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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-06-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 7 June (HL272), what are the National Planning Policy Framework guidelines about what constitutes an exceptional circumstance that necessitates building on Green Belt land.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Green belts are created and protected by local authorities in line with national policy set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). A Green Belt boundary can only be altered where there are exceptional circumstances and only by means of the Local Plan process of public consultation and independent examination.

    We do not define exceptional circumstances as these can vary from instance to instance. The NPPF however does outline that exceptions in regards to the construction of new buildings in the Green Belt may include:

    • buildings for agriculture and forestry;
    • provision of appropriate facilities for outdoor sport and recreation and for cemeteries as long as it preserves the openness of the Green Belt and does not conflict with the purposes of including land within it;
    • the extension or alteration of a building provided that it does not result in disproportionate additions over and above the size of the original building;
    • limited infilling in villages, and limited affordable housing for local community needs under policies set out in the Local Plan.
  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for ending the siege of Gaza in the light of the new data released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirming that Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip tightened during July and the warning from the UN that Gaza will be uninhabitable by 2020.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we have not made any assessment on this specific issue, we remain deeply concerned by the situation in Gaza. We continue to press for urgent measures to relieve the humanitarian suffering of those in Gaza and urge donors to disburse their Gaza pledges.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Department for Education figures, published on 13 October, showing that the percentage of pupils entering at least one arts subject at GCSE has fallen by 1.7 percentage points to 47.9 per cent of pupils in state-funded schools in 2016, what plans they have to increase take-up of arts subjects.

    Lord Nash

    All schools, including academies and free schools, must provide a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society.

    Between 2012-2016 the Government invested over £460 million in a diverse portfolio of music and arts education programmes that are designed to improve access to the arts for all children, regardless of their background, and to develop talent across the country.

    GCSE entries in arts subjects declined in 2016, but one year of data does not make a trend. Between 2012 and 2015, entries into arts subjects rose. The proportion of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 taking a GCSE in at least one arts subject is down from the last two years but is still higher than it was in every year between 2010 and 2013. The number of exam entries does not reflect the extent of students’ engagement with the arts. Many students decide not to study arts subjects as academic subjects but nevertheless continue to enjoy taking part in the arts, in school and out, by singing in choirs, playing in orchestras and bands, and acting in school plays.

  • Peter Dowd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Dowd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Dowd on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish a timetable for the review of post-16 education and training by area; and when such reviews will take place.

    Nick Boles

    The reviews are aimed at delivering a skills system that meets the economic and educational needs of areas whilst also ensuring the long term sustainability of colleges to support productivity. Their purpose is not to secure savings to Government. However, early evidence from the pilot reviews indicates that there is potential for the reviews to secure efficiency savings.

    The second wave of area reviews will start in January 2016 and we aim to announce details within the next few weeks. We are currently looking at the geographies and phasing for other areas and will aim to issue further information on this before the end of the year but in doing this we recognise that the position should remain fluid to take account of the views of local partners and also cases of college failure. We expect all reviews to be completed by March 2017.

  • Mark Tami – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Tami – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of recent progress in increasing the (a) number of people on and (b) quality of the stem cell and bone marrow registers; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The total number of registered donors on the Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry continues to expand. In 2010 the total number of registered United Kingdom donors was 770,000 but by the end of 2014 was in excess of one million. Investment by the Department has supported our delivery partners NHS Blood and Transplant and the charity Anthony Nolan to recruit a cohort of young male donors that are approximately six times more likely to be able to donate. Over 19,000 additional donors are planned to be recruited in the current financial year.

    Quality is a key issue for the clinical usefulness of cord blood samples. The collection of cord blood is arranged to maximise the proportion of samples with the highest quality. The number of banked cord samples of clinical grade continues to increase with in excess of 15,000 now banked.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment her Department has made of the terrorist threat from dissident Irish Republicans to the UK mainland.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    The threat to Great Britain from Northern Ireland Related Terrorism is currently assessed to be MODERATE, meaning an attack is possible but not likely. There were no Northern Ireland Related Terrorism attacks in Great Britain last year, but there were 16 in Northern Ireland where the threat is considered to be SEVERE. This means an attack is highly likely. Threat levels are of course kept under regular review.

  • Lucy Powell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what academy trusts there are in each region; and how many academies there are in each such trust.

    Edward Timpson

    As at 31 January 2016 there are 2,902 academy trusts. A breakdown of the number of academies in each academy trust in each region is in the attached spreadsheet.

  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of integrating the Common Combat System onto Astute and Vanguard-class submarines.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I am withholding information on plans for fitting the Common Combat System (CCS) to Vanguard and Astute Class submarines for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

    I am also witholding cost estimates for integrating the CCS onto the Astute and Vanguard-class submarines as to do so would prejudice commercial interests.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether housing association tenants who part-buy their properties under shared ownership will be able to use Right To Buy to purchase either a share or all of that property.

    Brandon Lewis

    As is the case with the existing Right to Buy, the agreement with housing associations and the National Housing Federation to extend Right to Buy discounts to housing association tenants will not apply to those people who already own a share in their home, including those who purchased their home under shared ownership.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK officials are based in China; and how many were based in that country in (a) 2010, (b) 2005 and (c) 1997.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) publishes the number of UK FCO officials overseas in its Annual Report. In the financial year 2014/15 there were 114 UK FCO officials based in China and in the financial year 2010/11 there were 113 UK FCO officials based in China. Information prior to 2010 is not held in a way that enables us to accurately report the staffing position overseas.