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Tag: Matthew Offord

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the number of local authorities which have adopted powers under the London Local Authorities Act 2007 to re-use graves where burial rights have been extinguished since that Act came into force.

    Simon Hughes

    The Ministry of Justice has not made an estimate of the number of grave spaces created since the introduction of the London Local Authorities Act 2007 or the number of local authorities who have used powers under the Act to re-use graves. However, as the Ministry of Justice has responsibility for burial law and policy, I am keeping the issue of burial space under active review including considering what legislative changes might be necessary to address a shortage of graves.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the universal credit local support services framework supports claimants who may require extra support in accessing universal credit.

    Esther McVey

    We recognise that some people will need help with the new demands of UC. This could include understanding the new system, help with getting online, and help with managing on a monthly budget and paying rent.

    Central to the Local Support Service Framework is the “Delivery Partnerships Approach” under which DWP and local authority managers and service providers (such as Social Landlords and Charities) will work together to agree upon delivery of services at the local level. This will enable the provision of a joined-up, holistic service for claimants with complex needs and a “coherent claimant journey” for helping the claimant move from welfare dependency. Wherever appropriate, this may also result in work readiness for each claimant.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his priorities are for renegotiating UK membership of the EU.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Government’s priorities are to reform the EU so that it is more flexible, competitive and democratically accountable. We want to see further deepening of the Single European Market, especially in services; an ambitious and sustained drive to cut red tape, and successful free trade negotiations with the United States, Japan and other countries. We are also seeking greater powers for groups of national parliaments to block or review EU legislation; an end to benefit tourism, and the development of Economic and Monetary Union in a way that safeguards the interests of countries which have chosen not to join the Euro. The Government has already made progress in delivering reform, including cutting the EU budget for the first time and securing reforms of the Common Fisheries Policy that include a ban on discards and a shift to the regional and local management of fisheries.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterpart on further steps to prevent benefit tourism.

    Esther McVey

    Ministers and officials are in regular dialogue with the European Commission and other Member States about the coordination of social security in the European Union. DWP Ministers and officials have met with a number of their European counterparts in recent months to discuss mutual matters of interest where reforms to the social security coordination system have been discussed.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the additional financial contributions made by parents to top up care for children with statements of special educational need.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education has not made such an estimate. Where a child has a statement of special educational needs (SEN), it should detail the provision that the child requires to meet their SEN. The local authority has a duty to ensure that the provision set out in the statement is made.

    Where a parent feels that the provision specified in a statement is no longer sufficient, they can request a reassessment. They can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability against any decision not to re-assess, or if they do not agree with the provision set out in the resulting statement.

    The Children Act 2014 makes provision for education, health and care plans (EHC plans) to replace statements. EHC plans will cover the full range of the child’s needs. They will be subject to the same protections and rights of appeal as statements. In addition there will be a new duty on health commissioners to arrange health provision set out in the EHC plan.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on what date the Legal Aid Agency first informed Aman Solicitors that its bid was successful for a contract to provide publicly-funded immigration services in Luton in the 2010 tender round.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    These questions relate to ongoing litigation against the Lord Chancellor and in the circumstances it would be inappropriate to respond at the current time.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many bids to the Legal Services Commission for a contract to provide publicly-funded immigration services were rejected as incomplete in the 2010 tender round.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    These questions relate to ongoing litigation against the Lord Chancellor and in the circumstances it would be inappropriate to respond at the current time.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which firm had its award of a contract to provide publicly-funded immigration services withdrawn in the 2010 tender round.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    These questions relate to ongoing litigation against the Lord Chancellor and in the circumstances it would be inappropriate to respond at the current time.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) asylum and (b) non-asylum New Matter Starts were awarded to the firm that had its award of a contract withdrawn in August 2010.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    These questions relate to ongoing litigation against the Lord Chancellor and in the circumstances it would be inappropriate to respond at the current time.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the planning system gives priority to creating additional school places.

    Nick Boles

    The Government recognises the importance of building new schools. The National Planning Policy Framework therefore makes clear the importance of planning for new school development in order to ensure that a sufficient choice of school places is available. The Government has also introduced additional permitted development rights to allow the change of use from some existing buildings to a state funded school.