The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what UK Trade and Investment’s annual budget is for work in Europe.
Anna Soubry
It is not possible fully to disaggregate UK Trade and Investment’s budget for all its work in each overseas market. The overall budget will be made up of costs incurred in country and funds that are not market specific.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding his Department has received from the European Social Fund to fund the National Offender Management Service Co-Financing Organisation in each year since January 2010.
Andrew Selous
Money received from the European Social Fund (ESF) by the NOMS Co-financing Programme is published in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts. No ESF funding has been used to finance employer roadshows at Sudbury, Drake Hall and Wayland prisons. Neither has any ESF money been awarded direct to HM Young Offender Institutions Werrington, Feltham or Cookham Wood.
It is a condition of any award of core ESF funding to the NOMS Co-financing programme that it has to be spent on front line services for offenders (excluding the administration budget. Because of this, a separate application was made under the Technical Assistance grant to fund, among other things, the setting up and running of the Employers’ Forum for Reducing Re-offending (EFRR). The aim of the Technical Assistance grant is to fund services that will support the objectives of the main programme – employability of offenders. The amount spent from the ESF Technical Assistance fund on the EFRR from 2010 to 2015 was £280,403.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-07-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what facilities are available for (a) lactating mothers and (b) the changing of babies in her Department.
Karen Bradley
The Home Office provides suitable facilities for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers (where they can also change babies if required), in line with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hollins on 2016-10-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guarantees they plan to give to people with a learning disability that they will continue to have their right to independent living respected following the introduction of the new funding system for supported housing.
Lord Freud
Supported accommodation plays a vital role in the lives of many vulnerable people. A safe and stable and supportive place to live can be the key to unlocking better outcomes for people and for many it is a stepping stone to independent living in the longer term. The Government values the role supported housing plays and is committed to encouraging further development to meet future demand.
The Secretary of State confirmed in his written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 15th September that the Government will shortly be publishing a consultation document on supported housing.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training has been given to Jobcentre Plus staff on the application of benefit sanctions in circumstances where a parent is unable to comply with conditions for benefit because of lack of suitable childcare.
Priti Patel
The Government sees sanctions as playing an important part in the labour market system, encouraging people to comply with conditions which will help them move into work. We want the sanctions system to be clear, fair and effective in promoting positive behaviours and we will continue to keep it under review so that it meets those aims.
Benefit sanction decisions within Jobcentre Plus are made by Decision Makers and Work Coaches. It is made clear that claimants’ caring responsibilities must always be taken into consideration, as well as emphasising the importance of a personalised and individual approach in every case.
This Government spent £5bn on childcare in 2014-2015– more than any previous administration and an increase of £1bn since 2010. We are now going further still, with a new package of support designed to improve the affordability and accessibility of childcare for working families. We are extending the free entitlement for 3 and 4 years from 15 hours to 30 hours per week for working parents, from September 2017, worth £5,000 per child per year. We are also introducing Tax-Free Childcare for working parents from early 2017, with a Government contribution of up to £2,000 per child.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support farmers to invest in new capital equipment.
George Eustice
Investment in the agriculture sector is an important driver to improving its productivity and growth. To support this, the Government has a range of tax and subsidy measures in place.
The Annual Investment Allowance is at its highest ever permanent level of £200,000, with effect from 1 January 2016. This is of particular benefit to firms investing heavily in plant and machinery, such as those in the agricultural sector. From April 2016, self-employed farmers will be able to average their profits for Income Tax purposes for two years or five years. This will enable farmers to spread volatile profits further and better plan their investments.
The Government also supports the agricultural sector through direct recognition of any actual depreciation in the capital gains tax computation at the point of sale. Agricultural land and buildings remain subject to a number of tax reliefs and exemptions including exemptions from business rates, agricultural property relief from inheritance tax and capital gains rollover relief on developed agricultural land.
The Government also supports investment in the agricultural sector through capital grants under the Rural Development Programme. This is primarily through the Countryside Productivity scheme, focusing on innovative investment that will lead to a step change in productivity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of sports facilities at the High Arcal Academy in Dudley.
Edward Timpson
The Department does not hold a record of the adequacy of sports facilities at the High Arcal academy in Dudley.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will undertake a national review of the operation of admissions procedures and the School Admissions Code.
Nick Gibb
The Department for Education is intending to make changes to the School Admissions Code to improve the admissions system for parents and schools. This will be subject to a full public consultation to allow anyone with an interest to provide their views. It will also be subject to parliamentary scrutiny. Details of the consultation will be announced in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing prefabricated new accommodation for service personnel.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has assessed the merits of providing pre-fabricated or modular constructed Single Living Accommodation (SLA). The advantages include simplicity and consistency of design, quality of manufacture in a controlled environment, speed of on-site construction and certainty in manufacturing cost.
The MOD has used modular construction extensively in respect of around 12,000 bed spaces in its Single Living Accommodation Modernisation (SLAM) Project. These have proved to be of good quality and durable.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what timetable he has set for publication of information on the cost to the public purse of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information.
Matthew Hancock
The final costs for the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information are currently being assembled and I expect to be able to publish the information shortly.