Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how his Department is monitoring the implementation of the family test across Government.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014, through the publication of guidance for officials – which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf. Consideration of the Family Test takes place as part of the usual policy making process within departments.

    “

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government’s policy is on monitoring the contents of (a) imported and (b) exported containers for security purposes; and what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on such monitoring.

    Mr John Hayes

    It is a long standing convention of successive governments not to comment on matters relating to national security.

    The Home Secretary regularly meets with the Secretary of State for Transport as part of the process of policy development and delivery, but it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of discussions concerning the development of national security policy.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking with his EU counterparts to persuade Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to (a) accept a similar number of Syrian refugees as Jordan and (b) increase their financial support for such refugees.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK actively engages with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, on humanitarian and development assistance, and the Gulf States continue to contribute generously to humanitarian support for the Syria crisis. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar are amongst the top ten bilateral aid donors. Contributions from these four Gulf States to UN appeals alone amounts to over $2.5bn. Additionally Kuwait chairs the Top Donor Group and has hosted three pledging conferences. Kuwait is also one of the co-hosts of the London Syria Donors Conference on 4 February. The Gulf States are also contributing through regional charities. For example, the UAE funds the Emirates Jordan camp which houses over 6,000 refugees.

    The Gulf States are not signatories to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951, and there is no legal refugee status in these countries. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians are living in Gulf States as migrant workers or on visitors’ visas. The EU is also engaging the Gulf States on the resettlement of Syrian refugees.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason her Department did not give one year’s notice of the new system for assessment of pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

    Nick Gibb

    The new national curriculum tests at Key Stages 1 and 2 were first announced in March 2014, and since then we have provided schools with further information to help them adapt to the assessment arrangements. In addition to sample questions published in summer 2014, complete sample tests were published in summer 2015 to give primary schools nearly a year of lead-in time to ensure their pupils are adequately prepared.

    The new interim teacher assessment frameworks ay Key Stages 1 and 2 were published in September 2015 and were therefore provided at the start of the academic year in time for use this summer. Our public consultation on the frameworks received a large volume of diverse feedback, which we wanted to give proper consideration before introducing the important change for schools. Recent publications in January and February 2016 did not announce any change to assessment arrangements, but provided example materials to support teachers in making teacher assessment judgements.

  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what proportion the number of armed forces personnel and civilian staff employed by his Department changed between 2011 and 2015.

    Mark Lancaster

    At 1 April 2011, 38.8 per cent of Senior Personnel in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) were Senior Civil Servants (SCS) and 61.2 per cent were UK Regulars at One Star (Army Brigadier and equivalent) and above. At 1 April 2015, 39.2 per cent were SCS and 60.8 per cent were UK Regulars at One Star and above.

    At 1 April 2011, there were 480 UK Regular personnel ranked One Star and above; by 1 April 2015 this figure had decreased by 6.9 per cent to 450.

    At 1 April 2011, there were 300 SCS personnel in the MOD; by 1 April 2015 this figure had decreased by 5.3 per cent to 290.

    The following tables provide the requested breakdown, by year, of UK Regular Strength at One Star and above, and SCS headcount:

    UK Regular Strength at One Star and above

    1 April 2010

    1 April 2011

    1 April 2012

    1 April 2013

    1 April 2014

    1 April 2015

    1 Oct 2015

    500

    480

    470

    440

    440

    450

    440

    SCS Headcount

    1 April 2010

    1 April 2011

    1 April 2012

    1 April 2013

    1 April 2014

    1 April 2015

    1 January 2016

    320

    300

    270

    280

    280

    290

    310

    The strength of UK Regular Personnel at 1 April 2011 was 186,360. The strength of UK Regular Personnel at 1 April 2015 was 153,720. This represents a 17.5 per cent decrease between 2011 and 2015.

    The MOD civilian staff (CS) headcount at 1 April 2011 was around 87,000. The CS headcount at 1 April 2015 was 59,900. This represents an estimated decrease of 31.2 per cent between 2011 and 2015.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the one-year post-implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013, as set out in the Explanatory Memorandum to those Regulations, has been completed, and if so, whether a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

    Lord Faulks

    Work to review the enforcement reforms introduced in April 2014 is ongoing.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with the European Commission on EU state aid related to UK interconnector operations.

    Amber Rudd

    All interconnector projects apply to Ofgem to operate under a regulatory regime. Their regulation is compatible with EU rules and there are no state aid issues

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

    David Mundell

    The United Kingdom is fundamentally strong and is well-placed to rise to the challenges we face.

    Following the result of the referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union, our focus now needs to be working together as Team UK, to achieve the best deal for both Scotland and the United Kingdom in the negotiations with the EU.

  • Lord Allen of Kensington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Allen of Kensington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Allen of Kensington on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact of the resignation of Mr Simon Kirby as Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd on the delivery of phase 1 of the HS2 project on time and to budget.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is committed to delivering HS2 which remains absolutely on track with strong cross-Party support. There are no plans to change the project. HS2 is on time and on budget and construction will start next year.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how the Government implements the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK was the first country to produce a National Action Plan (NAP) in September 2013 for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights. It was launched jointly by the the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Busines, Innovation and Skills and was developed through consultations with business and civil society organisations. Implementation has been coordinated through a cross-Whitehall Steering Group.