The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Simpson on 2016-05-11.
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will clarify his recent remarks concerning Suliman Gani.
Mr David Cameron
I was referring to reports that Mr Gani supports an Islamic state. I am clear that this does not mean Mr Gani supports the organisation Daesh and I apologise to him for any misunderstanding.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin Docherty-Hughes on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Government on the issue of resilience in the event of a drone collision with a passenger airline in Scottish airspace.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Government hasn’t had any direct discussions with a Scottish Government on this issue. Commercial aircraft are already rigorously tested to withstand collisions with small objects, such as birds, but my Department and the Civil Aviation Authority are working with the aviation sector, including manufacturers, airports and airlines, to ensure our understanding of the potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date. This activity is also helping to provide real life evidence of drone risks and the options for preventing collisions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was paid in compensation for train delays by Network Rail to Govia Thameslink Railway related to Southern railway in each of the last four years.
Paul Maynard
The latest information is published on Network Rail’s website – http://www.networkrail.co.uk/transparency/datasets/ – covering the years 2012-13 to 2014-15.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-11-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Govia Thameslink Railway about whether it still intends to activate the Oyster card reader installed at Epsom station, and if so, when it intends to do so.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
There has been numerous discussions between my officials and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) on the franchise obligation to extend Oyster pay as you go and Contactless payment to Epsom. GTR is currently working with TfL closely to deliver this as soon as is practical and we are applying lessons learned from extending Oyster to Gatwick to extending Oyster to Epsom.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-12-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people did not have a National Insurance number on 31 March 2015.
Priti Patel
Information is not available on how many people did not have a National Insurance Number (NINo) on 31 March 2015 because not everyone needs, or is entitled to a NINo.
The majority of UK Nationals are allocated a NINo by HMRC when they approach age 16.
DWP is responsible for allocating NINos to adults, which mainly affects adults entering the UK from abroad. A NINo is only allocated when an individual requires one for employment purposes, where the individual has a legal right to work in the UK, or if there is entitlement to a Social Security Benefit/ Tax Credit or in order to be awarded a Student Loan.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to promote character education in schools; and if she will make a statement.
Edward Timpson
All schools should develop character traits like self-confidence, motivation and resilience in their students. These traits support academic attainment, are valued by employers, and encourage young people to make a positive contribution to British society.
At the Character Symposium in January 2016, the Secretary of State for Education outlined her vision for character education. She announced that the Department intends to promote character education through the building and strengthening of our evidence base. We will facilitate this via an online digital platform which will share evidence, innovation, and examples of best practice in character education. We will also promote character education to schools and organisations through a new round of character awards.
To support schools in this, we are already investing £5 million in character education. This figure includes £3.5m of grants for 14 projects and £1m to the Education Endowment Foundation to build research the most effective ways that character can be developed.
Of course, many schools and organisations are already supporting children to develop their character, through programmes such as National Citizen Service. We will be investing over a billion pounds over the next four years to make NCS a rite of passage and toensure that 60% of 16 year olds can take part by 2021.
In addition, school sport can help children and young people develop positive character traits such as fair play, leadership and resilience. It can teach them how to bounce back from defeat, how to respect others and how to work together in teams to achieve a goal. PE remains a compulsory subject at all four key stages in the new national curriculum which came into force in September 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the (a) maintenance of and (b) appropriate location for public weighbridges.
Joseph Johnson
a) Public weighbridges are regulated under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and the Non Automatic Weighing Instrument Regulations 2000. It is the responsibility of the owner of the instrument to ensure that it is maintained and continues to operate in line with the legal requirements for accuracy. Local Weights and Measures Authorities (LWMAs) are responsible for enforcement of weights and measures requirements and undertake enforcement using a risk based approach. The National Measurement and Regulation Office (NMRO) issues risk ratings for equipment for use by LWMAs which is updated each year and have rated weighbridges as high risk equipment.
b) The operation of public weighbridges is a commercial service and their location will be a commercial decision for the operators concerned.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-14.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many disabled people who receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) have so far been reassessed for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and of those that have been reassessed, how many have lost the top level of mobility allowance as they move from DLA to PIP, in each case broken down by disability.
Baroness Altmann
The Department intends to provide detailed breakdowns of DLA to PIP reassessment outcomes in due course. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity.
The latest available data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims in payment, registrations, clearances and awards for both new claims and reassessed claims (for those previously in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)) are published on the Gov.UK website. Breakdowns of reassessed claims in payment by type and rate of awards can be found through Stat-Xplore, a statistical exploration tool available on the Gov.UK website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment the Government has made of the feasibility of introducing no-fly zones over parts of the Syrian border.
Penny Mordaunt
While the UK would consider any option compliant with international law which might save lives in Syria, and have considered the feasibility of attempting to create safe zones, our priority is to support UN-brokered intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva. We believe this offers the best hope of bringing an end to the conflict and relief to civilian populations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-05-10.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when Lifetime ISAs will be available to the public.
Mr David Gauke
The new Lifetime ISA will provide savers with the flexibility to save towards a first home and retirement at the same time.
From April 2017, people aged 18 to 40 will be able to save up to £4,000 each year into a Lifetime ISA and receive a 25% bonus from the Government.
The Government is engaging with the industry on the detail of implementation, regulation and advice on the Lifetime ISA. Further details will be announced when the Government brings forward legislation to enact the Lifetime ISA in the autumn.