Tag: 2016

  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department made an assessment of the potential merits of procuring an alternative to the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft before the decision on that procurement was made.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces said on 23 June 2015 in response to Question 3244 to the hon. Member for East Lothian (George Kerevan) the capabilities required from a Maritime Patrol Aircraft were studied by the Department for two and a half years before the UK’s requirement for the capability was confirmed in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. During that time the Boeing P-8 Poseidon and a number of other potential platforms were assessed against their ability to meet the Department’s Key User Requirements, using a combination of scientific, technical and operational analysis, as well as industry’s ability to deliver the programme in a timely and cost-effective manner.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the expected lifespan is of the Sea Ceptor Anti-Air Missile System.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Sea Ceptor system is currently being fitted to the Royal Navy’s Type 23 Frigates as the principal anti-air missile system and will also be fitted to the Royal Navy’s future Type 26 Frigates as they enter service. The capability will remain in service for over 40 years to align with the out of service date for the Type 26 Frigate.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number of people aged between 18 and 25 who have taken a gap year over the last five years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The Department does not hold this information.

    Local Authorities hold data on NEETS (not in employment, education or training) but this data does not specify those on gap years.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the accessibility of mobile broadband services and wifi on public transport was (a) on the last date for which figures are available and (b) in 2010.

    Claire Perry

    Modes of public transport vary significantly with different factors influencing the availability of mobile broadband services which is generally outwith the control of the transport operator. It is not monitored and no data are available.

    Wi-Fi equipment has and continues to be installed by public transport operators to improve internet connectivity for passengers. Generally, the decision to install Wi-Fi is a commercial decision for the relevant operator and, where relevant, subsidising authority. With the exception of the Department for Transport-controlled rail franchised services, it has not been monitored and no data are available.

    On all Department for Transport-controlled rail franchises, in England and Wales, free Wi-Fi is being introduced. Currently around 30% of train carriages operating within the DfT controlled franchises and serving around 50% of rail passenger journeys have Wi-Fi available. Our intention is for 90% of passenger journeys to benefit from free Wi-Fi by the end of 2018. No figures are available for 2010.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment of the value for money of the National Citizenship Service his Department has commissioned or reviewed.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    Value for money assessments take place yearly as part of the independent evaluation of the National Citizen Service (NCS).

    The most recent 2014 evaluation shows that every £1 spent on NCS generates up to £3.98 of social benefits. This figure quantifies a range of benefits, including the time participants spend volunteering on their social action projects.

    It is estimated by the NCS Trust that NCS participants have volunteered 8 million hours since the programme began in 2011.

  • 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 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the award of the next East Anglia rail franchise.

    Claire Perry

    The announcement of the award of the East Anglia rail franchise is planned for June 2016.

  • Nick Herbert – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nick Herbert – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Herbert on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the amount of (a) European Regional Development and (b) European Structural funding which will be received by the (i) East Midlands, (ii) East of England, (iii) London, (iv) North East, (v) North West, (vi) South East, (vii) South West, (viii) West Midlands and (ix) Yorkshire and Humber in each year between 2014 and 2020.

    Anna Soubry

    Within England, notional allocations for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF) for the 2014-2020 programming period were made on the basis of Local Enterprise Partnership areas. Transposing these allocations to regional boundaries, the total estimated amount of ERDF and ESF for the 2014-2020 programming period for each region in England is as follows:

    East Midlands

    €598m

    East of England

    €387m

    London

    €762m

    North East

    €739m

    North West

    €1132

    South East

    €286m

    South West

    €1495m

    West Midlands

    €909m

    Yorkshire and Humber

    €794m

    Total for England

    €6937m

    It should be noted that some Local Enterprise Partnership areas cross the boundaries of regions and therefore the actual spend pattern may not wholly reflect the above notional allocations. Furthermore, Local Enterprise Partnerships and other local partners were asked to suggest the appropriate split between ESF and ERDF in strategies for their area and it is not possible to transpose this accurately to each region.

    The allocations for each year at England level are fixed in the respective programmes for ESF and ERDF.

  • Lady Hermon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lady Hermon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lady Hermon on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons the triennial review of (a) stake and (b) prize limits in fixed-odds betting terminals has not yet been published; and if he will make a statement.

    David Evennett

    In April 2015 the previous Government introduced regulations which require authorisation of stakes over £50 on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals through a “verified account” or staff interaction. The Government published its evaluation of the £50 regulations on 21 January. The evaluation paper can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-gaming-machine-circumstances-of-useamendment-regulations-2015.

    We will now consider the findings of the evaluation before deciding if there is a need for further action.

  • Judith Cummins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Judith Cummins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Judith Cummins on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children in (a) Bradford South constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber who do not meet the expected levels of speech and communication skills in the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The Government wants all children, regardless of their background, to have access to high quality early education and childcare, as we know this is what makes the difference to outcomes. To help close the gap between disadvantaged children and their better off peers, we introduced the two-year-old entitlement of 15 hours of free early education in September 2013. Already 70% of two-year-olds are benefitting from the free early education entitlement. We have also invested over £50 million in the Early Years Pupil Premium, to further help disadvantaged children in the early years.

    While the Department does not carry out analysis at constituency level on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile results, information at Bradford local authority level shows a significant increase in the proportion of children reaching the expected level in communication and language. The most recent EYFS Profile results show that the gap has narrowed:

    • For Bradford local authority: 78.3% in 2015, compared to 71.2% in 2014 and 66.6% in 2013; and
    • For the Yorkshire and Humberside region: 79.5% in 2015, compared to 75.7% in 2014 and 69.9% in 2013.

    The national picture shows a similar trend with the gap narrowing to 80.3% in 2015 from 77.1% in 2014 and 72.2% in 2013.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect on the self-esteem of female pupils of having to wear a uniform.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The department has published advisory guidance on school uniform policy. The guidance makes clear that it is for the governing body of a school to decide whether there should be a school uniform policy and if so what that should be. It also makes clear that, when deciding on uniform policy, a school will have to consider its obligations not to discriminate unlawfully, including on the basis of gender.

    The guidance can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.

    “