Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2016 to Question 40256, what steps she is taking to ensure that a school which is not required formally to consult about academy conversion takes into account the views of local stakeholders.

Edward Timpson

As set out in the answer to question 40256, the Education and Adoption Act 2016 requires that where schools are eligible for intervention, the incoming sponsor of the academy is required to communicate to parents its plans for improving the school. The Department will confirm that sponsors have complied with this duty prior to enter into a Funding Agreement with the Trust.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what role a maintained school issued with an Academy Order to convert to academy status has in selecting its multi-academy trust or sponsor.

Edward Timpson

Where a maintained school is eligible for intervention, there is no requirement to consult on the sponsor selection except in the case of a foundation or voluntary school with a foundation. In these circumstances the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) is required to consult the trustees and the people who appoint the foundation governors and, in the case of a school which has a religious character, the appropriate religious body about the identity of the sponsor.

The proposed sponsor of the new academy is under a duty to communicate their plans to improve schools to parents.

Further information about RSC powers of intervention over maintained schools and their decision-making are set out in the Schools Causing Concern guidance and the RSC decision-making framework, which can be found on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/510080/schools-causing-concern-guidance.pdf; and https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/517565/RSC-Decision-Making-Framework.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will place in the Library copies of the cost assurance statements prepared by Bright Tribe Multi-Academy Trust and Adventure Learning Academies Trust in relation to the requirement that the trusts were meeting at cost principles for related party transactions.

Edward Timpson

The Education Funding Agency is due to publish a report about Bright Tribe Trust. This final report will include the Trust’s progress in implementing recommendations set out by the EFA in December 2015; and will incorporate how assurance is obtained that services are provided at cost. Once this report is published, a copy will be placed in the Library.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the merits of establishing a working group on future planning of Crossrail 2 which includes representatives from Transport for London and affected local authorities.

Paul Maynard

The government is working jointly with Transport for London (TfL) on Crossrail 2 development. TfL meets regularly with a range of senior stakeholders including local authorities to feed their views into the development of the scheme, and has structures and processes in place to continue this good engagement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of secondary modern schools is rated by Ofsted as (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) satisfactory and (d) inadequate.

Nick Gibb

These are matters for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to the Hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House libraries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what response he has made to the findings of the report by the National Audit Office of January 2015 on the Superfast (Rural) Broadband Programme: update, that BT had overstated its claims for the costs of rolling out superfast broadband by 38 per cent.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The National Audit Office (NAO) report of January 2015 showed that in September 2014, BT had spent at least 25% less than its contracted forecast cost once work in progress was taken into account. Our contract with BT has ensured that any underspend at the end of project delivery will be available for local authorities to make further investment in broadband networks. This positive outcome has been praised by the Major Projects Authority, which concluded in autumn 2014 that BDUK’s open book accounting process to keep BT’s costs in check was an exemplar of best practice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014 the officer at Plaistow Jobcentre responsible for authorising payments from the Flexible Support Fund queried the use of that fund to pay for Zone 1 to 4 travelcards.

Priti Patel

The information is not collated. To provide this information could only be done so at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy that people who increase their earnings from work should always be financially better off as a result.

Priti Patel

The Government’s policy is that people should be better off in work and better off working more. That is why we are introducing Universal Credit, which has been designed to reduce poverty and ensure that work pays more than a life on benefits. The single taper rate of 65% ensures that Universal Credit reduces gradually as earnings increase and claimants benefit from each extra £1 they earn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many pirate radio broadcasting installations have been taken off air by enforcement action in each of the last five years.

Mr Edward Vaizey

As part of Ofcom’sresponsibilityfor protecting and managing radio spectrum, enforcement operations arecarried out every year to remove pirate radio broadcasts. After the success of these operations, and the combined effort of local authorities, the number of pirate stations still broadcasting has significantly reduced, explaining the decline in number of pirate stations taken off air in 2014. This success has led Ofcom to launch a new initiative involving local authorities and other owners of high rise residential buildings to remove the presence of illegal broadcasters. The results have already been positive, with the complete removal of pirate radio broadcasters in the London Boroughs of Haringey and Islington.

Year	Number of Pirate Radio Stations Taken off the air
2010	104
2011	96
2012	99
2013	102
2014	69

Background

This year Ofcom began a new initiative involving local authorities and other owners of high rise residential properties to remove the presence of illegal broadcasters from their buildings. Ofcom has implemented this strategy with a number of London boroughs already. The results have been positive, with the complete removal of pirate broadcasts in the London Boroughs of Haringey and Islington. Ofcom intends to pursue this further.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure that Syrian refugees who are resettled in the UK as part of the vulnerable persons programme do not lose contact with family who are not also resettled in the UK.

Richard Harrington

The Syrian refugees being resettled in the UK are, wherever possible, resettled with their immediate family members. It is up to the individuals concerned to decide how best to maintain contact with their family members who are not in the UK.