The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with opposition politicians and groups in Bahrain.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We engage with a broad range of political groups in Bahrain to encourage their participation in inclusive political dialogue. I had the opportunity to do so during my recent visit to Bahrain in June 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which body or bodies establishes the final criteria for qualified teacher status; what are those criteria; and where they are made available.
Lord Nash
The National College for Teaching and Leadership publishes the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) criteria. These set out entry, training, management and quality assurance criteria with which all accredited providers of ITT must comply with.
The Teachers’ Standards were published in 2011 and apply to all teachers regardless of their career stage. They define the minimum level of practice expected of teachers. For the purpose of the award of qualified teacher status (QTS), they constitute the ‘specified standards’ within the meaning given to the phrase in Schedule 2 of The Education (School Teachers’ Qualifications) (England) Regulations. As such, they are used by accredited providers of ITT to assess trainee progress and attainment during, and the end of, a training programme.
The ITT criteria and Teachers’ Standards have been attached to this answer.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-02-29.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of North Koreans who work in Russia as labourers or who have entered Russia to escape North Korean human rights violations; and of the potential contravention of Russia’s international obligations and violation of human rights should North Koreans be repatriated from Russia to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We estimate that there are approximately 20,000 – 35,000 workers from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the Russian Federation. We do not hold detailed information on the number of DPRK refugees currently in the Russian Federation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-03-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the UK contributes towards the subsidisation of sugar production.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Sugar production is not directly subsidised in the UK. However, sugar beet growers in the UK are entitled to make a claim for support under the Basic Payment Scheme of the Common Agricultural Policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-28.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 33531 and of 14 April 2016 to Question 33450, what further government activities are planned to promote the Government’s position on the EU Referendum prior to 23 June 2016.
John Penrose
The Government will comply fully with the statutory restrictions that will be in place from 27 May. The Government will continue to set out its position that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Young of Hornsey on 2016-06-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) will have on care leavers’ full access to their care records.
Lord Nash
The Government is currently assessing the full impact that the General Data Protection Regulation will have on individual areas of data processing. Certain provisions of the Regulation will have direct effect in UK law, including a continuing right of access for data subjects to their personal data and other information. In certain areas, the regulation leaves the option for domestic legislation to restrict rights that arise under it in certain circumstances (article 23).
The Regulation will apply from 25 May 2018. Before then, the Department for Education will assess whether the current statutory guidance covering care leavers’ access to their case records needs to be revised.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making compulsory the accessibility standards outlined in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Gavin Barwell
National planning policy is clear that in developing their local plans, planning authorities should consider the needs of a wide range of households, including older and disabled households.
The role of higher accessibility standards for new housing was considered during the Housing Standards Review undertaken by the Coalition Government. As a result, Optional Requirements for higher levels of accessibility were introduced into the Building Regulations and came into force on 1 October 2015. It was decided at that time that the application of these standards should remain a matter for Local Planning Authorities taking into account local needs and viability.
Details of relevant consultations and impact assessments can be found at the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-building-regulation/2010-to-2015-government-policy-building-regulation#appendix-5-technical-housing-standards-review
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with Hilary Meredith Solicitors Ltd.
Mike Penning
Ministry of Defence officials have met Ms Meredith and other solicitors from her company from time to time to discuss a variety of legal and other issues of mutual concern, most recently on 13 October 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which regulations his Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date; which regulations his Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.
Mr David Gauke
I refer the hon Member to the answer given by Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) (Business and Enterprise) the rt hon Anna Soubry on 11 November 2015
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Weir on 2015-12-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on travellers with bookings to (a) Sharm el Sheikh and (b) other destinations in the Middle East of the period within which the right to penalty-free cancellation can be ascertained being within 14 days of travel.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
On 4 November 2015, we amended our Travel Advice to advise against all but essential travel by air to Sharm el-Sheikh. We have not changed our Travel Advice for the resort itself.
The FCO Travel Advice, available at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, provides objective information and advice to help individuals make better-informed decisions about their travel. The Egypt page has been regularly updated to reflect developing events since the crash of the Russian airliner on 31 October. We regularly review our Travel Advice and all changes are made after careful analysis. Our only consideration is the safety of British Nationals.
The FCO is working with DfT and Egyptian counterparts to put in place permanent and sustainable measures to allow British flights to Sharm el-Sheikh to resume as soon as possible.
Refunds and cancellation penalties are a matter for the airlines. We are liaising closely with airlines to share information about the progress of our discussions with Egypt.