Tag: Peter Kyle

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the apprenticeship levy on universities.

Nick Boles

A key part of the Government’s commitment of 3 million apprenticeships starts in England by 2020 is to ensure that quality apprenticeships are available at all levels and in all sectors. This will give people the widest opportunity to participate in high quality programmes to improve their skills and give employers, including universities, the skilled workforce they need to grow and improve productivity.

We are encouraging employers to take the lead in developing more apprenticeship standards at degree level. This will create a business opportunity for universities, many of which are already working with employers to design apprenticeships.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to respond to the Office of Rail and Road’s recommendations following Which?’s super-complaint regarding train companies and the compensation process for passengers affected by train delays.

Claire Perry

I welcome the publication of the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR’s) recommendations following Which?’s super-complaint. It is vital that customers who suffer delays understand their rights to compensation and have access to it in a timely way. Industry must now do much more to make that process quick and user-friendly. We are already working with the Association of Train Operating Companies and the ORR to bring about improvements, and my Department will respond to the ORR’s report in the summer of 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33699, what the duties of the board members of the Institute for Apprenticeships will be prior to the launch of that Institute in April 2017.

Nick Boles

The Institute for Apprenticeship’s Board will be appointed via a public appointments process later this year. In shadow form, the Board will be expected to oversee the finalisation of the organisation’s workplan and the transition to taking on the Institute’s statutory functions in April 2017. Further information about the roles and duties of the Board members will be provided when the public appointments process is complete.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer given by the then Prime Minister, on 29 June 2016, Official Report, column 1294, when his Department will confirm details of the additional compensation to be offered to Southern Rail passengers following the recent strikes and disruption to the regular timetable.

Paul Maynard

The Department is currently reviewing compensation options and a decision will be made in due course. Govia Thameslink Railway already offers passengers Delay Repay, one of the most generous compensation schemes in Europe, and customers can claim for disruption against Southern’s permanent timetable.

Looking forward, we have just confirmed that the provisions of the Consumer Rights Act will apply to the rail industry in full from October 2016.

We will set out further plans shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish the timetable setting out when each area will have its post-16 education and training reviewed.

Nick Boles

The Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), along with respective funding agencies, have re-prioritised staffing resources to support the review of post-16 education and training.

There are seven reviews in the first wave of area reviews which have either launched since September or will launch in the next few weeks. Each review will take 3-4 months to complete and will be supported by resource from the DfE, BIS, Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency.

The area reviews of post 16 education and training are being undertaken in waves and can be triggered by either the local area requesting a review or the FE Commissioner or Sixth Form College Commissioner identifying the need for a review because one or more colleges in an area are at risk of failing. The first wave is underway now and details of the following reviews have been announced and can be found on the gov.uk website :

Birmingham and Solihull

Greater Manchester

Sheffield City Region

Tees Valley

Sussex Coast

Solent

West Yorkshire

The second wave will start in January 2016 and we aim to announce details in November 2015. We are currently looking at the geographies and phasing for other areas and will aim to issue further information on this before the end of the year but in doing this we recognise that the position should remain fluid to take account of the views of local partners and also cases of failure.

We expect all reviews to be completed by March 2017.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many officials in her Department are working on its review of post-16 education and training institutions.

Nick Boles

The Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), along with respective funding agencies, have re-prioritised staffing resources to support the review of post-16 education and training.

There are seven reviews in the first wave of area reviews which have either launched since September or will launch in the next few weeks. Each review will take 3-4 months to complete and will be supported by resource from the DfE, BIS, EFA and SFA.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the impact of the reduction in the feed-in tariff rates proposed in the Government’s consultation published on 27 August 2015 on the rooftop solar industry and solar installation companies in the South East region.

Andrea Leadsom

The impact assessment published alongside the feed in tariff review consultation set out DECC’s assessment of the impact of proposed changes across different technologies and tariff bands. This did not include a breakdown by region.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when her Department plans to publish its response to its consultation on feed-in tariffs.

Andrea Leadsom

DECC is aiming to publish its response to this consultation later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many 19 to 24 year olds who already had a Level 3 qualification on the regulated qualifications framework started a Level 2 apprenticeship framework in 2013-14.

Nick Boles

Information on 19 to 24 years olds who completed a Level 3 qualification on the Regulated Qualifications Framework prior to starting a Level 2 Apprenticeship in 2013/14 is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to appoint the consultant for the London and South Coast rail corridor study.

Claire Perry

The Department appointed the consultant for the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study in September. In October, the Government published the Study Terms of Reference on its website. Ministers anticipate receiving the findings by the end of 2015.