Tag: Catherine West

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria; and what steps her Department is taking to support refugees within that camp.

Rory Stewart

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees assesses that there are an estimated 9,155 people living in the al-Hol refugee camp, including 5,650 Iraqi refugees; and shortages of food, water and health services. DFID funds World Food Programme and UNICEF’s 2016 Syria appeals through which we are supporting the provision of food, water, sanitation and hygiene services in the camp. DFID is also supporting an international non-governmental organisation to provide protection services in the camp.

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 to be entered for an Advanced Level apprenticeship and for those entries to be in accordance with 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 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) number and (b) quality of Overseas Territories’ adoptions of public registers of beneficial ownership since his meetings with them on 15 June 2013 and his letter to them on 24 April 2014.

James Duddridge

The Government is in discussion with the Governments of the Overseas Territories on their plans to improve company transparency. The Territories have agreed to hold beneficial ownership information in central registers or similarly effective systems. Such systems will need to meet the following criteria: a) UK law enforcement and tax authorities must be able to access company beneficial ownership information without restriction, subject to relevant safeguards; b) These competent authorities should be able to quickly identify all companies that a particular beneficial owner has a stake in without needing to submit multiple and repeated requests; and c) Companies or their beneficial owners must not be alerted to the fact that an investigation is underway.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times personnel from UK Reaper Squadrons 39 and 13 have used the red card system in 2015 in joint operations.

Penny Mordaunt

I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24110, whether he plans to publish the terms of reference for the Reaper User Group before the Group meeting on 14 to 18 March 2016.

Penny Mordaunt

The release of the Terms of Reference for the Reaper User Group will be discussed at the next meeting from 14 to 18 March 2016.

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

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the rate of pay is for cleaners in 10 Downing Street.

Matthew Hancock

All staff and contractors based in Downing Street are paid at least the London Living Wage.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the rate of pay is for cleaners in his Department.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The hourly rate of pay for cleaners directly employed by the Department for Transport is £8.94.

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

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

Mr Robert Goodwill

Only the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency directly employs security guards, employing 54 full time and part time security guards at a total salary cost of £868,475. All other security guards in the Department for Transport are employed and managed under outsourced contracts; pay data in such situations is not held by the Department.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what responsibility NHS England has to fund HIV prevention programmes.

Jane Ellison

From 2013, local authorities became responsible for the commissioning of most sexual health services, including the testing and treatment for sexually-transmitted infections and HIV testing and prevention. NHS England is responsible for commissioning of treatment for HIV.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support the learning of the Cornish language.

James Wharton

The United Kingdom has recognised seven languages under the Council of Europe’s European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Welsh, Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots, Cornish and Manx. Cornish is the only language in England to have this status and since April 2010 the Department for Communities and Local Government has provided £650,000 to Cornwall Council for the development of the Cornish Language.