UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Kate Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kate Green – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many part-time apprenticeships have been taken up in each of the last three years; and what steps he is taking to (a) widen access to apprenticeships and (b) promote the option of part-time apprenticeships.

    Nick Boles

    Statistical data on apprenticeships broken down by part-time/full-time hours is not available.

    Apprenticeships are full-time jobs; therefore an apprentice should work at least 30 hours per week. In exceptional circumstances, such as where the apprentice has caring responsibilities, a minimum of 16 hours per week may be agreed between the apprentice and the employer. In circumstances where the apprentice works fewer than 30 hours per week, the duration of the apprenticeship must be extended in proportion so that the minimum requirements on duration are still met.

    Apprenticeships are safeguarded by the same equality duties under the Equality Act (2010) as any other employment. We want quality apprenticeships to be accessible to a diverse range of people and encourage the use of the range of reasonable adjustments available so apprentices with disabilities (who can apply for Access to Work funding) can demonstrate what they know and can do. We are also supporting care leavers’ transition into work, including considering how apprenticeships and study programmes including traineeships can support them. From 2016/17 employers taking on care leavers aged 19+ as apprentices will be entitled to the full funding rate paid for 16-18 year old apprentices.

    In May we launched a communications campaign promoting the benefits of apprenticeships to young people, their influencers and employers. Schools are required to provide pupils with independent careers guidance, including on apprenticeships. They will be required to collaborate with colleges, university technical colleges and other training providers, in putting careers options in place.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what further steps her Department plans to take to tackle unsolicited and nuisance telephone calls.

    Matt Hancock

    We are taking forward a range of legislative measures to tackle nuisance calls, which will increase consumer protection and choice by strengthening the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) ability to take enforcement action against organisations that break the law. Specific actions include; strengthening the ICO’s direct marketing guidance by giving it statutory status; a proposal to extend the ICO’s powers of compulsory audit to more of the organisations that generate nuisance calls; and exploring the options for enabling the ICO to hold company directors to account for breaches of the direct marketing rules.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of levels of hospice care provision across the UK.

    David Mowat

    Levels of National Health Service funded hospice care provision are determined locally by clinical commissioning groups and they are responsible for ensuring that the services they commission meet the needs of their local population. Commissioners should identify any gaps in local provision and put in place service development plans to address this identified need.

  • Craig Mackinlay – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Craig Mackinlay – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Mackinlay on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will (a) consider legal action to recover tax due from Volkswagen as a consequence of carbon dioxide outputs and nitrogen dioxide levels and (b) commit to not reassessing tax payments for an additional benefit in kind as a result of higher carbon dioxide outputting vehicles.

    Damian Hinds

    The Government takes the unacceptable actions of Volkswagen extremely seriously and is taking robust action to get to the bottom of the emissions sandal.

    The Government has announced that no UK taxpayers will be penalised by higher taxes if their existing vehicles are found to be affected by the emissions testing scandal.

    The Government continues to monitor the actions of Volkswagen closely and will consider all options once the facts are fully clarified.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of retaining the Vanguard submarines in service for approximately five years longer than envisaged in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As set out in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, we have assessed that we can safely manage and maintain the Vanguard boats until the Successor submarines are introduced into service in the early 2030s. The marginal costs associated with maintaining the submarines can be contained within the existing running cost of the deterrent, which is around 6% of the defence budget per year.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many jobs in (a) her Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

    Karen Bradley

    The Department records actual staffing levels, but does not centrally record the number of jobs by location. Actual staffing levels for (a) the Department, between March 2010 and March 2015, have slightly reduced (less than 10 FTE¹) in Stoke-on-Trent. However, this does not necessarily mean that posts have been abolished or relocated as a consequence.

    The Department is still planning its workforce requirements for 2020 in line with the Spending Review settlement; this level of detail is not yet known.

    (b) For the Department’s executive non-departmental public bodies and statutory bodies, there have been no staff or offices based in Stoke-on-Trent during this period. The Department’s executive non-departmental Public Bodies are:

    • the Independent Police Complaints Commission;

    • the Gangmasters Licensing Authority;

    • the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner;

    • the Security Industry Authority; and

    • the Disclosure and Barring Service

    None of the Department’s Advisory and Tribunal NDPBs employ staff or have offices in Stoke-on-Trent.

    ¹Data Source: Data View, the Home Office’s single source of Office for National Statistics compliant monthly snapshot corporate human resources data Period Covered: Figures are as at 31 March each year.

    Extraction Date: 1st April each year

    Organisational Coverage: March-10 – Figures include core Home Office and the Executive Agencies; United Kingdom Border Agency, Identity and Passport Service and the Criminal Records Bureau March -15 – Figures include core Home Office (including Border Force, UK Visas & Immigration, Immigration En-forcement and Her Majesty’s Passport Office.) Employee Coverage: Data is based on headcount and FTE of all current paid and unpaid civil servants as at 31st March each year

  • David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Crausby – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2015 to Question 15641, what estimate he has made of the projected transport budget per capita in Greater Manchester after the devolution agreement comes into effect.

    Andrew Jones

    The devolution deal agreement with Greater Manchester will provide the city region with a devolved and consolidated local transport budget. The deal also provides Greater Manchester with other funding and flexibilities that it can use to invest in transport if it chooses. In addition, there are national investment programmes that will benefit Greater Manchester. Such an estimate is therefore dependent on decisions that are still to be taken locally and nationally.

  • Lord Hutton of Furness – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Hutton of Furness – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hutton of Furness on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government on how many occasions in the last five years Ministry of Defence firefighters attended accidents on public highways involving civilian property.

    Earl Howe

    Such information has only been centrally recorded since February 2012. The number of occasions on which Defence Firefighters have attended accidents on the public highway since 2012 is as follows:

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    28

    39

    28

    22
  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the Government plans to close Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

    Alistair Burt

    These are matters for the National Health Service.

    It is for the local NHS, in conjunction with NHS England as specialised commissioners, to effect change.

    We are advised by NHS England that following authorisation as a foundation trust, Mersey Care NHS Trust intends to acquire Calderstones.

    We expect consideration of patients’ interests to be paramount. The re-provision of care will be considered on a case by case basis and we expect patients and their families to be supported throughout the transition process.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the oral contribution of 25 April 2016, Official Report, column 1131, which groups he (a) has met with and (b) plans to meet with to discuss the importance of apprenticeships and other technical education for young people with disabilities.

    Nick Boles

    I have held discussions with the Alliance for Inclusive Education and Access Bedford.

    Work is currently ongoing with the Department for Work and Pensions to identity further groups, including charities, employer and training provider representatives, to engage with on these important issues.

    I have met with a number of hon Members and their constituents to discuss the matter and will be holding a roundtable on engaging individuals with learning difficulties and disabilities in apprenticeships in the near future.