Tag: Jim Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on the consultation on the revised junior doctors’ contract; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt

After the British Medical Association (BMA) left negotiations in October 2014, the Government asked the independent Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) to make recommendations on a new contract for junior doctors. The DDRB report published on 16 July considered evidence from employers, Government, the British Medical Association (BMA) and other interested parties and made recommendations on a new pay structure for doctors and dentists in training.

The Secretary of State accepted the recommendations of the DDRB as the basis for implementing a new contract and invited the BMA to re-enter negotiations to take forward the recommendations with NHS Employers. Although the DDRB accepted the principles of the reforms there remained significant work to finalise and agree the details of the contract and it was expected that these would be agreed between the parties on the basis of a negotiation. It is disappointing that on 13 August the BMA announced that it would not re-engage in negotiations based on the independent report and absented itself from participating in making important design decisions on the new contract.

The Government cannot accept that a Trade Union should have a veto on making changes to an outdated employment contract that the BMA agreed urgently needed reform. The Department has therefore asked NHS Employers to take forward the work of developing a new employment contract without the BMA. NHS Employers are arranging to consult with junior doctors and other interested stakeholders directly and will shortly launch a series of roadshows across the country. The Government would still welcome the BMA re-entering the negotiation.

The new contract will prioritise safe care by strengthening safeguards on doctors’ working hours and reward junior doctors more fairly for the work they do. No financial savings will be made from implementing the new contract. It will be finalised in the new year and is due to be implemented from August 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the performance of Pearson VUE in delivering skills tests for prospective teachers on behalf of his Department.

Mr David Laws

As the current contractor delivering the skills test for prospective teachers, Pearson VUE reports weekly to officials on day-to-day delivery against agreed service levels. Pearson VUE is also appropriately engaged in handover of the service to the new contractor.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government’s proposed reforms to A-levels will entail that students will have to decide which subjects they wish to continue to A-levels at the beginning of Year 12 rather than later in that year.

Mr Nick Gibb

As the first new A levels become linear from 2015, the AS will be entirely decoupled from the A level, so that the marks do not count towards the final A level grade. Students will still be able to take stand-alone AS qualifications at the end of year 12. This flexibility will help those who are unsure at the start of year 12 which subjects they wish to continue to A level. We expect teachers to help students decide whether it is right to take an AS qualification.

The decoupling of the AS aims to end the routine and automatic external assessment of all students at the end of year 12. We believe this places unnecessary burdens on students and teachers. Those students who have made clear subject choices in year 12 will be able to use AS qualifications to add breadth to their A level studies, but will not be required to take them in all subjects.

Schools should, as now, use their own assessments to enable students to understand how they are progressing and support them to decide what qualifications to take.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number and (b) value of arms export licences issued for Israel in the last year.

Anna Soubry

The Government publishes comprehensive information about export licences granted and refused on gov.uk.

The Government has granted 167 licences for export of military goods and technology to Israel in the last year.

Of these 163 were for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) with a value of £18,596,344 and 4 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs).

OIELs are generally not limited by quantity or value and therefore we are unable to give a figure for the value of the goods that might be exported under OIELs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-01-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total funds provided by Government for (a) corporate welfare grants and support schemes and (b) tax forgone.

Mr David Gauke

The Government offers a wide range of financial support to business through different grants and tax reliefs. For example the Regional Growth Fund has so far committed £2.6 billion of support to over 400 awards which are expected to deliver £16 billion of private sector investment and 573,000 jobs.

Overall Government grants and reliefs serve to support UK businesses to invest and grow, generating jobs and economic growth. Business investment has grown 26% since early 2010, there are more people in work now than ever before, and the IMF have forecast the UK as having the fastest growing economy in the G7 in 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government’s proposed reforms to A-levels, if she will bring forward safeguards to prevent students making uninformed decisions about their subject choices and being limited as to the degree they can apply for at university as a result of having to make subject decisions at the beginning of Year 12.

Mr Nick Gibb

Schools have a duty to secure independent careers guidance for students in years 8 to 13 [1]. This should include supporting students to make informed choices about the subjects and qualifications that will support progression to university.

New A levels will become linear from 2015. Students will still be able to take stand-alone AS qualifications at the end of year 12. This flexibility will help those who are unsure at the start of year 12 which subjects they wish to continue to A level. We expect teachers to help students decide whether it is right to take an AS qualification.

Universities set their own admission requirements and are best placed to advise students on the A level subjects needed for particular degree courses. The Russell Group has published a guide to post-16 subject choices called ‘Informed Choices’[2]. This includes advice on the best subject combinations for a wide range of university courses. The guide also identifies the A level ‘facilitating subjects’ that are required more often than others, and which can help students to keep more options open.

The Department for Education recently announced that this year’s key stage 5 performance tables would include a measure showing the percentage of A level students attaining AAB or higher in two or more ‘facilitating subjects’, as a standard of academic rigour [3].

[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/careers-guidance-for-young-people-in-schools

[2] www.russellgroup.ac.uk/informed-choices/

[3] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download/Statement_of_Intent_2014.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings he has had with (a) Israeli and (b) Palestinian officials in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

In the last year, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has held three meetings with Israel officials and two meetings with Palestinian officials. He also visited Israel and the OPTs in July 2015. I have also held numerous meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials, and visited the region last October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-01-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of government financial support to business through grants and tax forgone.

Mr David Gauke

The Government offers a wide range of financial support to business through different grants and tax reliefs. For example the Regional Growth Fund has so far committed £2.6 billion of support to over 400 awards which are expected to deliver £16 billion of private sector investment and 573,000 jobs.

Overall Government grants and reliefs serve to support UK businesses to invest and grow, generating jobs and economic growth. Business investment has grown 26% since early 2010, there are more people in work now than ever before, and the IMF have forecast the UK as having the fastest growing economy in the G7 in 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish a list of all free schools that are planned to open in September 2014 that still have places available before they reach their planned admission number; and how many places at each such school are currently available.

Mr Edward Timpson

Information about the number of children on roll in free schools will be collected during the January school census and published in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from charities and patients’ groups on the future of the Cancer Drugs Fund; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman

The Department has received a number of representations on this issue from a wide range of interested parties including hon. Members, noble Lords, patient representative groups and charities, the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare professionals.

This Government is committed to continuing to invest in the Cancer Drugs Fund which has helped over 72,000 people in England to receive the life-extending cancer drugs that would not otherwise have been routinely available to them.