Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to enhance the quality of careers guidance available in schools in England.

    Lord Nash

    It is essential that all young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. This includes finding new ways to broaden young peoples’ exposure to the world of work and ensuring they have key skills like character and grit. A new, independent careers and enterprise company, announced by my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 10 December 2014, will support schools by increasing the level of employer input into careers guidance, inspiration and enterprise. This is a vital part of our plans to strengthen links between schools and the world of work to ensure young people get the support they need. The company will have the specific remit of spreading existing good practice to every part of England. The company will receive start-up funding drawn from the £20 million for careers announced in the autumn statement.

    The new company is a key part of a wider package of measures to improve careers guidance in schools. We have revised our statutory guidance to clarify our expectations of schools in relation to their duty to secure independent careers guidance, and will review it again in time for the next academic year. We have established a clear accountability system. Ofsted is giving a higher priority to careers guidance in school inspections and we publish destination measures which help schools and colleges to be held to account locally and inform choices by parents and students. We have also enhanced the role of the National Careers Service to help bring schools and employers closer together.

  • Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether copies of HM Revenue and Customs Board papers and minutes of Board meetings are provided to HM Treasury and the Board of HM Treasury or its Council of Economic Advisers.

    Lord Deighton

    Information provided to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by the French tax authorities in respect of individuals indicated to hold accounts at the Geneva branch of HSBC Suisse and understood to be UK residents was supplied to HMRC under the terms of both the Mutual Assistance Directive 77/799/EEC[1] and the Double Taxation Convention in force between France and the United Kingdom at that time[2].

    The Mutual Assistance Directive had been in force since 23 December 1977. The Double Taxation Convention has been in force since 18 December 2009, replacing an earlier convention which had been in force since 1969.

    Since their entry into force each of these agreements has been a matter of public record.

    There was, therefore, no new agreement for the Board of HMRC to negotiate or consider in connection with the provision of the information by the French tax authorities.

    HMRC does not share copies of Board papers and minutes with HM Treasury. However, senior HM Treasury officials are standing invitees to HMRC’s monthly Executive Committee meeting, which is the Department’s main executive forum and the primary place where decisions are taken with regards to setting and delivering strategy and improving performance in key areas, and as such they have routine access to relevant committee meeting papers and minutes.

    Each HMRC Executive Committee member also takes responsibility for the management of activities within a specific portfolio, including enforcement and compliance and business or personal tax customer services; HM Treasury officials do not have access to this level of information which ‎contains operational compliance and taxpayer confidential information.

    [1] http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31977L0799

    [2] http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxtreaties/in-force/france.pdf

    “

  • Chris Ruane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris Ruane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the shortest period was between the date on which a post office branch received public funding for improvement and the date on which it closed.

    Jo Swinson

    The Government understands the important role that post offices play in communities across the country and since 2010 has committed nearly £2 billion to maintain, modernise and protect a network of at least 11,500 branches that continues to meet strict access criteria that see, for example, 99% of the population nationally living within three miles of a post office outlet.

    This Government has also committed that there will be no programme of Post Office closures and there are currently around 11,700 post office branches in the UK, with the Post Office network at its most stable for over two decades.

    As the provision of post offices and the investment made under its network transformation programme are the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on these matters. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • Oliver Colvile – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Oliver Colvile – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to better enforce building regulation inspections to ensure quality housing builds.

    Stephen Williams

    The duty to comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations lies on the person carrying out the building work. The duty of the building control bodies, local authorities and approved inspectors, is to take all reasonable steps to satisfy themselves that the requirements have been satisfied. Where they have not been complied with a compliance certificate should not be given. It is also possible for building control bodies to take formal enforcement action in the courts against builders for non-compliance where they consider this would be justified. Issues relating to warranties which may be provided for new homes are matters for the relevant warranty body.

  • Caroline Flint – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Flint – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the amount of land that will be sold by NDA Properties Limited in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16; and what estimate he has made of the revenue likely to be raised by those sales.

    Matthew Hancock

    NDA Properties Ltd will consider selling land at Dounreay, Harwell, Springfields and in West Cumbria in the next two or three years, depending on market conditions. For commercial reasons it does not make public its valuations of its holdings.

