The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children were aged under five in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years.
Mr Nick Hurd
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 Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of pupils in each age group participate in the Cultural Passport scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Cultural Passport scheme was launched as ‘Artsbox’ in February of this year. The programme is run independently of DCMS by Trinity College London, and therefore the Department does not hold the information requested. DCMS welcomes this initiative which allows children and young people to share their creative work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of schools in England provide the minimum level of cultural education proposed in Appendix A of Cultural Education: a summary of programmes and opportunities, published in July 2013; and if he will make a statement.
Elizabeth Truss
The Department for Education does not collect data on the number or proportion of schools in England providing the minimum level of cultural education proposed in Appendix A of Cultural Education: a summary of programmes and opportunities. Nor does the Department collect data on what proportion of pupils, of any age, have received the minimum level of cultural education it proposes.
The levels of cultural education the Appendix proposes are not mandatory, but are included as a point of reference for schools.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of pupils aged (a) seven, (b) 11, (c) 16 and (d) 18 or 19 years have received the minimum level of cultural education proposed in Appendix A of Cultural Education: a summary of programmes and opportunities, published in July 2013; and if he will make a statement.
Elizabeth Truss
The Department for Education does not collect data on the number or proportion of schools in England providing the minimum level of cultural education proposed in Appendix A of Cultural Education: a summary of programmes and opportunities. Nor does the Department collect data on what proportion of pupils, of any age, have received the minimum level of cultural education it proposes.
The levels of cultural education the Appendix proposes are not mandatory, but are included as a point of reference for schools.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with UN Women about the abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014; and if he will make a statement.
Mark Simmonds
Since the abduction of the Nigerian school girls on 14 April, we have focused our efforts on working with the Nigerian Government to locate and secure the release of the girls. We have made no representations to UN Women about the case. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement condemning the schoolgirls abduction on 16 April.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to (a) the UN and (b) any UN agency on the abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014.
Mark Simmonds
Since the abduction of the Nigerian school girls on 14 April, we have focused our efforts on working with the Nigerian government to locate and secure the release of the girls. We have discussed the issue with officials from counterpart members of the UN Security Council in New York. On 7 May, I spoke with UN Special Representatives (SR), Zainab Bangura (UN SR for Sexual Violence) and Leila Zeroughi (UN SR for Children and Armed Conflict), to discuss what more the UN can do to help.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many schoolgirls were abducted in Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014; and what reports he has received on their current location.
Mark Simmonds
Approximately 230 schoolgirls were taken. A small number appear to have escaped or been released. There is no confirmation of the current location or condition of those still being held. Most reports suggest the girls were initially taken to the Sambisa forest, where insurgents are believed to have a number of camps. The girls may have now been split into several smaller groups.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014 at the next European Union meeting of Foreign Ministers.
Mark Simmonds
We expect the next Foreign Affairs Council to focus on Ukraine. Nigeria is not currently on the agenda. Our High Commissioner in Abuja has discussed the abductions with his EU colleagues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last discussed with his Nigerian counterpart the recent abduction of schoolgirls in that country; and when he next intends to raise this issue.
Mark Simmonds
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) spoke to Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on 18 April about the case. The Foreign Secretary expressed the UK’s sympathies about this outrageous crime and offered UK assistance to Nigerian efforts to recover the girls.
Officials at our High Commission in Abuja have met their Nigerian security and military counterparts regularly since the abductions and have repeated the Foreign Secretary’s offer of assistance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support the Nigernian government in its efforts to protect schools in north-eastern Nigeria and to re-open schools that have closed for security reasons.
Lynne Featherstone
DFID is supporting the Nigerian government to reduce instability in the north-east of Nigeria, helping to provide a more stable and secure environment for schools to operate. This approach includes DFID Nigeria’s Stability and Reconciliation Programme which promotes conflict resolution and supports local organisations to tackle violence against women and girls. DFID also supports the Presidential Initiative for the North East which is promoting economic recovery and meeting basic needs, including education.
DFID’s education programme operates in eleven states in Nigeria, including the north-eastern state of Bauchi. Here DFID is working with UNICEF and the state government to improve girls’ access to better education.