Tag: Helen Jones

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to restrict the amount that mobile telephone companies and other communication providers can charge for the provision of a Porting Authorisation Code to customers; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Industry rules require mobile telephone companies to provide mobile number portability (the ability to transfer a mobile phone number) to customers within the shortest possible time, and the Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) must be issued over the phone, or by text message, within two hours of a customer’s request. Companies are permitted to make reasonable charges for providing number portability, but those charges should be based on the costs of providing the PAC and should not disincentivise customers from switching. In general, mobile telephone companies do not charge customers for requesting or issuing a PAC, nor for the process of switching a customer to another provider. However, some service providers may make a termination charge, if for example a customer terminates a contract before the expiry of the minimum contract term, or if the customer changes provider before they have served out any required minimum notice period for termination (usually 30 days). The Government is committed to making it easier and quicker for consumers to switch services enabling more customers to obtain better value from their mobile service provider and fully supports Ofcom’s interim findings in the recent digital communications review. This includes Government efforts encouraging industry on a voluntary basis to remove/reduce charges for handset unlocking for consumers at the end of their contracts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the feasibility of banning the advertising of junk food before the 9pm watershed; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley

The Government’s Childhood Obesity Strategy, will look at everything that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese. It will set out what more can be done by all. We cannot comment on the contents of the strategy at this stage.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in Warrington which are (a) dependent on and (b) directly related to Britain continuing to maintain an at-sea nuclear deterrent; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence no longer compiles national or regional defence industry employment statistics as they do not directly support policy-making or operations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurse training places were available in England in each year from 2009 to 2015.

Ben Gummer

The following table shows the number of pre-registration nurse training places that were available for each year since 2009.

Nursing	2009/10	2010/11	2011/12	2012/13	2013/14	2014/15	2015/16
Planned	21,337	20,327	18,069	17,546	18,056	19,206	20,033

Source: multi professional education and training budget monitoring returns

Health Education England will formally publish the 2016/17 National Workforce Plan for England in February 2016, this document will include confirmation of the proposed increase in nursing commissions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the reasons for activation of the full capacity protocol at Warrington Hospital’s A&E department in 2015-16; and what effect (a) inability to access GP appointments and (b) reductions in the availability of social care had on the decision to activate that protocol in each such case.

Jane Ellison

It is for the local National Health Service to manage accident and emergency services to ensure access to high quality, safe services for their local populations.

We are making additional resources available to the NHS to deal with increased demand, by backing the NHS Five Year Forward View with £10 billion a year real terms additional funding by 2020-21, compared to 2014-15, with £3.8 billion real terms growth in 2016-17.

Information on ambulance handovers delayed over 30 minutes was published by NHS England in winter daily situation reports each weekday during winter from 2010-11 to 2014-15. Such information is not being published by the NHS in winter daily situation reports for 2015-16. The data can be found using the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evidence she took into account before making it her policy to abolish the right of parents to be represented on school governing bodies; and if she will place copies of such evidence in the Library.

Edward Timpson

The Government’s education White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, published on 17 March 2016, makes it clear that many parents already play a valuable role in governance and that parents will always be encouraged to serve on governing boards. Governing boards have a vital strategic role and need people with the right skills to succeed. We will always encourage parents to serve on governing boards and in many cases academy trusts will continue to find people with the skills and experience they need among parents. Moving from a representational to a fully skills-based governance model means ending the absolute requirement for academy trusts to include two elected parents on the board of trustees (or in the case of multi-academy trusts either on the board or on each local governing body). Many parents will, of course, have relevant expertise and boards will continue to be free to appoint them. Trusts may also retain elected parent trustees if they so wish.

High quality leadership and governance will be vital as we devolve more power to schools. That is why our entire approach from governance, to curriculum, to budgets, has been to give schools the freedom to adapt the model that works best for them.

The Government’s objective is to increase academies’ engagement with parents and for the first time we will be creating a new expectation that every academy puts in place arrangements for meaningful engagement with all parents, to listen to their views and feedback. This is one of a number of policies outlined in the White Paper for enabling parents to be more engaged with their children’s education and compliments more regular surveys of parental satisfaction with their children’s schools, which we will publish. We are also launching a Parent Portal to provide information on school performance, guidance on how the school system works and how to raise complaints. This new website will act as a reliable point of reference for parents so they know exactly how they can get involved in their child’s education.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to prevent mobile telephone providers from imposing long notice periods on customers who are out of contract and wish to move to another provider.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Most mobile telephone providers include terms within contracts that require customers to serve up to 30 days’ minimum notice period in order to terminate a contract, regardless of whether the customer is within the minimum term of their contract or not. Ofcom’s view is that this may be longer than necessary and is currently consulting to make improvements with regards to mobile switching for consumers. In addition, the Government is committed to making it easier and quicker to switch services and fully supports Ofcom’s interim findings in the recent digital communications review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the advertising of junk food on children’s diets and health; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood

Our forthcoming Childhood Obesity Strategy will look at everything that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet will be working over the coming days and weeks to establish their priorities and how we deliver on these commitments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of posts for teaching (a) English and (b) mathematics in further education colleges that are (i) unfilled and (ii) filled by teachers without a qualification in those subjects.

Nick Boles

The Department for Education does not hold this information. The Further Education sector is independent of government and we do not collect information about the numbers of English and Mathematics posts in further education colleges that are unfilled, or filled by teachers without a qualification in those subjects.

Both the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have had ongoing discussions with FE stakeholder organisations about our continued support for an increase in the numbers of well qualified and skilled teachers of English and Mathematics in the sector, as we set out in our FE Workforce Strategy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the removal of bursaries for nurse training on the diversity of the workforce; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the evidence used in making that assessment.

Ben Gummer

The Department plans to issue a public consultation around the end of February 2016. An Equality Impact Assessment will be published alongside the consultation document.