Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Douglas Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Douglas Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Alexander on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 377W, on Sri Lanka, what assessment he has made of the suitability of President Rajapaksa to serve as Chairperson in Office of the Commonwealth.

    Mr William Hague

    The position of Chair in Office, which is occupied by the host of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) for two years after the event, was formally created in 2009. No formal guidance exists on the role. The decision for Sri Lanka to host CHOGM, and become Chair in Office thereafter, was taken at CHOGM in 2009. There has been no consensus amongst member states to revisit this decision.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many women received statutory maternity pay for how long in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Steve Webb

    The total number of women that started receiving Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) in 2011/12 was 355,000 and the average number receiving SMP at any point in time during the year was 273,000. These figures are estimated based on a 1% sample of National Insurance records.

    This figure is for Great Britain only. Northern Ireland figures are the responsibility of the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland.

    The duration of SMP claims cannot be estimated from National Insurance records, as these only contain information on the amount of SMP paid across the year and not when SMP claims begin and end. However the Department publishes the Maternity and Paternity Rights and Women Returners Survey, which provides an indication of SMP claim durations, with the latest publication being in 2009/10. In 2008, about half of women eligible for SMP took maternity pay for the statutory number of weeks (39 weeks). Findings can be accessed at the link below (Section 3.3 and Table 3.5 contain information on SMP durations):

    <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maternity-and-paternity-rights-and-women-returners-survey-200910-rr777>

    Notes:

    • Estimates of the number of women receiving SMP are based on the Lifetime Labour Market Database (L2) which is a 1 per cent sample of National Insurance Records.
    • Estimates are subject to change due to further information becoming available through the National Insurance Recording System.

    “

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department has spent on grassroots sport in (a) Pendle, (b) East Lancashire and (c) the North West in each of the last five years.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Figures in the table show Sport England direct investment only. The figures do not include additional money being spent on grassroots sports by national governing bodies and other national partners in which Sport England has invested £493 million to get more people playing sport across England.

    2009-10

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    Total

    Pendle

    £1500

    £16,506

    £19,560

    £306,404

    £167,996

    £511,966

    Lancashire

    £1,430,187

    £1,160,438

    £2,105,677

    £3,239,373

    £4,212,095

    £12,147,770

    North West

    £8,220,417

    £14,081,270

    £11,875,216

    £12,653,474

    £18,754,769

    £65,585,146
  • Peter Luff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Peter Luff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what continued professional development assistance is provided to design and technology teachers.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Government is committed to raising the quality of teaching in all subjects, including Design and Technology (D&T). Headteachers and teachers are best placed to make decisions about what professional development they require in order to meet the needs of their pupils and school. A network of Teaching Schools has been established to improve the capacity of schools to take the lead in the training and development of teachers and create more opportunities for peer-to-peer learning. The Teachers’ Standards set a clear benchmark for the level of practice expected of all teachers, and provide a valuable tool to help headteachers and teachers identify and address development needs through regular appraisal.

    The D&T expert subject group, set up to provide support to teachers implementing the new D&T curriculum, comprises of leading professionals in D&T who work to clarify the key areas on which teachers most need further support, identifying the topics that can present the greatest challenge when discussing with pupils. The group liaises with relevant specialists and providers to develop and produce new resources where necessary. DATA, in partnership with others, have developed a range of resources including an annotated programme of study, providing advice and explanatory notes on implementation.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the construction contract for a Secure College awarded to Wates was put out to tender.

    Jeremy Wright

    Invitations to tender for the design and build of the Secure College pathfinder were issued under the Ministry of Justice’s Strategic Alliance Framework Agreement on 31 January 2014, shortly after we published the Government response to the Transforming Youth Custody consultation on 17 January and announced plans for the Secure College pathfinder in the East Midlands.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the current starting age for children entering primary education on the wellbeing and attainment of those born in summer months.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education has not made an assessment of the effect of the current starting age for children entering primary education on the wellbeing and attainment of those born in the summer months.

    However, research[1] carried out by the Department has demonstrated that the age at which tests are taken is the dominant reason for month of birth gaps in educational attainment, and not the age at which children start school; it is simply the fact of being younger when tested that accounts for most of the differences observed. The research reported no evidence of a causal relationship between school entry age and attainment.

    Parents of summer born children who think their child is not ready to start school can request that their child is admitted outside of their normal age group and be admitted to reception year in the September following their fifth birthday. The school’s admission authority is responsible for making the decision which must be based on the individual circumstance of each case.

    [1]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/182664/DFE-RR017.pdf

    “

  • Robert Syms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Robert Syms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Syms on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of the carbon dioxide emissions will be represented by UK electricity generation over the lifetime of the proposed development at Navitus Bay.

    Gregory Barker

    The Department does not undertake analysis or hold information of this nature relating to specific developments.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office received 2,331 Commons written questions in the 2013/14 session. All received a substantive answer before Prorogation. Questions tabled just before Prorogation, which had invalid notice periods, were not able to be answered.

  • Fiona O’Donnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fiona O’Donnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona O’Donnell on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the government of Israel on the recent arrest of Mahmoud Zwahre in Al Maasara, Bethlehem.

    Hugh Robertson

    The British Government has not made any representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue.

  • Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints his Department received from members of the public on care and treatment by Medway NHS Foundation Trust between 2005 and 2010.

    Jane Ellison

    A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has identified 19 items of correspondence from members of the public received between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2010 which complain about care and treatment at Medway NHS Foundation Trust. This is a minimum figure which represents correspondence received by the Department’s Ministerial correspondence unit only.