The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2014-04-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many tenancy relations officers are currently employed by each local authority.
Kris Hopkins
This information in not centrally held.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Robert Halfon on Health.
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Norman Lamb
The Care Act will require local authorities to ensure all assessors are appropriately trained to carry out assessments. This builds on the statutory guidance Implementing Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives which followed the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy for England, and which required autism awareness training to be available to all staff working in health and social care and specialist training for those in key roles that have a direct impact on access to services for adults with autism. The Department is currently consulting on the regulations and statutory guidance that will support the implementation of the Care Act, and we will remind local authorities through this of this requirement in Implementing Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives.
Due to the complexities of assessing people who are deafblind, regulations under the Care Act will require their assessments to be carried out by a specialist assessor. One of the questions in the consultation document is whether specialist assessors should be required to carry out the assessment of people with other conditions, such as autism, and to explain why this should be the case. Based on the evidence we receive through the consultation we will consider if this requirement should be extended to other conditions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-04-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 414W, on pre-school education, who the 43 early years providers are who have been granted full or partial exemptions from the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
Elizabeth Truss
Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure free early years provision for eligible children in their area. Local authorities determine which providers should receive early education funding in accordance with statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education. Since September 2013, local authorities have been expected to base their decision on whether to fund providers to deliver early education places solely on a provider’s most recent Ofsted judgement.
Exemptions to the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) can only be made in one of two circumstances:
Exempt providers remain subject to inspection and any independent school which subsequently falls below ‘good’ loses their exemption. The first exemption was introduced in 2012. The second exemption was in place under the previous Government.
The Answer of 10 April 2014 (Official Report, col 414W, on pre-school education) explained that Departmental records showed there were 43 early years providers with full or partial exemptions from the learning and development requirements of the EYFS, that were in receipt of local authority funding for early education at the time the exemption was granted to the provider.
34 of these are still in receipt of local authority funding for early education. A further five providers with a full or partial exemption are now in receipt of early education funding but were not at the point their exemption was granted. One further provider has received an exemption since the previous PQ was answered and is in receipt of early education funding. Of these 40 providers, 33 are exempt under the exemption in place under the previous Government, only 7 are exempt under the exemption introduced in 2012. These 40 providers are listed below.
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Providers who were in receipt of local authority funding for early education at |
Reasons for Exemption |
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1. Apple Star Early Years (Community Interest Company), Reading |
Steiner – established principle route |
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2. AZBUKA Russian Nursery, London |
Language – established principle route |
|
3. Beechtree Steiner Kindergarten, Leeds |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
4. Botton Village School, North Yorkshire |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
5. Brighton Steiner School |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
6. Bromsgrove (Pre-Prep and Nursery) School, Worcestershire |
Independent – Good |
|
7. Buttercups Little Kindergarten, Cambridgeshire |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
8. Calder Valley Steiner School, Calderdale |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
9. Cambridge Steiner School Kindergarten |
Steiner – established principle route |
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10. Children of One End Street, Gloucestershire |
Steiner – established principle route |
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11. Children’s Garden, Exeter |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
12. Children’s Garden, Richmond |
Steiner – established principle route |
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13. Children’s Garden, University of East London |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
14. Cobnuts Steiner Kindergarten, Kent |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
15. Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School, Dudley |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
16. Falkner House, London |
Independent – Outstanding |
|
17. Greenwich Steiner School |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
18. Hoathly Hill Kindergarten, West Sussex |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
19. Kingsley School, Bideford |
Independent – Good |
|
20. Lancaster Steiner School |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
21. Laurel Farm Kindergarten, Bath |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
22. Michael Hall School Kindergarten, East Sussex |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
23. Michael House a Steiner Waldorf School, Heanor |
Steiner – established principle route |
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24. North London Rudolph Steiner School |
Steiner – established principle route |
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25. Rowan Tree Kindergarten, Bristol |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
26. Rudolph Steiner School, Kings Langley |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
27. St Albans Steiner Kindergarten |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
28. St Michael Steiner School, London |
Steiner – established principle route |
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29. St Paul’s Steiner School, London |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
30. Sunlands Kindergarten, Gloucestershire |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
31. The Ryleys School, Cheshire |
Independent – Outstanding |
|
32. Waldorf Steiner of South West London |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
33. Willow Tree Steiner School, Bristol |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
34. York Steiner School |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
The following five providers are now in receipt of early education funding, |
Reasons for Exemption |
|
1. Elysia Children’s Garden |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
2. James Allen’s Preparatory School, London |
Independent – Outstanding |
|
3. Oswestry School (Bellan House), Shropshire |
Independent – Outstanding |
|
4. The Linden Kindergarten, Gloucestershire |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
5. Wynstones School, Gloucestershire |
Steiner – established principle route |
|
One further provider has received an exemption since the previous |
Reasons for Exemption |
|
1. Finton House, London |
Independent – Outstanding |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Caroline Lucas on Home Office.
