The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average value was of payments made under the Financial Assistance Scheme to former members of Allied Steel and Wire pension scheme in each of the last six years.
Justin Tomlinson
The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philippa Whitford on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reason self-employed adoptive parents are excluded from the financial support offered to other workers to allow them to take full leave and settle an adopted child from the care system into their family.
Nick Boles
Society benefits from parents being able to take time off work to care for their children whilst remaining in employment. Employed adopters have a statutory entitlement to Adoption Leave and Pay (subject to eligibility requirements) on the basis that individual employers would otherwise not offer socially optimal levels of leave and pay.
However, self-employed adopters can decide how much time off to take. Since affordability may limit the time away from work that some self-employed adopters can take, statutory adoption guidance says that Local Authorities should consider making a payment equivalent to Maternity Allowance in cases where adopters do not qualify for any statutory payment because of self-employment. This payment is discretionary and means-tested to ensure that resources are targeted at those adopters who need it most, as part of a package of post-adoption support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide details of the contracts that his Department has with the technology company SCC.
Caroline Nokes
The Department does not hold any direct contracts with the technology company SCC. It has however tendered services from SCC via the Crown Commercial Service.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when the Government plans to publish its report outlining the international and domestic approach to implementation of the UN Sustainable Goals.
Rory Stewart
The drafting of the Government’s report outlining the UK’s approach to implementing the Global Goals for Sustainable Development is a cross-government effort. The report will be published in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Stewart on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward proposals to increase the level of fines available to local authorities for fly-tipping.
Rory Stewart
The fine for fly-tipping is unlimited.
Tackling fly-tipping is a priority for the Government. As set out in our manifesto, next spring we will be giving councils the power to tackle small scale fly-tipping through fixed penalty notices as an alternative to prosecutions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Grant on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of privatisation of Channel 4.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government wants to ensure Channel 4’s future sustainability and ability to deliver against its remit.
No decisions have been made about Channel 4’s future. The government is looking at a wide range of options, including those proposed by Channel 4’s leadership.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the powers local councils hold to prevent littering on roads.
Andrew Jones
The responsibility for clearing highway litter and sweeping carriageways is governed by the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Each individual highway authority is responsible for clearing litter on the roads for which they are responsible. In the case of some all-purpose trunk roads, the responsibility for clearing litter falls to the local district councils.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on the implementation of the new GCSE grading system.
Nick Gibb
This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what account the police takes of mental health conditions when deciding whether to prosecute people under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
Mike Penning
The police and Crown Prosecution Service work together to take decisions on whether to pursue a prosecution under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, applying the evidential and public interest tests set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The Code provides that prosecutors should have regard to whether the suspect is, or was at the time of the offence, suffering from any mental or ill health as, in some circumstances, this may mean that it is less likely that a prosecution is required.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-03-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is the Government’s policy that the EU Ports Services Regulation should be subject to the 12-month review procedure to assess its conformity with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality agreed between the Prime Minister and the EU and that no further action should be taken to progress that regulation until that review has taken place.
Mr Robert Goodwill
As part of the settlement secured by the Prime Minister, the European Commission has committed to establish in the future a mechanism to review existing EU legislation for its compliance with the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality. This is an important shift in how the EU operates. Negotiations on the EU Port Services Regulation (PSR) are ongoing and I am committed to defending the UK’s successful ports and to opposing any amendments that would damage the efficiency and competitiveness of our ports sector.