The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the daily rate of pay is for specialist contractors hired by her Department to advise regional school commissioners.
Edward Timpson
The department does not publish daily rates for specialist contractors. Doing so would prejudice commercial interests.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what cross departmental work his Department has undertaken with the Department for Education to ensure that the needs of business are met by the education system.
Nick Boles
Officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Education (DfE) are working together at all levels to deliver the ambitious 16+ skills reform programme, supporting me in my role as joint Minister. This programme aims to achieve the best possible outcomes for young people and adults and set high standards and promote strong qualifications. Our work is intended to ensure that people have the education, training and skills that business and employers need in order to be competitive and grow.
Apprenticeships are our flagship policy for equipping people with the skills employers demand. For young people (aged 16-19), we want the new norm to be them considering university or an apprenticeship (or both, in the case of Degree Apprenticeships), as equally valid routes to a successful career. 2.6m apprentices have started since 2010 and we are committed to 3m starts by 2020. BIS and DfE are also supporting traineeships, which are designed to equip young people aged 16-24 with skills and experience that employers are looking for. Both apprenticeships and traineeships are joint DfE/BIS programmes that are managed through clear and collaborative joint working between both Departments and their Agencies.
The Government’s ambitious reforms to the education system raise standards in English and maths, giving people the essential literacy and numeracy skills and qualifications that we know employers seek from new recruits more than any other qualifications. Learners who did not achieve a Level 2 in English and maths by the age of 16 are now required to continue to study those subjects post-16. We have also increased the level we expect people to study in apprenticeships and in traineeships and fully fund all adults to achieve their first English and maths GCSE. In addition, we are jointly leading a programme to reform Functional Skills qualifications to ensure they are robust and credible qualifications that develop the skills that employers need.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department’s capital programme prepared for Budget 2016 included revised estimates for the Trident Successor project.
Mr Philip Dunne
As stated in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, our latest estimate is that manufacturing the four Successor submarines is likely to cost a total of £31 billion, including inflation over the lifetime of the programme. We will also set a contingency of £10 billion. The MOD budget for the Spending Review period published in Budget 2016 included this latest estimate for the relevant period.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he intends to answer the letter to him dated 13 April 2016 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms L Taylor.
Justin Tomlinson
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member of Preseli Pembrokeshire (Stephen Crabb), replied on 15 April 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-07-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what his policy is on whether the Scottish Government can seek to negotiate a separate relationship for Scotland outside the EU compared with the rest of the United Kingdom under a devolved power.
David Mundell
Foreign affairs, including the UK’s membership of the European Union, are reserved under the devolution settlement in the Scotland Act. Our focus now needs to be working together as Team UK, to achieve the best deal for both Scotland and the United Kingdom in the negotiations with the EU. We will fully involve the Scottish Government as we prepare for those negotiations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) humaneness and (b) effectiveness of badger culls since 2013.
George Eustice
The approach Defra takes to monitoring the effectiveness and humaneness of the badger control policy, including the Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice, can be found on GOV.UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has published for the aviation industry on the definition of liquid.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Department for Transport has published guidance for passengers and industry on the GOV.UK website on the use of plastic bags to carry liquids through UK airport security. This includes advice on the nature of the plastic bag required. Many UK airports also provide guidance on their websites.
The Civil Aviation Authority provides advice and guidance for airports on the definition of a liquid. The main regulation covering liquids, aerosols and gels, EU Regulation 185/2010 also sets out the rules and requirements.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the threat to human health and safety from poor canine welfare at breeding establishments; and if she will make a statement.
George Eustice
There are a number of diseases that can be passed between animals and humans (these are known as zoonotic diseases). Those affecting dogs include bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. One of the standard conditions of holding a dog breeding establishment is that all reasonable precautions must be taken to prevent and control the spread of infectious or contagious diseases.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths were recorded of (a) patients awaiting the arrival of an ambulance and (b) patients in an ambulance from the London Ambulance Service area in each year since 2010.
Jane Ellison
The information is not available in the format requested.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeff Smith on 2016-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department’s press release, Parents to get greater say in the school admissions process of 25 January 2016, when her Department plans to launch its consultation on proposed revisions to the School Admissions Code.
Nick Gibb
We are currently considering what possible changes it would be appropriate to make to the School Admissions Code to support parents and schools, in addition to those that we have already announced. We will conduct a full public consultation in due course.