Tag: Justin Tomlinson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the efficacy of grammar stream programmes in comprehensive schools.

Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to enabling all children to fulfil their potential by delivering a school system that works for everyone.

The Department has not commissioned any recent research to look at the specific benefits or effects of streaming by ability in comprehensive schools. However, we do know that the vast majority of schools choose to stream by ability over the core subjects.

There are indications that this approach benefits higher-ability pupils. For example, the Educational Endowment Foundation (EEF) evidence review[1] found that on average studies showed that higher attaining pupils make one to two additional months’ progress when set or streamed compared to when taught in mixed ability groups. The EEF found that high attaining pupils benefit from different kinds of grouping, including pull-out classes, accelerated classes and moving up a year.

[1] https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/setting-or-streaming/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of automated ticket machines in ensuring that rail commuters are always offered the lowest fare.

Paul Maynard

Rail passengers should always be able to get the best deal and the industry must work harder to make this a reality. Train operators have made some improvements and passengers are benefiting from better on-screen information at some stations but there has got to be improvement right across the network. I have raised this with the Rail Delivery Group that represents all train operating companies as there is clearly more to be done.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have plans to undertake customer focused research and analysis of ticket vending machines with findings and next steps to be published in Spring 2017. This follows their recent Annual Rail Consumer Report (June 2016), which identified issues with existing ticket vending machines. We support this work by the ORR in its role as consumer regulator and will continue to challenge the industry to address the issues and make improvements as soon as possible.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the extent to which sport and group activities are prescribed by clinicians as a form of treatment.

Nicola Blackwood

This information is not held centrally by the Department.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of the success of the London 2012 Olympic Games on the success of the competitors at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Tracey Crouch

The London 2012 Olympic Games were a huge success with sold-out venues and the best British performance for over 100 years in winning 65 medals. The Games left a legacy of increased participation and world-class sporting venues which are now being used by our elite athletes as well as local communities.

The commitment from the Government immediately following the London 2012 Olympic Games to confirm and sustain Exchequer support for the UK Sport World Class Programme was a significant moment in underpinning the success of Rio, providing UK Sport, and the National Governing Bodies of sport, with the necessary financial support to invest in medal success across the Olympic and Paralympic sports.

I am confident that this success will continue at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, and through to Tokyo in 2020 and beyond. Since 2012, UK Sport funded athletes have given back over 18,000 days visiting schools and local projects as part of our commitment to inspire the next generation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much pupil premium funding has been received by schools in (a) North Swindon constituency, (b) Swindon and (c) England in each of the years since its inception.

Edward Timpson

Information on the amount of pupil premium funding is available in the final pupil premium allocations, which are published on the department’s website. Links to the data for each year since the pupil premium was introduced are provided below. The information is available by parliamentary constituency, local authority and nationally.

2016 to 2017: www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-conditions-of-grant-2016-to-2017 – click on ‘Pupil premium final allocations 2016 to 2017 by local authority area and region in England’

2015 to 2016: http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2015-to-2016-allocations#history

2014 to 2015: www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2014-to-2015-final-allocations

2013 to 2014: www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2013-to-2014-final-allocation-tables

2012 to 2013: www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-funding-tables-2012-to-2013

2011 to 2012: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130123124929/http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/settlement2012pupilpremium/a0070267/dsg-and-pupil-premium-allocations-for-2011-12

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when her Department plans to publish its green paper on reform of the law supporting victims.

Dr Phillip Lee

We have committed to introduce measures to further increase the rights of victims. It is important that we take the time to get this right and we will announce our plans in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made in implementing smart ticketing across the rail network; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Maynard

We want smart tickets to be available to passengers across the entire rail network providing them with more convenience and choice. By the end of the year the South East Flexible Ticketing programme will have introduced smart ticketing on five of the major London and south east rail operators. In the North of England, we have committed £150m to support Transport for the North (TfN) in its plans to introduce smart ticketing.

The Rail Delivery Group have brought the rail industry together to agree a long-term vision and it is critical that rail operators collaborate and share ideas to make this vision a reality. Through franchising competitions we are supporting the rail industry to develop and deliver modernised ticketing by setting challenging requirements for bidders, ensuring that customers benefit from a 21st century option. Many rail travellers are familiar with using the orange magnetic stripe ticket and I will ensure that this is not withdrawn until alternatives are in place that offer a user experience with which all travellers are comfortable, particularly vulnerable customer groups.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that examples of best practice in care and support for people with mental health conditions is shared across the country.

Nicola Blackwood

The Department works with its arm’s length bodies and a wide range of other Government departments and bodies, including non-statutory organisations and professional bodies to pilot, develop, implement and share best practice in the care and support for people with mental health conditions. Best practice is shared through the gov.uk website, through guidance and engagement with our stakeholders and collaboration with the organisations mentioned above to share best practice through their resources.

The Department funds a wide-range of healthcare research including through the National Institute for Healthcare Research programme. Findings and outcomes from this research are published.

Referral to treatment guidelines have been developed with the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, which include best practice examples. In addition, for Children and Young People, mental health investment has been made in clinical network capacity to bring local areas together to share current practice and there is regular interaction with the clinical networks, so good practice can be shared between regions. These guidelines are published on the National Collaborating Centre for Mental health’s website:

http://www.nccmh.org.uk/ab_cgs_at_a_glance.html

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to support the library service in England.

Mr Rob Wilson

I am responding as Minister with responsibility for Libraries policy.

The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires the Secretary of State to superintend, and promote the improvement of, the public library service provided by local authorities in England, and to secure the proper discharge by local authorities of the functions in relation to libraries as conferred on them as library authorities.

The Government invested £2.6m in 2015/16 to install and upgrade WiFi in over 1,000 libraries in England. This means that WiFi is now available in over 99% of public libraries in England.

In addition, the Government and the Local Government Association established the Libraries Taskforce in 2015. The Taskforce has already published Toolkits and case studies to assist local authorities and consulted on “Ambition”, a draft vision for public libraries. This will provide a range of practical and innovative options local authorities can deploy to maintain and transform our library services. I expect to see local authorities working with Government and their local communities to consider these options, and to ensure library services are sustainable for the long term.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to incentivise universities to attract more students to take courses in areas which are identified as having a skills shortage.

Joseph Johnson

We want everyone with the potential to benefit from higher education to be able to do so. We will provide student finance for those studying part-time for a second degree in any Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subject. We also announced in the Autumn Statement of 2015 that we are introducing new part-time maintenance loans from the academic year 2018/19, in order to support the cost of living while studying on part-time courses.

To promote retraining and prepare people for the future labour market, we are also reviewing any further gaps in support for lifetime learning, including for flexible and part-time study. We are also supporting growth in degree apprenticeships and have made a £10m Development Fund available to help universities and partners, including further education colleges, to help higher education providers to meet employer demand.