Tag: Catherine West

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-18.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications HM Revenue and Customs has processed under the NHS Widening Access Training Scheme for each year in which that Scheme has been active.

Jane Ellison

HM Revenue and Customs only hold records of the number of NHS applications under the widening access fund for the tax year 2013/14 onwards. As at 19 October a total of 16,762 applications have been processed as follows:

Year	Number of applications
2013/14	253
2014/15	1,116
2015/16	4,175
2016/17	11,218

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether apprentices are required to achieve a Level 2 qualification, including mathematics and English, in order (a) to be entered for an Advanced Level Apprenticeship and (b) for entries to be in accordance with the Specification of Apprenticeships Standards for England.

Nick Boles

In order to maximise accessibility, there are no centrally set entry requirements to start an apprenticeship. However, as apprenticeships are jobs with training, individual employers may set their own entry requirements for a specific apprenticeship.

The government does set requirements relating to training and achievement in English and maths during apprenticeships. This is because English and maths are fundamental to career progression and access to further learning.

All apprenticeship frameworks must comply with the Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE). Under SASE, English and maths qualifications are a mandatory component of all Intermediate and Advanced apprenticeships. However, all adult apprentices are assessed for prior learning, and people who start an apprenticeship with current English and maths qualifications at the right level need not repeat these.

We are reforming apprenticeships to ensure that they are based on standards designed by employers.The government sets minimum requirements for apprenticeship standards, though employers are able to go further in the standards they design. They are able to specify a higher level of English and/or maths achievement or to specify a particular qualification or qualifications where this is needed for a particular occupation or sector. . The minimum requirements are – passing level 1 English and maths and taking the test for level 2 before taking the end-point assessment for an intermediate apprenticeship; and passing level 2 English and maths before taking the end-point assessment for an advanced or higher apprenticeship.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Indonesian counterpart on the (a) ISIL attacks in Jakarta in January 2016 and (b) implications of those attacks for the Government’s foreign policy.

Mr Hugo Swire

The UK and Indonesia are already working closely together on a broad range of issues, including counter-terrorism and counter-extremism. We continue to provide support and assistance to the Indonesian government as it works to defeat those who plan and perpetrate acts of terror. Our collaboration in these areas includes an operational capacity-building programme, established in 2005, and incorporates training delivered through the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation. A bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on police cooperation was signed during the Prime Minister, my right hon Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) visit to Jakarta in July. Additionally, we co-operate on a range of issues including foreign terrorist fighters, crisis response and legal frameworks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of his Department’s legal advice on the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan for purposes related to the inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee on that matter.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) gave to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr. Anderson) on Monday 25 January 2016, UIN23433.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of freedom of information requirements in the British Virgin Islands; and what plans he has to promote transparency in that territory.

James Duddridge

Freedom of information policy in the Virgin Islands is the responsibility of the government of the Virgin Islands. As such, the Governor announced the Virgin Islands Government’s intention to introduce a Freedom of Information Bill and a Data Protection Bill in the Speech from the Throne of 10 November 2014.

The Governor again underlined the importance of Open Government as the ‘foundation stone to a modern democracy’ at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Government on 10 June 2015. Discussion between the Governor and the elected Government continues on a range of Open Government and transparency initiatives.

The 2012 White Paper states our commitments on working with the governments of the Overseas Territories on improving transparency and accountability. We are supporting these governments in moving towards systems of open government through sharing best practice and capacity building. This is a devolved area of competence and it is for Territory governments to develop a system that meets their particular requirements and circumstances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the rate of pay is for cleaners in his Department.

Mr Edward Vaizey

DCMS shares premises with other Government Departments – HMRC and DfE – that are responsible for the employment and payment of cleaning staff.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the rate of pay is for cleaners in the Government Equalities Office.

Nick Gibb

The hourly rate of pay for cleaners working in buildings managed by the Department for Education is between £7.85 and £9.15 depending on location and duration of tenure.

The Government Equality Office is based within buildings managed by the Department for Education, and therefore the same rates apply.

From 1 April 2016, the rate of pay will be increased to the 2016 Living Wage Foundation rates.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much security guards in his Department are paid.

Justin Tomlinson

DWP do not directly employ any security guards, they are supplied via our PFI contractor Telereal Trillium who subcontract the supply of all security to G4S.

G4S pay rates (as of 1 January 2016) vary on geographical location and the average pay rate for each Government Office Region (GOR) is set out below:

GOVERNMENT OFFICE REGION	HOURLY PAY RATE (Average)
GOR 1 Scotland	£7.84
GOR 2 North East	£7.84
GOR 3 North West	£7.85
GOR 4 Yorkshire & Humberside	£7.86
GOR 5 East Midlands	£7.86
GOR 6 West Midlands	£7.83
GOR 7 East of England	£8.38
GOR 8 Wales	£7.87
GOR 9 Southern	£8.39
GOR 10 London	£9.26
GOR 11 South West	£7.88

All G4S security guards/officers (irrespective of age) are already paid above the National Living Wage of £7.20/hour which will be introduced from 01-Apr-16.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the human rights situation in Indonesia.

Mr Hugo Swire

Our Embassy in Jakarta engages with a wide range of Indonesian civil society organisations and regularly seeks their assessments of the human rights situation. Indonesia has a strong tradition of religious diversity and tolerance but there has been a rise in recent years of localised instances of inter- and intra-religious conflict and examples where the rights of religious and other minority groups have not been protected.

We will continue to raise our concerns on these important issues with the Indonesian authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on LGBT rights in Bangladesh of the murder of Xulhaz Mannan in Dhaka.

Mr Hugo Swire

Human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people. On Monday 25 April I said publicly that I was deeply saddened by the senseless murders of Xulhaz Mannan and Tanay Fahim and called for the killers to be brought to justice. Same sex relations in Bangladesh are illegal, however the Foreign and Commonwealth Office work to uphold the rights and freedoms of LGBT people in all circumstances. In 2015 we funded a project promoting social justice and dignity for LGBT groups in Bangladesh.