Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children he expects will be lifted out of poverty by the introduction of universal credit.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Government is committed to eliminating child poverty and improving life chances for children.

    We know that work is the best route out of poverty, and Universal Credit is designed to strengthen incentives for parents to move into and progress in work. Evidence shows claimants move into work significantly faster and earn more than under the current system.

    In addition, Universal Credit now provides for 85% of childcare costs meaning more support for hardworking families.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to ensure that UK students will retain the ability and funding to study at universities elsewhere in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

    Joseph Johnson

    Future arrangements for migration, student funding and UK students studying abroad will need to be considered as part of wider discussions about the UK’s relationship with the EU.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the evidential basis which shows that cannabis is harmful, cited in the Government response to the epetition, We demand the British Government reschedule cannabis.

    Mike Penning

    The government relies on the evidence of the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, whose most recent report on cannabis, Cannabis Classification and Public Health, concluded that cannabis is a “significant public health issue and can unquestionably cause harm to individuals and society”. The full report can be accessed here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/acmd-cannabis-classification-and-public-health-2008.

  • Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2015-12-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the official opening of the airport on St Helena.

    Baroness Verma

    The St Helena Government is responsible for planning the official opening of the airport on St Helena.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the public sector exit payments cap on morale in the Civil Service.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Civil Service has successfully changed the way it operates and become more efficient – it is now delivering far more, for less, than it did before 2010. The Government has delivered a range of policy changes over the last five years to modernise the Civil Service and save taxpayers money. During this time employee engagement rates have actually increased.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the rate of pay is for cleaners in his Department.

    Brandon Lewis

    The rate of pay for cleaners working in buildings managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government is between £6.70 and £8.00 per hour depending on seniority, location and duration of tenure. From April 2016, the Department will pay the National Living Wage.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of internet service provision across all Government departments in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Matthew Hancock

    The information requested is not held centrally, departments have responsibility for their own Internet service provision.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the UN and AU rapporteurs on human rights defenders about doing more to ensure that women activists in Sudan are protected, and addressing repression and abuse of such activists.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have consistently raised the need to protect human rights defenders at the UN Human Rights Council, most recently in March 2016. In addition, we are also providing project support in Sudan. This includes efforts to help journalists draw attention to social justice issues, including gender-based violence, and events to help inspire young women to become women’s rights activists.

  • Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Calum Kerr – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure that the Education Cannot Wait fund for education in emergencies focuses on (a) girls, (b) children with disabilities and (c) other marginalised children.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK has played a leading role in the development of Education Cannot Wait – a fund for education in emergencies. A key focus for Education Cannot Wait will be on ensuring that marginalised children and young people are able to access a quality education. This includes refugees and internally displaced children, as well as children facing barriers to their education because of their gender, disability or other factors. This focus is reflected in the Fund’s indicative headline results, which commits to providing “Inclusive education [that] reaches the most marginalised children and young people in crises” with a target of “100% of supported education opportunities demonstrate an increase in education for girls, disabled and those in remote locations”. The UK will continue to engage closely during Education Cannot Wait’s inception phase, to ensure that this commitment is fully reflected in its final design and results frameworks.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to multi-academy trusts to ensure governance and leadership structures are able to support effective expansion.

    Edward Timpson

    Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) have an important role to play in encouraging and supporting high performing schools to extend their influence by growing Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) and recruiting new sponsors to their region. The RSCs support schools and other organisations to become sponsors and grow effectively by offering practical one-to-one advice and facilitating supportive networks between MATs. They are also able to commission additional support for trusts where that is required, for example, from local Teaching School Alliances.

    As set out in our White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere, in the future MAT support will be system-led, and there will be a role for larger and more experienced trusts in supporting growing trusts as they develop. The Department is taking a number of steps to support MATs with leadership and governance, including:

    • a MAT CEO development programme;

    • redesigning a National Professional Qualification in leadership; and

    • funding the academy ambassadors programme that has resulted in over 240 experienced business leaders providing support to MATs by joining trust boards as non-executives.

    We are committing funding for 5 years to provide long term stability to help many more volunteers find a school or MAT that is looking for someone with their skills.

    The Government has allocated £300 million that will be available to support schools to convert and, in particular, support sponsors to turn around failing schools. A further £300 million will be available to support strong and effective multi-academy trusts to grow and improve.