UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Wills – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Wills – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wills on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to increase the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates in education or employment one year after graduation.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    The Government attaches great importance to the supply of science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills and the value that they bring to all sectors of our economy. It has commissioned two independent reviews into graduate employment and accreditation in STEM which aim to explore some of the issues around the employment outcomes of graduates from STEM disciplines.

    Sir William Wakeham is leading the review into STEM disciplines. A second, separate review is being led by Sir Nigel Shadbolt and is considering the specific concerns related to graduates of Computer Science. [HL3019]. The reviews are due to report to Ministers in Winter 2015/16. (Note: further information can be found at http://www.hefce.ac.uk/kess/gradstemreview/)

    “

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much was paid in (a) year-end and (b) in-year bonuses to officials of his Department in each of the last three years.

    David Mundell

    All staff in the Scotland Office are on assignment, secondment or loan from other Government bodies, in the majority of cases, the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice. Staff may be eligible for bonuses, in addition to basic salary, through their parent bodies’ pay arrangements.

    The Scotland Office does not keep records of year-end performance payments or allowances to staff below Senior Civil Service level. These records are kept under staffs’ parent bodies’ pay arrangements. Scotland Office Senior Civil Service performance awards are agreed within a common framework set by the Cabinet Office and are published in the Scotland Office Annual Report and Accounts.

    The Scotland Office is able to authorise directly non-consolidated and non-pensionable bonus payments in recognition of special effort, achievement and commitment, where the payment of such bonuses forms part of the individual member of staff’s terms and conditions. The current bonus arrangements do not apply to staff on assignment from the Scottish Government.

    The following information shows the cost of such payments in the last three financial years:

    Financial Year

    Total Cost of Payments in-year bonuses

    Number of Awards

    Total Cost of Payments year-end (SCS only)

    Number of Awards

    2012-13

    £3,050

    7

    £0

    0

    2013-14

    £4,700

    16

    £0

    0

    2014-15

    £0

    0

    £5-10

    1

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2015 to Question 12724, on the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, if he will place in the Library a copy of all advice that group has submitted to Ministers of his Department.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Since 2012, the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group has advised Ministers on issues including training for journalists to tackle the negative portrayal of Muslims in the media; encouraging increased reporting and recording of anti-Muslim incidents and online abuse; supporting social media workshops to build the capacity of community organisations to promote positive narratives; and facilitating a number of regional road shows to engage communities on integration and tackling anti-Muslim hatred. The group also worked on the issue of disaggregation of anti-Muslim hate crime, as is done with anti-semitic hate crime. Last month, my Rt Hon Friend, the Prime Minister announced that police forces in England and Wales would be required to disaggregate religion based hate crime data.

    The Working Group meets quarterly and uses this forum to advise Ministers on issues relating to anti-Muslim hatred rather than through official submissions.

    The independent members of the Working Group volunteer their own time to take part in the group and can claim basic travel expenses for the meetings. As part of a broader role, one official in the Department provides secretariat support to the group and officials from across Government Departments attend quarterly meetings.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average time is for NHS Protect to complete an investigation.

    George Freeman

    This information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Alec Shelbrooke – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Alec Shelbrooke – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alec Shelbrooke on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s contract with Veolia for the disposal of hazardous, non-hazardous and special waste which expired on 31 March 2015, when the new tendering process will begin; and what weight will be given in that process to British companies.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The contract with Veolia for the disposal of hazardous, non-hazardous, special and dry wastes on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Other Government Departments was extended and is now due to expire on 31 March 2016. It is expected that an invitation to tender for a new contract will be advertised in early 2016.

    The MOD is required under relevant procurement regulations to treat all bidders equally and in a non-discriminatory way. This means that British companies will compete on an even playing field for this requirement.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Church Commissioners

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church Commissioners are taking to promote the use of credit unions in the work of the Church of England; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs Caroline Spelman

    The Church of England’s work in support of credit unionshas been led by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Task Group on Responsible Credit and Savings, chaired by Sir Hector Sants. Nationally, the Task Group has developed a number of strategic, church-led initiatives, including matching the resources of local churches with the diverse needs of local credit unions through the Church Credit Champions Network. To date, the pilot scheme has engaged over 200 churches, trained 150 Credit Champions and is on target to bring in 3,000+ new credit union members across London, Southwark and Liverpool dioceses, with plans to roll out to 30 more dioceses from next year.

    The Church of England is also running the ‘LifeSavers’ programme which is piloting a holistic financial education programme linked to savings clubs in primary schools. This was trialled successfully in Church of England primary schools during 2015 and will be rolled out to a further 120 church and community schools from early 2016, helping to raise the profile of credit unions in these communities.

    Locally, dioceses and churches are involved in a wide range of activities in support of credit unions, from running mass sign-ups and marketing campaigns and recruiting volunteers to the board of credit unions to hosting access points in church building and promoting payroll saving through links with local employers. According to a Church Urban Fund survey, 17% of Anglican parishes are actively involved in supporting credit unions in various ways. This activity has generated widespread coverage in national and local media, raising public awareness of credit unions. Further information is available on our dedicated website: www.toyourcredit.org.uk

    “

  • Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what steps he is taking to promote the use of credit unions in the work of 10 Downing Street; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for West Worcestershire (Ms Baldwin) on 2 November 2015, UIN 13524.

  • Lucy Powell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on how (a) playing fields and (b) other facilities and resources available at the recently approved grammar school site in Kent and the existing grammar school that it will be annexed to will be shared.

    Edward Timpson

    The expansion proposal from the Weald of Kent confirms that the school intends to provide students with a range of opportunities across the curriculum, utilising facilities on both sites. Extra-curricular activities and assemblies will also be shared across both locations.

    The proposal confirms that the expanded school will have the same leadership, governance, and management arrangements as the existing academy. A single governing body, one headteacher, and one senior leadership team (SLT) with whole school responsibilities will ensure that the current ethos, standards, and quality of learning would be secured in the expanded school.

    In addition to the headteacher and SLT, heads of department will work across both sites. All new staff contracts will include a requirement that staff may be deployed across the school estate, and all staff will attend training sessions at both sites.

    The frequency of movement will be in line with delivery of the curriculum.

  • Mark Tami – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Tami – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11044, what criteria NHS England plans to use in deciding which treatments remain on the Cancer Drugs Fund.

    George Freeman

    The criteria for reviewing the drugs on the national Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) list is outlined in NHS England’s publishedCDF Standard Operating Procedure which is available at:

    www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/cdf/

    “

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide financial support to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to compensate for the loss in business rates due to closure of the Redcar steel works.

    Greg Hands

    The Government has announced an £80 million support package for Redcar. We are working with the local Task Force to design a package that will include funding for workers to retrain, support to start their own business, and help for local businesses to grow and create jobs.