Tag: Tim Farron

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to minimise the difference between the number of words to which young children in low-income and high-income households are exposed.

Nick Gibb

No matter where they live or what their background, every child in this country deserves the opportunity to read, to read widely, and to read well. The Government wants all children to develop a wide vocabulary irrespective of their background. In August 2015, the Secretary of State launched a literacy campaign to make children in this country the most literate in Europe, in the next five years.

We placed phonics at the heart of the curriculum to give all young children the skills to decode words and provide the foundation for them to read fluently.

The National Curriculum framework sets a clear expectation that teachers develop pupils’ vocabulary, building on pupils’ current knowledge. This covers both general vocabulary development and the subject specific language that pupils need to be able to use to progress in, for example, mathematics and science.

Vocabulary development is emphasised and integrated throughout the programmes of study for English and linked to their reading, writing and spelling. Both the reading and writing domains of the English programmes of study emphasise the importance of building pupils’ vocabulary.

Reading widely and often, together with reading for pleasure is also reinforced throughout the programmes of study, and attention to the quantity and quality of reading will support vocabulary development.

We are working with The Reading Agency to set up book clubs in hundreds of primary schools across the country; we are supporting their work to enrol 8 year olds in libraries; and we support the voluntary sector’s ‘Read On. Get On’ campaign, which is playing a key role in raising literacy. Our ambition is that children can get to know the classics of English literature whether or not these books are on the bookshelves at home. In February 2016, Penguin Classics launched their ‘Classics in Schools’ initiative to give sets of 100 classics to schools at reduced cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to increase the provision of respite and replacement care for carers in England.

Alistair Burt

The Government recognises the invaluable contribution made by unpaid carers and the importance of supporting them in their carer roles. This includes provision of and access to respite and replacement care.

The Department has provided £400 million to the National Health Service over four years from 2011 for carers to have breaks from their caring responsibilities. The carers breaks funding of £130 million is now included in the Better Care Fund in 2016/17. The Department has also provided £186.6 million of funding in 2016/17 to local authorities for improved carers’ rights, as established in the Care Act 2014.

The Care Act 2014 duty for local authorities to undertake carers’ assessments also provides an opportunity for the local authority and the carer to look at the support they need and the outcomes that they wish to achieve, including providing them with a break or taking up work, educational and leisure opportunities if they wish.

The Department is committed to continuing to improve support for carers and is currently leading the development of a new cross-Government national carers’ strategy, due to be published by the end of 2016. We are currently consulting widely with a range of stakeholders and carers themselves to inform the development of the strategy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that suitable brownfield sites are prioritised for development over greenbelt sites under the proposed Housing Delivery Test.

Brandon Lewis

We are still considering responses to the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, including on the housing delivery test.

The Government has put in place the strongest protections for the Green Belt. The Framework is clear that inappropriate development will not be allowed unless there are very special circumstances, and that Green Belt boundaries should be adjusted only in exceptional circumstances, through the Local Plan process. The Framework also encourages development of brownfield land, and we have undertaken to ensure that 90 per cent of brownfield land suitable for housing will have planning permissions for new homes in place by the end of this Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-09-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will reassess the potential merits of proposals to make sustainable drainage systems compulsory in new housing developments at risk from flooding.

Gavin Barwell

There are strict tests in national planning policy to protect people and property from flooding and we have been very clear that where these tests are not met new development should not be allowed.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that new development should only be considered appropriate in areas at risk of flooding where it gives priority to the use of sustainable drainage systems. The policy was strengthened in April 2015 to make clear the expectation that sustainable drainage systems should be provided in all major new developments, unless demonstrated to be inappropriate. The Framework is underpinned by planning guidance, including guidance on sustainable drainage systems, which was strengthened last year.

The Housing and Planning Act 2016 places a duty on the government to carry out a review of both planning legislation and planning policy in respect of sustainable drainage systems in developments. Any subsequent changes would be based on the evidence from this review.

Additionally, developers must comply with the building regulations which give priority to sustainable drainage systems in their hierarchy of arrangements for dealing with rainwater draining from roofs and pavings giving access to the building.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the army has been of teaching children in private schools in the UK and abroad in each year since 2010.

Harriett Baldwin

The total spend by the Department on Continuity of Education Allowance in the UK for Army personnel in each financial year since 2009-10 is shown below.

The Department also funds a range of education provisions overseas for Army personnel. However these are not all defined as ‘private schools’. The cost of this is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Financial Year	Spend by Army (£million)
2009-10	62.745
2010-11	67.021
2011-12	67.669
2012-13	62.134
2013-14	57.595
2014-15	55.960
2015-16	54.887

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review the requirement for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in the application criteria for the gender recognition certificate.

Caroline Dinenage

The Government takes gender equality issues very seriously and has actively contributed towards the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s inquiry into transgender equality. The Government will consider the recommendations of the inquiry once they become available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 22908, on prisoner escapes, if he will place a copy of the letter to the hon. Member for Romford in the Library.

Andrew Selous

Once the information requested is available I will write to the hon. Member for Romford and place a copy of that reply in the Library.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will estimate the number of days of sickness absence taken for reasons of depression, anxiety or stress in each of the last three years.

Mr Rob Wilson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to carry out an (a) impact and (b) equality assessment of the Government’s policy of replacing the Human Rights Act 1998 with a British Bill of Rights.

Dominic Raab

We will set out our proposals for a Bill of Rights in due course. We will fully consult on our proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to develop a cross-departmental strategy to provide more support to carers in England.

Alistair Burt

The Government recognises the invaluable contribution made by unpaid carers and the importance of supporting them in their carer roles. This includes provision of and access to respite and replacement care.

The Department has provided £400 million to the National Health Service over four years from 2011 for carers to have breaks from their caring responsibilities. The carers breaks funding of £130 million is now included in the Better Care Fund in 2016/17. The Department has also provided £186.6 million of funding in 2016/17 to local authorities for improved carers’ rights, as established in the Care Act 2014.

The Care Act 2014 duty for local authorities to undertake carers’ assessments also provides an opportunity for the local authority and the carer to look at the support they need and the outcomes that they wish to achieve, including providing them with a break or taking up work, educational and leisure opportunities if they wish.

The Department is committed to continuing to improve support for carers and is currently leading the development of a new cross-Government national carers’ strategy, due to be published by the end of 2016. We are currently consulting widely with a range of stakeholders and carers themselves to inform the development of the strategy.