The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy towards the future of the European Youth Orchestra, and the role of the EU in its future.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Last week the commission announced the continuation of the orchestra for a further year, until the end of 2016. British donors and foundations are prominent among its funders, reflecting the generosity of British philanthropy in the arts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people in (i) Leeds North West constituency, (ii) the Leeds City Region, (iii) West Yorkshire and (iv) Yorkshire are paid less than the Living Wage Foundation’s living wage.
Chris Skidmore
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the contractual agreement between her Department and G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Limited at HM Prison (a) Birmingham and (b) Oakwood, how many performance points have been incurred and for what reason those performance points have been incurred in each year from 2012-13 to date.
Mr Sam Gyimah
Well-run prisons are fundamental to the proper functioning of our justice system, and a vital part of our reform plans. Private providers play an important role in the prison estate. Performance of all providers is closely monitored and we will not hesitate to take action where standards fall short.
Prison Contracts set out a strict performance framework, consisting of prescriptive performance targets. Failure by the provider to meet performance targets results in performance points being applied.
Performance points are awarded according to the severity of failure. If the total number of points exceeds the agreed baseline for the performance quarter or year, financial remedies are applied against the Contractor in accordance with the Contract. In certain circumstances financial remedies can also be applied directly, without performance points being accrued. The amount of points awarded therefore cannot always be linked to the value of remedies imposed.
The number of performance points incurred at HMP Birmingham and HMP Oakwood for the reporting years 2012-2013 through to 2015-2016 are as follows.
Data for reporting year 2016-2017 is not yet available as it has not been finalised.
|
2012-2013 |
2013-2014 |
2014-2015 |
2015-2016 |
||
|
Points |
Points |
Points |
Points |
||
|
Birmingham |
Failure to comply with procedures |
0 |
248.9 |
25 |
103 |
|
Incidents |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Failure to comply with prison regime |
135 |
45.71 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Oakwood |
Failure to comply with procedures |
7 |
1.5 |
0 |
0 |
|
Incidents |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Failure to comply with prison regime |
90 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2015-10-29.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish their response to the report of the coroner David Hinchcliff, Inquests Touching the deaths of Christianne Shepherd and Robert Shepherd(Deceased), published on 18 September.
Lord Faulks
The decision whether or not to publish any responses is a matter for the Chief Coroner.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the applicability of new care models in the Five Year Forward view to inflammatory arthritis services.
Jane Ellison
NHS England is working to support and stimulate the creation of a number of major new care models, led by the vanguard sites, which can be deployed in different combinations locally across England. These models are designed to overcome the traditional divide between primary care, community services and hospitals, as well as social and mental health care, which is increasingly a barrier to the personalised, coordinated and integrated services patients need.
Improving continuity of care in this way is particularly relevant for patients with long term conditions (LTCs), such as inflammatory arthritis. A number of the vanguard sites (such as those introducing multispecialty community provider models and integrated primary and acute care system models) are focusing on the care of patients with LTCs. More information can be found at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/futurenhs/new-care-models/
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of the recommendation of the Low Commission to establish a national advice and legal support fund funded through annual contributions from his Department, the Cabinet Office, the Big Lottery Fund and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Mr Shailesh Vara
The Ministry of Justice welcomes the work done by the Low Commission in producing its reports and recommendations, and we recognise the importance of advice being available in all contexts.
As the Justice Secretary said in June, we want to create a one nation justice system, and we are considering how this can be taken forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on research showing that e-cigarettes can cause cardiac damage.
Jane Ellison
There have been no such discussions.
The Department recognise that e-cigarettes can help smokers quit, and in August 2015, Public Health England published a review of the evidence, which concluded that they are significantly less harmful to health than cigarettes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how long the review on blood donations by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs is expected to take.
Jane Ellison
The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) is carrying out a review of blood donor selection criteria. Currently a working group is being formed. The process will fully involve stakeholders, similar to the previous 2011 SaBTO review, and contacting stakeholders inviting their contribution to the review will begin imminently. The terms of reference will include input from stakeholders and be published once approved by SaBTO which will be at their next meeting. The review will be holistic and evidence relating to the risks of blood-borne infections in people who have previously injected drugs or received money or drugs for sex will be included. The review will be incremental, with published progress reports and any intermediate advice.
It is anticipated that the group will publish its final report in 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of nuisance calls which appear to be from local numbers but which are being forwarded elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Based on an analysis of reported concerns, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has previously estimated that approximately 12% of nuisance calls carry ‘spoofed’ Calling Line Identification (CLI), but this does not mean that all the calls have originated from overseas. The Government has recently consulted on making it a requirement for direct marketing callers to provide valid CLI. The Government plans to bring this measure into force in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the conclusion in the report from Sense, entitled Making the case for play, published in February 2016, that a misguided interpretation and approach to health and safety is creating a barrier to accessing play settings and activities for children with multiple needs.
Mr Sam Gyimah
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given on 11 April to PQ 32244, which I have also set out below:
The government recognises that play is essential for children’s development and this is covered in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework. Play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning, and the EYFS is clear that “practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child in their care… to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the areas of learning and development.” Health and safety should not create a barrier to accessing play activities for children with multiple needs.
The staff working in early years settings as Early Years Educators (level 3) and Early Years Teachers (graduates) are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. The criteria for the Early Years Educator and standards for Early Years Teacher Status qualifications are set by the department. However, it is the responsibility of early years settings to provide play opportunities for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Ofsted conducts a regular cycle of inspection to ensure that provision meets the required quality and safety standards and assesses the extent to which the learning and care provided by the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend, including the needs of any children who have SEND.
As you may be aware, the Childcare Act 2016 expands the free childcare entitlement from 15 to 30 hours for three- and four-year-olds of working parents. As part of the Early Implementer Package announced on Tuesday 2 February, local authorities involved will be using the opportunity to test and showcase how childcare can be delivered in a way that improves access for children with SEND. The department also launched a consultation on 3 April seeking views on key elements of the operation and delivery of the 30 hours and we specifically welcome views on provision for children with SEND. The consultation is available at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/30-hour-free-childcare-entitlement.
“