The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-11.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications his Department has received for the Widening Access Tax Rebate Scheme for trainee psychologists in each year since the rebate scheme has been in operation.
Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs does not hold information on the specific course undertaken so is unable to provide figures for the number of applications for trainee psychologists.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Nissan on its future investment in the UK after the UK’s exit of the EU.
Mr Nick Hurd
The Department is in close contact with Nissan as part of its responsibility to actively manage the relationship with our major manufacturers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, to which destinations (a) Ministers and (b) officials of her Department have taken flights as part of their official duties since her appointment.
Rory Stewart
DFID publishes information about flights and other expenses incurred on Ministerial and senior official overseas trips on a quarterly basis on www.gov.uk.
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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 1 qualification, including mathematics and English, in order (a) to be entered for an Intermediate Level Apprenticeship and (b) for entries to be in accordance with the Trailblazer Apprenticeships Standards.
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 International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure children receive education and protection in conflict zones.
Mr Nick Hurd
DFID supports international efforts in conflict-affected and fragile countries to assist children and reduce their risks of violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect. This work is in partnership with mandated protection agencies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and UNICEF, as well as non-governmental organisations.
DFID aims to improve learning outcomes, to reach all children in fragile states, and to keep girls in school. DFID supports children overseas to go to school and continue learning even when they are forced from their homes and this includes our flagship £355 million Girls’ Education Challenge that will enable up to 1 million more of the world’s most marginalised girls to benefit from an education of sufficient quality and transform their lives. In addition, DFID is supporting improvements to how the international community provides education in emergencies, including support for the ‘No Lost Generation’ Initiative to provide over 251,000 Syrian children with formal and informal education inside Syria and in the region, allowing them to catch up on lost learning time and sit public school examinations.
Education and protection will be key themes of the Syria Conference co-hosted by the UK in early February and the protection and education of children affected by natural disasters and conflicts will be addressed at the World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to address the prevalence of hunger in Malawi.
Mr Nick Hurd
DFID has a significant programme of ongoing support in health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation and economic development, particularly in rural areas and with the private sector, for growth, jobs, incomes and food insecurity. We support increasing access to justice for women and vulnerable groups, accountability and governance reforms.
The UK was one of the first development partners to respond to Malawi’s international appeal for emergency aid in October 2015. The UK has now committed £14.5m through partners including the World Food Programme, UNICEF and an International Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO) consortium led by Save the Children. This support includes:
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 discussions he has had with officials of (a) NATO and (b) the EU on the recent ballistic missile launched by North Korea.
Mr Hugo Swire
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), strongly condemned the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s satellite launch of 7 February, which used ballistic missile technology in clear violation of a number of UN Security Council Resolutions.
The Government continues to work closely with partners in NATO and the EU to ensure significant and substantive measures are agreed in response to the DPRK’s repeated provocations. In addition, we continue to work with international partners to ensure existing Resolutions are implemented effectively.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the rate of pay is for cleaners in her Department.
Andrea Leadsom
The hourly rate of pay for cleaners working in the Department of Energy and Climate Change is between £7.85 and £9.15 depending on location.
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 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to address the issues raised in the Independent Investigation into conditions at Yarl’s Wood in January 2016; and what additional steps she will take to address concerns around (a) staffing arrangements including capacity and training and (b) an inadequate proportion of female officers to care for women at the centre.
James Brokenshire
Serco commissioned an independent investigation by Kate Lampard into the culture and staffing at Yarl’s Wood. The report was published in January 2016. Serco has responded quickly to the recommendations in the report and has agreed or completed 32 of the 35 recommendations. These include an increase in staffing levels and introducing changes to policies to ensure that all detainees are treated in a safe and dignified manner. As of 9 March 2016, 55% of Serco’s operational staff at Yarl’s Wood are women.
The Government is addressing the issue of welfare in detention through its response to Stephen Shaw’s review set out in the Written Ministerial Statement laid before the House on 14 January. This includes a new adults at risk policy and a mental health action plan.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people were refused student loans as a result of their discretionary leave to remain immigration status in each of the last three years.
Joseph Johnson
The Student Loans Company does not hold information on the number of student loan applicants with discretionary leave to remain who have had their application for support refused.
A public consultation on the introduction of a new category of eligibility for those with long residence in the UK, including periods of discretionary leave, closed in January 2016. The consultation can be found at:
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