Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Moonie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what additional costs have been incurred as a consequence of activities by UK armed forces in the Middle East in this financial year, and whether those costs will be funded by contingencies or from additional funds provided by HM Treasury.

    Earl Howe

    The additional costs that have been incurred as a consequence of activities by UK Armed Forces in the Middle East to date this Financial Year are currently estimated at £102.1 million. This includes Counter Daesh in Iraq and Syria, and Defence activity in the wider Gulf region. These additional costs have been met from the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, the Deployed Military Activity Pool and the HM Treasury Special Reserve.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the change has been in the numbers of people contributing to stock and share ISAs in the last three years.

    Mr David Gauke

    The information requested can be found in HM Revenue and Customs published National Statistics, available here:

    Figures for 2013-14 and 2014-15 will be published in April 2016 and April 2017 respectively.

    “

  • Baroness Meacher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Meacher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Meacher on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the level of compliance with the School Admissions Code across all schools, especially in the light of the report by the Fair Admissions Campaign and the British Humanist Association, An Unholy Mess, that claimed a widespread failure to comply among religiously selective schools in England.

    Lord Nash

    The Department will be conducting a full public consultation in due course and will give careful consideration to all the views expressed in that consultation as part of the current review of the School Admissions Code. In addition, the Schools Adjudicator reports annually to the Secretary of State on fair access. The Department is therefore also taking account of the Adjudicator’s report for the 2014 -2015 school year.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister’s Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether his Department is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.

    John Penrose

    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.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that supply teachers are trained to an appropriate standard in the subjects they teach.

    Nick Gibb

    The qualifications of supply teachers are currently governed by the same regulations as teachers employed by schools.

    In maintained schools, teachers must hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) except those who satisfy the requirements for non-qualified teachers to carry out specified work set out in the Education (Specified Work) (England) Regulations 2012, for example, instructors with special qualifications or experience. Academies and Free Schools can employ teaching staff without the automatic requirement for them to hold QTS. This applies equally to supply teachers and teachers employed by schools.

    To be awarded QTS, a teacher must demonstrate that they meet all of the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes a requirement to “demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge” and to have “a secure knowledge of the relevant subject(s) and curriculum areas” relevant to their teaching.

    Our recent White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, set out our proposals to reform the way in which teachers qualify, by replacing the existing arrangements for QTS with a new, more challenging accreditation. This will be based on a teacher’s demonstration of proficiency in the classroom over a sustained period, rather than being awarded at the end of initial teacher training. It will require teachers to demonstrate advanced subject knowledge and an awareness of how evidence and research should inform effective teaching practice. The award of the new qualification will be confirmed by heads of some of our best schools, ensuring the consistency and quality of teacher accreditation. We will be publishing further information about how we intend to implement this reform in due course.

    Head teachers are, and will remain, responsible for the employment of teaching staff in their schools; this includes satisfying themselves that the teacher is suitably qualified, and providing appropriate training opportunities.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33618, what the new contract arrangements are which he refers to; what assessment was made of the potential use of contract arrangements similar to those new contract arrangements with Pearson Professional Assessments Ltd referred to; and for what reasons the contract was not put out for full tender.

    Andrew Jones

    (a) The ‘new contract arrangements’ is a reference to the two-year contract extension granted in 2013 to Pearson Professional Assessments Ltd as part of an agreed settlement following its legal challenge to the theory test service procurement of that time.

    (b) Those new contract arrangements were bespoke to the settlement at that time.

    (c) As indicated in response 162377, Pearson Professional Assessments Ltd will continue to provide the driver theory test services. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency have now agreed a contract variation to extend the contract for a period of 4 years. Their contract would otherwise have ended on 4 September. The contract for them to continue to provide the services has not been put out to tender because there is insufficient time to conduct an open competition and have a new provider ready to start in time. This extension allows us time to conduct a thorough procurement exercise and explore options for alternative delivery models.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to regulate the level of bank account charges in the last 12 months.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government is clear that consumers must be able to access clear and transparent information about the charges that may apply to financial services products, including bank accounts. In addition, the Financial Conduct Authority requires firms to be clear, fair and not misleading when giving information to consumers, including on fees and charges.

    Following extensive Government negotiations with the banking industry on basic bank accounts, in January 2016 the UK’s nine largest banks and building societies implemented an agreement to end bank charges on those accounts when a direct debit or standing order fails. Basic bank accounts are now truly fee-free, helping people to manage their money without fear of running up an overdraft.

    The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently investigating the retail banking market, including personal current accounts. In its May 2016 provisional decision on remedies, the CMA proposed requiring banks to take steps including: a monthly maximum charge for unarranged overdrafts; alerts to help customers avoid unarranged overdraft charges; improving comparisons by allowing customers to share data on transactions with other banks and trusted third parties; and regular prompts for customers to check that they are getting good value from their banking provider. The CMA will publish its final report on the retail banking market investigation by 12 August 2016. The Government stands ready to take action once the final report is published.

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to prepare for the UK to leave the EU since 23 June 2016; and what further such steps her Department plans to take in the remainder of 2016.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Following the referendum, internal structures have beeen put in place to coordinate the Home Office’s contribution to UK’s exit from the EU.

    The Home Office International Directorate is coordinating the Home Office’s approach both to ongoing EU business and the forthcoming UK exit negotiations. Alongside this work, the Home Office will continue to work with the Department for Exiting the EU in reaching the best deal for Britain.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he is taking to ensure that Wales receives the maximum funding possible from the EU before the UK leaves the EU.

    Alun Cairns

    The Government is taking a practical approach to EU funding. As my Rt hon Friend the Chancellor has made clear, structural and investment funds projects signed before the date of exit will be fully funded by the Treasury even where payments fall after we leave the EU; in keeping with the devolution settlement, it will be for the Welsh Government to decide the conditions used to assess projects within its devolved competence.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to accept into the UK refugee children from Syria who are travelling unaccompanied within Europe.

    James Brokenshire

    We have been consistently clear that the relocation of asylum seekers between Member States is the wrong thing to do. It will act as a ‘pull factor’ and does not address the underlying issues.

    We are not persuaded of the need to make an exception for children as they are on the territory of Member States who have duties to protect and support them.

    The UK is committed to supporting the most vulnerable in the region through our humani-tarian response to the crisis as well as our commitment to resettle 20,000 Syrians in need of protection, including children, through our Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme.