The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academy alternative provision sponsor-led schools have been graded (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) requires improvement and (d) inadequate in each year since 2010.
Nick Gibb
These are matters for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications from academy trusts to use land for purposes other than education have been (a) approved and (b) refused in each year since 2011.
Edward Timpson
The data is not held in the format requested. Any academy wishing to dispose or permanently change the use of its land must obtain the Secretary of State’s consent. However, whilst continuing to hold their land for educational purposes in accordance with their charitable status, academies may allow others to make occasional or limited use of their land, for example, by using this flexibility to play an important role in supporting their local communities.
Only a minority of academies hold the freehold to their sites; the majority lease the land from local authorities and only the freeholder authority would have the power to request the Secretary of State’s consent to either dispose of or permanently change the use of land. The local authority, as the land owner, would also need to seek consent from the Secretary of State should the land be appropriated for other non-educational purposes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when her Department last made a formal assessment of the Palestinian National Authority’s adherence to its commitment to ensure that the human rights of all citizens are respected without exception as set out in the Memorandum of Understanding between her Department and that authority; and if she will make a statement.
James Wharton
The last formal assessment of the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) commitment to the Partnership Principles, including the PA’s commitment to respecting human rights, was carried out in May 2016. Our assessment is that the PA continues to deliver on the Partnership Principles, even under increasingly fragile and volatile conditions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to section 6.5 of the Memorandum of Understanding between her Department and the Palestinian National Authority, whether the implications of any breach of the commitment on human rights was discussed at the annual partnership talks between her Department and that Authority.
Rory Stewart
The UK raised the issue of human rights as part of the FCO-led UK-Palestinian strategic talks and in the DFID- Palestinian Authority (PA) annual talks that review the broader DFID-PA Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with a clear message that we take very seriously any allegations of human rights abuses. The UK assesses that the PA is not in breach of its commitment to respecting human rights.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with care providers on funding the additional costs of introducing the national living wage.
David Mowat
Social care continues to be a key priority for the Government. This is why, against the context of tough public sector finances; the Government has taken steps to protect social care services. The Government is giving local authorities access to up to £3.5 billion of new support for social care by 2019/20. This should mean local government has access to the funding to increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament. This will support councils to continue to focus on core services and to pay fees which reflect provider costs including the National Living Wage.
The Spending Review took into account a range of financial and economic factors, including projections and data on the National Living Wage from the Office of Budget Responsibility and Skills for Care.
Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must have regard to fostering an effective workforce with the appropriate capabilities when shaping their local markets. The Act and its statutory guidance make clear that prices and fee rates agreed with providers must reflect these new duties, including the National Living Wage.
Social care workers play a vital role in our society and it is unacceptable that there are some circumstances where they are not being paid properly. Non-compliance with the National Living Wage is illegal and the Department is working with HM Revenue and Customs to help eliminate it from the home care sector.
The Department has regular meetings with the trade bodies that represent the care sector and is grateful for the information provided that adds to our understanding of financial challenges including the National Living Wage. In addition major providers and associations in the care industry have formed their own taskforce to discuss key issues for the sector. The Department attends as an observer.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the efficiency of West Midlands Police.
Mike Penning
It is the responsibility of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) which is charged in statute with inspecting the efficiency and effectiveness of all police forces in England and Wales. In October 2015 HMIC, rated West Midlands Police as ‘outstanding’ as part of their PEEL Efficiency Inspections.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from (a) landfill operators and (b) environmental bodies on the proposed removal of third party contributions from the Landfill Communities Fund; and whether he plans to change that proposal in response to those representations.
Damian Hinds
Since its introduction in 1996, the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) has contributed over £1.4bn to community projects in areas affected by a local landfill site and the government acknowledges the positive impact of this funding for communities. However, as the LCF is a tax credit scheme, it reduces tax revenues and we therefore have a responsibility to seek value for money for the taxpayer.
Despite difficult decisions on spending, the government has decided to retain and reform the LCF. Following representations on the issue of contributing third parties, the government softened proposals in this area at Budget 2016, and the requirement for a 10% landfill operator contribution has not been set in legislation. However, the government wants landfill operators to make a greater contribution to the LCF, and the regulator of the scheme, ENTRUST, has published guidance setting out this expectation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department used to identify the 312 schools that had been classified as having fallen beneath the floor target in the school performance tables in England for 2014 to 2015, published in January 2016.
Nick Gibb
In 2014/15, 312 schools were below the 5+ A*-C including English and mathematics and expected progress floor standard. Schools were deemed to be below the floor standard if:
From 2016 Progress 8 will replace the existing 5 A*-C headline measure. Progress 8 will show pupils’ progress to a suite of 8 qualifications compared to other pupils with the same starting point at the end of key stage 2. The new measure will reward better teaching of all pupils and make the system of measuring performance fairer for schools.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make applications for EU structural funds for the purposes of alleviating pressure on school places caused by migration from other EU countries.
Mr Sam Gyimah
The Government has no plans to make applications for EU structural funds to support investment in additional school places.
We have committed £23 billion to create 600,000 new school places, open 500 new free schools and address essential maintenance needs between 2016 and 2021. This includes sufficient funding to create the places required between now and the 2021/22 academic year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will ensure that relevant National Probation Service staff attend Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences.
Andrew Selous
The Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) chair or coordinator for each local authority area is responsible for scheduling meetings and notifying partners (including the National Probation Service (NPS)) of cases that are to be discussed. A representative of the NPS attends any meetings where offenders subject to NPS supervision are to be discussed.