  • Paul Farrelly – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Farrelly – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Farrelly on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library copies of the full reports by KPMG he has commissioned into the health economies of (a) Staffordshire, (b) Eastern Cheshire, (c) South West London, (d) North East London, (e) Cumbria, (f) Mid-Essex, (g) Cambridge and Peterborough, (h) Leicestershire, (i) Northamptonshire, (j) East Sussex and (k) Devon.

    Jane Ellison

    As part of NHS England, NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) and Monitor’s joint project to support 11 challenged local health economies develop clinically and financially sustainable five-year strategic plans, four consultancy firms (including KPMG) were commissioned to support the local areas with the development and strengthening of their plans.

    Reports were provided by the consultants to support the project’s Programme Board, consisting of NHS England, TDA and Monitor, to manage the contracts and ensure that the service specification was being met.

    Work is ongoing based on the contents of these reports and there are a number of steps that have to be undertaken in each of the local health economies before these reports can be released: the production of the five-year strategic plan, consideration of the plan, consultation on possible reforms to the health economy, recommendations for possible reforms following consultation, and implementation of recommendations.

    To release the reports ahead of the steps identified above being completed would be likely to prejudice their outcome. The timescales for the above processes will be different in each of the 11 areas and, as the strategic plans are produced, they are made available from the relevant clinical commissioning group websites through their board papers.

  • Iain Wright – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Iain Wright – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 22 November 2012, Official Report, columns 566-7W, on police: Cleveland, what estimate she has made of the number of police officers allocated to Hartlepool constituency for frontline duties in each year since the basic command unit was abolished; and if she will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    As set out in the previous answer mentioned by the Hon Gentleman, the Home Office no longer collects police workforce information at the requested level. The deployment of available resources is a matter for chief officers locally, working with their Police and Crime Commissioner.

    At the overall police force area level, according to the definitions set out by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Cleveland Police plan to have 1271 police officers working in frontline roles by March 2015. This represents 91 per cent of the total police officer workforce.

    Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary has made clear there is no simple link between officer numbers and crime levels. This is supported by the reduction in crime of more than one fifth under this Government, according to the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales.

  • Lord Grade of Yarmouth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Grade of Yarmouth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Grade of Yarmouth on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of Iran’s financial and material support for Hamas.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain deeply concerned by Iran’s ongoing financial and material support for Hamas and other Palestinian rejectionist groups. The supply of arms to Hamas contravenes the embargo on Iranian arms exports established by UN Security Council Resolution 1747 and undermines prospects for peace and stability in the Middle East.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government’s proposed reforms to A-levels, if she will bring forward safeguards to prevent students making uninformed decisions about their subject choices and being limited as to the degree they can apply for at university as a result of having to make subject decisions at the beginning of Year 12.

    Mr Nick Gibb

    Schools have a duty to secure independent careers guidance for students in years 8 to 13 [1]. This should include supporting students to make informed choices about the subjects and qualifications that will support progression to university.

    New A levels will become linear from 2015. Students will still be able to take stand-alone AS qualifications at the end of year 12. This flexibility will help those who are unsure at the start of year 12 which subjects they wish to continue to A level. We expect teachers to help students decide whether it is right to take an AS qualification.

    Universities set their own admission requirements and are best placed to advise students on the A level subjects needed for particular degree courses. The Russell Group has published a guide to post-16 subject choices called ‘Informed Choices’[2]. This includes advice on the best subject combinations for a wide range of university courses. The guide also identifies the A level ‘facilitating subjects’ that are required more often than others, and which can help students to keep more options open.

    The Department for Education recently announced that this year’s key stage 5 performance tables would include a measure showing the percentage of A level students attaining AAB or higher in two or more ‘facilitating subjects’, as a standard of academic rigour [3].

    [1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/careers-guidance-for-young-people-in-schools

    [2] www.russellgroup.ac.uk/informed-choices/

    [3] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download/Statement_of_Intent_2014.pdf

    “

  • Simon Danczuk – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Simon Danczuk – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Danczuk on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent talks Ministers in his Department have had with (a) Israeli and (b) Palestinian leaders on the current situation in Gaza.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 20 July.

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke with Palestinian President Abbas on 19 July and Israeli Foreign Minister Liebermann on 18 July.