Tag: Nigel Evans

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department provides to small rural hospitals in England to ensure that health services are available as close to the public as possible.

    Norman Lamb

    Responsibility for the commissioning of local NHS services lies with clinical commissioning groups. Small rural and community hospitals have a key role in contributing to more integrated care through better out-of-hospital care at local level for frail older people and people with long-term conditions.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the proportion of student loans that have been issued in the last five years that are expected to be repaid in full.

    Mr David Willetts

    Our modelling indicates that, under the pre-2012 system, around 60% of students will fully repay their loans. For the post-2012 system this figure is around 40%. These figures relate to the proportion of students with loans. The RAB charge is a different calculation, which estimates the proportion of the entire student loan book that will not be repaid.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of local authorities have had their core strategy approved to date; and how many such strategies were approved on the first submission.

    Nick Boles

    Our streamlined National Planning Policy Framework strongly encourages areas to get up-to-date Local Plans in place, and we have been actively supporting councils in doing so. Local Plans set the framework for planning decisions, whether locally or at appeal, and put councils in the best place to decide development in their area.

    As of 30 May 2014, 54% of local authorities have adopted a core strategy. 77% have at least reached publication stage. In May 2010, only 17% of local authorities had adopted a core strategy.

    The examination process tests the submitted plan to ensure that it is sound. Following the Localism Act 2011, independent Planning Inspectors report to the local authority and identify any conflicts between the submitted plan and national policy and regulatory process. Councils are able to suggest their own modifications for assessment by the Inspector during the examination, as well as making minor non-material changes themselves. They can also ask the Inspector to recommend changes. The council is then free to choose to accept the Inspector’s recommendations and adopt the plan, or resubmit a new plan.

    This approach is aimed at encouraging a more collaborative process as the public examination proceeds. We have encouraged Inspectors to be pragmatic in making recommendations that will allow early adoption of sound plans which meet national policy requirements.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the UK attended faith schools in the latest year for which figures are available.

    Mr David Laws

    Education is a devolved matter and data on pupils held by the Department for Education refers to schools in England only. Information on pupils attending state-funded schools in England is collected via the school census. Information on pupils attending independent schools is collected via the school level annual school census. The latest data is for January 2014.

    In January 2014, the proportion of pupils that attended schools with a religious character declared on Edubase was (a) 50% in Ribble Valley constituency, (b) 45% in Lancashire and (c) 26% in England.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of passport applications made in the last 12 months have been processed within (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 working days.

    James Brokenshire

    Her Majesty’s Passport Office sets out expected turnaround periods for the
    handling of passport applications based on the type of application and the location from
    which the application has been made. Straighforward applications are expected
    to be dealt with within three weeks and non-straightforward applications within
    six weeks. A minimum period is set out for dealing with overseas applications
    on a country by country basis. Details of expected turnaround periods are set
    out at www.GOV.UK.

    In the period from June 2013 to May 2014, 44.9% of straightforward passport
    applications were processed within 5 working days, 90.6% within 10 working days
    and 99.2% within 15 working days.

    In the same period, 24.3% of non straightforward passport applications were
    processed within 5 working days, 59.8% within 10 working days and 79.6% within
    15 working days.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what change there has been in police dog numbers in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the UK in the last five years.

    Damian Green

    The Home Office does not hold this information centrally.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she plans to increase the UK’s humanitarian contribution to Iraq.

    Justine Greening

    As I announced on Saturday, the UK is providing an initial £3 million of emergency humanitarian assistance to help civilians fleeing the ISIL advance in Northern Iraq. Following an assessment of needs on the ground by DFID humanitarian experts who deployed to Erbil last Thursday, this includes:

    (i) – Activation of the UK’s Rapid Response Facility (RRF), which provides emergency support via pre-approved organisations in the event of a humanitarian crisis overseas. This initial package of UK support comprises clean water and sanitation, essential medicine, women-friendly hygiene kits and basic household items, which will be provided from £2 million of RRF funding to NGOs in the region.

    (ii) – Protection for vulnerable girls and women through the deployment of dedicated UN safety and welfare teams in key internally displaced person and refugee camp sites and areas, secured through £1 million of funding to the UNHCR.

    The UK will continue to monitor the situation closely and we are considering urgently what other assistance we could provide.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents are in arrears to the Child Support Agency in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the UK.

    Steve Webb

    The Child Support Agency (CSA) administers the 1993 and 2003 Statutory Child Maintenance Schemes in Great Britain.

    The latest area breakdown available for the number of CSA cases with arrears is available as at the end of the quarter to December 2013 and has been provided in the table below:

    Ribble Valley1

    Lancashire1,3

    GB2

    Dec-13

    1,700

    36,000

    1,277,000

    Notes:

    1. Figures rounded to nearest 10.

    2. Figures rounded to nearest 100.

    3. Lancashire consists of the following Local Authorities: Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, RibbleValley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre.

    4. Caseloads have been allocated to a Local Authority and Parliamentary Constituency by matching the residential postcode of the parent with care for all cases administered on the CS2 and CSCS computer systems and cases managed off system, to the Office for National Statistics Postcode Directory.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received on steps to encourage more firms to offer apprenticeships for the long term unemployed.

    Matthew Hancock

    No recent representations have been received on steps to encourage more firms to offer Apprenticeships for the long term unemployed.

    Despite that, we are taking forward action to do so. Apprenticeships play a vital role in equipping people to lead successful and rewarding working lives, and are a key pathway into work. Apprenticeships and the introduction of Study Programmes for the 16-19 age group are at the heart of our drive to equip people with the skills that employers need. Traineeships, which we introduced last year, provide an education and training programme with work experience, focused on giving young people aged 16-23 the skills and experience they need to get Apprenticeships and other sustainable jobs.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimates have been made for the net financial benefit to the pub industry of the reduction in beer duty in the 2014 Budget.

    Nicky Morgan

    Budget 2014 cut the tax on a typical pint of beer by one penny. This will support pubs as the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimate nearly two thirds of the alcohol sold in pubs is beer. After the beer duty cut at Budget 2013, a BBPA survey suggested 76% of their members increased their investment and 61% employed more staff.

    Some pubs have diversified away from beer and these pubs will benefit from the duty on ordinary cider and spirits being frozen this year, as well as from ending the wine duty escalator.