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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the well-being of children being assessed at Key Stage 2 level in June 2016; and whether her Department has conducted an impact assessment of changes to primary school assessments at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 level.

    Nick Gibb

    Assessment is a crucial part of a child’s schooling and is fundamental in a high-performing education system. It enables parents and teachers to see how pupils are performing in relation to national expectations and identifies the areas where additional support for pupils is needed.

    The best way to prepare pupils for the tests is by teaching the National Curriculum and we do not recommend that schools devote excessive preparation time for Key Stage 2 tests. We trust teachers to prepare pupils in a way that does not put undue pressure on them. Schools are also required to provide continuous and appropriate support as part of a whole school approach to supporting the wellbeing and resilience of pupils. It is therefore recommended that any child experiencing high levels of stress should speak to their teachers or school counsellors.

    The Government recognises that it will take time for schools to adjust to new primary assessment arrangements. We have developed new assessments to reflect the new National Curriculum and made the expected standard more challenging to align with the high expectations it sets. The new statutory assessments, however, still measure the same range of attainment. Additionally, statutory tests only form part of the broader assessments that teachers make about pupils on an ongoing basis.

    Throughout the introduction of these reforms, we have worked closely with teachers, head teachers and their union representatives and considered their concerns fully. We will continue to do so in resolving any remaining issues.

  • Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that physical activity is an integral part of tackling obesity in the forthcoming childhood obesity strategy, in the light of the correlation between inactivity and childhood obesity.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Our Childhood Obesity Strategy, which will be launched in the summer, will look at everything that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese including inactivity.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether Natural England has agreed to the proposal by Christchurch Borough Council for the development of residential beach chalets on Highcliffe clifftop; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    Natural England’s role is to ensure that this proposal does not cause further harm to the geological interest or compromise future Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) restoration or enhancement potential. Natural England is currently in discussions with the council to ensure that it has all the relevant information to enable it to understand the implications for the cliffs and their current and future management. The council will require SSSI consent for the proposed development but no request for this consent has yet been received by Natural England.

  • Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Blackman on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate the Government has made of the cost to the public purse of constructing a third runway at Heathrow Airport over the course of the construction period.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015 and is considering all of the evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work and nor would it be appropriate to outline specific pieces of evidence before a decision is announced on its preference. Any work to inform an announcement will be set out in subsequent publications and associated consultation.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of removing the 50 per cent cap on religious selection in free schools on religious tolerance and integration.

    Caroline Dinenage

    All schools must promote religious tolerance and integration whatever their character and ethos. The Department is currently consulting on proposals to replace the 50% cap on faith admissions in faith free schools with new measures to better promote inclusivity and community cohesion. The proposed measures, alongside existing requirements to promote fundamental British values, will apply to all new faith free schools with 100% faith admissions and help ensure that pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. The consultation document is available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone

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  • Alex Chalk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Alex Chalk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department is making preparations to plan for widespread resistance to known antibiotics.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government has already made comprehensive plans to address the threat of antibiotic resistance through the UK Five Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2013 – 2018

    The UK Strategy, which was published in September 2013, sets out our overarching goal to slow the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. It focusses activities around three strategic aims, namely, to improve the knowledge and understanding of antimicrobial resistance; to conserve and steward the effectiveness of existing treatments; and to stimulate the development of new antibiotics, diagnostics and novel therapies. The strategy is based on the principle of “One Health”, tackling the problem of resistance in humans, animals and the environment.

    Globally, the UK has led efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance. For example, we have taken the lead in the development and adoption, in May 2015, of a new World Health Organization (WHO) Resolution on antimicrobial resistance. We are now working towards agreement for a high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance at the United Nations General Assembly in 2016.

  • Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a cross-cabinet position responsible for the protection of civilians abroad who are at risk of mass atrocity crimes.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Government has an established cross-governmental process, overseen by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, that supports international efforts to protect civilians at risk from mass atrocities.

    The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (Mr Duddridge) is responsible for conflict issues and UK policy on the prevention of mass atrocities. The Minister of State, my noble friend the right hon. The Baroness Anelay of St Johns, is responsible for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict in her role as my Special Representative. Baroness Anelay of St Johns is also responsible for UN peacekeeping and the International Criminal Court, and contributes to policy in both these areas.

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also works to ensure that any British Nationals caught up in mass atrocity crimes are supported.

    The Government’s crisis management committee, COBR, also provides a mechanism to manage the cross-government response to such events.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the £20 million funding for English language tuition to isolated women announced by the Prime Minister on 18 January 2016 will come from the Home Department’s counter-terrorism budget.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    No. The £20 million community-based English language training offer is new funding which will be routed through DCLG and will form part of its Integration Programme.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Government’s response to the Foreign Affairs Committee’s First Special Report of Session 2015-16, published on 11 February 2016, HC816, when he expects the internal review of his Department to be completed; what the key priorities of his Department are on which that review will be focussed; and if he will publish the conclusions of that review.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The internal review is expected to be completed in the Spring. Its remit is to advise on how the FCO can be more expert, agile and focused on the Department’s key priorities. I expect the review to set out a vision of the organisation the FCO should be by 2020. The review is internal. No decision has yet been taken on publication.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of its senior civil servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the 4th EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849; and what assessment he has made of which of his Department’s agencies or other public bodies will potentially be classed as holding a prominent public function for the purposes of that directive.

    Mr David Lidington

    Under the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, a politically exposed person is one who has been entrusted with a prominent public function domestically or by a foreign country. This would include some senior civil servants, such as ambassadors and chargés d’affaires. The Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. The Government will be setting out this view in a consultation which will be published shortly.

    The changes proposed under the Directive should not prevent any individual in this category from gaining or maintaining access to financial services. The Treasury regularly raises these issues with financial institutions and the regulator, and we encourage financial institutions to take a proportionate, risk-based approach when applying these measures.”