are taking place not only in France at the scene of the Battle but also in regions across the United Kingdom.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of identified violations of the School Admissions Code since 2012 related to failure to make clear how children with statements of special educational needs were admitted.

    Lord Nash

    Since 2012, there have been no objections upheld by the Schools Adjudicator against admission arrangements relating to the provisions in the School Admissions Code concerning children with statements of special educational needs.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, for what reasons the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 sets the retirement age for new entrants to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at 68; and for what reasons the retirement age of those people is not comparable with officers in other forces.

    Andrea Leadsom

    This matter is currently the subject of a Judicial Review and I cannot comment further at this time.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department’s Level Crossing Reform Action Plan, published in December 2014, how many officials of his Department are currently working full-time or equivalent on the level crossing reform programme.

    Claire Perry

    The level crossing reform programme forms part of the responsibilities of the Head of Railway Safety Policy who is working closely with the Office of Rail and Road to develop proposals.