The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many staff of his Department will be based in (a) Brussels and (b) Strasbourg; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Robin Walker
A number of staff have joined the Department from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the UK Permanent Representation to the EU (UKRep) will report through DExEU as well.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic effect of High Speed 2 on the local economy in Coventry; and if he will make a statement.
Andrew Jones
Much of the research on the impacts of HS2 on specific areas of the UK so far has focussed on the HS2 named cities such as Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and London. However, to build an understanding of the potential for HS2 to contribute to balanced economic growth in the UK, The HS2 Phase 2 West Midlands to Crewe Economic Case, published in 2015, apportioned the estimated social benefits of the project to different regions. The West Midlands was estimated to receive 14% of the benefit of the full ‘Y’ network in 2037. Coventry, located close to the planned HS2 Birmingham Interchange station, can be expected to benefit from faster journey times through the high speed network as well as released capacity on the classic network.
Early research published in the HS2 Regional Economic Impacts report in 2013 attempted to estimate the gross GVA effects of HS2 on the West Midlands economy in 2037 and produced an illustrative estimate of between £1.5bn and £3.1bn of additional output per annum (in 2013 prices). We continue to refine the methodology of how we assess regional economic impacts and build evidence on the contribution which HS2 could make to creating sustainable and balanced economic growth.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his policy is on the export of UK arms to Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement.
Mark Garnier
The Government’s policy has always been to rigorously assess all licence applications on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so would be a breach of the Criteria, including if there was a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.
The framework for arms export licensing remains as set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent research her Department has commissioned on the effect of academic selection at age 11 on the educational attainment of children from the poorest backgrounds; and if she will make a statement.
Nick Gibb
The Department has reviewed a wide range of external research and evidence on the impact of academic selection, including research on the impact of selection on the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils.
The evidence shows that grammar schools provide a good education for those who attend them. Grammar school pupils outperform those of similar ability in comprehensive schools and they also make more progress than other pupils with similar primary school results. Nearly 78 per cent of high ability pupils achieve the English Baccalaureate at grammar school, compared to just over 52 per cent at comprehensive schools, and the attainment gap for disadvantaged students in grammar schools is practically eliminated
This evidence is based on the existing system of grammar schools. We are proposing significant changes to the requirements placed on selective schools to ensure that they raise standards for all pupils as part of a diverse schools system.
Our proposals will help deliver a school system that works for all children and offers parents genuine choice by increasing the number of good and outstanding school places.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the retail sector on alternatives to non-recyclable coffee cups; and if she will make a statement.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
This Government remains committed to recycling and will be consulting widely on our plans for resources, waste and recycling in developing our 25 Year Environment Plan. I have had a number of discussions with a range of stakeholders in drawing up our plan; as part of these discussions, companies will raise ideas about new products or treatments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) missions flown and (b) air strikes the armed forces have conducted within Iraqi territory in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
Mike Penning
From 1 October 2015 to 25 October 2016 the UK conducted 1,991 combat missions over Iraq. Broken down by month these are:
|
Typhoon FGR4 |
Tornado GR4 |
Reaper MQ9 |
|
|
2015 |
|||
|
October |
0 |
45 |
61 |
|
November |
0 |
52 |
62 |
|
December |
47 |
72 |
56 |
|
2016 |
|||
|
January |
48 |
72 |
74 |
|
February |
49 |
73 |
54 |
|
March |
55 |
53 |
55 |
|
April |
48 |
46 |
56 |
|
May |
51 |
52 |
66 |
|
June |
50 |
46 |
71 |
|
July |
51 |
44 |
66 |
|
August |
39 |
46 |
61 |
|
September |
33 |
44 |
63 |
|
October |
41 |
38 |
51 |
|
Total |
512 |
683 |
796 |
During 1 October 2015 – 25 October 2016 the UK has conducted a total of 784 airstrikes within Iraqi territory. These are detailed as follows:
|
2015 |
|
|
October |
18 |
|
November |
57 |
|
December |
86 |
|
2016 |
|
|
January |
97 |
|
February |
60 |
|
March |
67 |
|
April |
70 |
|
May |
69 |
|
June |
77 |
|
July |
44 |
|
August |
42 |
|
September |
51 |
|
October |
46 |
|
Total |
784 |
These strike numbers are constantly reviewed and updated by the Coalition to ensure records are as complete and as accurate as possible. As such, past and future statements regarding statistics may differ to those given here.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from mental health charities on the adequacy of mental health provision in NHS services; and if he will make a statement.
Alistair Burt
Ministers and Departmental officials regularly meet with various stakeholders, including charities, to discuss how to improve mental health services in the NHS. We will continue to seek opportunities to enhance the charitable sector’s valuable role in providing support to people with mental illness and their carers and families.
The independent Mental Health Taskforce, which is chaired by the Chief Executive of Mind, brings together health and care leaders and experts in the field, including people using services, to lead a programme of work to create a mental health Five Year Forward View for the NHS in England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to the public purse of private agency supply teacher services in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
Nick Gibb
Schools, academiesand local authorities are responsible for recruiting and managing their supply teachers and whether or not they use private supply agencies.Supply agency costs are a private commercial arrangement between schools, or local authorities, and individual supply agencies.
Agency supply teacher spend data at national and local authority level is available in the following publications:
For maintained schools – ‘Expenditure by Local Authorities and Schools on Education, Children and Young People’s Services: 2013-14’ (Table 3), at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-education-and-childrens-services-spending-2013-to-2014.
For academy schools – ‘Income and expenditure in academies in England: 2013 to 2014’ (Raw data SATS table) at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-and-expenditure-in-academies-in-england-2013-to-2014.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) complaints and (b) investigations into complaints made by civil servants against special advisers in her Department there have been in each of the last five years; and how many such (i) complaints and (ii) investigations are outstanding.
Karen Bradley
We have no records of any complaints against or investigations into Home Office Special Advisers in the last five years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many counter-terrorism personnel were employed in the West Midlands in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
Mr John Hayes
For security reasons we do not publish a breakdown of counter-terrorism budget or staffing by region.