The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what official domestic visits he has made since May 2015; and what the purpose of each such visit was.
Greg Clark
I have carried out a wide range of domestic visits since May 2015. Transparency data is recorded on the Department’s website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether an impact assessment has been undertaken of the proposal in Question 35 of his Department’s consultation on the extension of charging overseas visitors and migrants using the NHS in England.
Alistair Burt
In relation to the Department’s recent consultation on extending charging to overseas visitors using the National Health Service in England, a lack of available data means that it has not been possible to estimate the cost to industry of the proposal to remove the exemption from charge category for overseas visitors working on United Kingdom-registered ships. However, the proposal was included in the Impact Assessment and is thought to be small overall.
We are currently analysing responses to the consultation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of freedom of speech for (a) bloggers and (b) other people in Bangladesh.
Mr Philip Hammond
Our assessment is that the rise in extremist attacks has increased pressure on free speech in Bangladesh. This is one of the reasons that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has named Bangladesh as one of its 30 Human Rights Priority Countries. The UK supports freedom of expression as both a fundamental right in itself and as an essential component of a full range of human rights. Ministers have unequivocally condemned the murders of secular online activists and minority groups, and called for free speech to be protected in Bangladesh. On Monday 25 April, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire) said that he was deeply saddened by the senseless murders of Xulhaz Mannan, Tanay Fahim and Rezaul Karim Siddique and called for the killers to be brought to justice. On 9 April, following the brutal murder of Nasimuddin Samad, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) restated the Government’s position that the right to freedom of expression and open debate in Bangladesh must be upheld.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-06-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the effect of the introduction of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
Mike Penning
We are committed to monitoring the impact of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 which commenced on the 26 May.
Section 58 of the Act commits the Secretary of State to review the operation of the Act, prepare a report of the review, and lay a copy of the report before Parliament 30 months after the commencement of the Act. This review will therefore report its findings in late 2018.
Since commencement, the police have made arrests across the country of those involved in the supply of psychoactive substances; a number of head-shops have ceased trading and many more have handed in their remaining stock to be destroyed; and action by the National Crime Agency has resulted in the removal of psychoactive substances from sale by United Kingdom based websites.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what safety improvements are planned for the A34; and what the planned date of completion is for each such improvement.
Mr John Hayes
Highways England has a major scheme planned for the A34 to ease congestion, improve safety and incident management between the M4 junction at Chievely and the M40 junction at Wendlebury. Vehicle detection loops (in the road) will detect when traffic is building or slowing down to help operate traffic signals and activate electronic message signs. CCTV cameras and driver information systems will be installed at key locations along the A34 between the M4 and the M40. Highways England intends to start work by March 2020.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-14.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to substitute funding to start-up loan schemes previously funded completely or partly by EU programmes after the UK leaves the EU.
Mr David Gauke
As set out by the Chancellor, the Treasury will guarantee funding for structural and investment fund projects and funding secured through direct bids to the European Commission, even after the UK leaves the EU. This is where the funding provides strong value for money and is in line with domestic strategic priorities. These include projects signed after Autumn Statement and before we leave the EU.
Alongside this funding, the Start-Up loan programme, funded by the UK government and overseen by the British Business Bank (BBB), has supported over 39,500 entrepreneurs to set up their own business and facilitated loans of over £230m.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what average time her Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.
Mr Desmond Swayne
The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. These can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many area reviews of further education there are which (a) have been completed, (b) are scheduled but have not yet begun, (c) are currently underway and (d) are currently underway and have met at least four times.
Nick Boles
The first wave of area reviews began between September and November 2015.
No area reviews have yet been completed. Each review will take approximately three to four months to complete, taking local needs into account. We expect all reviews to be completed by March 2017.
The second wave of area reviews is due to begin in 2016. We have recently published details of the second wave, along with indicative information on later stages. Reviews covering Greater London are yet to be confirmed and will be announced shortly. We expect there to be around 40 reviews in total.
There are seven first wave area reviews currently underway. These are in Birmingham and Solihull, Greater Manchester, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, Sussex, Solent, and West Yorkshire. None of the first seven area reviews have met four times.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Jenrick on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of changes in the cash level of per pupil funding for secondary schools in the county of Nottinghamshire in each of the next five years.
Mr Sam Gyimah
We have announced the per pupil funding rates for 2016-17. Nottinghamshire will receive £4,355 per pupil in 2016-17. We have protected these rates against 2015-16 levels, so that Nottinghamshire will continue to receive the additional £860,000 it received in 2015-16. Whilst the Department sets the level of funding received by each local authority, it is for local authorities, in consultation with their schools forum, to set their own funding formulae to decide how to distribute funding for pupils aged 5 to 16 in their areas, including the funding allocated to secondary schools.
Beyond 2016-17, the Government is committed to delivering our manifesto pledge to make school funding fairer. We intend to introduce a National Funding Formula for schools, high needs and early years. We will set out, and consult on, our detailed plans for a National Funding Formula later in the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many employees are employed at the Sheffield office of the (a) Skills Funding Agency and (b) the Insolvency Service.
Joseph Johnson
As at 31st January 2016, the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills have a) 13 employees in the Skills Funding Agency and b) Nil employees in the Insolvency Service based in its office in Sheffield.