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Karen Bradley
To date 50 refugees have arrived in the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons
Relocation scheme (VPR). We will continue to bring groups here on a regular
basis, and envisage that several hundred people will be helped over the next three
years. The VPR scheme does not form part of the UN quota but runs in parallel
with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees’ (UNHCR) own Syria
Humanitarian Admission Programme. The Government has been clear that this is a
crisis of international proportions and needs a fitting response from the
international community. The UNHCR is best placed to comment on the policies of
other countries regarding Syrian refugees. With 2.9 million refugees now in Syria’s
neighbouring countries, we continue to believe that prioritising humanitarian aid is
the best way to ensure that the UK’s help has the greatest impact.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-04-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what progress the Government has made on implementation of the Scottish rate of income tax; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Alistair Carmichael
The UK and Scottish Governments continue to work closely together on the implementation of the Scotland Act 2012 which significantly increases the Scottish Parliament’s financial powers.
The Government’s second annual report on the Act was laid in Parliament yesterday and provides a full update on implementation of the fiscal powers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Iain McKenzie on Business, Innovation and Skills.
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Jenny Willott
The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs have 173 staff dedicated to the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage.
The Government is already taking tougher action on employers that break minimum wage law. We have made it simpler to name and shame employers that don’t pay the national minimum wage and increased the financial penalty that employers pay for breaking the law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2014-04-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent steps he has taken to support elderly first-time entrepreneurs.
Matthew Hancock
People of all ages and experiences are setting up and growing businesses all the time. We continue to work hard to provide the right support to make life easier for them all.
www.gov.uk is the home for Government services and information online. One of the tools available is the ‘Business Finance and Support Finder;’ a source of government backed support and finance for business. The website www.greatbusiness.gov.uk also provides support and advice for anyone trying to grow a business as well as for entrepreneurs starting out.
In addition to on-line support, the Business Support Helpline is available to provide a quick response on queries about starting a business, or a personalised and in-depth advice service for more complex needs. For those looking for start-up finance and advice there are Start-Up Loans: 7 loans worth a total of £37,000 have been drawn down in Windsor since the scheme began in 2012.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Coaker on Defence.
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Anna Soubry
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 June 2014, (Official Report, column 364W) to the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green).
Reservists are treated exactly the same as regulars in terms of operational training and support while mobilised, including access to the same welfare support and medical treatment through the Defence Medical Services (DMS). They are retained in service and will receive treatment and rehabilitation until they are medically assessed as having reached a steady state of fitness, at which point they will be demobilised. If they have continuing healthcare needs following demobilisation, they will be taken through a transition from military to NHS care. Reservists who are medically discharged as a result of injuries sustained during deployment are also entitled to resettlement training and to the same range of services available to regular veterans. Where service is the only or main cause of injury or illness, members or former members of the reserve forces may qualify for awards under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).
The level and quality of post-operational support provided to injured mobilised reservists is exactly the same as that provided to regulars, with full access to all the facilities and expertise provided under the Army Recovery Capability, and it is a level of support of which the Army and the Ministry of Defence are extremely proud.
Following the Reserves 2020 White Paper, which proposed improvements to occupational health provision to ensure consistent access to these services for all reservists, the MOD committed to extending DMS occupational health provision to non-mobilised reservists. Rehabilitation services are also being extended to members of the reserve forces who are injured during reserve training. This is in addition to the procedure in place since 2006, whereby reservists can obtain DMS mental health treatment through the Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme. Implementation of the new measures started in April 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-04-28.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax relief was provided for mortgage interest payments by buy-to-let residential property investors at the (a) basic income tax marginal rate, (b) higher income tax marginal rate and (c) additional income tax marginal rate in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.
Mr David Gauke
The information is not available. HMRC’s administrative systems do not separately identify mortgage interest payments against residential property from other financial costs incurred across all types of property businesses (both residential and non-residential). Moreover property income is grouped with other income in the calculation of tax liabilities, and consequently the amounts of specific deductions effective against each rate of tax is not precisely defined.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Sharon Hodgson on Justice.
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Simon Hughes
I have not discussed the legal status of Islamic marriages with any of the organisations listed.
There are no plans to change the law to recognise in English law Muslim marriages and divorces which do not conform to the Marriage Act 1949.