The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.
David Mundell
The Scotland Office’s expenditure on training in each of the last three financial years is shown below:
|
|
11/12 |
12/13 |
13/14 |
|
Outturn |
£3,111 |
£7,314 |
£9,118 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of raising the participation age on the take up of apprenticeships by 16 to 19 year olds.
Nick Boles
The latest participation data shows there was an increase in the proportion of 16-18 year olds taking an apprenticeship in 2013/14. The proportion of 16 year olds – the first cohort affected by the raising of the participation age (RPA) – was unchanged. Participation data for 2014/15 is not yet available
There are a number of factors that may affect the take up of apprenticeships, and no assessment has been made of the distinct impact of the introduction of RPA.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.
Esther McVey
The below figures relate to e-learning, the events delivered via Civil Service Learning and the learning days delivered by DWP Operations. It should however also be noted that additional development activity would have been undertaken which is not captured here, as well as the fact that Civil Service Learning was not created until 1st January 2012.
The average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed by the Department in each of the last three financial years is as follows:
|
Total training days |
FTE |
Average No. training days |
|
|
Apr 11 – Mar 12 |
310,239.48 |
88,626.40 |
3.5 |
|
Apr 12 – Mar 13 |
253,658.21 |
85,129.22 |
3.0 |
|
Apr 13 – Mar 14 |
261,155.88 |
83,941.67 |
3.2 |
The decrease in training days after 2011/12 is partly explained by the formation of CSL in 2012, which led to a rationalisation of the number of learning events to provide better focussed high quality events more targeted to specific learning needs and organisational requirements. The establishment of a common curriculum of products for learning provision across the Civil Service through CSL reduced duplication and overlap between courses and a more blended approach led to more learning activity taking place through E learning and other interventions rather than a classroom based solution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rooker on 2015-02-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the diet and nutrition budget in the Department of Health in June 2010; how much that sum increased by incorporating budgets transferred from the Food Standards Agency to the Department of Health following the machinery of government changes in July 2010; and what is the current level.
Earl Howe
The Department’s programme budget for diet and nutrition in 2010-11 was £700,000 and the Food Standards Agency budget that transferred to the Department following the machinery of Government changes in 2010 was £10.126 million. The 2014-15 programme budget for diet and nutrition is £70,000 in the Department and £4.8 million in Public Health England. These budgets do not include staffing costs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-02-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to overhaul child abuse investigations.
Lord Bates
The Government is clear that if anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, or knows of someone who has been a victim, then they should report it to the police so that it can be thoroughly investigated. The day to day investigation of child sexual abuse is an operational matter for the relevant Chief Officer.
In July last year, the Home Secretary established an Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. This Inquiry will consider whether, and the extent to which, public bodies and other non-state institutions have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse. The Inquiry will have statutory powers under the Inquiries Act 2005, to enable it to compel witnesses to give evidence. This is of huge national significance and is a once in a generation opportunity to get to the truth.
At a national level, Operation Hydrant is the national policing response which oversees and coordinates all child abuse investigations concerning persons of public prominence or those offences which took place historically in institutional settings. It is overseen by the National Policing Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigations. More generally, Operation Hydrant is responsible for the production of best practice for Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs) investigating relevant allegations.
To support forces in conducting operations into child sexual abuse, the College of Policing has published Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on managing complex child abuse investigations.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary is currently conducting a rolling programme of unannounced child protection inspections. Reports on Norfolk, South Yorkshire, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire have been published so far. This inspection programme, once completed, will give a national picture, and focus on the role of police in child protection and specifically how effectively forces safeguard young people.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerry Sutcliffe on 2015-02-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what terms and conditions the contract of the Chief of Defence Materiel has been extended.
Mr Philip Dunne
I am pleased to confirm that the Chief of Defence Materiel’s contract has been extended for a further year on the existing terms and conditions. He will therefore have served a total of five years in post, in line with existing guidelines for senior civil servants of his rank.
As a member of the Defence Board, details of Mr Gray’s salary and bonus payments are published annually in the Department’s accounts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2015-02-11.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what qualifications are required of Pension Wise staff providing (a) telephone and (b) face-to-face advice.
Andrea Leadsom
All guidance specialists working for Pension Wise will receive high quality and rigorous training, whether they are delivering guidance face to face or over the phone. They will be required to pass a certificated test to demonstrate they have the necessary technical knowledge and guidance skills to deliver the guidance. The training programme is designed in accordance with FCA standards, and will be accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute, a well-respected professional standards body in the financial services industry.
HM Treasury’s delivery partners, TPAS and Citizens Advice, Citizens Advice Scotland and Citizens Advice Northern Ireland are currently recruiting guidance specialists. Recruitment strategies and the setting of pay scales is the responsibility of individual delivery partners.
At Budget 2014, the Chancellor allocated a development fund of up to £20m to establish the initial guidance service. Spending on advertising will be published as part of the government’s Transparency Agenda. Initial funding to The Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) and the Citizen Advice organisations will be included in the HM Treasury Accounts to be published in July.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons ministerial returns for his Department for quarters two and three of 2014 have not yet been published.
Kris Hopkins
Updated detail of Ministerial hospitality, overseas travel and meetings with external organisations will be published in due course on the same day as other government departments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Paice on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to bring the ETSU-R-97 assessment methodology for calculating the noise impact of wind turbine generators in line with current World Health Organisation guidelines.
Amber Rudd
The Government takes seriously the impact of noise from wind turbines. Potential noise impacts are considered within the planning process in accordance with ETSU-R-97, and taking into account any guidance on good or best practice that the Government has published or endorsed, before any decision is taken whether or not to grant consent to a project. The Government believes that wind farms built in accordance with current guidance should not have significant impacts on those living or working within the vicinity of these sites, and has no plans to revise ETSU-R-97.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) benefits for and (b) risks to patient care of NHS foundation trusts and trusts being financially penalised for failing to meet performance targets in 2015-16; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Ellison
Patients have a right to National Health Service care in line with performance standards set out in the NHS Constitution. We believe it is correct that there should be financial incentives for providers of NHS services to achieve these important standards for their patients, and the NHS Standard Contract has for many years included such incentives.
Commissioners are able to apply sanctions where a provider misses one of these national quality standards, and retain the funding for re-investment in front line services.