The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are paid as personal independence payment assessors in Scotland.
Penny Mordaunt
378 people were working as Personal Independence Payment Health Assessors in Scotland (6 October 2016).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Prime Minister, when he last discussed the issue of state aid for the UK steel industry with (a) the President of the European Commission, (b) the Presidency of the European Council and (c) other EU member state governments.
Mr David Cameron
I have raised the issues facing the steel industry with my counterparts, including most recently with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, which currently holds the EU Presidency.
The Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills is also engaged with the European Commission and our European partners. He has spoken with a number of European Commissioners in Brussels; Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom (Trade), Commissioner Elsbieta Bienkowska (Internal Market) and Vice President Jyrki Katainen (Jobs and Competitiveness), and stressed the importance of this issue. He has had positive talks with the Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager on progressing the approval of the UK’s Energy Intensive Industries compensation scheme.
In addition, the Secretary of State has raised the issue with his EU counterparts, including those in Luxembourg, France, Italy and Spain. He called for an urgent EU Council meeting on steel, and I am pleased that the Luxembourg Presidency has scheduled a Competitiveness Council on 9 November specifically to discuss the EU steel industry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK aged 21 and over earning £6.70 per hour.
Mr Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in which areas the digital service for universal credit is (a) in operation and (b) expected to be in operation by April 2016.
Priti Patel
The digital service is currently in operation in areas of Sutton, Croydon and London Bridge. Between January and April 2016 Hounslow, Musselburgh, Purley, Thornton Heath and Great Yarmouth will begin delivering the full Universal Credit service.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive on steps to increase exports of food from Northern Ireland to China.
George Eustice
There has been very close collaboration at ministerial and official level to increase food exports to China. On her recent visit the Secretary of State highlighted the Northern Ireland priorities of securing approval for pork plants, finalising access for pig trotters and progressing negotiations for poultry meat. Supporting this extension of access, officials work closely with colleagues from Invest Northern Ireland to ensure complementary export promotional work in China.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional funding she plans to commit to tackling illegal immigration; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
The Chancellor the Exchequer announced the 2015 Spending Review to Parliament on 25th November 2015. Home Office ministers are in the process of allocating budgets for the next financial year to ensure that the department supports its key objectives of preventing terrorism, cutting crime and controlling immigration.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons sex and relationships education is statutory in maintained secondary schools and not in other secondary schools.
Edward Timpson
Academies do not have to follow the national curriculum but are required to provide a ‘broad and balanced’ curriculum. This allows them to have the maximum possible freedom to personalise learning for all their pupils, including the most able pupils and those needing additional support.
The Government believes that all children should have the opportunity to receive a high quality and appropriate sex and relationship education (SRE). SRE is compulsory in all maintained secondary schools and many primary schools also teach it in an age-appropriate way. The Government also expects academies and free schools to deliver relationship education as part of their provision of a broad and balanced curriculum.
Any state-funded school teaching SRE must have regard to the Secretary of State’s SRE guidance (2000) which makes clear that all sex and relationship education should be age-appropriate and that schools should ensure young people develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Departments provide how much funding to the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.
Andrew Jones
The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles is funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
The total amount of funding for 2016/17 is £0.4m from DfT and £6.3m from BIS. This includes admin and programme spend.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken was to decide applications for the change of conditions of leave granted on the basis of family or private life during the last 12 months.
James Brokenshire
The average time taken between January 2015 and December 2015 to consider whether an application meets the requirements to change a condition code is 83 calendar days.
January 2015 – December 2015 was taken as the 12 month time frame to fall in line with data that is published.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what severance pay has been granted to the special advisers that left his Department in the last week.
Ben Gummer
Severance payments are in the process of being calculated. Details of the costs will be published in due course.