Tag: Dan Jarvis

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to maintain the level of regional news provision after the BBC Charter review.

Mr Edward Vaizey

We welcome the BBC’s commitment to work in partnership with local news providers, as it set out in its proposals published in September, and look forward to seeing these proposals developed further in discussion with industry to make sure they have a positive impact.

The overall scale and scope of the BBC, including the provision regional news, is part of the Charter Review discussion.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has on (a) raising awareness of severe and complex disabilities suspected of having a genetic syndrome for which it is not currently possible to confirm a diagnosis and (b) helping to ensure that patients and their families that are affected by such disabilities have access to appropriate care and support.

George Freeman

The Department is committed to improving the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases, including those severe and complex conditions caused by genetic disorders, through implementation of the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases, published in November 2013. The UK strategy includes specific recommendations to improve awareness amongst service providers and others of the effects that rare diseases can have on a person’s education, family, social relationships and ability to work. There is also a specific recommendation to improve education and awareness across the healthcare professions and to improve the co-ordination of care, recognising that some patients have complex needs and require expertise from a number of specialists and carers.

The UK Rare Disease Forum will monitor progress against the recommendations in the strategy and is due to produce its first report in early 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the National Security Council has discussed the implications for national security of the recently announced closures of steel plants.

Mr Oliver Letwin

Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion. However we are committed to supporting a strong and viable steel industry, and that means taking action across all the areas.

We are tackling unfair trade practices in a number of ways. We have already supported and voted for the renewal of anti-dumping measures at an EU level, and lobbied successfully for an investigation into cheap imports of Reinforcing Steel Bar. We have addressed the impact of climate change policies, with over £50 million of support given to the steel industry to mitigate increasing electricity costs. We are working with the Commission to quickly gain approval for proposals to provide additional relief for the impact of indirect low-carbon energy policy costs.

Once in place, this will save energy intensive industries, like the steel industry hundreds of millions of pounds over the next five years.

We are driving up the number of public contracts won by UK steel manufacturers and their partners through fair and open competition. The National Infrastructure Plan contains projects which will use British steel, including: Crossrail– with 4 UK based companies providing over 50,000 tonnes of steel; and HS2- where Government has already given noticeof the thousands of tonnes of steel that will be needed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the success criteria against which the secure college pathfinder will be evaluated.

Jeremy Wright

The Ministry of Justice is developing a robust monitoring and evaluation strategy for the Secure College Pathfinder. This will ensure that the most appropriate methods for measuring the performance of the Secure College Pathfinder are in place.

Detail relating to performance measures against which the Secure College Pathfinder’s construction and operation providers’ performance will be measured will be contained within their individual contracts, which will be published on Contract Finder in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many children aged between (a) 10 and 12, (b) 13 and 14 and (c) 15 and 17 years were held in each secure training centre and secure children’s home in each year since May 2010.

Jeremy Wright

Informed by advice from local Youth Offending Teams, the Youth Justice Board places young people who are remanded or sentenced to custody in the secure establishment most appropriate to their needs.

The spreadsheet shows the average number of children and young people aged between a) 10 and 12, b) 13 and 14 and c) 15 and 17 held in each secure training centre and secure children’s home in each year since 2009/10 (April to March).

The 2013/14 figures will be published in the 2013/14 Youth Justice Statistics in January 2015.

These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and can be subject to change over time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-15.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many women under the age of 25 were diagnosed with cervical cancer in (a) the borough of Barnsley and (b) the UK in 2013 and 2014.

Mr Rob Wilson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of disabled people referred to the Work Programme moved into employment between January and December 2014.

Esther McVey

The information requested to September 2014 is published and available at:

http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/WorkProg/tabtool.html

Proportions can be calculated using the published figures.

Guidance for users is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that the needs of cyclists are considered when infrastructure contracts are awarded.

Mr Robert Goodwill

In August 2013 the Prime Minister announced his intention to "cycle proof" the road network – in other words, to ensure that people using cycles are considered from the design stage of new and improved road infrastructure. Cycle proofing is a process which over time ensures that the built environment generally, and roads specifically, are seen to be safe, convenient and pleasant for cycle use by people of all ages and abilities.

Work to cycle proof roads has already begun. The Highways Agency has recently published its Strategic Business Plan[1] which sets out how they will improve facilities for people cycling or walking alongside the strategic road network. Designated funding has been allocated to make provision for vulnerable users when designing and building major schemes and where feasible make it safer and easier for cyclists and pedestrians to access local routes when crossing the strategic road network. For cyclists the Agency will:

· Invest £100m to improve access, integration and facilities on and around the network;

· Undertake studies at 600 sites identified in conjunction with Sustrans and the National Cycling Charity to decide the best potential solution for each location;

· Provide additional professional development training for those engineers and planners responsible for designing schemes to include appropriate cycling provision;

· Produce its first National Cycling Strategy by the end of 2015.

All contracts on the Agency’s network use the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges[2] (DMRB) for the design of works and the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works[3] as the specification. The DMRB incorporates requirements, processes and procedures to ensure that the needs of vulnerable road users are considered and included at scheme design stage.

The Department is currently finalising the Cycling Delivery Plan. Several actions outlined in that Plan will contribute further to this cycle proofing work. The Department will seek to ensure roads projects that receive government funding, as well as those conducted by local authorities, are cycle proofed. This means that the needs of people using cycles are considered from the design stage.

The Department is also working to ensure Highways engineers have evidence based tools with which to design high quality conditions for cycling on England’s roads. This includes updating the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions, and – where suitable and appropriate – endorsing the use of new standards and guidance produced by other authorities in the UK.

We do of course consider the needs of all users of public transport, including cyclists, at railway stations. That is why we have allocated almost £30 million for cycling facilities and we are on track to triple the number of cycle parking spaces at railway stations.

^[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387252/141215_Strategic_business_plan.pdf

^[2] http://www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/dmrb/

^[3] http://www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/mchw/

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements are in place to fund the expansion of the Combined Cadet Force; and what the estimated total cost of that expansion is.

Mr Philip Dunne

Expansion of the Combined Cadet Force is under way through the joint Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Department for Education Cadet Expansion Programme which was launched in 2012. The programme is on target to provide 100 new cadet units in state schools in England by September 2015.

The programme had an initial budget of £10.85 million to meet start-up costs for the first 100 units. Fixed and running costs of these units are being absorbed through efficiencies found from existing MOD budgets.

The expansion programme is also supported by the Cadet Bursary Fund, a charitable fund launched by the Prime Minister in June 2014. This fund, which provides grants to help schools alleviate financial barriers to establishing new units, particularly additional staff costs, was supported with £1 million from LIBOR fines.

The total cost of the expansion will depend on the number of cadets in each unit, and the eventual number of new units. It is too early to say how many cadets there will be in the first 100 new units and plans and funding for any expansion beyond September 2015 will be a matter for the Government returned after the election, and for the 2015 Spending Review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is offering to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram.

Mr Mark Francois

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2015 to Parliamentary Question 906917, to the hon. Member for Bedford (Richard Fuller).