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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Nigel Dodds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Nigel Dodds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made on the establishment of an independent reporting commission under the Fresh Start Agreement.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    We are making significant progress in the arrangements to establish the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) by the end of this year. We are working with the Government of Ireland to finalise the detail of the international treaty which will establish the Commission and I propose to bring forward supporting regulations on the appropriate immunities and privileges as soon as possible after the Treaty is signed.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Maritime Safety Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for our future relationship with agencies such as the European Railways Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency. Until we leave, EU law still applies, and current arrangements will continue.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated value of Network Rail was on the most recent date for which figures are available.

    Claire Perry

    As at 31 March 2015 Network Rail’s Net Assets totalled £6,391 million.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department has taken to promote use of the UK Guarantees Scheme in Scotland.

    David Mundell

    The HM Treasury Infrastructure support Guarantee scheme has been available for nearly three years and is well understood in the market by key infrastructure players.

    A range of projects have already been supported in Scotland, including Ineos Petrochemicals in Grangemouth and a Biomass project in Speyside with others currently participating in the process. Those interested in the scheme should contact IUKfinance@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk.

    “

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many defibrillators are provided in each building the Government Equalities Office manages.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government Equalities Office (GEO) does not manage any buildings. The GEO shares premises with the Department for Education. We refer the Honourable Member for Brigg and Goole to the answer submitted by that department to PQ Number 22555.

  • Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take in response to the skill shortages and consequent unfilled vacancies highlighted in the UK Commission for Employment and Skills Survey 2015 published on 28 January.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    We are investing in apprenticeships to meet identified skill needs across all sectors. We are committed to reaching 3 million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020 and will ensure they deliver the skills employers and the economy need for growth. We have also announced plans for ground-breaking reforms to technical and professional education, working in direct partnership with employers to ensure the new system provides the skills most needed for the 21st century. Together with creating 5 National Colleges, supporting a new network of Institutes of Technology and rolling out more degree and higher level apprenticeships, we are helping to equip people with the higher and technical level skills that are in demand.

    Our aim is for all local areas to take a leading role in skills provision to ensure it is responsive to local economic priorities and devolution deals with areas around the country are a big step towards this ambition so that they can secure the training and skills that local employers need.

  • Ann Coffey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ann Coffey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Coffey on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department takes to monitor the compliance of local authorities with their statutory duty to secure sufficient accommodation for looked-after children.

    Edward Timpson

    Local authorities are required, so far as reasonably practicable, to secure sufficient accommodation within the authority’s area to meet the needs of looked after and vulnerable children. Statutory guidance to help local authorities meet this duty was issued in 2010.

    Local authorities’ compliance with the “sufficiency duty” is considered as part of Ofsted inspection. In order for a local authority’s overall effectiveness to be judged as good, they must demonstrate a clear strategy for commissioning and developing services and that there are sufficient resources to meet the needs of local children. Ensuring sufficient placements and services for looked after children also forms part of Ofsted’s judgement of local authorities’ leadership and management.

    Further details of the Ofsted inspection framework are available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-local-authority-childrens-services-framework

    “

  • Lord Watson of Richmond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Watson of Richmond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Richmond on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the concerns highlighted by Fellows of the Royal Society and Cambridge academics about the impact on science if the UK were to leave the EU.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

  • David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of her Department’s full-time equivalent officials are seconded to (a) France, (b) Italy, (c) Greece and (d) any other EU country in order to identify and support Dublin III asylum transfer requests; and what plans her Department has to second further staff to identify and support such requests.

    James Brokenshire

    We continue to work with a number of EU Member States and the European Asylum Sup-port Office (EASO) to ensure Dublin works effectively. We are in ongoing discussions with France, Italy and Greece, as well as the UNHCR, to ensure that we continue to have the right processes in place and the resources to make them work effectively.

    We have recently deployed two UK experts to the Greek Dublin Unit. We are currently providing bilateral support to the Italian Dublin Unit through a long term secondment. We are also due to deploy an additional UK expert to the Italian Dublin Unit shortly.

    Our work with France including the permanent official contact group and a recently sec-onded senior UK official to the French Dublin Unit to assist with the identification and transfer of cases has shown results of our collaborative efforts.

    The Home Office has a unit processing Dublin III asylum transfer requests from and to the United Kingdom. This unit comprises 78.34 full time equivalent managers, caseworkers and support staff. Staffing levels will remain in line with anticipated volumes.

    As announced on 4 May we are now looking to transfer children who were already present in Europe before the EU-Turkey deal came into force on 20 March, where it is in their best interests. It is important that we ensure we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in UK, as well ensuring we have the right support for those who may be brought to the UK from Europe. We are working with the relevant Member States, the UNHCR and other Non-Governmental Organisations and local authorities to establish the best way to implement the provisions of the Immigration Act 2016 for the transfer of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK.

  • Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to (a) close or (b) change the functions of the Jobcentre Plus facility in Oldham town centre.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department is in the process of reviewing all of its estates requirements as the current contract for most of the estate comes to an end on 31 March 2018. No decision has been made on the future of Oldham Jobcentre Plus by the Department.

    Commercial negotiations are underway on the entirety of our estate at this time and it is not appropriate to comment further on individual sites while negotiations are in progress.