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Tag: 2016

  • Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Liz Kendall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people of each gender work in her Department.

    Karen Bradley

    As at 30th November 2015 there were 14,835 members of staff that identified themselves as female and 13,718 that identified themselves as male in the Home Department.

    (Figures are based on all paid civil servants in line with Office for National Statistics standards as published in the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey on ons.gov.uk in Autumn 2015)

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on (a) the number and type of wheelchair access and accompanying person spaces at sports stadiums and (b) ticketing prices and arrangements for those spaces; and what support his Department advises such stadiums to extend to those who use wheelchairs and those who accompany them.

    David Evennett

    We believe that all people should be able to enjoy and participate in sports – and that disability should not be a barrier to that. Approved accessibility audits should be undertaken by individual clubs and stadia to determine the number and type of wheelchair access and accompanying person spaces which are available at those venues. The Accessible Stadia guide also sets out the minimum guidelines for such accommodation. Ticketing prices and arrangements for those spaces are a matter for the individual club or stadium to determine. My Department advises that such stadiums and clubs make the reasonable adjustments necessary to accommodate those who use wheelchairs and for those who accompany them in line with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure that local authorities meet their obligation under the National Planning Policy Framework to meet the housing needs of disabled people requiring wheelchair accessible homes.

    Brandon Lewis

    Local authorities are best placed to understand the housing needs in their area. We expect them to work closely with key partners and their local communities in deciding what type of housing is needed.

    National policy sets out clearly the need for local authorities to plan for the housing needs of all members of the community and that planning should encourage accessibility. The introduction of optional requirements for accessibility in the Building Regulations provides local authorities with the tools needed to ensure that new homes are accessible and that in particular the needs of disabled people are met.

    Local authorities are held accountable for their housing delivery via their Local Plans which are tested by local independent planning inspectors and are scrutinised via yearly Authority Monitoring reports which set out progress on delivery against Local Plan targets. In addition local authorities must determine individual decisions in line with the development plan and other material considerations, such as the National Planning Policy Framework and having regard to viability considerations.

  • Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Green of Deddington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Green of Deddington on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish the net migration statistics for 2015.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Baroness Coussins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Coussins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Coussins on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in discussions with examination boards about retaining accreditation routes for lesser-taught languages at GCSE and A-level.

    Lord Nash

    Government action has resulted in GCSEs and A levels in a range of community languages being continued, to ensure young people can carry on studying a diverse range of foreign languages.

    This follows a Government commitment in 2015 to protect a number of language GCSEs and A levels after the exam boards announced that from 2017 they would be withdrawing several courses.

    Since then the Government has worked with Ofqual and the exam boards and we have been successful in securing most of the less-taught languages at GCSE and A level for future years. In addition to Chinese, Italian and Russian, the languages now secure are Arabic, Bengali, Biblical Hebrew, Modern Greek, Gujarati, Japanese, Modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish and Urdu.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consultations she has had with trades unions and staff representative organisations on the future of technical and professional recruitment planned for inclusion in the proposed Skills Plan.

    Nick Boles

    The Government is taking forward reforms to the skills system to ensure we have the technical skills that the economy needs. We will publish details of our plans for further reform of the skills system in due course and will engage with stakeholders from across the sector on these plans.

  • Zac Goldsmith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Zac Goldsmith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 307 of the Airports Commission Final Report, published in July 2015, what steps his Department is taking to assess options for a legislative process for permanently banning a fourth runway at Heathrow Airport.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and is considering all of the evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. It is vitally important that we get this decision right.

    The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work and it would not be appropriate to opine on the Commission’s scheme-specific recommendations before an announcement on its preference.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 46284, what assessment she has made of the effect of apprenticeship standards on the productivity and growth of the UK economy.

    Robert Halfon

    Apprenticeships are a crucial way to develop the skills needed by employers. There is strong evidence that apprenticeships are already a good prospect for investment in terms of returns to individuals, to businesses and to Government. For each pound the Government invests in Level 2 and Level 3 adult apprenticeships, we receive economic benefits of £26 and £28 respectively over the rest of the learners’ working lives.

    By increasing the quality and quantity of apprenticeships to reach our commitment of 3 million starts in England by 2020, our goal is to secure greater benefits for more apprentices, employers and our economy. To increase numbers and improve access, we are focussing the work of the National Apprenticeships Service on communicating the benefits, and building strong relationships with a wider range of employers and intermediaries.

    The 2020 Vision sets out the key elements of our strategy to further address skills shortages and stimulate economic growth through reforms to apprenticeships. .

    Our strategy gives employers the opportunity to develop new apprenticeship standards to meet the skills needs of their sector. By increasing the relevance and quality of apprenticeships and developing the skills of workers, standards will ensure employers have the opportunity to develop and access the skills they need.

    We are focusing development of apprenticeship standards where employers identify a skills need and demand exists, subject to suitability. In giving employers this freedom, we have seen increased appetite for standards at higher levels, where we know they add the most value. We have also seen standards developed in sectors where they have not been used before, ensuring the benefits are felt across the economy.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what alternative arrangements have been made for residents of Flintshire to take driving tests during the temporary closure of the Chester driving test centre.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) are committed to providing testing in the Chester area, from mid-February DVSA will offer both car and motorcycle practical tests from Cheshire County Sports Club as a temporary measure. In the meantime, DVSA is continuing to look for a new permanent site in the Chester area.

  • 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 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Fleet Ready Escort will meet the Russian ship Mikhail Dudin as he passes through the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

    Penny Mordaunt

    I am withholding details of our capabilities and programmes as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.