Tag: Nicholas Soames

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

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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 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support he is giving to EU proposals to provide sea access to Gaza.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The EU, with UK encouragement, has examined a number of options to encourage an easing of movement and access into and out of Gaza. This includes the possibility of EU assistance in establishing a sea-link from Gaza to another international port, currently envisaged in Cyprus. The UK and EU have consistently called on the Government of Israel to ease movement, including at sea, and will continue to do so. We have also been pushing for an increase in the size of the fishing zone off the coast of Gaza, in line with the limit of twenty nautical miles stipulated in the Oslo accords. On 10 September, during Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu’s visit to the UK, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr David Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Runnymead and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), emphasised the importance of improving access to Gaza.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will merge the Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex police forces.

Mike Penning

Any request from police forces to merge would be considered where it is supported by a robust business case and has local consent. It is the role of directly elected local Police and Crime Commissioners to propose changes to local policing, not central government. It is not necessary for police forces to merge in order to become more efficient. Existing legislation places a strong duty on Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to collaborate in the interests of efficiency and effectiveness. Many are demonstrating that they can collaborate without sacrificing local accountability and identity. For example, Sussex and Surrey are already working together on collaborations that include a joint IT solution, procurement, major crime, forensics, firearms and fleet.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much (a) revenue and (b) capital funding was provided to per pupil in state (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in Devon (A) in cash terms and (B) at 2015 prices in each financial year since 2005-06.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Average per pupil revenue funding figures for Devon are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.

Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:

Average revenue per pupilfunding (cash)	2005-06 (baseline)	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13
Devon LA (£)	3,560	3,800	4,050	4,220	4,430	4,680	4,600	4,600

These are in real terms using September 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:

Average revenue per pupil funding (real)	2005-06 (baseline)	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13
Devon LA (£)	4,370	4,530	4,700	4,770	4,880	5,010	4,850	4,770

Per pupil figures use DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.

The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks (namely schools, early years and high needs) means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The table below shows the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for Devon LA.

DSG schoolsblock per pupil funding (£)	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-2016
Devon LA (cash)	4,156	4,156	4,342
Devon LA (real) [1]	4,215	4,156	4,299

^[1] Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 30.09.15.

Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:

Pupil Premium per pupil (£)	2011-2012	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-2016
Free School Meal Pupil Primary	£488	£623	£953	£1323	£1320
Free School Meal Pupil Secondary	£488	£623	£900	£935	£935
Service Children	£200	£250	£300	£300	£300
LookedAfter Children	£488	£623	£900	£1900[2]	£1900[2]

^[2] Also includes children adopted from care.

Total Pupil Premium allocations for Devon local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:

Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions)	2011-2012	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-16 (prov.)
Devon	5.486	11.161	17.221	22.942	23.220

These figures in real terms:

Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions)	2011-2012	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-16 (prov.)
Devon	5.786	11.559	17.467	22.942	22.990

Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30.09.2015.

The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.

Devon £m	Capital allocations
2005-06	30.5
2006-07	53.0
2007-08	68.1
2008-09	56.8
2009-10	71.6
2010-11	31.8
2011-12	31.1
2012-13	37.5
2013-14	48.4
2014-15	42.3
2015-16 (prov.)	10.2

Notes:

• Capital allocations includes capital grant and supported borrowing allocations.
• Figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000.
• Funding in 2015-16 is still subject to project progress and is therefore subject to change. The funding figures provided for 2015/16 only include formulaic programmes and payments to date. Further funding is yet to be released for capital programmes dependent upon project progress and this has not been reflected in the figures.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library a copy of the framework agreement between her Department and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Rory Stewart

The Framework document between Defra and Kew is currently in draft. Defra and Kew are working in line with the draft Framework document, which sets out how the bodies work together but is not legally binding. Defra is looking at how it works with its arm’s length bodies and this may inform the finalisation of the document.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s chart of account.

Mr David Lidington

From 1 April 2016 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will use the Government-wide Common Charter of Accounts, which is already in the public domain and can be found on www.gov.uk.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department spent on each international subscription in each financial year from 2000-01 to 2014-15.

Mr David Lidington

This information is already publically available. Our spend on international subscriptions has been listed under ‘Programme’ in our Annual Report and Accounts each financial year from 2000-01 to 2014-15. Our Accounts since 2004-05 are available on www.gov.uk; Accounts for earlier years are available in hard copy in the Parliamentary Library and can also be accessed on the FCO pages at webarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk.