Tag: Ben Howlett

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make representations to exam boards to remove the five per cent marking for spelling and grammar for dyslexic students.

Nick Gibb

In 2013 the Government restored the policy of marks for spelling, punctuation and use of grammar (SPaG)to GCSE exams as a key part of our commitment to high standards and to ensuring that GCSEs match expectations set in the highest performing jurisdictions internationally. It gives a real incentive to teachers to provide effective support to all their students to improve their written communication skills.

For those pupils with special educational needs, including those with dyslexia, appropriate reasonable adjustments, including extra time, are available, as necessary. Details can be found in the Joint Council for Qualifications’ “Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration” at: http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on ensuring that consent is granted before a person undertakes work on a neighbour’s tree.

James Wharton

Guidance on the tree preservation legislation is published on the planning guidance website at http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/tree-preservation-orders/ and is available to local authorities and other interested parties. Local authorities are responsible for determining applications for works to trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to increase the number of advocacy services available to mentally ill people before they are sectioned.

Alistair Burt

When a person is detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, (“the Act”) they are legally entitled to an Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) who understands the Act and can support the detained patient. The provision of IMHA services is the responsibility of local authorities.

For other mental health patients who need help and support in expressing their views, more general advocacy services, as well as family and friends, can provide support.

The Department is also currently exploring providing additional guidance to mental health professionals promoting advocacy services to psychiatric patients that they believe would benefit from such support.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment the Government has made of its progress in implementing the commitment in the 2015 Spending Review to encourage long-term partnerships between the NHS and the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

We will continue to encourage long term partnerships between the National Health Service and the private sector in order to deliver responsive and innovative healthcare services while ensuring better value for taxpayers. It is right that these decisions are made locally by the NHS and not politicians. We are clear that patients should be able to access the best possible providers based on quality not the sector.

Commissioners can use a range of tools to secure services, including managing providers’ performance, extending and varying contracts, widening choice of qualified provider, and tendering. They will need to choose the right tools for different circumstances. Local conditions vary and there is no one-size-fits-all model for raising standards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department is taking to eliminate the gender pay gap.

Caroline Dinenage

The gender pay gap currently stands at 19.2%, the lowest on record. We are determined to accelerate this progress. To eliminate the gender pay gap within a generation, the Government is requiring larger employers to publish information about the pay and bonuses for men and women; extending our plans for gender pay gap reporting to the public sector; and working with business to have 33% of women on boards by 2020 and eliminate all-male boards in the FTSE 350.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that decisions of the Independent Appeals Panel do not allocate places in excess of a school’s planned admission numbers.

Nick Gibb

All parents are able to express preferences for at least three schools when applying for a school place. When parents are refused a place for their child, it is important that they are given the opportunity to appeal this decision.

The appeal panel should consider whether the school’s admission arrangements were lawful, have been properly applied and balance the effect on the school of admitting another child against the parents’ reasons for wanting their child to attend the school.

When considering an appeal for an infant class, however, appeal panels have less scope to admit over its admissions number. Legislation limits the size of an infant class to 30 pupils per school teacher and appeals for such classes can only be upheld in very limited circumstances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with mobile telephone companies steps to reduce and standardise the time between a provider unlocking a phone and the owner of that phone being able to use it with another provider.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Government wants to reduce the cost and hassle of switching mobile providers for consumers. We expect industry to start automatically unlocking customers’ handsets at the end of their contracts, and will consult this year on ending the practice of handset locking for customers outside their initial contract period.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-03-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the implications for his Department’s policies on people with rare forms of kidney disease are of the report of the Rare Disease Forum, Delivering for patients with rare diseases: Implementing a strategy, published on 29 February 2016; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman

The Department is committed to improving the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases for all patients, including those with rare forms of kidney disease through implementation of the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases, published in November 2013.

The UK Forum report, Delivering for patients with rare diseases: Implementing a strategy, published on 29 February 2016 includes 51 specific commitments to improve the lives of all those affected with rare diseases. The measures focus on improving diagnosis and early intervention for patients affected by a rare disease.

The UK Rare Disease Forum is working to ensure that specific commitments in the Strategy are embedded in policy development and implementation across the United Kingdom.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of women completing PhDs in STEM subjects.

Joseph Johnson

The number of female doctorate qualifiers in STEM subjects increased from 5,485 in 2009/10 to 6,300 in 2013/14, an increase of 15%. The total number of doctorate qualifiers in STEM subjects also increased over this period, from 12,830 in 2009/10 to 14,020 in 2013/14, and the proportion of female doctorate qualifiers in STEM subjects who are female increased from 43% to 45%.^[i]

The Government is committed to developing a strong, diverse research community. The Research Councils and National Academies share this commitment. We are taking steps to encourage greater representation of women in STEM subjects at university and in the academic community through the establishment of a Diversity Steering Group and support for such initiatives as the Athena SWAN charter which promotes gender equality in academia.

[i] Higher Education Statistics Agency: Number of Doctorate Qualifiers in STEM subjects by Gender. (Academic Years 2009/10 to 2013/14). Excel spreadsheet is attached to this PQ.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to establish an independent body to monitor the salaries of council staff.

Mr Marcus Jones

Ministers have taken a number of steps to increase the transparency and accountability of local decisions on the pay and reward of council staff. This action has helped ensure that local people have the information they need to hold councils to account.

Local elected members need to make sure that decisions about the remuneration of senior staff are clearly in the interest of local taxpayers, and that they operate to the same standards of restraint as the rest of the public sector.