Tag: Stewart Jackson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2015-11-16.

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason the Church Commissioners have not released land for the construction of a primary school, in accordance with previous legal undertakings, at the Paston Reserve urban extension in Peterborough; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Caroline Spelman

The Church Commissioners are involved in the development of Paston Reserve in Peterborough. Within the development there is provision for a site and financial contributions towards the delivery of a primary school site as outlined within the agreed Section 106 legal agreement that accompanied the planning permission, and that was varied by agreement with the Council in 2010. The Section 106 agreement provides that the primary school site must be delivered prior to any house occupation on the third phase of development on the site and also outlines the trigger points at which the financial contributions for the school will be provided.

Based on these legal requirements, the land for the primary school site at Paston Reserve has not been provided yet, because the site has not progressed to a third phase of development. The first phase on the site is still under construction, and as outlined in our response to the hon. Gentleman’s question [3389] answered on the 29 June 2015, the second phase of development is likely to commence at some point in 2016. The development remains in accordance with the legal provisions of the Section 106 agreed with Peterborough Council.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-10-10.

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps are being taken by the Church Commissioners to address the financial difficulties at Peterborough Cathedral; and if she will make a statement.

Dame Caroline Spelman

The Church Commissioners have made an emergency loan to help address the cashflow challenges at Peterbourough Cathedral. In addition to this financial assistance, they have also actively supported and continue to support the Cathedral and Chapter by giving practical assistance, for example helping the Chapter evaluate options for staff restructuring and its property sale programme.

The Bishop of Peterborough has launched a visitation which will include a review of financial management and overall governance of the cathedral. The Commissioners are assisting in this process and I am happy to say that governance is improving and Chapter is beginning to address its budget deficit.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether reclassification by the Office of National Statistics of housing associations as public entities will entail their carrying the legislative obligations contained in the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock

Registered providers of social housing will not automatically become subject to the Freedom of Information Act as a result of their reclassification.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps her Department has taken to improve education in prisons.

Mr Sam Gyimah

I refer the Hon member to my answer to PQ 46278.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the National Living Wage on wage growth in (a) Peterborough and (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Boles

The new National Living Wage is an essential part of moving to a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare society; it ensures that work pays, and reduces reliance on the State topping up wages through the benefits system. The Government’s target is for the National Living Wage to reach 60% of median earnings by 2020, and we have asked the Low Pay Commission to recommend the National Living Wage going forward.

The Office for Budget Responsibility published its latest analysis of the impact on 25 November, here: http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/economic-fiscal-outlook-november-2015/

The Government will be publishing an impact assessment for the National Living Wage in due course.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve (a) rail connectivity and (b) service delivery on Cross Country Trains which run between Birmingham and Stansted and through Peterborough in the next Control Period; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Maynard

I recently announced a new contract for the Cross Country rail franchise that will run until October 2019. This franchise offers a number of passenger experience improvements such as free wi-fi on trains. The franchise retains the same level of service between Birmingham and Stansted Airport. I am aware that there are aspirations for improvements in the Cross Country service through Peterborough. Currently, there are no suitable diesel trains available to allow this to happen. However, should this position change, we would work with Cross Country to consider what services enhancements may be possible to deliver. There may be further enhancements across the Cross Country network, once it’s competitively let in 2019.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2015-11-25.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have received funding from government schemes to assist first-time home buyers in (a) Peterborough and (b) England in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands

The Government does not hold annual figures for the number of first time buyers who have received funding since 2010. However since the launch of The Help to Buy: Equity loan in April 2013, funding has been made available to support 46,133 first time buyers in England, of whom 601 were in Peterborough. Funding has also has been made available to support 19,971 first time buyers in England, of which 154 were in Peterborough, through the Firstbuy and Homebuy Direct schemes.

To support more first time buyers, the Government announced at the Spending Review plans to extend the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme until 2021, launch London Help to Buy and build 200,000 starter homes, to be sold at a 20% discount to young first time buyers. The Government is also launching Help to Buy: ISA, giving savers a bonus to help them purchase their first property.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-01-11.

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent progress has been made on (a) residential development and (b) infrastructure planning on Church Commissioner land allocated as an urban extension by Peterborough City Council at (i) Paston Reserve and (ii) Norwood; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Caroline Spelman

There are no further developments to report since the answer given by the Church Commissioners to question 16388 on the 20 November 2015.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve teacher recruitment in local education authority areas with poor educational attainment; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to achieving educational excellence everywhere so that children in every part of the country, regardless of their background and circumstances, have access to an outstanding education.

High-quality teachers are central to that ambition, and we have recently announced the establishment of a new National Teaching Service (NTS) that will second outstanding teachers and middle leaders into the schools that most need support, particularly in areas of the country that find it hardest to retain and recruit good teachers. Our ambition is that by 2020 there will be 1,500 NTS teachers/middle leaders in underperforming schools in areas of the country facing particular challenges in terms of teacher quality and recruitment. The NTS will begin with a pilot of 100 outstanding teachers and middle leaders in the North West from September 2016. Following the pilot the national programme will be rolled out from September 2017 where it will be extended into other regions.

We are also increasing the number of high-achieving graduates teaching in disadvantaged schools by supporting the geographical expansion of Teach First into every region of England. This gives Teach First the scope to reach 90 per cent of eligible schools by 2016, boosting the Government’s commitment to recruit more top teachers throughout England, including in more rural, coastal and disadvantaged areas. We are continuing to increase the proportion of initial teacher training that is led by schools, and our School Direct programme is giving more head teachers the ability to select, train and employ the teachers they need in their local areas.

The pay reforms that we have introduced since September 2013 give schools greater autonomy and more freedom to decide how much they pay teachers and how quickly pay progresses. Schools may also choose to use their pupil premium funding to attract or retain the best teachers. This increased flexibility gives schools in disadvantaged areas more scope to attract and recruit the high quality teachers that they need to deliver outstanding education in the most challenging circumstances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects to publish her Department’s review of Sharia courts; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley

The Home Secretary has commissioned a full, independent review to enhance our understanding of any misuse of Sharia law. The review will report to the Home Secretary before the end of this year.