The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to reply to the letters to him of 2 April and 9 May 2014 from the hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse.
Mr Mark Francois
I replied to the hon. Member on 25 September 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Clarke on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on a minimum monetary threshold for a late payment which affects an individual’s credit rating.
Matthew Hancock
Credit ratings will take into account a number of different variables, including late payment, but it is a commercial judgement taken by Credit Reference Agencies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Miss Anne McIntosh on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils have applied to be assessed for a GCSE grade on the basis of coursework under the 50 per cent rule in each of the last five years.
Elizabeth Truss
The Secretary of State for Education recently received a letter from the hon Member for Thirsk and Malton on this issue, raising the case of a student in her constituency, to which he has responded. From time to time Ministers receive representations from members of the public, and from hon Members on their behalf, on the same matter.
Neither the Department nor the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation holds information on the number of pupils who have applied to be assessed for a GCSE grade on the basis of coursework. This information may be held by individual awarding bodies.
The rules governing the circumstances in which a GCSE grade may be awarded to a student who has not completed all the elements of the assessment are a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey to write directly to the hon Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Weir on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans his Department has to commission polling on attitudes in Scotland towards Scottish independence and related matters before 18 September 2014; and what the (a) scope and (b) value of each such contract is.
Greg Clark
The UK Government regularly commissions independent research to inform and evaluate major policy programmes. Cabinet Office has contracted Ipsos MORI for the purposes of providing market research in relation to the Scotland Analysis Programme. Two formal tenders for this research were issued in March and August 2013 respectively and, as with other tenders for Government contracts, these processes were managed by the Government Procurement Service (now part of the Crown Commercial Service).
Cabinet Office has also contracted Engine Partners LLP for the purposes of providing communications support work in relation to the Scottish independence referendum. A formal tender for this work was issued in September 2013 and was managed by the Government Procurement Service.
As part of the Government’s commitment to transparency in expenditure information relating to the costs of both sets of work is publicly available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 169W, on Djibouti, whether the UK personnel embedded with US forces under US command at Camp Lemonnier provide any support to the US drone programme in Yemen; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Mark Francois
UK Armed Forces personnel embedded in Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, are responsible for the planning and support of US military operations in East Africa. They do not provide any support to US Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) operations in Yemen; CJTF-HOA does not oversee operations in the Middle East.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that food labels include details of any genetically modified ingredients used in a product’s manufacture; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Ellison
The Food Standards Agency advises that EC Regulation 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed requires that food derived from genetically modified (GM) sources must be labelled, regardless of the presence of detectable GM material in the final product or of the quantity of intentionally used GM ingredients. This Regulation applies to all food that is marketed in the United Kingdom and in other member states.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions his Department has had with the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust on its ability to meet emergency 999 calls in the Greater Manchester area.
Jane Ellison
There have been no recent discussions between the Department and the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust on these matters. Decisions about ambulance services are a local matter and it is for clinical commissioning groups to ensure appropriate services are provided to their populations.
Patients have a right to high quality and reliable urgent and emergency care, whenever they call on it, and we expect all ambulance trusts to provide this.
The North West Ambulance Service met the three ambulance performance standards for 2013-14 and in April 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian personnel are employed at HMNB Clyde by (a) his Department, (b) Babcock, (c) ABL Alliance, (d) Serco, (e) Rolls Royce, (f) Thales and (g) other main contractors.
Mr Philip Dunne
As at 9 June 2014, 1,285 Ministry of Defence civilian personnel are employed at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde. Additionally there are approximately 1,900 people employed in the Naval Base by contractors. The precise number is a matter for the contractors and will fluctuate, depending on the tasks and the number of sub-contractors employed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stunell on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the average length of time between diagnosis of a mental health condition and the commencement of talking therapies in the Greater Manchester area.
Norman Lamb
By March 2015, we expect measurable progress towards achieving true parity of esteem, where everyone who needs it has timely access to evidence based services. This includes extending access to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme to children and young people and those out of work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2014-05-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library the terms of reference of the Sir John Holmes’ independent medal review; and if he will make a statement.
Anna Soubry
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.