Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • 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 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he takes to monitor the economic effect of projects his Department has funded.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has taken a number of steps to embed systematic monitoring of our policies and programmes, including economic effects. The Department’s vision for monitoring and evaluation is outlined in our Evaluation Strategy, found on the GOV.UK website.

    In particular:

    1. For all new spending the Department ensures fit for purpose monitoring and evaluation plans are embedded before policy implementation.
    2. The Department publishes an updated summary of the monitoring and evaluation coverage for each policy area on an annual basis. The BIS Evaluation Plan 2016 was published in January and is the second annual publication of BIS’s evaluation coverage, also found on the GOV.UK website.

  • Kate Hollern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kate Hollern – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of small and medium-sized enterprises in his Department’s supply chain, other than direct suppliers, in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2013-14.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Small businesses are an important source of innovation and flexibility, as both direct and indirect suppliers, to meet our defence and security requirements. The estimated number of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) directly supplying the Ministry of Defence (MOD) during financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15 is provided below. The figures for 2015-16 are not yet available.

    MOD Direct Expenditure with SMEs

    Estimated Number of SME Suppliers

    2013-14

    7,000

    2014-15

    5,400

    The MOD spent 19.4% (direct and indirect) of its procurement budget with SMEs in both 2013-14 and 2014-15. The MOD has a new 25% target for SME procurement spend by 2020.

    The information has been taken from the Department’s published Official Statistics on Trade, Industry and Contracts which summarises MOD contracting with industry. Further information about MOD expenditure with SMEs is available on the Gov.UK website at the respective links:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-industry-trade-and-contracts-2015 and https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-industry-trade-and-contracts-2014

    The MOD does not hold information on the number of SMEs providing indirect supplies through the supply chain.

    “

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) exercises and (b) deployments the 77th Brigade has conducted in each of the last three years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Since 77th Brigade was formed in April 2015, 116 personnel have deployed on 30 exercises, the vast majority of which have been UK based; 20 personnel have deployed on four separate operations; and a further 23 personnel have deployed non-operationally as part of Short Term Training Teams to five countries.

  • Amanda Solloway – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Amanda Solloway – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Amanda Solloway on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential of the early years workforce strategy to increase recruitment and retention of early years teachers in (a) Derby North and (b) England.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government recognises the importance of the early years workforce in improving quality and delivering better outcomes for children. That is why we are committed to publishing an early years workforce strategy. The national strategy will set out how we will help to remove barriers to attracting, retaining and developing staff. As part of the strategy, we will look at the barriers to growing the body of graduates in the workforce in England.

    The Government currently delivers early years initial teacher training places in England. We fund eligible graduates to undertake the training, and provide student bursaries. Information about training routes is available on the Get into Teaching website, available at: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/

    “

  • James Cleverly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    James Cleverly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the use of funding from the public purse provided to the Commonwealth Secretariat.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We support the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat, in particular around the promotion of democratic values and development. We expect the Secretariat to use any funding we provide efficiently and effectively in line with its agreed budget, financial procedures and priorities. In addition to being considered by external auditors, the Secretariat’s budget is assessed by the Commonwealth’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors at regular meetings. The UK is a member of both groups, represented by the UK’s Commonwealth Envoy.

    We are committed to supporting the Secretary General’s efforts to reform and revitalise the Commonwealth Secretariat and to working with her and our Commonwealth partners to strengthen the organisation.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jonathan Edwards – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she has received from the Welsh Government on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.

    Andrea Leadsom

    DECC Ministers and officials have regular contacts with the Welsh Government where matters relating to the proposed Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon are discussed. The Department will continue to actively engage with the Welsh Government during the Contract for Difference negotiation.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the use of alternative currencies for benefits payments.

    Priti Patel

    Customers living abroad and in receipt of payments delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions can have their payments made either:

    • Direct into a UK bank or building society account in sterling; or
    • Direct into an overseas account in the local currency;

    All payments made to overseas customers, whether in sterling or local currency, are subject to fluctuating exchange rates. However, for payments made directly to overseas accounts in the relevant local currency, the Department has negotiated a competitive exchange rate which is more favourable that that available on the open Market.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many jobs in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

    Mark Lancaster

    This information is not held in the format requested.

    In April 2010 there were 20 Ministry of Defence (MOD) civilian personnel employed at locations within the Unitary Authority of Stoke-on-Trent; in October 2015 there were 10. All numbers are rounded.

    Full details of how the planned reductions in MOD civilian staff numbers announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review will be profiled over the next five years are not yet available and will be developed as programmes mature.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many UK citizens resident overseas registered to vote in the 2015 general election; and how many such citizens voted in that election.

    John Penrose

    105,845 overseas electors were registered to vote in May 2015. The marked register, which records electors who have cast their vote, is not collated centrally. It is therefore not possible to tell how many overseas electors voted at the 2015 General Election.

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effect on passenger safety of reduced staff numbers on London Underground.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The safety of customers and staff is the top priority of Transport for London (TfL). TfL work as a team with London Underground (LU), the police, emergency services and my department, to prepare for, and deal with, incidents that threaten the security of the transport network. Station staff are supported by the LU Control Centre, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, working closely with the police, with access to CCTV cameras and other systems in order to manage and respond to incidents.

    LU will continue to ensure there are sufficient staff in place to maintain each station’s security, congestion control and emergency plans.