Tag: Peter Kyle

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people were assisted by the Homelessness Prevention Grant in 2014-15.

Mr Marcus Jones

Homelessness prevention grant is part of our £500 million investment in local authority and voluntary sector homelessness services. It has helped local authorities to prevent 935,800 households from becoming homeless since 2010 and assisted 220,800 in 2014-15 alone.

The Government does not evaluate the effectiveness of local authority grants including the Homelessness Prevention Grant. As democratically elected organisations, local authorities are independent from Central Government and are responsible for managing their budgets in line with local priorities. Since 2010, local councils have had more flexibility over how they spend the money they receive from central government. Together with the money raised through council tax and other local sources, they have considerable freedom to work with their residents to decide how best to spend available resources on local priorities.

My Department regularly engages with a wide range of partners on homelessness prevention. We have received five written representations directly from local authorities on the future of the grant since April 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the Care Quality Commission to investigate the project run by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust between December 2014 and February 2015 on the treatment of emergency calls to NHS 111.

Jane Ellison

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and adult social care, advises the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is scheduled for a comprehensive inspection in 2016.

The CQC advises it has attended a recent risk summit conducted by NHS England. The decisions or actions arising from the NHS England risk summit will be one of the factors considered in the timing of any forthcoming CQC inspection.

NHS England undertook an external investigation of the project, the report of which was published by NHS England on 5 November 2015.

We are advised that Monitor is taking action with South East Coast Ambulance Service Foundation Trust regarding concerns about the project and the regulator is working with the Trust now to identify the negative impact this project could have had on patients. It is Monitor’s function to undertaken such investigations independently of the Department. Monitor and Departmental officials regularly discuss such issues on a routine basis.

As part of regulatory action, Monitor advises it has asked the trust to carry out a detailed independent review of the impact the project had on patients. Monitor has asked the Trust to do this with the help of an external expert, who the regulator will select. The full details of what the review will look at and how long it will take are being worked on by the trust and Monitor, including consideration of publication of the review findings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-11-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2015 to Question 13496, when his Department expects to receive the findings of the London and South Coast Rail study.

Claire Perry

The Department anticipates receiving the findings of the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study by the end of 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether access for disabled students will be included in measures to determine whether higher education institutions deliver effective outcomes for widening access and social mobility.

Joseph Johnson

Higher Education Institutions have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to support their students, including those with disabilities.

The Independent Office for Fair Access (OFFA) has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 with plans for Universities to spend more than £745 million on measures to improve access and student success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, up from £404m in 2009/10. HEIs choose their own access agreement measures and targets, in line with their own particular mission and challenges and these can include targets on disability where appropriate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how the Government plans to adapt implementation of the apprenticeships levy for different sectors.

Nick Boles

The apprenticeship levy will apply to both the private and public sectors. We understand that employers in sectors where a levy is already in place will want clarity on what the introduction of an apprenticeships levy means for them. We will publish further details in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many passengers submitted Delay/Repay claims to Southern Railway in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15.

Claire Perry

The Department does not hold the information requested. However, we will continue to push operators to ensure passengers are aware of compensation arrangements and claim where entitled to do so under the Delay/Repay scheme as set out on the Southern’s website: https://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/customer-services/delay-repay/delay-repay-form.

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the role of (a) the Institute of Apprenticeships, (b) the Skills Funding Agency and (c) Ofqual is in relation to the independent assessment of Apprenticeship Trailblazers.

Nick Boles

The Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) will be fully operational from April 2017 and will be responsible for the scrutiny and approval of expressions of interest, apprenticeship standards and assessment plans submitted by employer groups. As in the current system, employers will continue to come together to design new apprenticeship standards, should they choose. The IfA will be responsible for maintaining a public database of apprenticeship standards and may publish information on potential gaps.

The IfA will also have a role in quality assuring the delivery of apprentice end-point assessments where employer groups have been unable to propose employer-led arrangements.

It will work closely with the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and Ofqual. The SFA registers of training providers and assessment organisations will continue to vet the appropriateness of organisations involved in the delivery of apprenticeships. Ofqual will continue to quality assure any qualifications, where included in apprenticeships.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that manufacturers of disposable wipes follow water industry guidelines and use the do not flush logo.

Rory Stewart

The Government is encouraging the water industry to act collectively, through initiatives such as 21^st century drainage. This continues its work with the manufacturers of flushable products to agree appropriate labelling and campaigns to inform the public what should, and should not, be flushed down the toilet.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when officials of his Department last met representatives of the devolved administrations to discuss (a) how the apprenticeship levy will operate and (b) the proportion of the apprenticeship levy that each of the devolved administrations will receive.

Nick Boles

The digital apprenticeship service will support the English apprenticeship system from April 2017 and my officials engage regularly with their devolved administration counterparts to discuss the implementation of the apprenticeship levy and the new digital service.

Apprenticeships are a devolved policy and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to determine their arrangements for supporting employers to access and pay for apprenticeships.

Discussions are continuing with the devolved administration on funding arrangements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has made to the Prime Minister on the Apprenticeships Adviser role since the current Prime Minister took office.

Robert Halfon

Please refer to the answer given by the Prime Minister to PQ 46313 on 10 October 2016. This is available at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-09-13/46313/

“