Tag: Cheryl Gillan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many personnel employed by or on secondment to HS2 Ltd of each grade have left the organisation in each year since it was formed.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The table below sets out the number of personnel by grade employed by or on secondment to HS2 Ltd who have left the organisation in each year since 2013.

HS2 Grade	Civil Service/DfT Grade	2013	2014	2015
22+	SCS2	0	0	1
21	SCS1	2	1	1
20	SCS1	0	0	1
19	G6	2	5	3
18	G6	1	3	10
17	G7	2	4	9
16	SEO	2	8	12
15	SEO	2	5	8
14	HEO	3	8	8
13	HEO	4	7	10
12	EO	2	2	4
11	AO	3	11	11
10	AO	4	6	3
9	AA	0	0	0
	Total	27	60	81

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on schools asking uniform suppliers for discounts or commission on school uniform sales; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb

The department has issued best practice guidance for all schools on the need to give high priority to the consideration of cost for parents. The guidance sets out that governing bodies should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained the best value for money from suppliers, and that any savings negotiated with suppliers should be passed on to parents wherever possible. It also makes clear that schools should not enter into cash back arrangements.

We have recently announced that we intend to put school uniform guidance on a statutory footing. The school uniform guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much EU funding has been provided for ground investigations related to High Speed 2.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department for Transport was awarded €39.2 million for HS2 under the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility to fund Ground Investigation works for Phase 1 of the High Speed 2 Programme. The EU has agreed to provide this funding in stages between 2015 and 2019.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend the awareness campaign to adults on sepsis in children.

Ben Gummer

The NHS England cross-system action plan is clear that prevention and raising professional awareness are effective means of improving outcomes for all patients at risk from sepsis. Health Education England has also agreed to develop their education training resources to emphasise the importance of good communication with patients concerning the risks, signs and symptoms of sepsis, where appropriate.

In addition to this action focused on professionals, we have asked Public Health England to develop an awareness campaign for parents that focuses upon the symptoms of serious infections in children, such as meningitis and septicaemia, including sepsis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the timetable for construction of High Speed 2 Phase One in Chesham and Amersham constituency to be published.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Finalising the construction timetable for works in this area will be the responsibility of the Main Works Contractor when they are appointed following Royal Assent. An indicative construction programme for Chesham and Amersham is set out in Volume 2 of the Environmental Statement (ES) – CFA reports 8-9. This indicates advanced works commencing in the first quarter of 2017, with civil engineering works commencing in the fourth quarter of 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total budget is of the team of writers being hired by his Department to help write the story of High Speed 2 from inception to present day.

Andrew Jones

It is important that we do ensure good documentation of major projects across government to learn from the past and ensure knowledge is shared easily. I will consider in due course what is the right way to do this but the advertised recruitment is not going ahead.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the effectiveness of the Need to Sell scheme for residents who are reapplying, (b) the level of flexibility offered by that scheme for those who are reapplying under different criteria, (c) how that scheme streamlines its procedures for those constituents who have terminal illnesses, financial burdens arising from High Speed 2 or any other pressing requirement to sell.

Andrew Jones

The Need to Sell scheme is operating as it was intended, and operating fairly. We have already updated guidance to reflect learning from the scheme since its inception in January 2015. This demonstrates that we keep the scheme under review and act if necessary to improve the way it operates.

Those reapplying for the Need to Sell scheme within six months of their initial application are only judged on the criteria on which they previously failed to meet. Furthermore the assessment panel provides detailed feedback directly to applicants on the criteria they failed to meet. This means that when reapplying applicants can provide targeted evidence that may increase the chance of a re-application being accepted.

HS2 Ltd endeavours to make decisions on all applications as quickly as possible. As all applicants are applying with a compelling reason to sell it would not be fair to introduce a fast-track system for some applicants. We aim to deal with all applications within three months, however currently the average time to deal with an application is seven weeks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department currently uses for the cost of rolling stock for High Speed 2.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The current estimate for High Speed 2 rolling stock is approximately £7.0bn (in 2015 prices).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the UK paid to the EU for agricultural levies in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

George Eustice

UK Contributions to the EU budget are set out in Table C3 of HM Treasury publication “European Union Finances 2015: statement on the 2015 EU Budget and measures to counter fraud and financial mismanagement” in December 2015.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/483344/EU_finances_2015_final_web_09122015.pdf

The contribution from sugar levies for the previous 5 years were:

2010: £8m

2011: £8m

2012: £10m

2013: £9m

2014: £2m

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether children who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance are considered to be eligible children for free school transport; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb

Local authorities have a statutory duty under section 508B of the Education Act 1996 to make suitable travel arrangements for all eligible children attending their nearest suitable school. This includes children with special education needs (SEN) or a disability or mobility problem (including temporary conditions) if their SEN or disability or mobility problem means that they could not reasonably be expected to walk to the school. Being in receipt of the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (a benefit with different eligibility criteria and assessment process administered by the Department for Work and Pensions) does not necessarily confer eligibility for free home to school transport but neither does it preclude it if the conditions above are met.