Tag: Dan Jarvis

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the average number of hours children spent exercising in schools each week in (a) the UK and (b) each region of the UK in each year since May 2010.

Mr Edward Timpson

The Department for Education does not hold information on the average number of hours children have spent exercising in schools each week since May 2010.

Following the recent review of the national curriculum, PE continues to be compulsory at all 4 key stages.

Through the primary PE and sport premium we are also providing over £450 million of ring-fenced funding across three academic years until 2016. The funding goes directly to primary schools, to be spent on the improvement of PE and sport, so that all pupils develop a healthy lifestyle. We published a research brief into the use of the primary PE and sport premium in September 2014. Our findings show that the mean amount of time spent on curricular PE in primary schools has increased by 13 minutes from 109 to 122 minutes a week from 2012/13 to 2013/14. 84 per cent of schools reported an increase in pupil engagement with PE during school time and 83 per cent saw an increase in participation in after school clubs.

Our research was based on a survey of 586 primary schools between April and July 2014. Our full report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pe-and-sport-premium-an-investigation-in-primary-schools

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

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking in response to the Ugandan anti-homosexuality act; and what steps she plans to take to encourage its repeal.

Lynne Featherstone

We have consistently raised concerns about the legislation with the Ugandan Government at the most senior levels, and sought assurances on the protection of individuals. Most recently, the Secretary of State for International Development and the Minister for Africa raised the issue with the Ugandan President on 6 May. We will continue to press the Ugandan Government at the highest levels to defend human rights for all.

The UK suspended all Budget Support to the Government of Uganda in 2013 following the misappropriation of donor funds. After the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Act we assessed our programme to ensure that UK aid was not being provided to organisations that proactively and publically promoted the legislation. Following this, the UK and other donors suspended funding to one organisation. We will continue to monitor this situation. We are also stepping up our support to human rights organisations that protect minority rights in Uganda.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made in implementing each of the recommendations of the review into the needs of families bereaved by homicide, published by his Department in July 2011.

Mike Penning

In July 2011 we published the Review into the Needs of Families Bereaved by Homicide by Louise Casey (then Victims’ Commissioner). She made a wide range of recommendations. Since then we have worked closely with victims and victims’ organisations and the report’s findings have played a critical role in informing our approach to ensuring that families get the help they need.

This includes plans to implement a victims law to put into statute the right of the victim to tell a court how a crime has affected them, providing families of homicide victims with a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks following the trial, and funding a dedicated national Homicide Service with more than £2million a year to support those affected by homicide at home and abroad.

Further information requested is in the table attached.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, under what criteria a decision will be made to place a child into a secure college.

Jeremy Wright

The Youth Justice Board, with proper consideration of the individual needs of young people and advice from Youth Offending Teams, currently decides the most appropriate establishment in which to place individual young people remanded or sentenced to custody. This will remain the case when there is the option of placement in a Secure College.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the average number of days taken by coroners to release the body of a homicide victim back to the family for burial in each year since 2010.

Simon Hughes

Information on the average number of days taken by coroners to release the body of a homicide victim is not held centrally. This information could only be obtained by inspection of individual case files at each coroner’s office before collating the information, and this could only be done at disproportionate cost.

In July 2013 we implemented reforms in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 together with new coroner regulations and rules aimed at improving standards and achieving greater consistency in coroner services. Regulation 20 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013 requires a coroner to release the body for burial or cremation as soon as is reasonably practicable. Where this cannot be done within 28 days, the coroner must notify the next of kin or personal representative of the reason for the delay.

In February 2014 we also published the statutory “Guide to Coroner Services” which explains the standards of service that can be expected during a coroner’s investigation and what action can be taken if these are not met.

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

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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/

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