The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pawsey on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in each local authority area (a) are being home-schooled and (b) were being home-schooled in each of the last five years for which data is available.
Edward Timpson
This data is not collected centrally. Although some local authorities operate voluntary registration schemes, there is no legal obligation for the registration of home educated children.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 45588, what recent representations he has received from Saudi officials on their Joint Investigation Assessment Team and the timescale for the investigation.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK welcomes the release by Joint Incident Assessment Team (JIAT) of the outcome of eight investigations into incidents of alleged breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen. The Saudi-led Coaltion announced it will immediately investigate the airstrike hitting a funeral hall in the Yemeni capital Sana’a on 8 October along with Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT). I raised my concerns with the Saudi Ambassador to London on 9 October and urged the Saudi-led coalition’s announced investigation into the incident to take place as a matter of urgency.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wills on 2015-11-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations on public funding to match charitable support for a National Mesothelioma Centre have been received by (1) HM Treasury, (2) the Department of Health, and (3) the Department for International Development.
Lord Prior of Brampton
These Departments have received representations concerning this issue from the noble Lord, Lord Wills of North Swindon and other noble Lords. The Department of Health has received a letter from the British Lung Foundation that mentions this issue.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many legally owned .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles have been used in criminal offences in each of the last 10 years in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.
Mike Penning
I can confirm that the information requested on the number of .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles held by certificate holders in England and Wales is available. However, as it takes time to extract this information from our systems, I will write separately with our response and place a copy of the reply in the House Library.
The licensing of firearms in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland and the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland. Information in respect of firearms in those jurisdictions is not held centrally by the Home Office.
I am unable to provide the information requested on the number of legally owned .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles used in criminal offences as it is not collected centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Campbell-Savours on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received evidence of VAT fraud in the London souvenir and gift trade, and if so, what action they have taken to combat it.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) receive a variety of data and intelligence from numerous sources. Everything from bulk data from third parties to information provided by individuals through the Tax and Customs Evasion Hotlines.
Clamping down on those who try to cheat the system through evading taxes and over claiming benefits is a key priority for HMRC, and they are committed to ensuring the tax system operates fairly and efficiently. All the information HMRC receive is risk-assessed and a decision made on the most appropriate course of action.
Data and intelligence received could include information relating to the London souvenir and gift trade. However, there is strict law of confidentiality covering all the work for which HMRC are responsible. The relevant law is Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue & Customs Act 2005, which strictly limits the circumstances under which they disclose information they hold and any action taken. This prohibits HMRC from giving specific details of any information received regarding any sector.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2016-02-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to establish targets in the UK to reduce carbon emissions produced by road and rail transport by 2020.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government has already set stretching legally binding carbon budgets, which will see a 50% economy wide reduction in emissions in 2025 compared to 1990 levels, on a path towards an 80% reduction by 2050, and is committed to ensuring the transport sector plays a full part in delivering the emissions reductions needed.
In December 2011, the Government published Carbon Plan: Delivering our low carbon future, setting out in a series of five-year carbon budget periods how we will meet the UK’s legally binding carbon reduction targets.
The Government will set the level of the fifth carbon budget in June this year (for the period 2028 to 2032) and will publish the next Carbon Plan shortly afterwards.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the public purse was of closing down the General Social Care Council.
Alistair Burt
The function for the regulation of social workers in England was transferred from the General Social Care Council (GSCC) to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) on 1 August 2012.
The final set of accounts from the GSCC show that the total cost to the public purse of closing down the Council was £16.5 million. The HCPC also received £1.4 million to support it take on the functions for the regulation of social workers in England. Therefore, the total cost was £17.9 million.
On the assumption that the costs of the GSCC remained broadly similar, the Department estimated that the closure of the GSCC saves £13.5 million each year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the consultation into mandatory reporting.
Karen Bradley
The Government will launch a full 12 week public consultation later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-18.
to ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that the new Education Cannot Wait fund will focus on the most marginalised children, including girls and children with disabilities.
Baroness Verma
The UK has played a leading role in the development of Education Cannot Wait – a fund for education in emergencies. A key focus for Education Cannot Wait will be on ensuring that marginalised children and young people are able to access a quality education. This includes refugees and internally displaced children, as well as children facing barriers to their education because of their gender, disability or other factors.
This focus is reflected in the Fund’s indicative headline results, which commits to providing “Inclusive education [that] reaches the most marginalised children and young people in crises” with a target of “100% of supported education opportunities demonstrate increase in education for girls, disabled and those in remote locations”.
The UK will continue to engage closely during Education Cannot Wait’s inception phase, to ensure that this commitment is fully reflected in its final design and results frameworks.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with other Commonwealth countries on sharing trade negotiating capabilities and resources.
Alok Sharma
We have been consulting, and will continue to consult, a broad range of stakeholders, including governments and businesses, on the implications of the referendum result for trade. We have been encouraged by the interest coming from a range of non-EU countries, including some of our closest allies. Across government, we are preparing options for our future trade policy for the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) to consider. We are also rapidly building civil service capacity and capability on trade.