Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the performance against its aims of the Government’s productivity plan, entitled Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, published in July 2015.

    Joseph Johnson

    Productivity growth is a key economic challenge for this Parliament. Productivity, measured as output per hour worked, grew by 1.3% in the third quarter of 2015 compared to a year earlier.

    We are now in the process of implementing the Productivity Plan, with Ministers and officials overseeing delivery through cross-Whitehall boards and Cabinet Committees. We are making good progress, specifically:

    • The rate and scope of the Apprenticeships Levy has been confirmed, bringing us closer to a sustainable funding system to boost skills and put employers in the driving seat.
    • The Cutting Red Tape Programme aims to cut at least £10 billion of unnecessary regulation.
    • The Housing and Planning Bill, now awaiting its Committee stage in the House of Lords, was introduced to boost house building and accelerate planning decisions.
    • New devolution deals have been signed with Sheffield, the North East, Tees Valley, Liverpool and West Midlands.
    • Proposals have been made to increase the quality of teaching and student choice in higher education.
    • The Productivity Leadership Group, chaired by Sir Charlie Mayfield, is progressing well and will report in the summer.
    • We have continued to protect the science budget in real terms to the end of the Parliament, and are protecting in cash terms the funding through Innovate UK.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Freedom of Information requests his Department has received from hon. Members since the coming into force of the Act.

    Matthew Hancock

    Due to the nature of the way FOI requests are recorded it is unfortunately not possible to identify the number of requests from all former and existing Cabinet Office Ministers or honourable members except at disproportionate cost.

  • Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tania Mathias – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was spent on security for Ministers of her Department entitled to such protection in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

    Mr John Hayes

    It is long established Home Office policy not to comment upon matters of personal protective security and their associated costs.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what provision academy trusts have to charge teachers for car parking services on school grounds; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    Academy trusts have the freedom to make decisions which reflect the local circumstances of their school. We expect these decisions to be made in a fair and transparent way.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which cases of people detained in China were raised during the state visit of President Xi Jinping in October 2015; and what assurances and undertakings were given in respect of those cases.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    During the State Visit, we made clear the importance that the UK attaches to frank exchanges with China on human rights. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt. Hon Friend, the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised our concerns at the ongoing detention of Chinese human rights lawyers with the Chinese Foreign Minister and the President of China’s Supreme People’s Court (in January and June 2016). We will continue to make representations on a wide range of cases during the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the Foods Standards Agency to review the licence granted for BHM Food Group Ltd to operate an abattoir in Boosbeck.

    Nicola Blackwood

    BHM Food Group Ltd are no longer approved to operate as a slaughterhouse. They remain conditionally approved as a cutting plant and minced meat establishment. A third and final approval assessment will be conducted by 11 November 2016 to check their compliance against all relevant requirements of food law. If they have not met all these requirements their application for full approval will be refused.

    The Food Standards Agency is aware of concerns raised by local residents regarding the environmental impact of a slaughterhouse sited within the village of Boosbeck. However, the Agency is not the competent authority for environmental hygiene matters which inform planning consent. Both of these roles (Environmental Health and Planning) are fulfilled by the local authority.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the budget for schools renovation was in each year from 2010 to 2016.

    Nick Gibb

    The Education Funding Agency (EFA) does not hold a breakdown of funding information, in the format requested, in relation to the removal of asbestos or renovation of school buildings.

    Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the primary responsibility for managing asbestos lies with the person or persons responsible for the maintenance or repair of a building. For schools, this will be the local authority, school governors or academy trust.

    The table below summarises the capital budgets from 2011-12 to 2016-17 that were provided for school maintenance, refurbishment and rebuilding, including where appropriate the removal and/or safe containment of asbestos-containing materials. As these works are covered by the capital funding programmes listed below, the Department does not allocate a separate budget for this purpose; and there are no plans to do so in future years.

    The Department does not hold directly comparable allocation or expenditure data on prior years.

    (All values £m)

    2011-12 Budget

    2012-13 Budget

    2013-14 Budget

    2014-15 Budget

    2015-16 Budget

    2016-17 Budget

    School Condition Allocations (funding provided to local authorities and voluntary-aided schools)

    1,054

    861

    749

    699

    690

    661

    Devolved Formula Capital (funding provided direct to schools)

    185

    162

    149

    138

    134

    130

    Funding for academies, multi-academy trusts, state-funded special schools and other specialist providers for state-funded pupils (including DFC).

    161

    376

    504

    562

    576

    617

    Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP) (delivered by central government)

    0

    0

    90

    603

    999

    1,050

    Total

    1,400

    1,399

    1,492

    2,002

    2,399

    2,458
  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people who are in receipt of support for mortgage interest are also in receipt of (a) income-based jobseeker’s allowance, (b) income-based employment and support allowance, (c) income support and (d) pension credit.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is in the table:

    2015/16

    Number of SMI claims

    As % of all SMI claims

    Jobseekers allowance

    16,000

    10%

    Employment and support allowance

    56,000

    34%

    Income support

    24,000

    14%

    Pension credit

    71,000

    43%

    Total

    167,000

    100%

    *The percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding

    These figures are from the DWP summer budget 2015 benefit expenditure and caseload tables, which can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2015

    “

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many UK Trade and Investment staff worked in each of the industrial sectors on 1 April 2015; and what the budget for each such sector is in 2015-16.

    Anna Soubry

    UK Trade & Investment supports eleven sectors, and other priority sectors, such as creative industries and the information economy.

    We are working with a number of other Government departments to ensure companies of all sectors are represented in Government efforts overseas.

    The table below shows the number of staff on 1 April 2015 and the most recent budget information for our core sector teams and investment organisations.

    Staff

    Budget, £m

    Consumer, Retail & E-exporting

    11

    5.7

    Creative Industries & Global Sports & Construction

    25

    3.1

    UKTI Education

    8

    1.0

    Energy & Transport

    27

    3.7

    Healthcare UK

    13

    1.6

    Information Economy

    16

    2.9

    Advanced Manufacturing

    8

    1.2

    UKTI Agri-Tech Organisation

    3

    1.2

    UKTI Automotive Investment Organisation

    5

    1.7

    UKTI Financial Services Organisation

    8

    1.7

    Innovation Gateway

    7

    1.3

    UKTI Life Science Organisation

    9

    2.2

    UKTI Offshore Wind Investment Organisation

    2

    1.1

    UKTI Regeneration Investment Organisation

    1

    1.4

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel from (a) 6 SCOTS and (b) 7 SCOTS did not attend the minimum number of training days in each year since 2012.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    There is no minimum number of training days for Army Reservists.