Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2016-10-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent emission standards for buses and coaches are set by (1) the Traffic Commissioners, (2) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and (3) highway authorities; and who is responsible for ensuring that these standards are adhered to.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Emissions standards for new buses and coaches are not set by any of the parties named, but by the government through EU type approval legislation. Type Approval Authorities such as the UK’s Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) are responsible for ensuring that these standards are met. In-service emissions checking is carried out at the statutory annual inspection by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of English and mathematics teachers in further education and sixth form colleges; and what effect those steps have had.

    Nick Boles

    Our FE Workforce Strategy[1], published in 2014, sets out the steps the government has taken to encourage more Mathematics and English teachers to take up posts in further education colleges.

    Since 2013, bursaries of up to £25,000 have been available to attract new graduates with relevant degrees to teach Maths and English, and to specialise in teaching students with SEN within the FE sector. These bursaries match those offered to trainee secondary teachers. To date, over 950 bursaries have been provided to graduates.

    In March 2015, the Prime Minister announced an investment of £67m in a package of measures to improve the teaching of STEM subjects, including Maths, in secondary schools and sixth form colleges. This will see an additional 2,500 new Maths and Physics teachers trained, and a further 15,000 teachers given additional support to improve their subject knowledge.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-workforce-strategy

    “

  • Baroness Sharp of Guildford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Sharp of Guildford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Sharp of Guildford on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the main expenditure estimates of July for the Department for Education, what is the breakdown of the £4 billion budget line other” currently assigned to Education Funding Agency funding of academy schools.”

    Lord Nash

    We refer to both the £4 billion budget in the department’s Main Estimate, and the £1.6 billion of ‘other expenditure’ by the Education Funding Agency (EFA), identified in the July Memorandum to the Education Select Committee.

    The £4 billion identified in the Main Estimate relates to the department’s £4.7 billion capital budget, of which £4,115,299 is paid out via the EFA. This capital investment enables local authorities to discharge their duties: to ensure that there are enough school places; to maintain the school estate; to undertake major replacement and refurbishment projects for schools in the worst condition through the Priority Schools Building Programmes; and to facilitate education reform through the Free Schools programme.

    The Memorandum to the Education Select Committee provides a breakdown of expenditure within the Estimate Lines. The EFA’s major programme budget includes an ‘other’ heading that totals £1.6 billion. This heading groups together the smaller school’s programmes, including Universal Infant Free School Meals, Private Finance Initiative funding, Post-16 Free School Meals, Post-16 Bursary Fund, and Post-16 Learner Support.

    The academy schools net expenditure totals £17 billion for programme and capital, the majority being for resource expenditure.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will support the UK’s wine and spirit industry with further duty cuts in 2016.

    Damian Hinds

    The government continues to keep all taxes under review and decisions on tax policy are made by the Chancellor as part of the Budget process. Any changes to alcohol duties would need to take account of a wide range of factors, including the Exchequer impact, the impact on businesses, public health and the distributional impact of reform.

    The government is committed to supporting the UK wine andspirits industry. The duty onspirits was cut by 2% at March Budget 2015, building on the duty freeze at Budget 2014. The duty on wines below 22% abv has been frozen since March Budget 2015.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in the UK have been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in each of the last five years.

    Alistair Burt

    We do not have information on the numbers of people diagnosed with age related macular degeneration in each of the last five years.

    What we do have is the number of finished admission episodes, for England, for the last five years, where the primary diagnosis was ‘degeneration of the macular and posterior pole’.

    Age group

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    0-4

    2

    2

    3

    2

    3

    5-9

    1

    2

    7

    3

    6

    10-14

    6

    9

    8

    8

    3

    15-19

    9

    18

    10

    11

    9

    20-24

    43

    32

    21

    36

    20

    25-29

    51

    29

    33

    47

    45

    30-34

    61

    42

    57

    56

    58

    35-39

    95

    73

    101

    100

    73

    40-44

    162

    156

    162

    229

    148

    45-49

    256

    254

    319

    377

    386

    50-54

    417

    439

    477

    636

    603

    55-59

    980

    812

    973

    1,216

    1,283

    60-64

    2,617

    2,589

    2,647

    2,833

    2,767

    65-69

    4,740

    5,153

    5,982

    6,427

    6,729

    70-74

    8,685

    8,937

    9,770

    9,847

    10,671

    75-79

    12,998

    14,051

    15,347

    14,506

    16,069

    80-84

    16,568

    17,083

    18,765

    17,747

    18,847

    85-89

    13,114

    13,960

    15,550

    14,262

    15,497

    90+

    5,382

    6,179

    7,320

    7,318

    8,580

    Unknown

    8

    6

    7

    11

    18

    TOTAL

    66,195

    69,826

    77,559

    75,672

    81,815

    This would include age related macular degeneration, as well as other conditions. It also only relates to people admitted to hospital not those seen in outpatients or primary care.

    Notes:

    A finished admission episode is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider.

    Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the same period.

  • Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when investments pledged under the Ross Fund will be made available for research and development into infectious diseases.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The Ross Fund is a new £1 billion fund that will be used to support the global fight against malaria and other infectious diseases.

    Programmes under the Ross Fund will be led by either the Department of Health or the Department for International Development. Details about the exact nature and timing of investments pledged under the Ross Fund are still under development.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will conduct an assessment of UK science infrastructure to inform departmental decision-making on spending priorities.

    Joseph Johnson

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 April 2016 to Question 32088.

    “

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on provision of affordable housing in rural areas.

    Rory Stewart

    The Secretary of State holds regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Rural housing is one of the issues that frequently arises.

  • Lord Moynihan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Moynihan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to (1) extend the powers of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) to investigate doctors administering performance enhancing drugs to athletes outside the control of British governing bodies of sport, and (2) introduce new powers to enable UKAD to take legal action should such doctors be found to have breached the World Anti-Doping Agency Code; and if so, when.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government will review the outcomes of the independent review of UK Anti-Doping’s processes following allegations made in the Sunday Times. DCMS is currently undertaking a review of current legislation and, as part of this, will consider the independent review’s findings to determine whether any new powers are necessary.

  • Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Sarah Champion – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to lay guidance on licensing functions under taxi and private hire vehicle legislation before Parliament.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department is currently updating the existing guidance on local authority licensing functions for taxi and private hire vehicles. We will consult on a draft once the Policing and Crime Bill, which provides a new power for statutory guidance, has received Royal Assent.