Tag: Julian Sturdy

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure assessment centres for work capability assessment and personal independence payment consultations are fully accessible to people using different kinds of mobility assistance devices.

Penny Mordaunt

All assessment centres meet accessibility standards under the Equality Act 2010.

Before attending an assessment, claimants are given the opportunity to alert the assessment provider to any additional requirements they may have and the providers will endeavour to meet any such reasonable requests.

If a claimant is unable to travel to, or access an assessment centre as a result of their health condition or impairment, a home visit may be offered.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what cross-departmental steps he has taken to produce a plan of action to reduce pregnancy discrimination and better support pregnant women and new mothers in the workplace.

Nick Boles

Officials from this Department have participated in round table meetings with stakeholders which have been organised by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), following publication of interim findings of research into pregnancy and maternity related discrimination. The independent research, the largest of its kind to be undertaken in Great Britain, was jointly funded by Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the EHRC. The Interim findings were published in July 2015 and can be found at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0 . The final report is due to be published later this year.

These meetings and the research findings will inform the EHRC’s recommendations to Government. The EHRC recommendations will in turn inform the Government response.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the farming industry of the potential impact on rural businesses of the proposed changes to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

Rory Stewart

The changes referred to do not amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. The changes made are to the ‘Environmental Guidance On Waste Incineration’, which now clarifies that small waste oil burners used to burn waste oil must meet the requirements of Chapter IV of the Industrial Emissions Directive or switch to non-waste fuels. This guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permitting-guidance-the-waste-incineration-directive/environmental-permitting-guidance-waste-incineration.

A consultation on the changes to the guidance was undertaken between 14 September and 26 October last year. A summary of responses can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487892/waste-incineration-consult-sum-resp.pdf.

The impact assessment for the changes to this guidance considered some sensitivities on the price of crude oil with regard to collection fees only. The impact assessment can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487895/waste-incineration-consult-ep-ia.pdf.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has initiated with military charities on minimising duplication of effort and gaps in provision.

Mark Lancaster

The Service Charities Partnership Board (SCPB) is the most senior MOD Forum with charities and is attended by the Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO), The Royal British Legion and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association.

Our structured engagement serves to help identify gaps in current provision and increase coherence. The SCPB meets quarterly chaired by the Chief of Defence People with an annual Ministerial-led meeting attended by a broader spectrum of Armed Forces charities. Armed Forces charities are also represented at the MOD Welfare Conference, Bi-annual Defence Recovery Board, and the Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group.

The MOD continues to pursue a number of initiatives to increase coherence and minimising duplication of effort amongst the many Service Charities, including producing clear strategies in areas such as Mental Health; Wellbeing; and a Families Strategy, which will help provide a clear and better direction to co-ordinate work in these areas as well as helping to identify gaps in the current provision.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with cystic fibrosis in receipt of disability living allowance have been invited to claim personal independence payments (PIP); and how many such people have been awarded PIP for (a) 16 to 18 year olds and (b) people over 18.

Penny Mordaunt

The Department intends to provide detailed breakdowns of DLA to PIP reassessment outcomes in due course. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Vaccine Damage Payment scheme.

Jane Ellison

Policy responsibility for the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme transferred to the Department of Health from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in May 2014 although DWP continues to administer this scheme. The scheme was last revised in 2007 and no assessment of effectiveness has been made since that date.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on waste oil collection services in rural areas of the proposed changes to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

Rory Stewart

The changes referred to do not amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. The changes made are to the ‘Environmental Guidance On Waste Incineration’, which now clarifies that small waste oil burners used to burn waste oil must meet the requirements of Chapter IV of the Industrial Emissions Directive or switch to non-waste fuels. This guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permitting-guidance-the-waste-incineration-directive/environmental-permitting-guidance-waste-incineration.

A consultation on the changes to the guidance was undertaken between 14 September and 26 October last year. A summary of responses can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487892/waste-incineration-consult-sum-resp.pdf.

The impact assessment for the changes to this guidance considered some sensitivities on the price of crude oil with regard to collection fees only. The impact assessment can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487895/waste-incineration-consult-ep-ia.pdf.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the free childcare pilot scheme budget will be ring-fenced from September 2016.

Mr Sam Gyimah

As you may be aware, the Government has allocated £13m to DfE for early implementation, allowing some families to access the additional 15 hour places from September 2016. The Department plans to ring-fence this funding available for early implementers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-09-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps have been taken to ensure that teachers are able to identify the progress of students in (a) English language, (b) English literature and (c) mathematics who will be assessed using the new GCSE grading structure in the summer of 2017.

Nick Gibb

The Department, together with Ofqual and Awarding Organisations, is working closely with schools to help them to understand and be ready for new GCSEs. Sample assessment materials, mark schemes and grade descriptors are all available and will help schools to understand what is required.

Assessment of pupils’ progress is a matter for schools. School leaders and teachers should use their professional judgement to establish their own assessment systems that best support teaching.

From this year, Progress 8, which measures the progress that pupils make across 8 qualifications compared to other pupils nationally with similar prior attainment, will be reported for the first time. Progress in each of the subject elements of Progress 8, including English and maths, will also be published. This new accountability system is a fairer way of measuring school performance and will incentivise and reward the good teaching of all pupils.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Communities and Local Government, on Brownfield Land, Official Report, column 742, when further details of the £1 billion brownfield regeneration fund will be announced; and if he will make a statement.

James Wharton

We announced at the Autumn Statement that the Government is supporting development on brownfield land through a £2 billion Long Term Housing Development Fund to unlock housing development for up to 160,000 homes. This funding will support our key manifesto commitments to create a Brownfield Regeneration Fund and to fund Housing Zones to transform brownfield sites into new housing. At least half of the Long Term Fund will be spent on brownfield projects. The Housing Development Fund will be formally launched in the New Year.