Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to support the teaching of foreign languages in schools.

    Lord Nash

    The new national curriculum sets out clearly what should be taught to pupils, and gives teachers the flexibility to decide how to teach it. We expect schools to identify the support that they need to prepare for the new curriculum, recognising that different schools will face different challenges.

    We are allocating £350,000 to fund teaching school alliances and others to provide training on the new national curriculum for teachers of modern foreign languages in primary and secondary schools. Also, in terms of overall support for the new national curriculum, we have allocated some £1.9 million to teaching schools to lead curriculum change across and within their teaching school alliances.

    To support the introduction of a compulsory foreign language at key stage 2 (ages seven to 11) from September 2014, the independent Expert Group, chaired by a leading primary headteacher, has provided links to useful resources, which are hosted on the website of the Association for Language Learning.

    We are also making extensive use of social networking, including using high profile headteachers and others to raise the profile of the new curriculum, including for languages, through podcasts, webchats and blogs.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many decisions on applications for personal independence payments from individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness were made in each of the three months to June 2014.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave him on 18 June, Official Report, column 629W. Information on clearance times is not currently available. Statistics on clearance times are intended for future publication.

  • Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to Growth is Our Business: A Strategy for Professional and Business Services published in July 2013, whether his Department is on course to run at least two professional and business services dedicated trade missions each year; and what such missions have taken place since the Strategy was published.

    Michael Fallon

    UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is developing professional and business services dedicated trade missions to North America, South America, South East Asia and India this year. These missions will complement other planned trade missions open to this sector, for example the business delegations which accompany the Lord Mayor of London’s overseas visits.

    UKTI delivered a professional services event in Russia with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment and the Royal Society of Chartered Surveyors in November 2013.

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the saving was to the public purse from the reduction of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) incapacity benefit for individuals in receipt of a pension income of more than £85 per week in 2013-14.

    Esther McVey

    The information is not available as no such estimate has been undertaken.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what change there has been in the total amount of gift aid claimed by charities between 2008 and 2013.

    Nicky Morgan

    HMRC publishes data on repayments of Gift Aid to charities in Table 10.1 of its National Statistics at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/256802/table10-1.pdf

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  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of his Department’s Child Maintenance Group on-site nurseries are due to close from September 2014; and what the location of each such nursery is.

    Steve Webb

    Five Child Maintenance Group on-site nurseries are due to close on expiry of the contract at the end of September 2014. They are located at offices in Birkenhead, Dudley, Falkirk, Hastings and Plymouth.

    Child Maintenance Group childcare subsidy was made no longer available to new entrants from 1 June 2012. This brings Child Maintenance Group into line with the Department’s policy on childcare subsidy.

    As part of its remuneration package, the Department supports employees through a salary sacrifice scheme where employees can give up part of their salary in return for childcare vouchers. This scheme allows for significant savings through tax relief and gives parents support in order to make their own choices for childcare.

    Employees affected by the closure of the five on-site nurseries have been offered a day’s special leave in order to look for suitable alternatives.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason an Apache helicopter had to make an emergency landing outside Aberdeen during Exercise Joint Warrior.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Apache helicopter was taking part in a biannual joint multi national exercise and was travelling from West Freugh to Kinloss when the crew were given a warning notice. They followed correct flight procedures and safely conducted an emergency landing.

    An engineering fault investigation report identified a failure with the oil pump and the engine is now being replaced before further engineering checks are conducted and the aircraft is cleared to fly.

  • Jim Sheridan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Sheridan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Sheridan on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with employment agencies on the practice of blacklisting.

    Jenny Willott

    Blacklisting is an unacceptable and illegal practice and we take any allegations of blacklisting very seriously. I have not had any discussions on the practice of blacklisting with employment agencies. We have referred the allegations made about an international recruitment agency to the Information Commissioner’s Office which is looking into the matter.

  • Ann McKechin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ann McKechin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann McKechin on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made any recent representations to the government of Uzbekistan regarding the imprisonment of the journalist, Salidzhon Abdurakhmanov.

    Mr David Lidington

    We, along with our European partners, have raised the case of Mr Abdurakhmanov with the Uzbek authorities at Ministerial and official level on several occasions. The Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the Rt. Hon. Baroness Warsi, raised this issue with the Uzbek Foreign Minister when he visited London last November. Our Embassy in Tashkent is in contact with the Uzbek human rights organisation, Ezgulik, which visited Mr. Abdurakhmanov in custody in January. Baroness Warsi discussed a range of human rights issues, including freedom of expression, with Ministers and senior officials when she visited Uzbekistan earlier this month.

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) reporting has consistently highlighted our concerns about freedom of the press and harassment of journalists in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan remains on the list of Countries of Concern in the FCO’s annual Human Rights and Democracy Report, reflecting longstanding concerns about the overall human rights situation in Uzbekistan. Our Embassy in Tashkent regularly raises these issues with the Uzbek authorities and funds projects that support good governance and human rights. We also continue to encourage further progress towards full implementation of Uzbekistan’s international human rights commitments.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last met the Scottish Government to discuss air passenger duty.

    Nicky Morgan

    Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of organisations as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.