Tag: John Spellar

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Mr Mark Francois

Public procurement policy is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office through the Crown Commercial Service.

The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of people leaving the armed forces are still unemployed six months after the end of their service.

Mark Lancaster

UK Service personnel with four or more years’ Service who voluntarily left the Armed Forces in Financial Year 2014-15 (the latest statistic available) and used the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) services had the following estimated employment outcomes, up to six months after leaving:

Service	Employed %	Economically Inactive %	Unemployed %
Royal Navy	89% (1,950)	7% (160)	3% (70)
Army	84% (6,560)	9% (690)	7% (510)
Royal Air Force	83% (1,710)	14% (290)	4% (70)
Total Average %	85% (10,220)	10% (1,150)	6% (640)

Notes: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not record the training outcomes of Service leavers. The following categories of personnel have been included in the definition of those leaving Service voluntarily; those reaching the end of their engagement; those giving notice to terminate and those medically discharged. Figures include all Service leavers who used the Career Transition Partnership, less Early Service Leavers (this includes those with less than four years’ service and those compulsorily discharged). The numbers and percentages for employment outcomes cannot be summed together, as the unemployment figures were calculated on a different population to the employment and economically inactive figures. All totals and sub-totals have been rounded and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

For Early Service Leavers (ESL i.e. those with less than four years service or those compulsorily discharged irrespective of length of Service), the Future Horizons Programme (FHP) for ESL was introduced on 1 October 2013. Between 1 October 2013 and 31 March 2014 approximately 33% of eligible personnel participated in FHP. During Financial Year 2014-15 some 62% of eligible personnel participated in the Future Horizons Programme. Prior to the establishment of FHP all ESL were entitled to unit level support as part of standard MOD policy.

From 1 October 2015, the resettlement provision for ESL is termed CTP Future Horizons. Official statistics on the six-months post-discharge employment status of ESL who used CTP Future Horizons will be published in January 2017 as part of the CTP official statistic.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of financial controls and reporting systems for charities in response to the liquidation of Kids Company.

Mr Rob Wilson

In the light of the events surrounding Kids Company the Cabinet Office has launched a detailed review of how it makes grants under Section 70 of the Charities Act. The review is considering the criteria used to assess risk and is developing a proposal for a new and more rigorous approval process. The review will also take into account recommendations made by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school leavers in (a) Warley constituency and (b) Sandwell who went to university in the last five years for which figures are available were (i) entitled and (ii) not entitled to free school meals.

Joseph Johnson

Information is given on the number and percentage of students completing key stage 5 study (A level and other level 3 qualifications) in mainstream state-funded schools and colleges, before progressing to study at a UK higher education institution for at least two terms the following year, in each of the last five years for which information is available. Free school meal eligibility is as recorded when students were in Year 11.

The table below show figures for the Warley constituency for the years 2010/11 to 2014/15. Numbers of pupils are shown rounded to the nearest ten, in line with how published information was shown in these years. Percentages are calculated using unrounded figures.

In each of the last five years, 20 to 60 students in the Warley constituency (rounded to the nearest ten), who had been eligible for free school meals in Year 11 and completed key stage 5 study, progressed to higher education. This compares to between 140 and 190 students who had not been eligible for free school meals. Due to the small numbers of students involved, these proportions have varied year on year.

Comparable information on pupil destinations for Sandwell is published annually at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-destinations

	Number of students completing KS5		Number at UK Higher Education Institution		% at UK Higher Education Institution (calculated on unrounded figures)
	(rounded to nearest 10)		(rounded to nearest 10)
	FSM	Non-FSM	FSM	Non-FSM	FSM	Non-FSM
2014/15 (2013/14 KS5 cohort)	90	300	60	190	65%	65%
2013/14 (2012/13 KS5 cohort)	70	340	40	190	57%	56%
2012/13 (2011/12 KS5 cohort)	60	250	30	140	56%	56%
2011/12 (2010/11 KS5 cohort)	90	280	60	180	65%	63%
2010/11 (2009/10 KS5 cohort)	40	210	20	150	47%	70%

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent representations his Department has received about exit fees from retirement homes and villages; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals to regulate such fees.

Brandon Lewis

Following representations on this issue and an investigation by The Office of Fair Trading (now the Competition and Markets Authority) in 2013, my Department passed this issue to the Law Commission to investigate in 2014. Their remit was to consider the problems caused by exit fees, consider whether greater protections were needed, and to make recommendations to Government. The Law Commissioners issued a consultation, which is due to close on 29 January; I would urge all interested parties to respond to this.

Once the Law Commission has completed its work the Government will consider any recommendations and respond as appropriate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Mr David Jones

Consistent with Managing Public Money principles, the Department for Exiting the European Union will ensure its purchasing policies represent value for money, are compliant with legal and international obligations, and follow Government policies and standards on public procurement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the future of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Penny Mordaunt

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary will continue to provide front line logistical support that is scaled to meet our current and projected commitments. In addition, a shipbuilding programme is under way to deliver four TIDE Class tankers as well three new Future Solid Support Ships announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that her Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Nick Gibb

The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.