Tag: Helen Jones

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the threats facing the Baltic states; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Julian Brazier

The 2014 Wales Summit, under UK leadership, delivered an effective and united response to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and its actions in Eastern Ukraine.

NATO has agreed to strengthen its defence and deterrence posture to provide further reassurance to Allies and deter Russian aggression.

In February 2016 Defence Ministers agreed to address specific concerns raised by the Baltic States and Poland. Ahead of the Warsaw Summit in July, work continues within the Alliance to determine the size and scale of an enhanced forward presence in the East. The proposed measures are proportionate, defensive in nature, and not a threat to Russia, but demonstrate unequivocally the unity within the Alliance and the continued commitment of all Allies to the NATO principles of collective defence and security.

A UK contribution will ultimately be shaped by what is agreed by all Allies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will discuss with Marks and Spencer PLC its plans to introduce changes to pay and conditions for staff working at nights and weekends associated with the introduction of the new national minimum wage.

Margot James

Provided that they obey the law and pay their workers at least the National Living Wage where it applies, it is for employers to decide how they manage increases in their wage bill.

But it is my clear view that all employers look to implement the National Living Wage in the spirit in which it was introduced. The Government believes that it is essential for employers to ensure that their reward packages are competitive, in order to retain and develop the staff who are fundamental to their success.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-11-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount which the proposed apprenticeship levy will raise in (a) Warrington and (b) the North-West.

Greg Hands

Apprenticeships are a cornerstone of our skills system. The levy will drive growth in quality and quantity in apprenticeships and further details will be set out at the Spending Review. Provisional information shows that there have been 6,470 apprenticeship starts in Warrington North since May 2010. There have been over 78,000 apprenticeship starts in the North West over the same period with a 51% increase in starts from 2009/10 to 2013/14. The levy will ensure we can build on that success over the next five years by putting the funding of apprenticeships in the hands of employers in the North West.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students from Warrington North constituency are in receipt of maintenance grants while pursuing a course in higher education.

Joseph Johnson

Statistics showing the number of English applicants awarded Maintenance Grants are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’.

http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx

Data provided by the SLC indicates that there were 760 applicants from Warrington North Parliamentary Constituency awarded Maintenance Grants in the academic year 2014/15. An awarded applicant will only receive payments once SLC have received confirmation from the applicant’s provider that the student has been registered on the course.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Fire and Rescue Services have trained staff who can act as first responders; how many such staff have received training.

Mike Penning

The Department does not hold this information centrally. The responsibility for ensuring relevant training is undertaken rests with individual fire and rescue authorities in consultation with local ambulance services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals he has visited on Saturdays and Sundays since his appointment; and on what dates such visits were made.

Jane Ellison

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the National Health Service, and is on call and briefed on relevant events seven days a week, including public holidays. He routinely works on Departmental business at the weekends, which includes attending meetings, visiting frontline services and carrying out official engagements where relevant.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools have opened in areas where there are surplus places in the age range covered by the school in each year since 2010.

Edward Timpson

Every free school has been approved for opening in response to either the need to provide extra school places for the future, the need to provide parents with greater choice or the need to provide more high quality places. Of the open mainstream free schools reported in School Capacity data in May 2015, all of which were approved prior to January 2014, seven in ten were approved in areas where there was a basic need for additional school places.

85% of mainstream free schools approved since January 2014 – the majority of which have not yet opened – are in areas where School Capacity data showed there was a basic need for additional school places. The remaining 15% were approved on the basis of more recent local authority intelligence of future need for places; in areas where there was a need for additional high quality places or to create additional choice or diversity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (a) when and (b) by whom the decision was taken to withdraw funding for the NHS retirement fellowship; and what evidence on the health benefits of fellowship activities was considered prior to that decision being made.

Mr Philip Dunne

Health Education England (HEE) has, for the last two years, provided funding on behalf of the system to the NHS Retirement Fellowship. The funding was provided in support of the work they do for former employees of the National Health Service, however, the funding was always intended to be transitional support and not a guaranteed grant year on year. Like all publicly funded bodies, HEE is having to review its financial commitments and in turn, has prioritised funding for the education and training of the future workforce.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to encourage more teachers with qualifications in English and mathematics to take up posts in further education colleges.

Nick Boles

Our Further Education Workforce Strategy[1] published in 2014 sets out the steps government has already taken to encourage more teachers with qualifications in English and Mathematics to take up posts in further education colleges.

Since 2013, bursaries of up to £25,000 have been available to attract new graduates with relevant degrees to teach English and Mathematics, and to specialise in teaching students with SEN within the FE sector. To date, over 950 bursaries have been provided to graduates. The government is committed to supporting the development of the teaching workforce in FE and has invested over £30m since 2013 to fund a range of programmes and incentives to improve the quality of leadership, teaching and support staff in the sector – with a priority on English and Maths.

Furthermore, 3,800 existing FE teachers have benefited from enhancement programmes designed to improve teacher confidence and knowledge of new GCSE English and Maths qualifications.

Further information on Further Education teacher training can be found in the ‘Get into Teaching’ website[2] and FE advice websites[3].

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-workforce-strategy

[2]https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/

[3] https://www.feadvice.org.uk/

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to allocate two unique reference numbers to schools which have designated provision within the school for the purpose of differentiating results for that provision and the whole school.

Edward Timpson

We have no plans to allocate two unique reference numbers to schools which have designated provision within the school. Disaggregating the results of children in designation provision from the results of children in mainstream schooling in performance data would be at odds with the principle of inclusivity.

I refer the Right Honourable MP to my response to PQ 23155, submitted to Parliament on Friday 22 January 2016, in which I explained that disaggregating results in this way would create incentives to place children in designated provision regardless of whether or not that was in their best interest.