The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for James Morris on Cabinet Office.
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Mr Francis Maude
The number of public service mutuals has increased from 9 in 2010 to nearly 100 today, operating in sectors ranging from youth services to social care. My department’s Mutuals Support Programme continues to provide professional support and training to live and developing mutuals, supporting over 65 to date.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on who is an appropriate person to hold title deeds for schools which are funded by the UK taxpayer; and whether those deeds can be sold or otherwise transferred.
Mr Edward Timpson
The Department for Education does not hold a policy on who an appropriate person is to hold title deeds for schools funded by the UK taxpayer, as the law strictly controls the disposal of publicly-funded school land.
When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust. In some circumstances, my Rt. hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may allow publicly-funded school land to be transferred to a person concerned in the running of an academy. Where this occurs, the transfer will be to an academy trust, which will have satisfied the Secretary of State as to its ability to operate a state-funded school.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lindsay Roy on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Egypt; and if he will make a statement.
Hugh Robertson
Egypt has been going through a difficult political transition for over three years. In July 2013, the interim Egyptian Government set out a new roadmap towards Presidential and Parliamentary elections. A referendum on a new constitution was held in January 2014 and was an important milestone. We welcomed the provisions in the new constitution for the protection of the rights of minorities and women and the transition to democracy in Egypt. However, we were concerned by the closure of political space for opposition groups in the run-up to the referendum and the arrest and sentencing of human rights activists. Egypt is now preparing for Presidential elections to be held from 26 – 27 May, which will be observed by an EU Election Observation Mission. Parliamentary elections are due to take place later in the year and are an important step.
We continue to monitor closely political developments in Egypt. We are concerned about the Protest Law; the prison sentences handed down to three democracy and human rights activists; restrictions on freedom of the press; and the sentencing to death of a large number of people without proper legal process in an Egyptian court in Minya. These cases undermine international confidence in the progress towards reform and democratisation in Egypt. We are also concerned at the rising number of terrorist attacks in Egypt. Our thoughts are with the families of those killed and wounded and all those affected.
The UK continues to believe that the only sustainable way for Egypt to address its current challenges is through an inclusive political process which allows all Egyptians a voice in the country’s future. The UK stands ready to support the Egyptian people in achieving this.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Miss Anne McIntosh on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations she has received on the levels of rural crime; and if she will make a statement.
Norman Baker
Between January and April 2014, the Home Office received five written
Parliamentary questions on issues relating to crime in rural areas, not
including this question. We also received one letter from a member of the
public and a letter from the Member for Thirsk and Malton.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 396W, on courts, how many calls were made to higher rate telephone numbers for (a) magistrates’ courts, (b) county courts and (c) the county court bulk centre in Northampton in each year since 2009; what the average duration was of calls to the higher-rate telephone numbers in each case in the most recent period for which figures are available; how much revenue was generated from such calls; which individual numbers are used for more than one court; and how many courts are covered by each of these numbers.
Mr Shailesh Vara
Information on volumes and durations for calls to higher-rate telephone numbers for magistrates’ courts, county courts and the county court bulk centre in Northampton in each year since 2009 is not systematically collected by the service providers, and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.
Between November 2013 to March 2014 the percentage of higher rate calls dropped significantly from 41% to 30% with the increasing use of 0300 numbers. This figure is set to drop even further as 19 higher rate numbers to the county court bulk centre are currently being replaced by 0300 numbers.
During this period 137,763 calls to higher rate numbers were answered at the county court bulk centre with an average duration of 4 minutes 14 seconds. This figure represents 35% of all calls with the remainder being 0300 numbers.
The Department has received no revenue from higher rate telephone numbers for the period under review.
The following individual numbers are used for more than one court:
0844 892 4000 is used by Basildon, Bury St Edmonds, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Kings Lyn, Norwich, Peterborough, Southend County Courts, and by Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester, Harlow, Southend Magistrates’ Courts.
0844 892 0550 is used by Bedford, Luton, Hertford, St Albans, Watford County Courts.
0845 300 4239 is used by Aylesbury, Banbury, Bicester, East Berkshire (Bracknell), East Berkshire (Maidenhead), East Berkshire (Slough), High Wycombe, Milton Keynes, Oxford and South Oxfordshire, Reading, West Berkshire (Newbury) Magistrates’ Courts.
0845 200 2078 is used by Chester, South Cheshire (Crewe), Liverpool and Knowsley, Macclesfield, Runcorn (Halton), Sefton, St Helens, Warrington, Wirral Magistrates’ Courts.
0845 601 0485 is used by Harrogate, Northallerton, Shipton, York Magistrates’ Courts.
0845 310 0575 is used by Cambridge, Peterborough Magistrates’ Courts.
The following Magistrates’ Courts have higher-rate numbers which are not shared:
Leamington Spa (0845 521 2300)
Nottingham (0845 408 3500)
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2014 (191689), 19 higher rate numbers to the County Court Bulk Centre in Northampton are in the process of being replaced by 0300 numbers. The higher-rate number for Central London Combined Court Centre has been discontinued. Taking into account these further reductions in higher-rate numbers, the percentage fall in higher-rate numbers since 2009 is 79% compared to the 55% previously stated.
Magistrates’ Courts’ and County Courts use a total of ten higher-rate numbers, sharing them for queries about fines, family matters, etc. Twenty-one of the Magistrates’ Courts’ using higher rate numbers offer alternative 0300 numbers.
As stated in previous answers to parliamentary questions, the Department’s approach is not to use higher rate numbers and instead, wherever possible, to assign 0300 numbers, for which the tariff is similar to calling an 01 or 02 (geographic) number, whether the caller is using a fixed line or a mobile phone —see: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131120/text/131120w0001.htm#131120113000070
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to streamline provisional licences for the drivers of heavy goods vehicles.
Stephen Hammond
There are no plans to change the current process for the issue of provisional driving licences to drive Heavy Goods Vehicles.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Meg Hillier on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effects of betting shops located in areas with high levels of deprivation on those areas.
Mrs Helen Grant
The Health Surveys for England and Scotland show that the relationship between gambling related harm and deprivation is mixed. The proposals I announced yesterday will ensure that betting shop customers are subject to greater protections wherever they are based – whether that be areas of deprivation or otherwise.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what amount his Department spent on all apprenticeships in 2013-14.
Matthew Hancock
The funding available for adult further education and skills in 2013-14 financial year was £4.1bn of which £3.6bn was routed through the Skills Funding Agency to support the capacity for 3 million learners. More detailed data on spend in that financial year are not yet available.
The funding available for apprenticeships in 2013-14 financial year was £1,566m of which £802m was provided by the Department for Education for those aged 16-18 and £764m was provided by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills for those aged 19 and over. More detailed data on spend in that financial year are not yet available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has any plans to end the employee trade union membership dues check-off system.
Mr Francis Maude
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester South on 2 April 2014 (Official Report) Column Ref: 721W.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many libraries in Greater London have (a) closed and (b) reduced opening hours since May 2010.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The detail requested is not held centrally by this Department, however the Annual Report to Parliament published in January this year indicated our estimate of static library closures in England since the beginning of 2010, is around 90. While the number of public libraries has reduced there has been a notable growth in the number of libraries managed or run by the community. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) collect, annually, from the individual library authorities, public library statistics which contain information relating to the net figure of public libraries open in each year, as well as the number and type of libraries and the average hours of opening per week. This shows the number of library service points open 10+ hours per week in England (incl. mobiles) at 31 March 2013 was 3,181. However, CIPFA do not collect data on the number of library closures or those that have reduced their opening hours. Copies of CIPFA statistics are available in the libraries of both Houses.