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 converter schools have been graded (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) requires improvement and (d) inadequate in each year since 2012.
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 2016-05-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Rural Payments Agency has made in payments related to the European School Milk Scheme in each region and constituent part of the UK in each year since 2005.
George Eustice
The attached table shows the total UK amounts taken from the annual European accounts for each year from 2005 to 2016. The amounts in the table are the payments made to the organisations that supply milk to schools, which have been claimed back in full from the European Commission by the RPA.
In years 2005 and 2006 the Rural Payments Agency were required to produce the accounts in GBP currency and in years 2007 and later, were required to produce accounts in euro currency to comply with Regulation 883-2006.
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2005 |
6,695,400.64 |
|
2006 |
6,552,414.56 |
|
Total£ |
£13,247,815.20 |
|
2007 |
8,204,965.56 |
|
2008 |
7,893,693.21 |
|
2009 |
7,553,825.13 |
|
2010 |
7,292,814.68 |
|
2011 |
1,900,066.83 |
|
2012 |
4,753,174.39 |
|
2013 |
4,525,499.84 |
|
2014 |
4,382,584.46 |
|
2015 |
4,325,618.91 |
|
Total € |
€ 50,832,243.01 |
The figure for 2011 is a result of a repayment made by the Department of Health, where a decision was taken to fund the cost of the nursery milk provision entirely from their own budget. This resulted in the RPA claiming less from the European Commission that year only.
A breakdown by region and constituent part of the UK could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-09-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the contribution of Scottish Gaelic language to British culture and the creative industries.
Matt Hancock
We recognises the important contribution Gaelic language makes to British culture and the creative industries. The Heritage Lottery Fund recently provided £4 million funding to reopen Lews Castle where over 20 community heritage societies have come together to shape the way the story of the Outer Herbrides is celebrated and shared. Interpretation is in Gaelic first with English subtitles throughout the museum.
UK Government and its agencies are committed to working with the Scottish Government to help the creative industries continue to grow in Scotland, through the provision of broadband and mobile infrastructure, fiscal incentives, export promotion, advocacy and facilitation and the provision of official statistics.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with regard to the amendment letter to the Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Government for Financial Assistance, signed on 19 March 2015, whether her Department has a list of the eligible beneficiaries of the PEGASE support programme; and if she will make a statement.
Rory Stewart
The list of vetted civil servants is held by the European Union. DFID has access to this list on request. The list of eligible beneficiaries is subject to a vetting process that includes screening against international and ad hoc sanctions lists, covering a large number of different risk categories including terrorism financing.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of people who have paid more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company handling their claim in each of the last three years; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent those companies from taking commission of more than 24 per cent.
Sir Oliver Heald
Information on the number of people who have lost more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company (CMC) handling their claim is not held centrally.
Our priority is to protect consumers who choose to use CMCs. We have consulted on proposals to cap the level of fees that CMCs providing financial claims services can charge consumers. These proposals aim to help consumers get more of the compensation due to them. We are carefully considering the consultation responses and the Government will publish its response in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of how effectively pupil premium funding is used by schools to support disadvantaged highly-able pupils.
Mr Sam Gyimah
The department recently published ‘Supporting the Attainment of Disadvantaged Pupils: Articulating Success and Good Practice’[1]. This is independent research on the effective use of the pupil premium, carried out by National Foundation for Educational Research.
On the basis of this report, the department published ‘Supporting the attainment of disadvantaged pupils: briefing for school leaders’[2], which reinforces the importance of supporting more able disadvantaged pupils to meet their potential.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many illegal money lenders Illegal Money Lending Units prevented from operating in 2015.
Nick Boles
According to the National Trading Standards Annual report 2014/15, the England and Wales illegal money lending teams commenced 365 operations into 756 suspected money lenders in 2014/15.
In the same period 42 individuals were charged or had proceedings instituted against them for illegal money lending in England and Wales. Trading Standards Scotland referred a further 9 individuals to the Procurator Fiscal for illegal money lending in 2014/15.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the recruitment target for the Future Teaching Scholars programme is for 2015-16.
Nick Gibb
The Future Teaching Scholars programme is currently recruiting high achieving A level students, with the aim of securing up to 110 scholars to start the programme in the academic year 2016-17.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) level of use by single parents of the Jobcentre Plus Flexible Support Fund.
Priti Patel
The Department has not conducted any specific evaluation work on the use of Flexible Support Fund for single parents.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Attorney General, if he will take steps to ensure that at the point of sentencing all available information on previous offences committed by the person to be sentenced is made available to the court.
Robert Buckland
It is vital that all relevant available information on previous convictions and sentences (antecedents) is made available to the court that passes sentence. This allows the court to pass a sentence commensurate with the seriousness of the offence taking account the offender’s previous convictions. There are already procedures in place to ensure this
The Crown Prosecution Service, or other prosecuting authority in the case, obtains relevant antecedents and previous convictions from the police so that it is available for service on the court, with further copies being served on the defence and Probation Services. It is the responsibility of the prosecution advocate to ensure that the information required is made available to the court at any sentencing hearing.
The Criminal Practice Directions [2013] EWCA Crim 1631 prescribe minimum standards for the provision of antecedent information in the magistrates’ and Crown Court. There is an additional requirement in the Crown Court for brief details of convictions likely to be of interest to the court to be made available prior to sentence being imposed.