The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many copies of the Agra-Europe report on Brexit her Department has.
George Eustice
My Department is aware of Agra Europe’s recent report but has not purchased any copies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25153, on which Type 45 Destroyers all 16 recommendations of the Independent Power and Propulsion System Performance Review have been implemented in full; when he expects the implementation of all 16 recommendations to be completed across the class; and if he will publish the recommendations made by the review.
Mr Philip Dunne
Fourteen of the recommendations involved a modification to the Power and Propulsion system and all fourteen have been completed across all six ships in the class.
The remaining two recommendations, involving changes to existing training procedures and documentation, have also been adopted. As these two recommendations are administrative in nature, they do not require physical modification of the ships.
With regard to the request to publish the recommendations made by the Independent Power and Propulsion System Performance Review, dated March 2011, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Douglas Chapman) to question 25234 on 8 February 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any of their projects in Cameroon, Nigeria or South Africa protect young girls from breast ironing.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government is concerned about the harmful practice of breast ironing in some Commonwealth and other African countries. Whilst there is little data on the number of girls suffering from this abuse, we have, for example, worked with the government and religious leaders in Cameroon on campaigns to raise awareness and to support community-led efforts to end breast ironing.
The Government condemns violence against women and girls in all its forms and places gender equality at the heart of our bilateral development programming. In Nigeria we are investing over £40 million to change harmful social norms towards women and girls, and to protect women and girls against violence. I raised these issues with the Government of Nigeria during my visit to the country in February. Baroness Verma, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for International Development (DfID), discussed gender-based violence in South Africa in October 2015, including DfID’s support to the re-establishment of South Africa’s Sexual Offences Courts and its work with the African Prosecutor’s Association on research into preventing violence against women.
The manifestations of violence against women and girls may change but it is critical to address the structural causes of violence, including harmful beliefs and attitudes. We shall continue to work through diplomatic and development channels to engage with governments and local communities in Africa and beyond, to support the rights of women and girls, including ending harmful practices which constitute violence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the current average waiting time is for the completion of pre-employment checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service involving (a) Cleveland Police and (b) the Metropolitan Police Service.
Karen Bradley
Performance data for the Disclosure and Barring Service for March 2016 indicates that average processing time for DBS applications was 14.8 days. Certificates dispatched to applicants by the DBS in March 2016 involving (a) Cleveland Police and (b) the Metropolitan Police Service took an average of (a) 24 days and (b) 122 days.
Protecting the public is a priority for this Government and it is important that checks undertaken are thorough; a proportion of the applications received by the DBS must be referred to one or more police forces as part of the enhanced disclosure process. In the vast majority of cases these checks are completed within target. The DBS is working closely with the small number of forces, including the MPS, whose performance does not meet turnaround time targets. The performance of police disclosure units is an operational issue for individual police forces and the MPS has established a Gold Group to oversee the recovery plan which they have in place to reduce the time taken. I have made clear to the MPS that its current delays must be addressed as a matter of priority and I continue to maintain close oversight of the progress being made.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2016-05-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations have taken place between the Home Office and other relevant government agencies with reference to the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting communiqué in which Heads recalled the importance to the people of the Commonwealth for legitimate and temporary reasons in order to benefit from stronger economic
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Home Office regularly consults with other Government departments and agencies about all aspects of the UK immigration system including with regard to those visiting the UK from the Commonwealth.
The UK continues to contribute to the Commonwealth Secretariat led group looking at the movement of Commonwealth citizens and how that can be improved taking due regard to the requirement in the Communiqué that the actions should “not conflict with national legislation and international obligations.”
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-07-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to introduce the national funding formula for schools in England; and what plans she has for how that formula will be implemented.
Nick Gibb
We recently announced that the new national funding formulae for schools and high needs will apply from 2018-19. We are determined to introduce this landmark reform and to get it right. It is important that there is wide and full consultation with schools and the education sector. We will bring forward proposals for full consultation in the autumn and we will work closely with the education sector over the coming months to understand their views and priorities for the national funding formula.
The written Ministerial statement from the Secretary of State for Education is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/schools-funding
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what research her Department has undertaken or assessment on links between the use of technology and (a) human behaviour and (b) productivity.
Matt Hancock
DCMS commissioned the UK Broadband Impact Study from SQW consultants, formerly known as Segal Quince Wicksteed, in 2013, which examined the impact of broadband rollout on the UK economy. The Link can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/257006/UK_Broadband_Impact_Study_-_Impact_Report_-_Nov_2013_-_Final.pdf
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blunkett on 2015-10-28.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the accident on the M1 on 12 October, how long it took the Highways Agency to reopen junction 25 on the southbound carriageways, and how far north diversions were put in place.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Highways England report that the incident occurred around 2:15 am, with the carriageway fully reopened by 9:25 pm. Diversions were initially put in place from junction 25 of the M1, with traffic diverted onto the A52 westbound, the A5111 southbound, the A6 southbound and the A50 eastbound, to re-join the M1 at junction 24. Unfortunately, there was a second incident on the slip road of the M1 at junction 25, resulting in a lane being closed. This meant the M1 closure was extended further north to junction 26 until this incident was cleared.
Variable Message Signs were set prior to junction 38, in order to encourage drivers to divert via the A38. In addition, messages were displayed on the M62, A1(M), M18, A46, A52 and A38.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2015 to Question 10866, when she next plans to publish the job titles and pay grades of appointments to extended ministerial offices.
George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, Matthew Hancock, to PQ UIN 17505 answered on 30 November 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luke Hall on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Libya.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We welcome the signature of the Libyan Political Agreement on 17 December which paves the way for a new Government of National Accord in Libya. The security situation remains fragile and it is vital that the new government is formed quickly to tackle the threats from Daesh and people smuggling.