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Tag: 2016

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will set out the reasons for the requirement for year five children in schools in England to learn the meaning of fronted adverbials.

    Nick Gibb

    Accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar are the cornerstones of effective written communication.

    The new national curriculum, introduced in 2014, sets higher expectations supporting pupils to realise their potential in an increasingly competitive global market.

    The new programmes of study for English aim to ensure that all pupils acquire a wide vocabulary, a good understanding of grammar, and proper knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and written language. Explicit teaching of grammar is fundamental to this.

    For children from homes where parents read and share books with the family, it may be possible over time to assimilate grammatical forms such as modal verbs and fronted adverbials. For a great number of children, however, the easiest way for a teacher to explain to their pupils the rules that govern our language is to establish a shared vocabulary of grammatical terms.

    We have increased the range of grammar and punctuation that should be taught and the terminology that pupils should learn – the meta-language. The aim and the emphasis, however, is not on naming grammatical terms but on being able to use the grammar to be able to speak and write for a full range of purposes.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2016 to Question 41992, what the reasons are for the time taken to publish the childhood obesity strategy; and if he will make a statement.

    Nicola Blackwood

    Obesity is a complex problem with many factors having an impact. For this reason, it is important to ensure that the Childhood Obesity Strategy is as comprehensive as possible. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet will be working over the coming days and weeks to establish their priorities and how we deliver on these commitments.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to increase the uptake of Mandarin.

    Nick Gibb

    Between 2012 and 2015, entries for Chinese GCSE in England increased by 34%.

    We introduced the Mandarin Excellence Programme this year for highly motivated pupils. It has started in 14 schools with more to follow over the next two years.

    The programme will result in at least 5,000 young people heading towards a high level of fluency in Mandarin by 2020.

  • Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students from Warrington North constituency are in receipt of maintenance grants while pursuing a course in higher education.

    Joseph Johnson

    Statistics showing the number of English applicants awarded Maintenance Grants are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’.

    http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx

    Data provided by the SLC indicates that there were 760 applicants from Warrington North Parliamentary Constituency awarded Maintenance Grants in the academic year 2014/15. An awarded applicant will only receive payments once SLC have received confirmation from the applicant’s provider that the student has been registered on the course.

    “

  • John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John Mann – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied children from each country of embarkation arrived at UK airports without being eligible for entry clearance in 2015.

    James Brokenshire

    This information is not held centrally.

    The UK Government takes child safeguarding extremely seriously. All Border Force officers have received training in keeping children safe and all operational processes involving children comply with requirements as set out in the Children and Young Persons Act.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many witnesses have been cross-examined in a family court by the alleged perpetrator of abuse against them who is acting as litigant in person in each of the last three years.

    Mike Penning

    This information is not held centrally.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US and Russian counterparts on ensuring the Syrian High Negotiations Committee is involved in drafting Syria’s new constitution.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has frequent discussions with his US counterpart about all aspects of the Syrian conflict including the involvement of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) in the political process. Most recently they spoke at the G7 meeting in Hiroshima on 10-11 April. The UK also continues to engage with Russia, including through visits of senior officials to Moscow. These countries are active members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) which is committed to achieving a Syrian-led political solution to the conflict. Working alongside ISSG counterparts, we are supporting the UN-facilitated intra-Syrian negotiations currently underway in Geneva, where the HNC is representing the Opposition in negotiations on a political settlement. Discussions on a new Syrian constitution will need to take place in this forum.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect of the European Court of Justice’s ruling on VAT on energy-saving materials of 4 June 2015, on achievement of the UK’s annual carbon emissions target.

    Amber Rudd

    We have made no such estimate of the effect of the ECJ ruling on VAT, since there has been no decision to amend VAT since the ECJ ruling. The reduced rate on 11 different types of energy saving materials remains in place and remains unchanged.

    The Government is still considering the responses to the consultation on VAT on energy saving materials and will issue a response to that consultation in due course.

  • Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to raise awareness among public authorities of their statutory duty to notify her where they have reasonable grounds to believe that a person may be a victim of slavery or human trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

    Sarah Newton

    We published guidance on the Modern Slavery Act on GOV.UK and a circular was sent to all bodies who are subject to the duty. We will publish data on notifications received and carry out further awareness-raising activity later this year.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department takes to ensure that government projects are delivered on time and within budget.

    Ben Gummer

    All projects are ultimately the responsibility of individual government departments. However, with £400 billion in the Infrastructure Pipeline and £400 billion in the Major Projects Portfolio, the Cabinet Office has a central team, the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA), to support departments to deliver on time and within budget. The IPA provides expertise and practical help, a supportive environment to enable major projects to succeed, and manages an independent assurance process to ensure projects are delivered to time and within budget.

    • IPA deploys expert commercial, financial and delivery support
    • IPA delivers independent high quality assurance and oversight
    • IPA develops standards, insights and tools, developing the project leadership and project finance professions
    • IPA delivers key finance schemes (PF2 & guarantees) to enable key projects to proceed

    The IPA works with all partners in infrastructure and major projects – government departments, project teams, HMT, Cabinet Office, and the private sector – to do this. The IPA reports jointly to HMT and Cabinet Office Ministers.