Tag: Nicholas Soames

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-23.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the One Public Estate programme; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock

In 2013, the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association came together to launch the One Public Estate programme, a pioneering initiative designed to support central and local government to work collaboratively on land and property solutions.

It brings together all public sector bodies within a locality to work together in developing a radically new approach to managing their land and property. By pooling data on their asset holdings and developing joint plans to share property and release surplus land and buildings for other uses, the programme is designed to:

• Deliver significant savings for the taxpayer,
• Provide better, more integrated local services, in places which are more convenient for users; and
• Release land and property which can be reused for housing and new enterprise, boosting local jobs, growth and house-building.

Two years on, the programme has already shown that, with small levels of investment and support, a great deal can be achieved. The 12 pilot areas that joined the programme in year 1 expect to cut running costs in the order of £21 million and to raise £88 million in capital receipts by 2018, as well as creating 7,500 new homes and 5,500 new jobs.

An additional £6m was announced at Summer Budget to expand the programme, with larger partnerships of councils and more ambitious schemes. 126 councils, working in 29 partnerships, have applied to join a third phase of the programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are being taken to ensure that schools in West Sussex are delivering educational excellence.

Nick Gibb

Provisional information on the latest Key Stage 2 results in West Sussex and other local authorities is published as part of the “National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2015 (provisional)” release[1].

These indicate that 77% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 80%. This is down from 78% in 2013/14.

In the same year, 21% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 5 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 24%. This is down from 22% in 2013/14.

Since the phonics check was introduced in West Sussex, the proportion of children who achieve the expected standard has risen each year to 73% in 2015. This remains, however, below the national average of 77%.

Standards in some West Sussex schools are currently too low. I have therefore written to West Sussex County Council, asking them to set out their plans to improve results, so that more children in West Sussex receive the standard of education to which they are entitled.

This is part of our national plan to raise standards, by setting higher expectations in our curriculum and qualifications; creating a self-improving school system; and promoting strong school governance through academies and free schools. We are also committed to making sure schools are funded fairly so all pupils have access to a good education – a key part of our core mission ensure every child reaches their full potential.

[1] 2014/15 provisional local authority level tables can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456135/SFR30_2015_KS2_LA_Tables.xls

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of brownfield land is controlled by central government departments.

Brandon Lewis

The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold this information.

The Housing and Planning Bill will require local authorities to have a statutory register of brownfield land that is suitable for housing, improving the availability and transparency of up-to-date information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of Key Stage 2 results in West Sussex.

Nick Gibb

Provisional information on the latest Key Stage 2 results in West Sussex and other local authorities is published as part of the “National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2015 (provisional)” release[1].

These indicate that 77% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 80%. This is down from 78% in 2013/14.

In the same year, 21% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 5 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 24%. This is down from 22% in 2013/14.

Since the phonics check was introduced in West Sussex, the proportion of children who achieve the expected standard has risen each year to 73% in 2015. This remains, however, below the national average of 77%.

Standards in some West Sussex schools are currently too low. I have therefore written to West Sussex County Council, asking them to set out their plans to improve results, so that more children in West Sussex receive the standard of education to which they are entitled.

This is part of our national plan to raise standards, by setting higher expectations in our curriculum and qualifications; creating a self-improving school system; and promoting strong school governance through academies and free schools. We are also committed to making sure schools are funded fairly so all pupils have access to a good education – a key part of our core mission ensure every child reaches their full potential.

[1] 2014/15 provisional local authority level tables can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456135/SFR30_2015_KS2_LA_Tables.xls

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will issue an updated National Asset Register.

Greg Hands

The decision to stop the publication of a National Asset Register was made before the first publication of the Whole of Government Accounts for 2009-10. The Chancellor of the Exchequer considers public spending measures as part of the spending review process and will present his spending review to the House on 25 November.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Community Right to Bid scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

Since introduction in 2012, uptake of the Community Right to Bid has increased year-on-year. More than 2,600 much loved assets are now listed across the country, including nearly 900 pubs; and 150 assets have been transferred into community ownership.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy (a) officers and (b) rating recruits of each branch, specialisation and arm joined from foreign navies in each financial year from 2005-06 to 2014-15.

Mr Philip Dunne

To determine if recruits to the Royal Navy have previously served in other nations’ navies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of Royal Navy (a) officers and (b) ratings in each branch, specialisation and arm were unavailable to be deployed in each year from 2005-06 to 2014-15.

Mark Lancaster

The information is not held in the format requested. However, the number and proportion of Naval Service officers and ratings in each branch who were categorised as non-deployable as at April of each year from 2010 is provided below. Information is not available prior to 2010.

All totals are rounded in accordance with the Defence Statistics rounding policy.

	Branch	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Officer	Engineer	10	20	20	20	30	30
		1%	1%	1%	1%	2%	2%
	Logistics	10	10	10	~	10	10
		2%	1%	3%	1%	2%	2%
	Medical	10	10	10	10	20	10
		1%	2%	2%	3%	4%	3%
	Royal Marines	~	10	10	10	10	20
		1%	1%	1%	2%	1%	2%
	Warfare	30	30	20	30	30	30
		1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%
Rating	Engineer	300	320	280	350	270	280
		1%	3%	3%	4%	3%	2%
	Logistics	170	170	160	170	100	110
		2%	5%	6%	6%	4%	5%
	Medical	50	50	30	40	30	40
		1%	6%	4%	5%	4%	5%
	Royal Marines	280	260	320	260	160	150
		1%	4%	5%	4%	2%	2%
	Warfare	260	290	280	290	150	150
		4%	4%	4%	5%	3%	3%

All numbers are rounded to the nearest 5 with numbers that would be round

to 0 represented by ‘~’.