The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-01-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons his Department’s strategy on the abolition of the death penalty has not yet been renewed.
Mr David Lidington
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 January to Question 22083 to the Hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green. https://wqa.parliament.uk/Questions/Details/28353
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in her Department and non-departmental public bodies receive (a) home to work travel allowance, (b) a car allowance and (c) subsidised health insurance.
Mrs Theresa Villiers
No one working in my Department is in receipt of any of these allowances.
My Department has two executive non-departmental public bodies – the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland; and one advisory non-departmental public body – the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. As these bodies are independent of Government, the hon Member may wish to write to the Commissions directly on these matters – contact details are set out below:
|
ALB |
Status |
Contact Details |
|
Parades Commission for Northern Ireland |
Executive NDPB |
|
|
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission |
Executive NDPB |
|
|
Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland |
Advisory NDPB |
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-03-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 24 February (HL6131) concerning a proposal by the EU to requisition member states’ gas supplies under certain circumstances, whether such a policy would require (1) parliamentary consent, and (2) a referendum.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
There is no suggestion in the proposals that the EU will requisition Member States’ gas supplies. The proposals are at a very early stage and we are engaging with the Commission to ensure that the final version is practical and proportionate. The proposals do not involve any agreement by the UK to transfer power or competence to the EU. These proposals are subject to the usual scrutiny process of both Houses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-04-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the UN and AU rapporteurs on human rights defenders about doing more to ensure that women activists in Sudan are protected, and addressing repression and abuse of such activists.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We have consistently raised the need to protect human rights defenders at the UN Human Rights Council, most recently in March 2016. In addition, we are also providing project support in Sudan. This includes efforts to help journalists draw attention to social justice issues, including gender-based violence, and events to help inspire young women to become women’s rights activists.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure that the Education Cannot Wait fund for education in emergencies focuses on (a) girls, (b) children with disabilities and (c) other marginalised children.
Mr Nick Hurd
The UK has played a leading role in the development of Education Cannot Wait – a fund for education in emergencies. A key focus for Education Cannot Wait will be on ensuring that marginalised children and young people are able to access a quality education. This includes refugees and internally displaced children, as well as children facing barriers to their education because of their gender, disability or other factors. This focus is reflected in the Fund’s indicative headline results, which commits to providing “Inclusive education [that] reaches the most marginalised children and young people in crises” with a target of “100% of supported education opportunities demonstrate an increase in education for girls, disabled and those in remote locations”. The UK will continue to engage closely during Education Cannot Wait’s inception phase, to ensure that this commitment is fully reflected in its final design and results frameworks.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to multi-academy trusts to ensure governance and leadership structures are able to support effective expansion.
Edward Timpson
Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) have an important role to play in encouraging and supporting high performing schools to extend their influence by growing Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) and recruiting new sponsors to their region. The RSCs support schools and other organisations to become sponsors and grow effectively by offering practical one-to-one advice and facilitating supportive networks between MATs. They are also able to commission additional support for trusts where that is required, for example, from local Teaching School Alliances.
As set out in our White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere, in the future MAT support will be system-led, and there will be a role for larger and more experienced trusts in supporting growing trusts as they develop. The Department is taking a number of steps to support MATs with leadership and governance, including:
a MAT CEO development programme;
redesigning a National Professional Qualification in leadership; and
funding the academy ambassadors programme that has resulted in over 240 experienced business leaders providing support to MATs by joining trust boards as non-executives.
We are committing funding for 5 years to provide long term stability to help many more volunteers find a school or MAT that is looking for someone with their skills.
The Government has allocated £300 million that will be available to support schools to convert and, in particular, support sponsors to turn around failing schools. A further £300 million will be available to support strong and effective multi-academy trusts to grow and improve.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-10-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in developing a new formula for school funding; and when the new formula will be applied.
Lord Nash
In July, the Secretary of State committed to introduce national funding formulae for schools and high needs from financial year 2018-19. We are considering the options carefully, taking into account the need to give schools and local authorities stability, and the importance of getting these historic reforms right. We will set out detailed proposals later in the autumn, and make decisions early next year, for the new system to be in place from April 2018.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will seek to use her Department’s influence on countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region surrounding that country to allow non-government organisations to provide non-formal education opportunities for such refugees.
Mr Desmond Swayne
At the Conference on Supporting Syria and the Region being held in London on 4th February, we want the international community to agree a new goal that all Syrian refugee children and affected host country children are in education – formal school or non-formal – by the end of 2016/17. Equally, for inside Syria, it is our aim to increase access to good quality schooling or other learning opportunities such as self-learning and non-formal education. In neighbouring countries we will also increase access to vocational or skills training and higher education for children and youth.
At the Conference our ambition is that international donors, governments from countries in the region hosting refugees, non-governmental organisations and the private sector come together to agree a set of reciprocal financial and policy commitments. The UK and co-hosts are working with donors and other partners to secure increased funding for education under the UN-led appeals for 2016 and longer term, multi-year education funding commitments to ensure sustainability. We are also working with refugee hosting governments in particular to agree the policy commitments necessary to turn increased funding into delivery on the ground.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the Access Fund he expects to be spent on cycling in each year to 2020-21.
Mr Robert Goodwill
On 15 February 2016, we announced that the new Access fund would be launched for 2017/18, and would be preceded by a £20m Sustainable Travel Transition Year for 2016/17. I am able to confirm that all bids will need to demonstrate links to cycling and walking to successfully secure funding.
I am not yet able to confirm how much of the Access fund will go towards cycling and walking initiatives, as the formal Access fund has not yet been launched and funding has not yet been allocated.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-03-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many National Insurance numbers were issued to non-residents in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Lord Freud
In order to be allocated a NINo via the DWP Adult NINo Allocation process an individual must be resident in the UK at the time of application. However, a very small proportion of NINos are allocated by the International Pension Centre to those who are resident abroad for the purposes of Social Security Benefit administration. These figures are not included in the published statistics National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals entering the UK.
NINos Issued to non-UK residents
|
2013-2014 |
5,390 |
|
2014-2015 |
4,150 |
|
2015 -16* |
3,830 |
Figures are only available from 2013 and are rounded.
*is to end of February 2016.