Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals were employed by the European Parliament in each year since 2010; and how many such people were employed at administrator grade.

Mr David Lidington

The European Parliament does not publish statistics on numbers of permanent staff by nationality. According to our own records, the total the numbers of UK nationals employed by the European Parliament in each year since 2010 is:

2010: 290
2011: 306
2012: 306
2013: 291
2014: 271
2015: 251

The latest figure available is for May 2016 and is 263.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage UK nationals to take up junior and entry-level positions in the European Commission.

Mr David Lidington

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 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to ensure that multi-academy trusts are accountable to the parents of students in those academies.

Edward Timpson

Our White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere set out the Government’s intention to introduce a new duty on academies to ensure that they listen to the views and needs of all parents, particularly when key decisions are made about their child’s school. For Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) we will expect all academies to engage meaningfully at a local level.

We are committed to ensuring parents have a more significant voice in their child’s school. Through the new Parent Portal, we will ensure parents have access to clear and simple information about the school system and how to support their child. This will work alongside the new performance tables website which is making it easier for parents to find out how well their child’s school is performing and to compare schools across a range of key measures.

We will provide guidance on handling complaints to ensure a common approach for all schools and MATs so that all parents know where they can go if a problem arises. In addition, we will make it simpler for parents to escalate complaints to the Department, and beyond that to a public service ombudsman.

Finally, we are considering how parents might petition Regional Schools Commissioners for their child’s school to move to a different MAT where there is underperformance or other exceptional circumstances.

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

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with stakeholders on the implication of the outcome of the EU referendum for future levels of employment in the UK financial services industry.

Mr David Gauke

The Government is committed to the UK hosting the world’s most competitive international financial centre and securing a long-term economic relationship with the rest of Europe that provides for the best possible terms of trade in goods and services, including financial services.

The Chancellor and other Treasury ministers have met, and will continue to meet, a number of financial services stakeholders since the referendum. The impact of the referendum on the financial services industry was discussed at these meetings. Future employment in the UK financial services industry will be commercial decisions for individual firms.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the maximum duration is of an apprenticeship.

Robert Halfon

To ensure that apprenticeships are focused on providing sustained and substantial training, they must last for at least 12 months. We do not set a maximum duration centrally, but apprenticeships generally take between one and four years to complete.

The suggested duration of each apprenticeship is set by employers when designing the apprenticeship standard.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on maintaining current immigration controls for passengers using international high-speed rail services to and from the UK.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The UK is not part of the Schengen border-free zone and maintains its own border checks, retaining the right to check all arrivals, including EU citizens from continental Europe. The agreements that underpin juxtaposed immigration controls at international rail stations in France and Belgium are not directly affected by Britain’s membership of the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many apprenticeships each government department will contribute to the Government’s target of three million apprenticeships by 2020.

Ben Gummer

It is the responsibility of individual departments to project their workforce, including apprenticeships.

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T​he Civil Service implemented a single apprenticeship target of a minimum 2.3% of the workforce in England as apprenticeships starts from 1 January 2016. To meet this, ​departments have agreed to achieve 2.3% of their workforce in England as apprenticeship starts. This is an annual target that will be measured by financial years based on headcount at the start of that reporting period.

We estimate that there will be at least 30,000 apprenticeship starts in England by the end of the Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment she has made of the pre-16 and post-16 attainment of pupils attending (a) high performing non-selective and (b) grammar schools; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb

The Department produces data on the performance of both pre-16 and post-16 schools by their admissions arrangements at year 7. Pre-16 performance information is published in the “GCSE and equivalent results: 2015 to 2016 (provisional)”[1], statistical first release (SFR). Post-16 performance information is published in the “A level and other 16 to 18 results: 2015 to 2016 (provisional)”[2] SFR.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gcse-and-equivalent-results-2015-to-2016-provisional (Table 6b)

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-2015-to-2016-provisional (Table 1b)

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-28.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data his Department collects on people who have exercised new pension freedoms who have not accessed the Pension Wise service.

Harriett Baldwin

The government committed to providing free, impartial guidance through Pension Wise, to help people make informed and confident decisions about how they use their defined contribution pension savings in retirement. It is available online, via the telephone and face to face. As of 29 October 2015, there were over 20,000 completed appointments for face to face guidance and 9,000 completed appointments for telephone guidance as well as over 1.7 million visits to the website.

Pension Wise runs exit surveys of those who have completed an appointment It is not mandatory for a user to complete an exit survey. The government is committed to being open and transparent with Pension Wise data and will be making core data readily available by placing it on the government performance platform this autumn. The data will be in the public domain and updated regularly. HM Treasury is working with Pension Wise delivery partners to provide the level of detail that we require for reporting purposes.

The Financial Conduct Authority, in line with its remit to protect consumers and ensure markets function in consumers’ interests, is monitoring developments in the retirement income market closely and has committed to take action where consumers are coming to harm or where the market is not operating competitively.

The government recognises that people may wish to consult different sources of information before reaching a decision about their retirement income. In addition to Pension Wise, The Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) provides independent, impartial information and guidance about pensions, free of charge, to members of the public. The Money Advice Service also provides free and unbiased information and guidance on all money matters.

A number of pension providers offer financial guidance. Individuals can also access regulated advice from an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). HM Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority are jointly considering how financial advice could be made more accessible and affordable for consumers through the Financial Advice Market Review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-29.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what alternative sources of advice there are for people exercising pension freedoms who do not access Pension Wise guidance.

Harriett Baldwin

The government committed to providing free, impartial guidance through Pension Wise, to help people make informed and confident decisions about how they use their defined contribution pension savings in retirement. It is available online, via the telephone and face to face. As of 29 October 2015, there were over 20,000 completed appointments for face to face guidance and 9,000 completed appointments for telephone guidance as well as over 1.7 million visits to the website.

Pension Wise runs exit surveys of those who have completed an appointment It is not mandatory for a user to complete an exit survey. The government is committed to being open and transparent with Pension Wise data and will be making core data readily available by placing it on the government performance platform this autumn. The data will be in the public domain and updated regularly. HM Treasury is working with Pension Wise delivery partners to provide the level of detail that we require for reporting purposes.

The Financial Conduct Authority, in line with its remit to protect consumers and ensure markets function in consumers’ interests, is monitoring developments in the retirement income market closely and has committed to take action where consumers are coming to harm or where the market is not operating competitively.

The government recognises that people may wish to consult different sources of information before reaching a decision about their retirement income. In addition to Pension Wise, The Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) provides independent, impartial information and guidance about pensions, free of charge, to members of the public. The Money Advice Service also provides free and unbiased information and guidance on all money matters.

A number of pension providers offer financial guidance. Individuals can also access regulated advice from an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). HM Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority are jointly considering how financial advice could be made more accessible and affordable for consumers through the Financial Advice Market Review.