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.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the Syrian Vulnerable Person Relocation scheme in each year until 2020.
Richard Harrington
The first 12 months of each refugee’s resettlement costs under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) Scheme will be funded using Official Development Assistance, meaning over £460 million of the overseas aid budget will be used by 2019-20. At the Spending Review the Government committed £129 million to assist with local authority costs over years 2-5 of the scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to enable smaller London airports to provide extra aviation capacity for the South East of England over the next 10 years.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Government set out in its 2013 Aviation Policy Framework that it would like to see airports making best use of their existing capacity. However, we recognise that the development of airports can have negative as well as positive local impacts, including on noise levels. We therefore consider that proposals for expansion at these airports should be judged on their individual merits, taking careful account of all relevant considerations, particularly economic and environmental impacts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the economic effect on (a) London and (b) the UK economy of international services stopping at Stratford International station.
Claire Perry
The Department for Transport has made no specific assessment of the economic effects of international services stopping at Stratford International station. The Department for Transport has no powers to specify that an international operator – whether current or future – must stop at Stratford International station. The Department for Transport has recently published an interim evaluation of the impact of the HS1 network setting out the current and anticipated benefits of the HS1 link[1].
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs1-first-interim-evaluation
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of passengers who will (a) access Crossrail services via Stratford station and (b) pass through Stratford station on Crossrail services in each of the first three years after Crossrail services commence.
Claire Perry
Transport for London’s forecasts indicate that the following passenger numbers will (a) access Crossrail services via Stratford station and (b) pass through Stratford station on Crossrail services in each of the first three years after Crossrail services commence.
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
|
Passenger numbers accessing Crossrail services via Stratford Station |
7.07m |
7.18m |
7.29m |
|
Crossrail passenger numbers using Stratford station as an interchange |
34.89m |
35.43m |
35.96m |
I have interpreted part ‘b’ of your request as referring to Crossrail passengers who will use Stratford station as an interchange.