Tag: Rachel Reeves

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funding his Department has provided for (a) scientific excellence, (b) renewable energy in the Humber, (c) food production in North Yorkshire, (d) advanced manufacturing in South Yorkshire and (e) finance and tech in West Yorkshire since the publication of the Long-Term Economic Plan for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire in February 2015.

Anna Soubry

This Government is committed to supporting scientific excellence. That is why in Spending Review 2015 we protected science resource funding from its current level of £4.7 billion per year in real terms for the remainder of the Parliament, and why we are investing in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale, delivering on the £6.9 billion science capital commitment in our manifesto.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is working with universities, cities, local enterprise partnerships, and businesses to map research and innovation strengths through a series of science and innovation audits. As part of this, Sheffield University and the Sheffield City Region have been selected, as part of a wider consortium to take part in the first wave of these audits. Linked to other Northern Powerhouse groups Sheffield will be exploring the potential to develop the global competitiveness of advanced manufacturing in the north of England.

We are committed to supporting long term economic growth across Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. My department is contributing to the cross-government local growth fund which, over a period of 6 years commencing from April 2015, has awarded £1.202 billion to local enterprise partnerships covering Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire. This funding is helping deliver long term economic growth priorities including renewable energy in the Humber, food and agri-tech in York North Yorkshire and East Riding, and advanced manufacturing in Sheffield City Region. The government is also investing in finance and tech in Leeds City Region, including £3.7m to Leeds in March 2016 for a new city centre digital business incubator facility, and providing £50m for two new agricultural technology centres in North Yorkshire.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the additional cost relative to the previous system of additional entitlements to free school meals created by new eligibility criteria under universal credit.

Mr Sam Gyimah

We will continue to ensure that children from the poorest families benefit from a free school meal. My Department is continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider eligibility criteria for free school meals following the introduction of Universal Credit. In the meantime, any child in a family in receipt of Universal Credit will continue to be entitled to free school meals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment for the presence of asbestos is made prior to the purchasing and occupation of a previous industrial building for conversion into a free school.

Edward Timpson

We instruct building surveys prior to the acquisition of all buildings that we are intending to convert into free schools. Where necessary, we commission further surveys, including asbestos surveys, where risks highlighted in the building survey warrant further investigation.

Ahead of any acquisition we‎ also ask sellers for their Building and Health and Safety files to determine the level of statutory compliance, which includes meeting the control of asbestos regulations.

If we wish to proceed with the transaction and our initial assessment highlights any quality issues or gaps in compliance, our due diligence arrangements and budgets are tailored accordingly, in advance of completing the transaction.

When construction works are planned in an industrial building with known asbestos, an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey is undertaken to assess if the asbestos should be removed, encapsulated or left in-situ. This is according to material type, location, condition and the extent of works to be undertaken to the existing building.

For any sites with known asbestos, a management strategy identifying the asbestos location is handed over to the occupier. They are then responsible for complying with statutory regulations for the management of asbestos.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the IT system developed by his Department for universal credit will be fully operating; and when this system will start to be decommissioned to make way for the digital solution developed by the Cabinet Office.

Esther McVey

As part of the wider transformation in the development of digital services, the Department will further develop the work completed jointly with the Government Digital Service to test and implement an enhanced digital service. This enhanced digital service will integrate work and benefits activity allowing us to deliver the full scope of Universal Credit for all claimant types.

Our single target operating model sets out how we will transform our approach and ways of working to ultimately make the Universal Credit service fully available online. Where it is both practical and operationally sensible to do so, we will integrate together the enhanced digital service with the existing Universal Credit service.

We expect an early version of the digital service to be introduced to a limited number of claimants and staff by the end of 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the IT system being developed by his Department for universal credit will be fully operating.

Esther McVey

As part of the wider transformation in the development of digital services, the Department will further develop the work completed jointly with the Government Digital Service to test and implement an enhanced digital service. This enhanced digital service will integrate work and benefits activity allowing us to deliver the full scope of Universal Credit for all claimant types.

Our single target operating model sets out how we will transform our approach and ways of working to ultimately make the Universal Credit service fully available online. Where it is both practical and operationally sensible to do so, we will integrate together the enhanced digital service with the existing Universal Credit service.

We expect an early version of the digital service to be introduced to a limited number of claimants and staff by the end of 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 13 of his Department’s impact assessment of universal credit, published in December 2012, what his latest estimate is of the potential increase in social security payments arising from the introduction of universal credit due to changes in entitlement rules and increased take-up.

Mr Mark Harper

I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave her on 9 February 2015, UIN223271- 223274.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) number, (b) value and (c) proportion is of incorrect payments made to claimants of universal credit since the scheme was introduced.

Steve Webb

This information is not readily available for publication and to quality assure this management information to Office for National Statistics quality standards, would incur disproportionate costs.