UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2016

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the efficacy of grammar stream programmes in comprehensive schools.

    Nick Gibb

    The Government is committed to enabling all children to fulfil their potential by delivering a school system that works for everyone.

    The Department has not commissioned any recent research to look at the specific benefits or effects of streaming by ability in comprehensive schools. However, we do know that the vast majority of schools choose to stream by ability over the core subjects.

    There are indications that this approach benefits higher-ability pupils. For example, the Educational Endowment Foundation (EEF) evidence review[1] found that on average studies showed that higher attaining pupils make one to two additional months’ progress when set or streamed compared to when taught in mixed ability groups. The EEF found that high attaining pupils benefit from different kinds of grouping, including pull-out classes, accelerated classes and moving up a year.

    [1] https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/setting-or-streaming/

    “

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on Israeli products in each of the last three years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    This information is not held centrally in the format requested. However, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has made the total value of payments below against contracts where the MOD Commercial teams have identified Israel as the location of some or all of the work required for the completion of the overall contract.

    Financial Year

    Total Value of Payments (£ million)

    2012-13

    18.9

    2013-14

    25.5

    2014-15

    15.8

    These figures may not include all subcontracted components of Israeli manufacture and may include subcontracted components manufactured in countries other than Israel. The analysis is based on Location of Work codes and does not relate to the billing address of companies nor is it based on ownership of the companies involved in the production of the product.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on assistance to elderly people to help them with increases in energy prices.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Providing direct help to vulnerable consumers, including the elderly to keep their energy bills down is a priority for the Department. For example, direct help is given to vulnerable consumers through energy efficiency schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation and through the Warm Home Discount scheme, where 2 million low income and vulnerable households per year receive rebates off their electricity bills. DECC officials regularly meet with other government departments to discuss helping vulnerable consumers.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effect on national security of members of al-Qaeda (a) in Saudi Arabia, (b) in refugee camps near the Syrian border and (c) among migrants traveling to Europe.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Al Qaeda, and groups affiliated to it, continue to pose a threat to our national security, including British interests abroad, and remain a priority for the cross-government counter terrorism effort. We are aware of media reporting that terrorist groups have an ambition to infiltrate migration and refugee routes. We work closely with our partners abroad to counter terrorism, including to strengthen border security against identified terrorists and terrorist suspects. Access to the European border watchlist (Schengen Information System II) contributes to the UK’s ability to safeguard its national security, and we use this to make checks on individuals wishing to enter the UK from the Schengen zone.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve the care offered to people with autism in order to reduce the difference in life expectancy between people with and people without autism.

    Alistair Burt

    Think Autism the updated strategy for adults with autism in England set out a clear cross Government programme of action, developed by people with autism, their families and carers, to support local authorities, the National Health Service, and other public services to improve the lives of people with autism. In addition, last year, NHS England commissioned the world’s first Learning Disability Mortality Review Programme to support local areas to review deaths of people with learning disabilities, including those with autism, and to use the information to improve service provision so that physical and mental health problems can be identified and addressed. This programme is currently being piloted and will be rolled out more widely in due course.

  • Baroness Henig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Henig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Henig on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the successful candidates admitted to the Direct Entry Inspector programme were still in post as of 1 April.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The direct entry to superintendent scheme has been running since 2014; over the three years of its operation it has had a total of 2,049 applications.

    The first direct entry scheme to inspector launched this year. There were 1,647 ap-plications and the selection process is ongoing. The first cohort are expected to start in November.

    Details of success and retention for the direct entry to superintendent scheme are outlined in the table below.

    Year

    Applications

    Successful at the assessment centre

    Started the scheme

    In post at 1 April 2016

    2014

    867

    13

    9

    8

    2015

    542

    7

    6

    6

    2016

    640

    –

    –

    –

    Assessment centres for the 2016 inspectors’ and superintendents’ schemes will take place this summer.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2016 to Question 37371, how many people are in the team with specific responsibility for those areas of policy on children and young people’s mental health for which he is accountable.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department’s team with specific responsibility for those areas of policy on children and young people’s mental health for which the Secretary of State for Health is accountable consists of eleven people.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the national living wage on sleep-in shifts in the learning disabilities sector.

    Margot James

    The Low Pay Commission (LPC) independently advises the Government on the trajectory of the National Living Wage (NLW).As part of their remit, the LPC continues to consult a broad range of stakeholders within the social care sector on the impact of the NLW.

    Furthermore, from April 2017, the Spending Review makes available social care funds for local government, rising to £1.5 billion by 2019/20, to be included in the Better Care Fund.

    From 2016/17, local councils have also been able to introduce a Social Care Precept, allowing them to increase council tax by 2% above the existing threshold. This could raise nearly £2bn a year for social care by 2019/20. Taken together, these measures mean that local government has access to £3.5 billion of support by 2019/20 – the funding it needs to increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament.

  • Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeff Smith on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students have studied at least two arts subjects at GCSE level in Manchester, Withington constituency in each of the last five years.

    Nick Gibb

    The requested information is given in the table below:

    Number of pupils at the end of KS4 entering at least two arts[1] subjects at GCSE (incl. equivalents) in Manchester LA

    Year[2]

    Pupils entering at least two arts subjects at GCSE

    2011/12

    323

    2012/13

    304

    2013/14

    312

    2014/15

    532

    2015/16

    355

    Source: KS4 Performance Tables

    The information required by parliamentary constituency is not available.

    [1] Includes: Applied Art & Design, Art & Design, Drama, Performing Arts, Media/Film/TV Studies, Music and Dance. Does not include History of Art and Creative Writing.

    [2] Data is provisional for 2016, all other years are final.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what trips to Saudi Arabia government ministers plan to make in 2016.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I have been clear that a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia matters. As such, Ministers will continue to engage with Saudi Arabia, and the wider region, throughout the year.