The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many incidents of laser pen attacks were recorded on road vehicles in the last five years.
Andrew Jones
Highways England do not keep specific records of laser pen attacks. However, their records currently show that one incident involved the use of a laser pen.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2016-04-25.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of income tax paid annually by London taxi drivers, in each of the last three years.
Mr David Gauke
No estimate has been made of the income tax receipts arising from licensed Hackney Carriage drivers. The information is not available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on what occasions (a) she, (b) Ministers of her Department and (c) the Chief Social Worker for Children have visited Birmingham Children’s Services Department since 2012.
Edward Timpson
Since 2012, the Secretary of State visited Birmingham Children’s Services Department in September 2013.
Since 2012, the Minister of State for Children and Families visited Birmingham Children’s Services Department in December 2013.
Since her appointment in September 2013, the Chief Social Worker for Children and Families visited Birmingham Children’s Services Department in December 2013 (with the Minister of State for Children and Families), and in January 2014 and July 2014.
The Secretary of State and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools have also met officials from Birmingham City Council in London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the importance of direct long-haul air links with a hub airport for international trade.
Mr John Hayes
Evidence on the links between long-haul air connections and international trade was presented by the Airports Commission in its Final Report and supporting documents. The Government is considering all of this evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work before an announcement on its preference.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2016-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of the policy in Schools that work for everyone, published on 12 September 2016, with the (a) UK’s general obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Article 24 to promote disabled pupils’ right to mainstream education, (b) Government’s Interpretative Declaration commitment to build the capacity of mainstream schools to be inclusive of disabled pupils and (c) General Comment No.4 on Article 24, published on 2 September 2016.
Nick Gibb
As part of its commitments under articles 7 and 24 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the UK Government is committed to inclusive education of disabled children and young people and the progressive removal of barriers to education and participation in mainstream education. The Children and Families Act 2014 secures the general presumption in law of mainstream education in relation to decisions about where children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) should be educated and the Equality Act 2010 provides protection from discrimination for disabled people.
The Department is having, and will continue to have, due regard to equalities impact, both in the study of responses to the consultation document and throughout any development of policy areas, following the consultation.
In our new proposals, we have been clear that we expect selective schools to support non-selective schools, looking to them to be engines of academic and social achievement for all pupils.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2015 to Question 13246 on digital technology, what support universal credit provides for people without digital skills to gain them.
Justin Tomlinson
Those people without digital skills will be offered support through Universal Credit (UC) to make and manage their claims on-line, and also to acquire and improve their digital skills.
DWP is also working with Local Authorities to build claimants’ digital capability.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-11-30.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the expected amount of the revenue element of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund in (1) 2016–17, (2) 2017–18, and (3) 2018–19.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The recent Spending Round settlement included a new ‘Access’ fund for sustainable travel, building on the legacy of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and supporting growth in cycling and walking.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements have been put in place for independent external evaluation of the Lead Provider Framework process, and when that evaluation will report.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Given the relatively early stage of procurements from the Lead Provider Framework, it would be premature to undertake an independent evaluation. NHS England is, however, keen to learn lessons as to how the Lead Provider Framework process can be improved for users and bidders alike.
NHS England has therefore sought feedback from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), providers and NHS clinical commissioners. They are acting on this information and are intending to share lessons learnt with those CCGs who are yet to use the Lead Provider Framework; for example by sharing specifications and evaluation approaches that other organisations have developed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Lord on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress she has made on amending the School Admissions Code to ensure that summer born children can (a) be admitted to reception at the age of five if this is in line with their parents’ wishes and (b) remain with that cohort as they progress through their education.
Nick Gibb
Subject to parliamentary approval, the Department for Education has decided to amend the School Admissions Code to support summer born children who are not ready to start school at the usual age. This will delay entry to reception year until they are five years old and enables those children to remain with that cohort as they progress through school. We want to make these changes as soon as possible; however, we are taking this opportunity to consider what other changes it would be appropriate to make to the Code at the same time. We will be conducting a full public consultation in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Burt of Solihull on 2016-02-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many employees in the UK engineering sector are from other countries outside the EU, and what is their total contribution to (1) UK Gross Domestic Product, and (2) UK Gross Value Added.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
It is not possible to answer the question as there is no agreed statistical definition of what is meant by the term “engineering sector”.