Tag: Steve McCabe

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2016 to Question 42895, on primary education, what proportion of the 644 teachers and head teachers who responded to the consultation answered no to question one of that consultation.

Nick Gibb

The information requested is not held by the Department. As set out in the answer to PQ 35933, an analysis of the consultation responses is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-national-curriculum-primary-assessment-and-accountability.

We have worked closely with teachers and head teachers in order to develop the primary assessment reforms introduced this year. We will continue to listen to and engage with the profession as the details of the new primary assessment arrangements are finalised.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to increase investment in decentralised renewable energy in developing countries.

James Wharton

The UK Government is playing a leading role in improving energy access in developing countries. DFID has a range of programmes which are working with developing countries to ensure renewable energy markets work effectively as well as supporting energy businesses to grow, and providing consumers with access to funding to buy solar goods. For example, our Energy Access Ventures programme is investing in off-grid electric and we are delivering green mini-grid solutions across Africa.

Through the UK Government’s Energy Africa campaign we are working with solar firms to help them access the finance they need to expand their businesses, create jobs and help reach millions of people in Africa without electricity access.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the staff employed by his Department are non-UK nationals.

Greg Hands

Following her appointment on 13 July 2016 the Prime Minister established the Department for International Trade (DIT). The DIT aggregates UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), UK Export and Finance (UKEF), Trade Policy Units from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as some new hires.

Until such time as a transfer of functions order establishes my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade as a corporation sole, DIT remains a unified Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department for accounting purposes.

As DIT is currently being formed, details of the staff that the Department employs is being finalised, whilst employee transfers and recruitment are taking place.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by his Department are non-UK nationals.

Sir Alan Duncan

The total Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) workforce as at 31 March 2016 was 12,563 comprising 4,295 FCO UK based staff and 8,268 FCO local staff. The Aliens’ Employment Act 1955 makes it a requirement that all UK-based staff must be British nationals or dual nationals where one of those nationalities is British. We do not collect centrally details of the nationality of our staff employed locally overseas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 45695, what proportion of rail fares paid by passengers are reinvested in the railways by Network Rail.

Paul Maynard

The Office of Road & Rail calculates that 97 pence in every pound raised from passenger journeys is spent on running or improving the railway by Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies. Approximately 26 pence in every pound is reinvested through capital enhancements and renewals.^[1]

^[1] http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/21039/gb-rail-industry-financial-information-2014-15.pdf

The Rail Delivery Group calculates that 97 pence in every pound raised from passenger journeys is spent on running or improving the railway by Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies. Approximately 26 pence in every pound is reinvested through capital enhancements and renewals.^[1]

^[1] http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/83871.aspx

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Government Actuary’s Department report, A cohort approach to social care funding, published on 15 September 2016, what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of his Department’s policies on meeting the pension and social care needs of the millennial generation; and if he will bring forward proposals for a cohort approach to social care funding in his Autumn Statement.

David Mowat

Social care continues to be a key priority for this Government. It is critical in enabling people with care and support needs to retain their independence and dignity. That is why we have already introduced landmark reforms to ensure people should not have to sell their home in their lifetime to meet the cost of care and we have set out plans to cap the amount that people will need to spend to meet their cost of care.

We are mindful of the changing demographic of our population and the evidence produced from the Foresight ‘Future of Ageing Population’ project and are looking in the longer term about how best to respond to the challenges ahead. Decisions about the Autumn Statement are a matter for the Treasury.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments in scrutinising the suitability of business appointments for former Ministers in government.

Ben Gummer

The Government believes that the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments discharges its remit effectively and efficiently.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to ensure that the additional £40 million of aid her Department allocated in June 2015 to Yemen benefits its intended recipients.

Mr Desmond Swayne

To ensure UK aid reaches its intended recipients, we work with trusted and impartial actors such as UN agencies and NGOs who have a strong track record of prioritising assistance to those most in need, and delivering and monitoring assistance in difficult and dangerous places. We operate a zero tolerance approach to fraud and corruption and have an independent monitoring programme to provide assurance on what we are delivering.

Since the start of the crisis in Yemen, UK aid has assisted at least 700,000 people directly affected by the conflict including vulnerable host communities, internally displaced people and migrants. We have provided critical support for healthcare, malnutrition, water and sanitation, protection and shelter. We have also continued to strengthen and protect local capacity and community assets from further shocks by providing agricultural and other livelihoods assistance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-01-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to reduce beer duty by one per cent.

Damian Hinds

The government is committed to supporting the beer industry. The tax on a typical pint of beer was cut by a penny at March Budget 2015, building on the duty cuts at Budget 2014 and Budget 2013.

The government continues to keep all taxes under review and decisions on tax policy are made as part of the Budget process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2015 to Question 16435, when his Department expects to publish the Impact Assessment on changes to reduce costs in medical negligence mitigation.

Ben Gummer

The Department will publish the impact assessment alongside the consultation document on introducing fixed recoverable costs in clinical negligence claims.