Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) recruit more teachers and (b) otherwise ensure that schools do not experience a shortage of teaching staff.

    Nick Gibb

    Teaching continues to be a hugely popular career. There are more teachers in England’s classrooms than ever and record levels of high quality graduates are entering the profession. There are now 454,900 full time equivalent teachers, an increase of 5,200 from 2014 and 13,100 from 2010.

    Teacher recruitment remains a challenge as the economy improves. The Government has increased Scholarships and bursaries and for the best qualified graduates in priority subjects. We have also supported the growth of Teach First and announced a £67m package to recruit an additional 2,500 mathematics and physics teachers to improve the knowledge and skills of 15,000 existing teachers. For 2016/17, initial teacher training providers will have freedom to recruit as many trainees as they need within limited controls.

    The School Direct training route has been allocated over 17,500 training places this year, representing 40 per cent of all training places. We are also supporting schools to retain good teachers by improving pupil behaviour, tackling unnecessary workload and increasing pay flexibility.

    We are also creating a National Teaching Service (NTS). By 2020 this will have placed 1,500 high-performing teachers and middle leaders in underperforming schools in areas of England that struggle to recruit or retain high quality teachers. A pilot NTS scheme, starting in North West England in September 2016, will aim to attract 100 teachers and middle leaders into the region.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on ensuring that children have access to the countryside and learn about wildlife.

    Rory Stewart

    The Secretary of State is working closely with Department for Education Ministers to ensure the national curriculum gives all children the opportunity to learn about nature and the environment. In particular, we are providing more opportunities for school children to plant, care for and learn about trees. This will give young children the chance to understand and connect with nature, and play a role in making their school grounds and local communities cleaner and greener.

    Defra, Natural England and English Heritage have also funded the Natural Connections project which aims to increase the number of school- aged children experiencing the full range of benefits that come from learning in local natural environments. The approach is being piloted in 5 areas across the South West of England and has involved 125 schools.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people aged 65 and over have continued to work in each of the last two years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to secure comprehensive analyses of skills shortages in the UK economy after funding is withdrawn from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

    Nick Boles

    In the context of needing to make savings in non-participation budgets to allow the core adult skills participation budgets to be protected in cash terms, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has consulted the Devolved Administrations and other users of labour market information on future research priorities.

    These discussions have identified the significance of the Employer Skills Survey, the Employer Perspectives Survey and the LMI (Labour Market Information) for All Portal. We are considering how these can best be delivered in future and will announce future arrangements as soon as final decisions are made.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people aged (a) 14 to 17 and (b) 18 to 21 have a criminal record in England.

    Andrew Selous

    This information is not held by the Ministry of Justice.

    The Disclosure and Barring Service are responsible for managing and processing criminal record checks.

  • Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to respond to the recommendation in the Low Pay Commission’s Spring 2016 report on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) that HM Revenue and Customs investigation of third party reports of NMW breaches be subject to a public protocol.

    Nick Boles

    The Government is carefully considering the non-rate recommendations in the Low Pay Commission Spring 2016, and will respond in due course.

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to take steps to encourage fund managers to take research costs out of their management fees, rather than deducting those costs through additional fees.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government is committed to the principle that people who have worked hard and saved should have access to appropriate and accessible investment options and understand the charges that they face. We appreciate the efforts that industry have made to fulfil this aim.

    Since last April, the Government has ensured that trustees of defined contribution pension schemes report charges levied on members in schemes used for auto enrolment.

    We are also engaging with international work on transparency, such as the legislation agreed at European Union level through the Packaged Retail and Insurance Based Investment Products (PRIIPs) and Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). MiFID II will introduce new measures to increase transparency of research costs for clients of portfolio managers. Under these new measures, portfolio managers may only pay for research through their own funds or from a specific research payment account funded by its clients and subject to specific controls, including a research budget.

    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is also currently conducting a market study into asset management, which covers the issue of whether the level of fund management fees charged to consumers reflects a competitive market. We await the FCA’s assessment of competition in this sector. The FCA expect to publish an interim report in summer 2016 and a final report in early 2017.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to increase the availability of practical test appointments for motorcycle drivers.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) forecasts the demand for all types of driving tests including motorcycle tests; this is done annually and reviewed quarterly. The information is used to ensure the Agency has the required number of motorcycle examiners available in order to meet its commitment of maintaining an annual six week waiting time.

    Demand for tests has increased over the last three years and DVSA has responded by conducting 6,000 more test per year, as shown below.

    Year

    M1

    M2

    2013/14

    46,263

    43,475

    2014/15

    52,005

    49,194

    2015/16 YTD

    46,150

    44,068

    Demand for motorcycle tests is seasonal; during the Summer months (April to September) DVSA increases test availability by opening summer work patterns.

    Last year the Agency achieved motorcycle test waiting times of 4.7 weeks for module one and 3.9 weeks for module two. Waiting times are currently 7 weeks for module one and 5.8 weeks for module two.

    As part of DVSA’s current recruitment campaign it is seeking to recruit 16 fast track motorcycle examiners. There are also currently four fast track biker recruits undergoing new entrant training.

    Training has also been scheduled to provide a further 14 bike examiners before September (this includes two currently attending and 12 more booked on to the training course).

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance the MoD will give to serving and ex-service personnel to sue Public Interest Lawyers and their individual partners for the stress caused by pursuing compensation claims.

    Earl Howe

    Although we are deeply concerned about the stress which can be caused to members of the Armed Forces by false allegations, we are not aware of any legal actions of the kind referred to. We welcome the decision of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to call members of Public Interest Lawyers, which has now closed, to account for their conduct while pursuing allegations against members of the Armed Forces.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which animal welfare groups her Department consulted on the new Code of Practice for the use of snares for fox control in England.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government has sought to improve the welfare of snared animals through the commission of snare use research and by working with stakeholders to produce improved best practice guidance and increase its observance by users.

    Evidence obtained from the research helped to identify possible improvements to the code of best practice as well as to snare design. Defra worked with animal welfare groups such as OneKind, the League Against Cruel Sports and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as snare user groups to develop an improved guidance for the use of snares in England and Wales.

    This improved guidance, which was supported by both sides of the debate, was then used as the basis for Welsh Government designed and owned guidance for Wales and snare user group designed and owned guidance for England.

    By taking ownership of this guidance and showing leadership in this area, the snare user groups should be more successful in promoting good practice with their members and changing their behaviour than the Government would on its own.