Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what powers she has to improve governance and scrutiny of leadership and management at the Audenshaw School Academy Trust; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    The Education and Adoption Act 2016 has introduced consistent powers to tackle inadequate and coasting academies. These allow the Secretary of State to terminate the funding agreement of an academy which has been rated as inadequate by Ofsted or is identified as coasting, and if necessary move the school to a new trust with a sponsor who has a proven track record and who will ensure the leadership and management of the school has the skills needed for the future.

    Vicky Beer, the Regional Schools Commissioner for Lancashire and West Yorkshire, has been working closely with Audenshaw School Academy Trust to ensure that sufficient action is being taken to ensure the school improves.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has taken steps to make advance passenger information available to Border Force general maritime officers; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    The security of our border remains a absolute priority. Border Force works closely with domestic and international partners on an intelligence-led approach to identify unlawful maritime activity including facilitation and illegal entry.

    Information on vessels travelling to and from the UK is collected from a range of sources and analysed at the National Maritime Information Centre. The Government keeps all options relating to advance notification requirements under review and will continue to ensure proportionate measures are in place to secure our border.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on the recent fatalities at the Boulby Potash mine; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the need to take any such action in respect of those fatalities.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has received one representation on recent incidents, from the hon. Member for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. HSE has carried out a variety of interventions with the operators of Boulby mine, ranging from the serving of Prohibition Notices to a detailed assessment of their safety and competency management systems. HSE is reviewing the circumstances of a number of recent incidents with a view to taking further enforcement action if appropriate.

  • Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    Stewart Jackson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps are being taken by the Church Commissioners to address the financial difficulties at Peterborough Cathedral; and if she will make a statement.

    Dame Caroline Spelman

    The Church Commissioners have made an emergency loan to help address the cashflow challenges at Peterbourough Cathedral. In addition to this financial assistance, they have also actively supported and continue to support the Cathedral and Chapter by giving practical assistance, for example helping the Chapter evaluate options for staff restructuring and its property sale programme.

    The Bishop of Peterborough has launched a visitation which will include a review of financial management and overall governance of the cathedral. The Commissioners are assisting in this process and I am happy to say that governance is improving and Chapter is beginning to address its budget deficit.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Government intends to raise from privatisation of the Green Investment Bank.

    Anna Soubry

    Proceeds will depend on the size of stake sold and the outcome of negotiations with investors about the value of the company. We will need to be satisfied any transaction represents value for money for the taxpayer.

  • Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wayne David on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department carries out of the needs of Syrian refugees who are admitted to the UK to ensure they receive the support they need.

    Richard Harrington

    The UNHCR identifies refugees for potential resettlement under the Syrian VPR scheme using their vulnerability criteria. Once our security processes have been completed, a full medical assessment is conducted by the International Organisation for Migration in the host country. Local Authorities are provided with case details of all referrals so they can consider whether they have the infrastructure and support networks needed to ensure appropriate care and integration of refugees.

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his polices of the conclusion of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, entitled Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015, that people in the bottom fifth of income distribution saw their living costs increase faster than average because they spent more money on essential goods.

    Priti Patel

    The Department carefully considers all relevant publications.

    We know that work is the best route out of poverty and that is why we are reforming welfare and cutting taxes to make sure work always pays and people get to keep more of what they earn. The annual average income of the poorest fifth of households has risen in real terms, compared to 2007/08. Looking forward, working families can expect to see their earnings increase, with average earnings growth expected to reach around 4% a year by 2020, while the current OBR forecast is for inflation to remain relatively low over the next two years.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle criminal gang activity in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government’s plans for tackling organised crime groups, or ‘criminal gangs’, are set out in its Serious and Organised Crime Strategy and amplified in the 2015 National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review.

    Since the publication of the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy in 2013, we have introduced important new legislation through the Serious and Organised Crime Act 2015, and have strengthened collaboration locally, regionally and with the private sector. We have invested in better capabilities to tackle cyber crime and online child sexual exploitation. We have also invested in Regional Organised Crime Units and implemented major new programmes of work to prevent, protect against, and reduce the impact of serious and organised crime.

    The Strategic Defence and Security Review outlines further measures to tackle organised crime, including our work to: choke off the supply and availability of illegal firearms; and introduce new measures to make the UK a more hostile place for those seeking to move, hide or use the proceeds of crime and corruption or to evade sanctions. It also explains that: we will develop a comprehensive action plan to better identify, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in modern slavery and immigration crime; and that we will continue to strengthen our approach to tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2015 to Question 3343, if she will commission an independent review of the reasons for the refusal of visa applications by people from the Kurdistan region of Iraq over the last three years.

    James Brokenshire

    There are no plans to commission an independent review into visa refusals of applications made by people from the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

    UKVI places great importance of the quality of all entry clearance decisions. All applications are assessed against the Immigration Rules. Decision quality is assured both by local managers and as part of the overall Home Office audit and assurance framework to make sure that the correct decision is reached on all visa applications.

    Further assurance is provided by regular third party inspections and audits.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what average annual tuition fee is charged by further education colleges for higher education courses.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) publishes an annual statistical report summarising the access agreements with Higher Education providers. This report includes estimates of the average fees charged by provider type. The latest statistics refer to the 2015/16 academic year and show that the average fee for the 51 English Further Education Colleges (FECs) with Access Agreements in the 2015/16 academic year was £6,941. Their estimate of the average fee across all 209 FECs was £6,561. More information is available at the following link:

    https://www.offa.org.uk/publications/analysis-data-and-progress-reports/

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