The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he next plans to publish a Single Departmental Plan for his Department.
David Mundell
Single departmental plans for 17 Government Departments will be published in January 2016. The Scotland Office and other territorial offices are not required to produce single departmental plans.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what funding his Department has allocated for the expansion of the Fit for Work service; and if he will make a statement.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department does not routinely publish funding allocations. However, Fit for Work has been provided with sufficient funding to meet its demands for 2015/16, this financial year. Outturn spending will be detailed in DWP’s published Annual Report and Accounts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to announce the full implementation plan for his Department’s BIS 2020 strategy.
Joseph Johnson
Since summer 2015, the Department has been reviewing its business model. By 2020, we want to simplify our structure, become more digital, be cheaper for taxpayers and better for users. As part of this we anticipate reducing the number of our locations from more than 80 to approximately 7 centres plus a regional footprint.
BIS2020 is a rolling programme that will be delivered through a number of different strands of the Department’s work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2016-02-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how she plans to respond to the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC); and whether her Department has made an assessment of the submission to the CRC by the Children’s Rights Alliance England in their See It, Say It, Change It report, published in July 2015.
Edward Timpson
As part of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, the UK Delegation will attend an oral hearing with the UN Committee in May 2016. Following this, the UN will produce concluding observations, which the UK will consider.
The Government welcomes the views of children and young people. Senior officials, including the UK State Party’s delegation, have read and noted the contents of the ‘See It, Say It, Change It’ report and the Minister for Children and Families will meet with the group of young people who produced it to hear more about the issues that concern them.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effects on the incidence of hearing loss of mobile phones and other similar devices which do not have a volume control; and if he will make a statement.
Alistair Burt
The Department has made no assessment of the effects on the incidence of hearing loss of mobile phones and other similar devices which do not have a volume control.
The Department’s Policy Research Programme is funding COSMOS (Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health) which is conducted by Imperial College London and expected to end in 2019. This study will investigate possible health effects from long term use of mobile phones and other wireless technologies, on a United Kingdom cohort of 105,000 adults. One of the health outcomes investigated will be tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Hearing loss is one of the factors that may be involved in the development of tinnitus and this study will monitor the incidence of tinnitus in mobile phone users.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for UK Erasmus students, lecturers and research fellows of the UK leaving the EU.
Joseph Johnson
At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-06-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2016 to Question 37807 and with reference to the Answer of 29 October 2015 to Question 12850, on Thameslink railway line: rolling stock, for what reasons the introduction of Class 700 trains has been delayed.
Claire Perry
Operational testing of the new Class 700 Thameslink trains by Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd is in the process of being finalised prior to their entry into revenue earning service, which I expect will take place shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been allocated from the Condition Improvement Fund for 2016-17; and how much from that Fund was allocated in 2015-16.
Edward Timpson
On 26 March 2015, the Department for Education announced the outcome of the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) 2015 to 2016. 1,407 projects across 1,127 academies and sixth-form colleges were approved funding of £383 million. This includes institutions successful following appeals in July 2015.
We announced the outcome of the CIF for 2016 to 2017 on 24 March 2016. Funding of £435 million was approved for 1,276 projects across 1,030 academies and sixth-form colleges. The information can be viewed on the government’s website here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/condition-improvement-fund-2015-to-2016-outcome
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/condition-improvement-fund-2016-to-2017-outcome
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Aldous on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Green Paper on the devolution of employment and support allowance WRAG and targeted support for claimants will be published.
Penny Mordaunt
We will publish a Green Paper later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many social housing providers in the four pathfinder areas for universal credit have applied for trusted partner status to allow for direct payment of the housing costs element in certain circumstances.
Justin Tomlinson
The first phase of the ‘Trusted Partner’ pilot started on Monday 28th September with 6 landlords all of whom are located within the Pathfinder areas.