The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she intends to answer the letter to her dated 10 December 2015 with regard to Mr S Akhter.
James Brokenshire
I wrote to the Rt. Hon. Member on 23 December 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans the Government has to support research and development in the use of thorium reactor technology in (a) the UK, (b) the EU and (c) worldwide.
Andrea Leadsom
The UK has been supporting research and development into the use of thorium nuclear fuels since such fuels were used in the Dragon reactor at Winfrith in the 1960s and 1970s.
Examples of current activity on thorium and related technologies include academic research into thorium fuelled reactor systems and fuel cycle processes through Research Council grants to UK universities; collaboration on thorium fuels, via the UK Research Councils’ Energy Programme, with national nuclear energy programmes of other countries on safety, performance and non-proliferation; experimental development of thorium fuels through the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) and private sector organisations, as part of international consortia, and thorium fuel modelling and fuel cycle scenario analysis by the NNL. These activities cover UK, EU and worldwide initiatives and receive either financial or strategic support from the Government. The Government plans to continue a similar approach to support future research and development in the use of thorium as a nuclear reactor fuel.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that secondary breast cancer patients have access to a clinical nurse specialist as part of their care.
Jane Ellison
The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes, in July last year, recognising the importance of access to clinical nurse specialists or other key workers for patients with all types of cancer.
NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to implement the recommendations of the Cancer Taskforce and has appointed Cally Palmer CBE (Chief Executive of the Royal Marsden) as National Cancer Director to lead on implementation, as well as new cancer vanguards to redesign care and patient experience. She has set up a new Cancer Transformation Board to implement the strategy, which met for the first time on 25 January. There will also be a Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Harpal Kumar, to oversee and scrutinise the work of the Transformation Board.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-04-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the introduction of driverless cars on UK roads on levels of insurance premiums.
Andrew Jones
We know that the insurance industry is keen to recognise and reward technologies that will make vehicles safer; the latest safety features, like autonomous emergency braking, can help reduce insurance premiums. As highly automated, and fully automated, vehicle technology should help reduce collisions, we believe this should be reflected in insurance premiums.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools were closed in each year since 2011.
Edward Timpson
Out of 308 free schools that have opened since 2011, four have closed. One free school closed in academic year 2013/14 and three closed in 2014/15.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-07-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what establishment types and educational provision arrangements are included within the category of other arrangements made by local authority used in the statistics and analysis on statements of special educational needs and education, health and care plans in England published on 26 May 2016.
Edward Timpson
The number of children and young people with a statement or education, health and care (EHC) plan who are educated at home is not specifically collected in the ‘Statements and EHC plans England: 2016’ publication[1]. However, as these children and young people will be included in the total number of children and young people with statements and EHC plans, local authorities are likely to have included these children and young people in the ‘other arrangements made by the local authority’ or ‘other arrangements made by the parent’ category.
The number of children and young people with statements or EHC plans who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is not specifically collected in this statistical first release. Where young people have a statement or EHC plan and are NEET, they will be included in one of the other categories, e.g. ‘other arrangements made by local authority’ or ‘awaiting provision’.
There is not an exhaustive list of arrangements included in the category of ‘Other – arrangements made by the local authority in accordance with Section 319 of the Education Act 1996 or Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014’. The published SEN 2016 guide for local authorities[2] completing this part of the collection is as follows:
‘Section 319 of the Education Act 1996 empowers an authority to provide education for children with special educational needs “other than in school”. This may include education in centres run by social services or at home. Children would not normally be on another school register.
‘Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014 empowers an authority to provide education for children and young people with special educational needs “other than in school, post-16 institutions, etc”. This may include education in centres run by social services or where the local authority has named home education on an EHC plan.’
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2016
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational-needs-survey-2016-guide
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date his Department plans to complete its longitudinal study into former employees of SSI UK; what the likely outcome of that study will be; and if he will make a statement.
Damian Hinds
The study has been commissioned. The timing and content are being considered. The honourable member for Redcar and other members of the SSI taskforce will be informed when more information is available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Will Quince on 2015-11-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to revise the agreement reached with the National Housing Federation on right to buy to remove references to almshouses in the table of discretionary sales.
Brandon Lewis
Almshouses are exempt from the Right to Buy for council housing. This long-standing exemption will also apply to the extended Right to Buy for housing associations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-14.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will revise the eligibility criteria for first time buyers under the Help to Buy ISA scheme to £450,000 in areas outside London where the average house price is above £250,000.
Harriett Baldwin
The government does not plan to revise the eligibility criteria for the Help to Buy: ISA scheme
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many standard visitor visas granted on appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) have been issued by UK Visas and Immigration (a) within one month, (b) between one to three months, (c) between three to six months, (d) between six to 12 months and (e) more than 12 months after that tribunal’s judgement in each of the last three years.
James Brokenshire
The time taken between receiving a determination from the First Tier Tribunal relating to a standard visitor visa and subsequent issue of visa can be found in the table below:
|
Time between notification of allowed appeal and issued decision |
|||||
|
Period |
Under 1 month |
1-3 Months |
3-6 Months |
6-12 Months |
Over 12 Months |
|
YE Sep-13 |
105 |
35 |
– |
– |
* |
|
YE Sep-14 |
110 |
60 |
5 |
5 |
– |
|
YE Sep-15 |
10 |
5 |
* |
* |
– |
All figures are obtained from local Management Information.
Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
‘-‘ represents 0 cases ‘*’ represents less than 3 cases.
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