Tag: Grant Shapps

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to take advantage of new technologies such as activity and exercise tracking to improve childrens’ fitness and physical literacy in schools.

Edward Timpson

We want all pupils to be healthy and active, and have given schools the freedom to deliver a diverse and challenging PE curriculum that best suits the needs of their pupils.

PE is a compulsory subject at all four key stages in the national curriculum. The programme of study sets the expectation that schools should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way that supports their health and fitness. Through the primary PE and sport premium, primary schools have already received over £450 million of ring-fenced funding to provide additional and sustainable improvements to their PE and sport provision. In an independent evaluation, 84% of schools reported an increase in pupil engagement in PE during curricular time and in the levels of participation in extra-curricular activities.

Schools can decide how best to use this funding, and may elect to bring in additional resources and technologies if they feel this would provide additional and sustainable improvements to their PE and sport provision. The Government has committed to doubling the funding to £320 million a year from September 2017 using revenue from the soft drinks industry levy.

In the new Sport Strategy, the Government has committed to support children and young people to develop the confidence and skills to take part and to be positive about sport and activity. As part of this work, we will be exploring how to further increase physical literacy standards in primary schools and considering how we can track levels of physical activity to help support children to have healthy and active lives.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to provide additional funding to cultural and heritage projects previously funded by EU programmes when that EU funding ends.

Matt Hancock

The Chancellor has guaranteed structural and investment fund projects in the UK that are signed even after the Autumn Statement. In addition, projects where UK organisations bid directly and competitively for EU funding will be guaranteed by the UK Government if the bids are won before our departure from the EU, regardless of whether or not the projects continue after departure. Funding for other projects will be honoured by the government if they are good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.

Leaving the EU means we will want to take our own decisions about how to deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding. Over the coming months, we will consult closely with stakeholders to review all EU funding schemes in the round, to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best serve the UK‘s national interest, while ensuring appropriate investor certainty.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate the cost of a single ticket to any destination served by High Speed 2.

Andrew Jones

The business case for HS2 assumes the same fares structure as today. It is too early to set individual fares for HS2 services, which will begin operation in 2026.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will amend his policy on proposed increases to business rates in order to help augment the speed of broadband roll-out.

Mr Marcus Jones

Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have proposed a £3.4 billion transitional relief scheme to ensure that no ratepayer is unfairly penalised by the 2017 revaluation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to repeal the EU directive on the artist’s resale right after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson

The Government has no current plans to repeal the Artist’s Resale Right Regulations 2006, but keeps the matter under review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual cost is of retaining each of his Department’s 15 golf courses.

Mark Lancaster

This information is not held.

The money spent on running golf courses is not separately identifiable from the operating costs of the site as a whole.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will allow the completed High Speed 2 railway line to be open access as opposed to restricted by franchise.

Andrew Jones

The Government is considering how best HS2 services should be provided both when operating on the new High Speed and conventional rail networks. This includes consideration of franchising options but does not rule out alternative routes for service delivery, to ensure that services deliver the Government objectives for HS2, and optimum use is made of total capacity across the entire network to maximise the benefits for passengers and secure a return for taxpayers on the significant investment Government is making in HS2. No final decision has been taken.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on her policy on Tech City UK.

Matt Hancock

We are working to assess the effect of the decision to leave the EU on all parts of the UK digital sector. Tech City UK has been successful in supporting the growth of thriving digital clusters across the UK and they are an important partner in ensuring that we continue to support the sector as we prepare to leave the EU. We are drawing on their insight into the needs of digital businesses and start-ups across the UK to help ensure we get the best deal for the future of the digital sector, and for the wider economy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to review regulations on food and drink packaging after the UK leaves the EU.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

The Government is developing its 25 Year Environment Plan, part of which will consider our regulations for resources, waste and recycling.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-01-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many residences classified as social housing (a) do not have access to superfast broadband, (b) have connections slower than 10 Mbit/s and (c) have connections slower than 2Mbit/s; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Government is on target to deliver access to superfast broadband for 95% of all UK premises – including social housing – by December 2017, and to extend coverage beyond that as far as possible. We do not hold a breakdown of this information by housing tenure centrally, however this investment is benefiting all types of housing, as well as businesses, and we are proud to be delivering on this critical piece of infrastructure as set out in our manifesto.

Currently, superfast broadband is available to almost 90 per cent of homes and businesses in the UK – up from 45 per cent in 2010. Around 5 per cent of UK homes and business are currently experiencing connection speeds below 10 Mbit/s.

Having reduced the proportion of all UK premises with speeds less than 2 Mbit/s substantially from 11% in 2010 to around 1% in December last year, we have now implemented our commitment of having at least 2 Mbit/s per second basic broadband available to all homes and businesses.

All premises which are not currently scheduled to get an increase in speed to at least this level are eligible for a subsidised satellite broadband service that can deliver speeds of 10Mbps or more.

The Prime Minister has also announced the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) which is set at 10 Mbit/s. This new broadband USO will give people the legal right to request an affordable broadband connection, at a reasonable cost threshold, no matter where they live. We will be consulting on these proposals shortly.