UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in which local authorities 30 per cent or more pupils entitled to free school meals are not claiming them; and what steps he is taking to improve the take-up of free school meals.

    Mr David Laws

    The Department for Education routinely collects information on pupils who are both eligible for and claiming free school meals. This information is published in the ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2013′ Statistical First Release[1]. Identifying pupils who are eligible for but not claiming free school meals is more difficult.

    The Department has published a research paper – ‘Pupils not claiming free school meals: 2013′[2] – which presents estimates of the numbers and proportions of pupils who are entitled to receive free school meals but are not claiming. The paper compares registration rates for children aged between four and 15 and highlights regions and local authorities where under-registration rates are high. A table showing under registration rates by local authority can be found in the annex.

    The Department has developed a free school meals Eligibility Checking System (ECS). The ECS enables local authorities to check very quickly and determine whether a parent can claim free school meals by linking benefits information from DWP, HMRC and the Home Office. It represents a significant achievement in reducing bureaucracy and cost for local authorities and encouraging more parents to sign up their children for a free school lunch. The ECS has been extended to allow parents to check their own eligibility, and to apply online, for free school meals. The new system reduces the time, stigma and bureaucracy previously associated with applications for free school meals.

    Resources are also available from the Children’s Food Trust to help schools increase take-up of free school meals.[3]

    [1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2013.
    [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupils-not-claiming-free-school-meals-2013.

    [3]http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/schools/resources/free-school-meals-matter-toolkit

    “

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from cold-related causes in the winter of (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of VE Day in 2015.

    Anna Soubry

    The 70th Anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day will have significant resonance in the UK and the allied nations. No specific plans have yet been developed, but this is something that we will be turning our attention to in the coming months.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department provides to non-governmental organisations working in Vietnam to combat child trafficking and to help repatriated victims of trafficking.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We currently fund a range of projects in Vietnam targeted at raising awareness of and combating modern slavery and human trafficking through victim reintegration programmes. There is a focus on alternative job creation for victims, and potential victims of trafficking.

    In particular, our British Ambassador opened Compassion House in June 2013, a UK funded shelter in Lao Cai on the Chinese border for girls who have been trafficked. It is operated by the local government authorities in conjunction with a local non-govermental organisations, Pacific Links Foundation to provide life skills and vocational training.

    Our Embassy also funds the ‘Capacity Building Activities for Victims of Gender-Based Violence’ project which provides support for women and children in Vietnam who have suffered from gender-based violence and the effects of human trafficking.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department will publish guidance for sixth form colleges that wish to convert to become 16 to 19 academies.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Sixth-form colleges are classified as private sector institutions and already benefit from the freedoms that academies enjoy. For this reason, the Department for Education has no plans to publish guidance for sixth-form colleges that wish to convert to become 16 to 19 academies.

  • Meg Munn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Meg Munn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Meg Munn on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2014, Official Report, column 80W on the Pacific Islands, how much support and under what categories her Department gave directly to Pitcairn Island in 2013-14.

    Mr Alan Duncan

    DFID holds a legal obligation to meet the reasonable needs of Pitcairn Island. In 2013/14 DFID provided a total of £2,809,462 to Pitcairn Island to ensure the maintenance of a range of basic public services (e.g. electricity, telecommunications), to ensure continued child safeguarding is in place for the remaining children on Pitcairn, and to support the shipping service that provides the only freight and passenger services to and from the island.

  • Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officials are employed in her Department’s Human Trafficking Unit; what the purpose of the unit is; and what the role is of each such official.

    Karen Bradley

    A dedicated Modern Slavery Unit has been set up in the Home Office to lead and
    coordinate cross-Government activity to stamp out this terrible crime. The
    Modern Slavery Unit currently comprises 13 members of staff and is responsible
    for a comprehensive programme of activity, which includes development of the
    Modern Slavery Bill, and management of the adult victim care contract. In
    addition, one member of staff has been seconded from the Foreign and
    Commonwealth Office to lead on international issues. There are also six members
    of staff working on the review of the National Referral Mechanism. This team is
    independent of the Modern Slavery Unit.

    The Modern Slavery Unit is further supported by a number of staff across the
    Home Office who work on related modern slavery issues including child
    trafficking and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority. This is in addition to
    the operational caseworkers in UK Visas and Immigration, who are involved in
    decision making on individual cases.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2014-05-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that Brunei’s proposal to introduce Sharia law executions violates the human rights principles of the Commonwealth Charter; and what representations they have made to Brunei about the matter.

    Baroness Warsi

    It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-05-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take to secure compensation for the European Union-funded humanitarian housing shelters close to Ma’ale Adumim, which were demolished by Israeli authorities on 9 April.

    Baroness Northover

    Any decision to respond to these demolitions would be taken by the EU rather than the UK. We and our EU partners regularly lobby Israel against the demolition of Palestinian homes and infrastructure and forced transfer of population in Area C and East Jerusalem. Officials most recently raised the issue of demolitions with the office of Prime Minister Netanyahu on 1 May.On 5 May the EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah issued a statement condemning recent home demolitions and evictions of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and urging Israel against such actions.

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2014-05-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which official, with what job title, is responsible and accountable for departmental management information in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

    Baroness Warsi

    Iain Walker, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Finance Director, is responsible and accountable for departmental management information. This is in line with the Read report of June 2013 which recommended “the most senior Finance Officer in each department should own and be held accountable for departmental management information.” Management Information is also addressed in both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Departmental Improvement Plan; and its Permanent Under Secretary Governance Statement.