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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Graham Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what factors he took into account in deciding not to adopt a pure provider payment model in reform of apprenticeship funding.

    Matthew Hancock

    The 2013 consultation on Apprenticeship funding reform sought evidence on the feasibility and impact of three different mechanisms for giving employers more control over the funding. Following consideration of the responses to this consultation, the pure provider payment model was ruled out on the basis that it was the least likely to deliver the intended aim of giving employers true purchasing power.

    The subsequent Technical Consultation published in March 2014 sought views on two models – a PAYE model and an apprenticeship credit model which are consistent with an employer-led Apprenticeships system. We are currently evaluating the responses to this consultation and will announce which payment mechanism we plan to pursue in the autumn.

    We have established a ministerial advisory panel on Apprenticeship standards, made up of experts to advise the Secretary of State on the approval or rejection of employer designed Apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches.

    We will refresh the Skills Funding Agency register of approved Apprenticeship training providers to ensure that only reputable providers are able to offer Apprenticeship training and organisations doing so will be subject to Ofsted inspection.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the provision of advice for students with special educational needs.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education, in partnership with the Council for Disabled Children, has worked directly with a number of young people, including students, with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Their views have helped shape the reforms to the current SEND system to ensure it meets their needs – including how they would like to receive information and advice. Arrangements for providing information, advice and support for young people are set out in the SEND Code of Practice which was laid before Parliament on 11 June 2014.

    From this September, local authorities will be required to provide information and advice directly to children and young people with SEND as well as to parents. Staff working directly with children and young people should be trained to support and work in partnership with them. Local information and advice services should direct young people to specialist support to help them prepare for employment, independent living (including housing) and participation in society. It should also provide access to careers advice where needed.

  • Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2014, Official Report, columns 27-8W, on pharmaceutical price regulation scheme, what payments have been made to the devolved administrations in the financial year 2014-15 to date; and what payments were made to the devolved administrations in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15 financial years under the iteration of the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme which has applied from 1 January 2014.

    Norman Lamb

    To date, no payments have been made to the devolved administrations in respect of the 2014 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) in financial year 2014-15. Constructive discussions have taken place with the Department and the devolved administrations to identify a fair allocation of receipts received under the PPRS. Agreement on the allocations for financial year 2013-14 has been reached and the Department intends to make the payments for that financial year within the next month.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to ensure that the six days a week universal Royal Mail service continues in rural areas.

    Jenny Willott

    The one price six-days-a-week postal delivery service to all addresses in the UK is clearly set down under the Postal Services Act 2011 as part of the minimum requirements of the UK’s universal service and can only be changed by Government with the approval of both houses of Parliament. The protection is exactly the same for rural areas as urban areas of the UK.

    Parliament has given Ofcom the primary statutory duty to protect the ongoing provision of the universal service throughout the country and ensured that Ofcom has the regulatory powers and tools it needs to intervene if the universal service is ever at risk. More information about the regulatory framework for postal services can be found on Ofcom’s website (www.ofcom.org.uk).

    “

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-06-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2014, Official Report, column 36W, on minimum wage: Northern Ireland, whether HM Revenue and Customs’ national minimum wage enforcement team have any staff located in Northern Ireland outside the city of Belfast.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government takes the enforcement of national minimum wage (NMW) very seriously and HMRC enforce the NMW legislation on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). It does that by investigating all complaints made about employers suspected of not paying the minimum wage, in addition, carrying out targeted enforcement where it identifies a high risk of non-payment of NMW across the whole of the UK.

    The National Minimum Wage team in Northern Ireland contains six full-time and two-part-time staff with all using Belfast as a base location.

    However, as I explained in my previous response, HMRC deploys resources to risk, so work relating to a specific geographical area may not always be undertaken by the NMW team based in that area. In addition, the NMW Dynamic Response Team (DRT) provides a multi-agency response to emerging risks, high profile casework and compliance initiatives across the UK.

  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff employed by his Department received each level of performance rating in their end of year performance assessment for 2013-14.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The table sets out the percentage of employees, within each performance category, who have declared a disability, and the percentage of all other staff in each performance category for the 2013-14 reporting year for assessments received to date. The percentage of all other staff includes staff who have either explicitly declared that they do not have a disability, have chosen the ‘prefer not to say’ option, or have not responded to the question at all.

    Percentage

    Excellent

    Good

    Must Improve

    Percentage of employees who have declared a disability in each performance rating

    1%

    4%

    0%

    Percentage of all other staff employed in each performance rating

    35%

    58%

    2%

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) takes seriously its obligations to collect diversity data as required by the Equality Act 2010. All staff have been asked to provide personal diversity data to be held anonymously, and we continue to encourage increased declaration by staff. As such these figures will not be fully representative of workforce diversity.

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department (a) has given in each of the last 10 years and (b) plans to give in the next three years to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to (i) mark and (ii) maintain the graves of those who died during the World Wars; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    As the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War approaches, it is right that we acknowledge the important work undertaken by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to commemorate those who gave their lives during both World Wars.

    The CWGC receives financial contributions from its member nations based on the number of graves it maintains on behalf of each nation. Accordingly the UK Government contributes 78.43% to the total CWGC funding.

    Financial records are retained for seven years. Information held by the Ministry of Defence indicates that over the last seven financial years the UK Government has made the following payments to CWGC for the maintenance of graves of those who died during the First and Second World Wars. The figures include UK VAT:

    2007-08 – £34,799,000
    2008-09 – £35,153,000
    2009-10 – £46,545,000
    2010-11 – £43,341,000
    2011-12 – £46,288,000
    2012-13 – £44,636,487
    2013-14 – £47,318,041

    With regard to future funding, the UK will continue to meet its obligation to pay the appropriate percentage (currently 78.43%) of the total CWGC funding.

    The Department for Culture, Media & Sport is discussing with the CWGC the scope for enhancing information and interpretation at burial sites as part of the centenary commemorations.

  • Mark Reckless – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mark Reckless – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Reckless on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the graduates receiving bursaries to teach mathematics in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15 at each of the four tiers had (i) a mathematics degree, (ii) a relevant degree as defined by the School Workforce Survey and (iii) any other degree.

    Mr David Laws

    Information in relation to 2013-14 is not held in the form requested and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

    Data on 2014-15 participants has not yet been collected.

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the number of domestic renewable heat incentive applications received since April 2014; and how many such applications have been turned down because they did not meet minimum insulation standards.

    Gregory Barker

    Since the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme launched on 9 April this year, up until the end of May, Ofgem had received 2,296 applications to join the scheme.

    Whether or not an application meets the minimum insulation standard is determined using information from the Energy Performance Certificate of the property. Currently, Ofgem do not record data on applicants that are not eligible for the scheme due to not meeting minimum insulation standards, as this check precedes an applicant completing a full application.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to encourage more tourists to visit Egypt.

    Hugh Robertson

    The decision on whether to travel to Egypt, or any other country, is for each individual to make. The purpose of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel Advice is to help individuals make an informed decision. We advise anyone considering visiting Egypt to read the FCO Travel Advice before travelling.