The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2014, Official Report, column 291W, on Royal Mail, for what reasons the underwriters’ discretionary fee has not been paid.
Michael Fallon
No decision has been made on the payment of this discretionary payment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many meetings the Minister of State for (a) Business and Enterprise, (b) Universities, Science and Skills and (c) Skills and Enterprise has had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser in the last 12 months.
Mr David Willetts
As was the case under previous administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-03-31.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish regular information on the level of his Department’s target impairment for student loans.
Mr David Willetts
This Department does not set a target for impairment of student loans. Our reforms were designed to put higher education on a sustainable footing. Universities are now well-funded and this is driving up the quality of the student experience and helping to stimulate economic growth, while keeping access to higher education free at the point of entry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the cost was of the recent triennial review of the Research Councils.
Mr David Willetts
The cost of the review primarily relates to the salary costs of review team members, who undertook the review as a corporate objective alongside their existing responsibilities. On average, the review team spent around 10% of their weekly core work hours on the review across its duration. There were additional costs associated with the extensive stakeholder engagement and in year awards to review team members to recognise their personal contribution in completing the review. These awards are consistent with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ (BIS) In-Year Awards policy of recognising and rewarding contributions to business performance and demonstrating the BIS values.
The estimated maximum total cost to BIS of the review team is £81,350, which represents 0.002% of total Research Council funding.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to increase the proportion of girls taking separate science at GCSE.
Elizabeth Truss
The number of girls taking separate science GCSEs increased between 2010 and 2013 from 53,000 to 74,800 (41%) in biology, from 51,400 to 73,600 (43%) in chemistry and from 50,700 to 73,200 (44%) in physics. Girls now make up approximately 49% of all those taking each of the separate sciences, compared to approximately 45% in 2010.
The Government is committed to increasing take-up of separate science GCSEs, including increasing the proportion of girls as part of its commitment to improve overall take up of STEM subjects at A level and beyond.
The “Your Life” Campaign, launched in May 2014, brings together business, educators, civil society and government to show how science and mathematics leads to exciting, successful careers. This will include a publicity campaign aimed at 14-16 year olds, which will aim to change the way they think about science-based subjects from boring, specialist and niche to empowering, exciting, enabling and for everyone.
We are funding the Triple Science Support Programme to provide intensive support to schools with either no take-up or relatively low take-up of all three separate science GCSEs, and more general support to all other schools. We are also funding the Stimulating Physics Network to increase progression to physics A level, especially of girls. Much of the work the network does focuses on improving engagement and interest of pupils in physics at GCSE.
Excellent teaching is vital and we are offering bursaries worth up to £20,000 and teacher training scholarships worth £25,000 to recruit more specialist science teachers. We are also funding up to 50 local science learning partnerships to provide CPD for existing science teachers.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills funds the STEM Ambassadors programme, a nationwide network of over 27,000 volunteers from industry and academia, 40% of whom are women, who work with schools across the UK to raise awareness of the range of careers that STEM qualifications can offer.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-03-31.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, at what stage in the sell-off process student loans will be defined as currently subject to a sale for the purposes of revaluing impairments.
Mr David Willetts
Student loans are classified as Loans and Receivables and are carried in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts at amortised cost in accordance with International Accounting Standards (IAS 39). Student loans are reviewed annually at the balance sheet date for any objective evidence of impairment, and the value is adjusted as necessary. This is not impacted by the sale process. In accordance with the standard, the classification of student loans will not change following initial recognition. Any gain or loss on disposal will be reported in the annual accounts following sale completion.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what reports on the management, financial conduct and teaching standards at the Park View Education Trust he has requested since the school became an academy.
Mr Edward Timpson
The allegations made in relation to Park View Educational Trust in Birmingham are very serious and are being investigated. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, made a statement to the House on 9 June 2014 on the allegations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress his Department has made on increasing the number of women in engineering roles.
Mr David Willetts
BIS funds or supports a range of activities aimed at increasing the number of women in science and engineering roles. 55% of National Science and Engineering Competition prize winners were girls, as was the UK Young Engineer of the Year 2014.
BIS also funds STEMNET to run the STEM Ambassadors programme: a nationwide network of over 28,000 volunteers who visit schools to inspire young people, act as role models and bring STEM career opportunities to life. 40% of STEM Ambassadors are women. 91% of UK state secondary schools accessed STEM Ambassadors between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014.
BIS is also part of the ‘Your Life’ campaign that is designed to boost participation in science, technology, engineering and maths at school and beyond. Over 180 leading businesses and institutions have pledged to do more to highlight the career opportunities open to those studying STEM subjects, committing to create over 2000 new entry level positions including apprenticeships, graduate jobs or paid work experience posts.
As one of our pledges under the Your Life campaign, on 12 June 2014, my Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Skills and Enterprise (Matthew Hancock) announced £30 million funding to increase the supply of engineers, to encourage more women into the sector and to address engineering skills shortages in smaller companies. The fund will enable engineering companies to establish training programmes to develop future engineers and boost the number of women in the profession. £10 million of the fund will be directed to a call to ‘Developing Women Engineers’ and £10 million to a call to ‘Improving Engineering Careers’.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-03-31.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his Department’s current target impairment for student loans is; how such a level was decided on; when this target was introduced; and what change there has been in this target since its introduction.
Mr David Willetts
This Department does not set a target for impairment of student loans. Our reforms were designed to put higher education on a sustainable footing. Universities are now well-funded and this is driving up the quality of the student experience and helping to stimulate economic growth, while keeping access to higher education free at the point of entry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when (a) he and (b) officials in his Department first heard about allegations of misconduct at the Park View Educational Trust.
Mr Edward Timpson
The allegations made in relation to Park View Educational Trust in Birmingham are very serious and are being investigated. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, made a statement to the House on 9 June 2014 on the allegations.