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Tag: 2016

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Margaret Ritchie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that universities are offering disabled students appropriate levels of support.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone with the potential has the opportunity to benefit from higher education, irrespective of their background or mode of learning. In the last academic year we saw record entry rates to higher education, including among those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    Higher Education Institutions have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to support their students, including those with disabilities. They have a clear legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people to ensure they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.

    Universities expect to spend more than £745 million through access agreements agreed with the Director of Fair Access on measures to improve access and success for students from disadvantaged groups, including disabled students – up significantly from £404 million in 2009.

    In addition, to support Higher Education (HE) providers to prepare for the changes to Disabled Students’ Allowances that come into effect from academic year 2016/17, the Department has supported the establishment of a sector-led group of stakeholders. The group’s focus is to communicate with senior leaders of HE providers, to help provide information about institutions’ responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, and to encourage HE providers to develop inclusive learning environments.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what meetings he has (a) had to date and (b) scheduled for a future date with trades unions.

    Mr Robin Walker

    We have already started a wide-ranging programme of engagement in order to build a national consensus, listening to organisations, institutions and companies in as many sectors as possible to establish their priorities and understand their concerns, and also to hear what they think the solutions could be.

    One of the Secretary of State’s first meetings was with the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress. I and my Ministerial colleagues have also met with a wide range of representatives from business groups, the universities, the charity sector and farming and fisheries organisations.

    In the weeks ahead, we will continue to engage with as many other firms, organisations and bodies as possible, including with trade unions. We will also be holding roundtables with stakeholders in a series of sectors, to ensure that all views are reflected in our analysis of the options for the UK.

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the conclusion of the Social Market Foundation report, Educational Inequalities in England and Wales, published in January 2016, that the performance gap between students from the richest and poorest backgrounds has remained persistently large between the mid-1980s and the mid-2000s.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    We refer the Right Honourable MP to our response to PQ 22192, submitted to Parliament on Tuesday 19 January, which provides information on our policies to deliver educational excellence everywhere so that every child in England reaches their potential, regardless of background.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, under what criteria the 2016 to 2017 local government funding settlement was decided; and if he will publish the distributional effect of that settlement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Local Government Finance Report (England) 2016/2017 sets out the basis of distribution for funding provided through the local government finance settlement. The Report was laid before the House of Commons on 8 February 2016. The results of that distribution have been published and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2016-to-2017.

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  • Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that the proposed changes to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 concerning the burning of waste oil do not result in an increase in unrestricted dumping of such oil.

    Rory Stewart

    The changes referred to do not amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. The changes made are to the ‘Environmental Guidance On Waste Incineration’, which now clarifies that small waste oil burners used to burn waste oil must meet the requirements of Chapter IV of the Industrial Emissions Directive or switch to non-waste fuels. This guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permitting-guidance-the-waste-incineration-directive/environmental-permitting-guidance-waste-incineration.

    A consultation on the changes to the guidance was undertaken between 14 September and 26 October last year. A summary of responses can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487892/waste-incineration-consult-sum-resp.pdf.

    The impact assessment for the changes to this guidance considered some sensitivities on the price of crude oil with regard to collection fees only. The impact assessment can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487895/waste-incineration-consult-ep-ia.pdf.

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  • Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the free childcare pilot scheme budget will be ring-fenced from September 2016.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    As you may be aware, the Government has allocated £13m to DfE for early implementation, allowing some families to access the additional 15 hour places from September 2016. The Department plans to ring-fence this funding available for early implementers.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-05-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to protect Rwandans residing in the UK from assassination.

    Mr John Hayes

    It is long established Home Office policy not to comment upon matters of personal protective security.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to appoint a new Charity Commissioner to replace Peter Clarke.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    We are currently recruiting three new board members for the Charity Commission in England and Wales, including a replacement for Peter Clarke. We are specifically seeking skills and experience in the charity sector, in law enforcement and in IT. The posts were opened for applications in early June and we intend to appoint as soon as this process is successfully concluded. The recruitment process follows the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies and its core principles of merit, openness and fairness.

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the implementation of Ofcom’s recommendations related to BT and Openreach.

    Matt Hancock

    It is for Ofcom to implement its recommendations for the relationship between BT Group and Openreach. Nine out of ten homes and businesses now have access to superfast broadband, but our goal is to make sure the UK builds the right infrastructure to maintain our position as a world leading digital nation. We welcome Ofcom’s determination to tackle these issues.

    We are clear that a more independent Openreach is needed to benefit consumers and the UK’s digital infrastructure. Swift and clear action is needed to give certainty to consumers, industry and investors in the UK’s broadband infrastructure and to deliver rapid improvements in the level of investment and service.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the implications of the proposed extension of the Business Impact Target as set out in the Enterprise Bill for the work of (a) the Environment Agency, (b) the Forestry Commission, (c) the Marine Management Organisation, (d) Natural England, (e) the Water Services Regulation Authority and (f) the Farriers Registration Council; and what such discussions she has had on (i) the Food Standards Agency, (ii) the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority and (iii) the Groceries Code Adjudicator insofar as those bodies relate to her Department’s responsibilities.

    George Eustice

    My Rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, will shortly issue a public consultation seeking views on the statutory regulators proposed to be brought within scope of the Business Impact Target, with a view to introducing the necessary secondary legislation.