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Tag: 2016

  • Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve teacher recruitment in local education authority areas with poor educational attainment; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    The Government is committed to achieving educational excellence everywhere so that children in every part of the country, regardless of their background and circumstances, have access to an outstanding education.

    High-quality teachers are central to that ambition, and we have recently announced the establishment of a new National Teaching Service (NTS) that will second outstanding teachers and middle leaders into the schools that most need support, particularly in areas of the country that find it hardest to retain and recruit good teachers. Our ambition is that by 2020 there will be 1,500 NTS teachers/middle leaders in underperforming schools in areas of the country facing particular challenges in terms of teacher quality and recruitment. The NTS will begin with a pilot of 100 outstanding teachers and middle leaders in the North West from September 2016. Following the pilot the national programme will be rolled out from September 2017 where it will be extended into other regions.

    We are also increasing the number of high-achieving graduates teaching in disadvantaged schools by supporting the geographical expansion of Teach First into every region of England. This gives Teach First the scope to reach 90 per cent of eligible schools by 2016, boosting the Government’s commitment to recruit more top teachers throughout England, including in more rural, coastal and disadvantaged areas. We are continuing to increase the proportion of initial teacher training that is led by schools, and our School Direct programme is giving more head teachers the ability to select, train and employ the teachers they need in their local areas.

    The pay reforms that we have introduced since September 2013 give schools greater autonomy and more freedom to decide how much they pay teachers and how quickly pay progresses. Schools may also choose to use their pupil premium funding to attract or retain the best teachers. This increased flexibility gives schools in disadvantaged areas more scope to attract and recruit the high quality teachers that they need to deliver outstanding education in the most challenging circumstances.

  • 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 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of whether current arrangements for listed building status take account of potential measures that can be taken to improve the energy efficiency of data centres.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Listed buildings are designated by the Secretary of State on the basis of their special architectural and historic interest. Other factors – including their energy efficiency – can be considered through the process of seeking listed building consent (LBC) prior to the alteration, extension or demolition of such buildings. Requests for LBC are determined by the relevant local planning authority.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Catherine McKinnell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the decision not to make personal, social, health and economic education statutory on the ability of schools to teach that subject.

    Edward Timpson

    This Government wants to provide all young people with a curriculum for life, which prepares them to succeed in modern Britain. High quality teaching of PSHE is central to this.

    The Secretary of State wrote to the ESC in February 2016 stating that the Department will continue to keep the status of PSHE in the curriculum under review.

    We have asked leading head teachers and practitioners to produce an action plan for improving PSHE. We will work with these experts to identify further action we can take to ensure that all pupils receive high quality, age appropriate PSHE and SRE.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the ability of Palestinian students in East Jerusalem and the West Bank to sit their exams this year, without experiencing delays at checkpoints.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While no assessment has been made about this particular issue, we consistently urge Israel to ease movement and access restrictions across the Occupied Palestinian Territories, not least because of the impact the restrictions have on children and continuity of their education.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine plants have closed in the last two years; and what the (a) generation size and (b) location was of each of those plants.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The following Combined Cycle Gas Turbine plants have closed within the last two years:

    Name of Plant

    Capacity (MWe)

    Location

    Barking

    1,000

    London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, East London

    Roosecote (mothballed in 2012; demolition in 2015)

    229

    Barrow in Furness, Cumbria

    Killingholme (Centrica)

    665

    Killingholme, Humberside

    This excludes combined cycle gas turbine plants which remain available under National Grid’s Supplementary Balancing Reserve and/or plants which have converted to open cycle operation at reduced capacity or have otherwise reduced capacity.

  • Peter Grant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Peter Grant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Grant on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to staff working at border controls in UK airports on questions which can and cannot be asked to passengers arriving in the UK with EU passports.

    James Brokenshire

    Anyone seeking entry or admission to the UK must on arrival establish their nationality and identity, as well as comply with other checks under the Border Force Operating Mandate.

  • Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Oates – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they consider the government of Zimbabwe would need to fulfil, in terms of demonstrating sustained adherence to the constitution of Zimbabwe and a sustained commitment to protecting the human rights of Zimbabwe citizens, before they would provide financial support for a land reform programme.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Land reform in Zimbabwe is essential for improving agricultural productivity and broader economic development. The British Government has consistently said that it would be ready to join international partners in supporting a land reform programme in Zimbabwe that is transparent, fair, legal and within the context of a broad range of reforms. Separately, we continue to call, both bilaterally and in partnership with others, for an end to human rights abuses and the restoration of internationally accepted standards.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of the promotion of democracy and human rights through the Arab Partnership Fund in 2014-15.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The Arab Partnership was created in 2010 and became a key part of the Government’s response to the Arab Spring. This initiative comprised two parts: the FCO-led Arab Partnership Participation Fund and the DFID-led Arab Partnership Economic Facility. Between 2011 and 2015 the Arab Partnership Participation Fund provided funding totalling £42,803,007 for projects in the region. In financial year 2014/15 the fund provided £10,512,791 of which £8,498,003 was allocated to projects promoting human rights and democracy across the Middle East and North Africa region.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimates his Department has made of the amount of unexploded ordinance in the River Clyde.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has made no estimate of the amount of unexploded ordinance (UXO) in the River Clyde.

    The Royal Navy routinely survey important shipping routes in the Clyde and make safe any ordnance discovered. In addition they occasionally make safe ordnance discovered in the Clyde by other non-defence means. All UXO identified in the Clyde is removed and/or made safe.

    MOD information on sea dumped munitions in the British Isles has been placed in the public domain; it can be accessed at the following internet address:

    http://tna.europarchive.org/20091204111626/http:/mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/HealthandSafetyPublications/DSEA/DisposalOfMunitionsAtSea.htm

    The records show no historic dump sites in the River Clyde.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to increase the UK’s energy storage capacity for excess energy from renewables; and what financial support she is making available to increase the capacity of pumped hydro systems.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is investigating the potential barriers to deployment of energy storage and possible mitigating actions, focussing in the first instance on removing regulatory barriers but also considering whether more needs to be done to stimulate investment in energy storage. DECC plans to issue a call for evidence in spring 2016 on this area.

    DECC has provided more than £18m of innovation support since 2012 to develop and demonstrate a range of energy storage technologies. This support has included a grant to a UK pumped hydro storage company to analyse the potential for wider deployment of new pumped hydro storage facilities in novel sites around Great Britain – for example, in disused quarries or other brownfield sites or using drinking water reservoirs.