Tag: John Spellar

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

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

Matthew Hancock

The Government is committed to doing all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts in line with our current international obligations. To this end we are seeking to ensure the huge purchasing power of government supports the task of boosting growth, and enables us to actively shape the UK market for the long term.

We are providing industry with visibility of up to £191bn of potential procurement opportunities across 19 sectors. In addition, we are working with businesses to identify and address any key capabilities needed to meet future demand; actively helping them to remove barriers and supporting growth through additional benefits that boost exports and drive innovation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to hold urgent discussions with her French counterparts on border controls at Dover and other British ports.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Home Secretary met with her French counterpart, Interior Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, on Tuesday 30 August.

The two nations committed to a number of specific steps, including:

Further securing the ports and tunnel in the region – Britain has already provided around £85 million to reinforce security;

Addressing humanitarian challenges in Calais, where around 7,000 migrants are now gathered – including 5,000 without housing;

Continuing to work together to return illegal migrants in Calais who are not in need of protection;

Bringing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to the UK when in their best interest.

A joint statement from both governments after talks reaffirmed the commitment to working together to strengthen the security of our shared border, and to preserve the vital economic link supported by the juxtaposed controls in Calais.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many requests have been made to the DVLA for vehicle owner addresses in the last 12 months by private parking companies.

Andrew Jones

Requests to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for vehicle keeper data can be made electronically or manually by post.

In 2015, 3,623,724 requests for vehicle keeper data from private parking companies were made electronically. A further 253,500 requests were made manually by post. The figure for manual requests includes enquiries from private parking companies and other organisations or individuals who can demonstrate reasonable cause for needing the information.

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

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

Harriett Baldwin

In 2013, HM Treasury outsourced the majority of its procurement and commercial services to Crown Commercial Service.

All procurement activity is undertaken reflecting policy direction communicated via Procurement Policy Notes as issued by Cabinet Office, as well as the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason the Government made a decision to use French steel for the new Trident submarines.

Harriett Baldwin

Steel for the Successor submarine programme is sourced by the Prime Contractor, BAE Systems. There was no viable UK bid for the specialised steel required for this part of the Successor submarine manufacture.

Other stages of construction will include grades of steel manufactured by British suppliers and we expect them to take the opportunity to bid.

85% of BAE System’s supply chain for the new submarines is based in the UK.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of new HGV drivers who will be required in each of the next five years.

Andrew Jones

The Department is working with other parts of Government to encourage and enable more people to become lorry drivers, including via apprenticeships and action related to Jobcentre Plus.

The Department is taking steps to ensure that the increased demand for driving tests is accommodated through recruiting driving examiners and providing increased numbers of test appointments.

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.