The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military assets his Department has decommissioned in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Ministry of Defence manages a wide range of assets to support the UK Armed Forces. A list of equipment decommissioned in the last 12 months is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with representatives of the EU institutions on the recognition of British ingredients in food stuff.
George Eustice
It is important that consumers can make informed decisions about the food they buy including being able to understand the origin of the food. We have introducted rules on labelling the origin of fresh meat. The Secretary of State and I have also pressed the Commission to require the origin of milk be given on dairy products. Defra officials have pushed the Commission to introduce rules to improve further the origin labelling of ingredients in processed foods, for example, meat pies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-02-26.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of whether payments to AirBnB constitute remittances for the purposes of financial regulation.
Harriett Baldwin
I can confirm that Airbnb is not currently an FCA-authorised firm. However, it is not for the Government to comment on the regulatory status of individual firms. It is for the FCA to decide whether a firm should be brought into regulation, based on a detailed assessment of that firm’s activities, and with reference to the regulations that the FCA is responsible for enforcing. It is for firms to review their own business operations to see whether they are carrying out regulated activities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2016 to Question 30801, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to amend section 136 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to introduce a requirement on local authorities to ensure that home-schooled children are being educated to the same standard as schooled children.
Edward Timpson
The standard to which home schooled children have to be educated is already the same as for those attending school. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 requires parents to ensure that a child of compulsory school age receives full-time education suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitudes, either by regular attendance at school, or otherwise. ‘Education otherwise than at school’ includes elective home education, and therefore, although methods may differ, the overall requirement is the same.
Section 136 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 deals with the inspection of local authorities by Ofsted and would not be an appropriate method for imposing a new duty on them.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department takes to limit the effect on service users of contracts with sub-contractors being terminated early due to the provider being at risk of failure.
Nick Boles
Where a subcontractor is impacted by the Skills Funding Agency’s (SFA) decision to terminate a provider contract, the SFA ensures that the learners can remain in their programme of learning either through the subcontractor or through a transfer to another provider depending on the circumstances of the termination. However, the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) does not terminate contracts on the grounds of a provider being ‘at risk of failure’.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy that any children who would have been entitled to free school meals under the previous system retain that entitlement under the new eligibility criteria under universal credit.
Mr Sam Gyimah
We will continue to ensure that children from the poorest families benefit from a free school meal. My Department is continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider eligibility criteria for free school meals following the introduction of Universal Credit. In the meantime, any child in a family in receipt of Universal Credit will continue to be entitled to free school meals.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many officials in his Department are working on climate change policy; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Nick Hurd
The Department leads on the Government’s clear commitment to tackle climate change. Many teams deliver against multiple cross cutting objectives
Consequently, it is not possible to give an exact figure of the number of staff involved in this work. However, the Government has been clear in the need to meet our remission reduction targets while keeping our energy supply secure and low cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Elmore on 2016-10-24.
To ask the Attorney General, what recent steps the Serious Fraud Office has taken to prevent serious fraud and other economic crimes.
Robert Buckland
Over the past two years the Serious Fraud Office has secured:
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 6 November (HL2947), why they have decided not to raise the issue of the three British citizens who were killed during the Gujarat Massacre in 2002 with Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the UK.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
This case is ongoing in the Indian courts. The United Kingdom cannot interfere in another country’s legal system, as we would not expect them to interfere in ours. The British Government has registered its interest in this case, and our officials will continue to press the relevant Indian authorities for the family’s appeal to be heard swiftly and fairly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether access for disabled students will be included in measures to determine whether higher education institutions deliver effective outcomes for widening access and social mobility.
Joseph Johnson
Higher Education Institutions have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to support their students, including those with disabilities.
The Independent Office for Fair Access (OFFA) has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 with plans for Universities to spend more than £745 million on measures to improve access and student success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, up from £404m in 2009/10. HEIs choose their own access agreement measures and targets, in line with their own particular mission and challenges and these can include targets on disability where appropriate.