Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hamilton of Epsom – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hamilton of Epsom on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether a decision under Article 9 of Protocol (No 15) to the EU Treaties would require approval (1) by an Act of Parliament, and (2) by a referendum.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Under the EU Act 2011, a decision by the UK under Protocol (No 15) leading to a decision by the Council under article 140 (3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union would require an Act of Parliament and a referendum result in favour before a Minister of the Crown could support it.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, to what her Department allocated spending on malaria in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and how that spending was disbursed between multilateral and bilateral channels.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    In 2013-14 DFID malaria spend was approximately £536 million, of which 66 per cent was provided bilaterally and 34 per cent multilaterally. In 2014-15 DFID malaria spend was approximately £428 million, of which 75 per cent was provided bilaterally and 25% multilaterally.

    The methodology is detailed in the Malaria Framework of Results. This can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67642/malaria-framework-for-results.pdf.

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  • Nusrat Ghani – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nusrat Ghani – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nusrat Ghani on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the number of households eligible for the property compensation scheme proposed by Gatwick Airport Limited under the current proposal for the expansion of Gatwick Airport.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The property compensation scheme proposed by Gatwick Airport Limited consists of two elements, compulsory purchase and a voluntary purchase scheme (‘Home Owner Support Scheme’). Approximately 168 properties will be eligible for compulsory purchase compensation. The number of properties eligible for voluntary purchase will be determined by the promoters published eligibility criteria in due course.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the trial of Active Movement in schools in Newbury; and if she will roll out Active Movement to other parts of the country.

    Edward Timpson

    We want all pupils to be healthy and active. We welcome schemes such as Active Movement which encourage pupils to participate more in physical activity. This Government gives schools the freedom to choose how to use the primary PE and sport premium to improve their PE and sport provision. PE remains a compulsory subject at all four key stages in the national curriculum. The national curriculum sets out the expectation that pupils should be physically active for sustained periods of time.

    Through the primary PE and sport premium, the Government has provided over £450 million of ring-fenced funding to primary schools to improve PE and sport[1]. As announced in the 2016 Budget, revenue from the soft drinks industry levy will be used to double the primary PE and sport premium to £320 million a year from September 2017, enabling them to further improve the quality and breadth of PE and sport they offer.

    This is part of a wider government commitment to cut obesity rates, together with DCMS’ recent Sports Strategy and DH’s forthcoming Childhood Obesity Strategy, which is expected to be launched in summer 2016.

    [1] Across the academic years 2013/14 to 2015/16.

  • Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Heidi Alexander – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Alexander on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidelines her Department has issued on the time to be taken by a Regional Schools Commissioner to name a sponsor for a school that has been issued with an Academy Order.

    Edward Timpson

    Since the Education and Adoption Act came into force in April 2016, the Secretary of State has been under a duty to make an Academy Order in respect of any maintained school that has been judged by Ofsted to be inadequate. Regional Schools Commissioners, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, ensure that the maintained school becomes a sponsored academy as swiftly as possible, after considering the circumstances in the school, and then identifying the most suitable sponsor.

    No Academy Orders have been revoked to date.

    143 Academy Orders have been made since the new duty came into force. It is too soon to give an annual average of how long it has taken to match a school to a sponsor under these new arrangements.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that universal credit is effective in supporting an increasing number of people into self-employment.

    Damian Hinds

    Universal Credit Claimants who are gainfully self-employed and within one year of starting out in self-employment are also eligible for a ‘start-up period’, of up to one year to support them to grow their business.

    Claimants who are in their start-up period will attend quarterly sessions designed to provide support, assistance and guidance. They will have access to a cadre of work coaches with the right skills to signpost self-employed people to support to grow their business and earnings.

    We will use survey findings to ensure that the journey for newly self-employed claimants of Universal Credit is effective.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is investigating complaints made about the conduct and performance of the West London Coroner.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Operational responsibility for coroner services lies with the relevant local authority – in this case the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham – and complaints about a coroner’s conduct are investigated by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO). The JCIO has recently confirmed that it is investigating a complaint about the West London Senior Coroner.

  • Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to modernise the courts and tribunals system.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    We have secured over £700m of funding to invest in our courts and tribunals. We have worked closely with the senior judiciary to develop a plan to reform our courts system so it delivers swifter, fairer justice for everyone in England and Wales at a lower cost. This is a once in a generation opportunity to create a modern, user focused and efficient courts and tribunals service.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2015 to Question 20339, what the repayment requirements are for universal credit advance payments; and whether interest is charged on those payments.

    Priti Patel

    Universal Credit (UC) Advance Payments of benefit are recovered from the UC award over a period of six months. In exceptional circumstances recovery can be deferred for up to 3 months.

    No interest is charged on advance payments of benefit.

  • Baroness Featherstone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Baroness Featherstone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Featherstone on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect work to commence on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    On 10 February the Government announced that it will commission an independent review to assess the strategic case for tidal lagoons and whether they could represent good value for consumers. We anticipate that the review will be completed in the autumn.

    The Government is currently in the first phase of a Contract for Difference negotiation with the developer of the proposed Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project. At present there is no timeframe for how long the negotiation process may take. The timeframe depends on a number of factors, many of which would be outside the control of the Department.

    The work programme and the construction timetable for the proposed lagoon are matters for the developer.