The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an estimate of the cost to East Sussex County Council of changes to business rate retention consequent to changes announced in Budget 2016; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
I refer the hon. Member for Eastbourne to the answer given to the hon. Member for Croydon North on 31 March to Question 31745.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2016-06-06.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take about the reported proposal by Dean Trust to educate children with special educational needs and disability who have been admitted to one of its schools at another of its schools six miles away.
Lord Nash
Local authorities are responsible for drawing up Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and are responsible for making sure the special educational provision set out in them is delivered, including admission to the named school. Once named in a final EHCP, a school is obliged to admit the child or young person. Should a school fail to meet this duty the Department can direct them to do so.
We are aware of concerns raised by parents and others about The Dean Trust’s proposal that pupils due for admission in September 2016 who have an EHCP which names Ashton on Mersey School should be educated at Broadoak School. We are determined to support the parties to satisfactorily resolve the situation regarding the currently affected pupils as well as in the longer term, and ensuring that the legal rights of families are enforced. For that reason officials will be meeting with the authority and trust on 20 June. Our priority is ensuring that the transition from primary to secondary school for pupils is as smooth as possible.
We are also determined to ensure that all schools are mindful of their responsibilities towards their pupils and act in accordance with the Children and Families Act 2014 and the statutory Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice in ensuring the best possible outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs. All schools should also act in line with their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, which in part 6 states that the responsible body of a school must not discriminate against a child or young person: in the arrangements it makes for deciding who is offered admission; the terms on which admission is offered; nor, by not admitting.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jolly on 2016-07-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what new arrangements they plan to introduce for the delivery of the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme, and when those arrangements will enter into force.
Earl Howe
I refer the noble Baroness to the Written Ministerial Statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon) on 21 April 2016 (HCWS689). The contract between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Atomic Weapons Establishment Management Limited (AWEML) has been reviewed. As a result of the review, the MOD has greater control over the programme, while ensuring that AWE continues to deliver value for money for the taxpayer. The contract between the MOD and AWEML also provides the opportunity for higher performance incentives, as well as reductions if targets are not met. These arrangements are now in force.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to respond to the recommendations of the Law Commission Report on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, published in May 2014; and whether it plans to take steps to permit more local authority cross-border use of such vehicles.
Andrew Jones
The Government is currently considering all the recommendations in the Law Commission’s report on taxi and private hire regulation in England and Wales and will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce its intentions once this scrutiny is completed.
The Government has no current plans to amend legislation in respect of cross-border working. The Deregulation Act 2015 enables licensed operators in England and Wales to subcontract bookings to licensed operators in another district, any private hire vehicle operator in London or an operator in Scotland. This power was already possible in London through The Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. This was a recommendation from the Law Commission’s review of taxi and private hire services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Highways England on the appointment of a programme management partner; and if he will make a statement.
Andrew Jones
The government is tripling the capital investment in the Strategic Road Network. Highways England have been given responsibility for delivery of the Road Investment Strategy and operation of the network.
A four year term contract was tendered competitively by Highways England to a consortium consisting of CH2M Hill, Mace and PwC (CMP) in early July 2015 to help provide additional support to improve their capability and available resources to deliver an increasingly demanding and complex programme.
This has no impact on the role, responsibilities and requirements of Highways England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-26.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he made the decision to close 170 local tax offices and replace them with 13 regional centres.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) first shared its transformation plans with its employees 18 months ago. Since then, it has held more than 2,000 events across the UK, talking to its employees about how and why it is changing. HMRC will be holding one-to-one discussions with each of its people to discuss next steps.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to set a levy of at least three per cent of gross working premium on insurers to fund the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payments Scheme.
Justin Tomlinson
The levy will be set at a figure estimated to meet the cost of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme for 2015/16. This figure falls within industry expectations and below 3 per cent of employers’ liability gross written premium.
A Ministerial written statement (HCWS460) was tabled in the House of Commons on 12 January 2016 and provides details of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme levy for 2015/16.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking with his global counterparts to achieve global abolition of the death penalty.
Mr David Lidington
I refer the Right hon. Member to my answer of 27 January (question 23192) to the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Toby Perkins). https://wqa.parliament.uk/Questions/Details/29682
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many complaints his Department has received on the sale of electoral roll data by credit reference firms.
John Penrose
Available records show that in the last calendar year the Cabinet Office received one letter of complaint about access to the electoral register by credit reference agencies, and nine letters of complaint about the sale of the edited electoral register.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish (a) the criteria used to select organisations invited to attend and (b) the organisations that attended personal independence payments consultation stakeholder events in January 2016.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department held stakeholder events in Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds and London. These were public meetings open to anyone who wished to attend; this was publicised on Gov.uk. Representatives of the following organisations requested to do so:
Aberdeen City Council
Action for Blind People
The Action Group
Carers Support (Bexley)
Cheshire Centre for Independent Living
Citizens Advice Bureau
Coventry Law Centre
Child Poverty Action Group Scotland
Community Navigator Services
Crohn’s and Colitis UK
Deaf Sector Partnership/Scottish Council on Deafness
DeafBlind Scotland
DeafBlind UK
Deafconnect
Elcena Jeffers Foundation
Enable Scotland
Enfield Disability Action
Gateway Housing
Glasgow City Council
Housing Options Scotland
Inclusion Scotland
Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living
Macmillan Cancer Support
Maggie’s Centres
Motor Neurone Disease Association
Multiple Sclerosis Scotland
Multiple Sclerosis Society
National AIDS Trust
Royal National Institute of Blind People
Scope
The Scottish Government
Sense
South Lanarkshire Council
Spinal Injuries Association
Social Security Advisory Committee
Swansea Council
Welfare Benefits Unit
Welsh Government
West Lothian Council
Wolverhampton City Council
Departmental officials also held one-to-one meetings with Scope, RNIB, Disability Rights UK, the Disability Benefits Consortium (an umbrella group of over 60 organisations), and Scottish and Welsh government officials. A meeting was also held specifically for members of the PIP Implementation Stakeholder Forum Working Group. Meetings were also held with both assessment providers, Atos and Capita, to discuss the impact of any policy change on the delivery of assessments.