The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications to the Disclosure and Barring Service were made by people living in London in the last 12 months.
Karen Bradley
The total number of certificates issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service to applicants with a London postcode in the year ending 31 May 2016 was 720,832.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many neonatal units meet the standard for overnight accommodation for parents as recommended in paragraph 3.11 of the Toolkit for High-Quality Neonatal Services, published by his Department in 2009.
Mr Philip Dunne
NHS England does not currently hold this level of information centrally, however it is being considered for collection in future.
Ensuring the very best and safest care for sick babies and their parents during what may be the most difficult time of their lives is absolutely essential.
This Government is absolutely committed to improving maternity and neonatal care which is why we have set out our intention to halve the number of neonatal deaths, stillbirths, maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth by 2030 and have invested millions in training for staff, new safety equipment and facilities in hospitals for new families, as well as help to drive improvements in perinatal mental health.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many times the Ministerial Committee for Syrian Refugees has met.
Richard Harrington
The Ministerial Committee for Syrian Refugees has met on three occasions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department spent on promotional material and publicity for (a) Community Clear Up Day in 2015 and (b) Clean for the Queen in 2016.
Mr Marcus Jones
In March 2015, communities across the country rolled up their sleeves and got behind a nationwide spring clean in order to spruce up our favourite public places. The Department for Communities and Local Government spearheaded this initiative and it was a success with several hundred clear-ups arranged by grassroots activists including community and faith groups, councils and parishes, and schools and sports teams.
The Department spent £5,000 on solid, consistent branding for Community Clear Up Day which was clearly government backed, making the campaign recognisable for key stakeholders and the public alike.
It also spent £5,000 on promoting Community Clear Up Day through Facebook. Having ownership of social media ensured the Department was able to engage with the public effectively, and be proactive and responsive when necessary in its social communications.
In March 2016, the Clean for the Queen campaign, spearheaded by Keep Britain Tidy and backed by organisations including the Women’s Institute, the National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, was the biggest community-led clean-up the country has ever seen. Following the success of utilising Facebook for Community Clear Up Day, the Department for Communities and Local Government, in order to support the initiative, again spent £5,000 on this method of engaging with stakeholders and local communities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on his Department’s work with the European Regional Development Fund.
Andrew Percy
This Government remains committed to investment in growth and infrastructure across all parts of the country. As the former Prime Minister made clear, while the UK remains a member of the EU, current EU funding arrangements continue unchanged. It will now be for the Government to begin the negotiations to leave, and set out arrangements for those currently in receipt of EU funds.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the daily payment for unaccompanied asylum seeking children was for (a) under 16 and (b) 16-17 year olds in each of the last six financial years.
Mr Robert Goodwill
From 1 October 2010 until 1 July 2016 the funding rate for the majority of local authorities for supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children was £95 per day for a supported child under 16 and £71 per day for a supported child aged 16 or 17. These rates were increased on 1 July 2016 to £114 per day for supported children under 16 and £91 for supported children aged 16 and 17. Enhanced levels of funding have been provided to a small number of ”Gateway” local authorities, in recognition of the large numbers of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in their care. The most recent funding instructions can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-uasc-grant-instructions
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2015-10-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of (a) current and (b) forecast adult learner demand in Croydon.
Nick Boles
Our policy is to support the growth of high quality apprenticeship places available in Croydon and across the country as a whole. Apprenticeships are the best form of adult vocational education because they bring together in one coherent experience formal learning and personal development in the workplace. The number and nature of the apprenticeship opportunities available depends on what employers offer, but we are supporting this by doubling public funding for apprenticeships since 2010, supporting employers in developing clear new apprenticeship standards, and introducing a levy on employers to fund further growth. Our aim is that there should be three million new apprenticeship starts by 2020.
Across adult education as a whole, it is important that there is the right supply of places to meet future demand. Determining what this supply should be is not something central government can take the lead on. In September the government announced a programme of area reviews, which will be locally led and will involve key stakeholders. They will be based on the best available evidence of skills requirements and establish a local post-16 education and training offer which is high quality and responsive to employer need. The reviews will support local involvement in the ongoing commissioning of provision, putting responsibility in the hands of people who are best placed to tailor provision to local economic needs. Croydon will be included in the area review process, which is due to be completed by March 2017, and an announcement on the date for the review will be announced in due course.
There is also a role for Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in ensuring that adult education reflects future economic development. LEPs are working in collaboration with local authorities, colleges and providers in the area to jointly agree key local skill needs and develop a local skills offer that responsive to local labour market conditions and contributes to improving our productivity. LEPs are responsible for decisions about capital allocations for adult skills projects, and the Skills Funding Agency requires colleges to engage with LEPs as a condition of its grant funding.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2015 to Question 16106, when he expects his Department’s review of compliance with the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 to be completed.
Mr Marcus Jones
The Department expects to complete the review of compliance with the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 by the end of March 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the announcement of 8 July 2013 on introducing a reward scheme for civil servants in his Department, what estimate he has made of the total value of rewards awarded to date.
Brandon Lewis
Of the 40 ideas submitted only 4 were rewarded with vouchers amounting to a total cost of £150.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of hate crime were reported in Croydon in each of the last 12 months.
Sarah Newton
The Home Office collects information on the number of hate crimes recorded by the police at the police force area level. The Metropolitan police force recorded 13,889 hate crimes in 2014/15.
Further information on hate crime can be found in Hate Crimes, England and Wales, 2014/15, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2014-to-2015
Data for 2015/16 are due to be published in October 2016.
This Government is committed to tackling hate crime. The UK has one of the strongest legislative frameworks in the world to tackle hate crime. We are working across Government with police, (including National Community Tensions Team), the Crown Prosecution Service and community partners to send out a clear message that hate crime will not be tolerated and we will vigorously pursue and prosecute those who commit these crimes.