Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals have been on the staff of the European Commission in each year since 2010.

Mr David Lidington

Whilst the European Commission provides staffing numbers by nationality they do not break them down between permanent and temporary agents. In total the numbers of UK nationals employed by the European Commission in each year since 2010 is:

April 2010: 1284
April 2011: 1162
April 2012: 1134
April 2013: 1079
April 2014: 1053
April 2015: 1008

The latest figure available is for Feb 2016 and is 982.

UK representation has been falling across EU institutions as UK officials retire and are not replaced by the same number of new UK entrants. The Government is committed to reversing this picture, recognising that this will require a sustained effort. The EU Staffing Unit, established in April 2013, promotes EU careers across the UK and supports candidates through the application process. It has increased secondments in positions of strategic importance to the UK. The European Fast Stream within the Civil Service has also been re-launched

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2016 to Question 38408, what the budget of the European Fast Stream was in each year since 2010.

Matthew Hancock

The European Fast Stream was re-established in 2010 with the dual aim of increasing UK representation in the EU institutions, as well as building EU capability. It has been managed centrally by Civil Service Resourcing since 2014. The budget for the European Fast Stream for each year since 2010 is set out below:

This is the specific EFS budget, it does not include the employment costs for individuals which are met by central charging to departments who are hosting fast streamers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the maximum duration should be for a degree apprenticeship.

Nick Boles

There is no maximum duration for Degree Apprenticeships. The pattern of delivery of the degree will be a key component in the length of a Degree Apprenticeship, both employers and Higher Education providers will want to ensure the apprenticeship standard is achieved in full.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academies applied for an exemption from providing a broadly Christian daily act of collective worship in each year since 2010; and how many of those schools were defined as non-faith.

Edward Timpson

13 open academies have applied for an exemption from providing a broadly Christian act of collective worship since April 2012 when the Education Funding Agency was established. All of the applicants were non-faith schools as only non-faith schools can apply for an exemption.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the low level of representation of ethnic minorities among people starting an apprenticeship.

Robert Halfon

We are committed to increasing the proportion of apprenticeship starts taken up by people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds by 20%.

We have begun detailed analysis of the apprenticeship data to gain a full picture of the representation of ethnic minorities in apprenticeships, any barriers to participation, and areas of potential for growth.

In 2014/15, 10.6% of those starting an apprenticeship had a BAME background.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that every apprenticeship includes formal training.

Robert Halfon

Apprenticeships are paid jobs which should always involve substantial and sustained training including off-the-job training inspected by Ofsted, have a minimum 12 months’ duration and develop transferable skills including in English and maths. As an employee, apprentices earn as they learn and gain practical skills in the workplace leading to full competency in an occupation to enable them to progress their career. Our reforms are improving the quality of all apprenticeships.

The programme is underpinned by statutory standards to ensure that all apprenticeships offer substantial on- and off-the-job guided learning leading to the achievement of recognised qualifications where appropriate to the apprenticeship undertaken.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to answer Question 43738, tabled on 20 July 2016 by the right hon. Member for East Ham.

Edward Timpson

Parliamentary questions 43736, 43737, 43738 were answered on 01 November 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2015 to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey to Question 9852, by when his Department will be able to form a reliable estimate of the number of disability living allowance recipients who are Motability users who will not qualify for the enhanced rate of the personal independence payment mobility component.

Justin Tomlinson

We expect to be able to form a reliable estimate once a significant proportion of working-age Disability Living Allowance recipients have been reassessed for the Personal Independence Payment. Over 1.75 million claimants require reassessing; as of July 2015 circa 186,900 had been reassessed.

As referenced in our previous reply of 16 September 2015, DWP will continue to pay DLA for four weeks after the decision not to pay PIP enhanced mobility component is made. The Motability charity has confirmed that claimants can keep their car for up to three weeks after DLA payments end. This means that claimants will retain their car for up to nearly two months even though they are not entitled to PIP enhanced mobility component.

In addition, the Department has worked closely with Motability to ensure that those claimants who no longer meet the criteria for the Motability Scheme are supported through the transitional period. For most of these claimants who entered into their first lease agreement with Motability before January 2013, Motability will provide transitional support of £2,000. This will enable many claimants to continue to meet their mobility needs by purchasing a used car. For claimants who entered into their first lease agreement with the scheme after January 2013 and up to December 2013, Motability will supply transitional support of £1,000 to assist with mobility costs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Trussell Trust on the placement of Jobcentre Plus advisers in foodbanks.

Priti Patel

Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches already undertake outreach work every day in local communities. Work Coaches recently began offering back-to-back support in the Lalley Centre in Manchester. Early feedback has been positive. We will reflect on this, and consider if there is potential for expansion

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the reasons were for the recent changes in the proportion of resolvable Freedom of Information requests whose answers were fully withheld.

Justin Tomlinson

This Department considers and responds to each request for information under the Freedom of Information Act, on its own merits. I can confirm that there have not been any changes to Departmental Policy in doing so.