Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1109724

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	STEM Subjects: Degrees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps he has taken to encourage more students to study STEM degrees.
tabling member constituency	Harrow East
tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
uin	241025
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>Overall numbers of students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are rising. The share of students studying science subjects at English Higher Education providers has increased from 41% in 2010/11 to 45% in 2016/17.</p><p>Despite rising STEM student numbers, we are far from complacent and we know that employer groups continue to point to an unmet demand for higher level STEM skills. This issue seems to be particularly acute in sectors such as manufacturing, construction, engineering, science and technology. We are therefore implementing a number of initiatives across government to increase the numbers of STEM graduates. For example:</p><ul><li>The Department for Education (DfE) is piloting a conversion course scheme to enable graduates to retrain in engineering and computer science.</li><li>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are leading a £90 million investment in 1,000 new PhD places, of which around 85% will be in STEM areas, and 40% will aim to boost collaboration between industry and academia.</li><li>The government is providing funding for the new Institute of Coding, which aims to improve digital skills provision at levels 6 and 7. It will target a skills gap in digital skills and involves collaboration between education providers and industry.</li><li>The DfE is also supporting (with £15 million over 3 years) the New Model in Technology &amp; Engineering, a STEM-focused institution due to take its first full cohort of students in 2020.</li><li>Institutes of Technology are being established to help meet STEM skills needs at levels 4 – 6, working closely with local employers and Local Enterprise Partnerships.</li></ul><p>Effective careers guidance and advice is also key to supporting young people to undertake learning in areas that will give them the skills employers are looking for. The government’s careers strategy sets out a long-term plan to build a world class careers system to achieve this ambition. We are increasing the information available to students to ensure they can make informed choices about what and where to study.</p><p>As set out in the Industrial Strategy White Paper, the Skills Advisory Panels (SAPs) programme aims to ensure that the local provision of skills, and the delivery of skills policy in local areas, meets and responds to changing employer needs. SAPs analysis will inform Local Industrial Strategies and local post-16 skills provision, so that skills provision better meets labour market needs.</p><p>Degree apprenticeships also allow universities to build partnerships with businesses and employers and to work together to create a skilled workforce. Employers are working in partnership with universities and professional bodies to meet the high-level technical skills that employers and our economy need to prosper.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 10/04/2019 16:39:45 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1109725

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Overseas Students: Universities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on ensuring that the UK continues to attract international students to British universities after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Harrow East
tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
uin	241026
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>Ministers within the Department for Education have regular discussions with the Home Office on ways to ensure the UK remains an attractive study destination, and the UK already has a strong offer for overseas students who graduate in the UK. International graduates can remain in the UK to work following their studies by switching to several existing visa routes, including Tier 2 (skilled worker) visas.</p><p>As you will be aware, the Immigration White Paper, published in December 2018, proposes increasing the post-study leave period for international students following completion of studies to 12 months for those completing a PhD, and to 6 months for all full-time postgraduate and undergraduate students at institutions with degree awarding powers. These proposals go beyond recommendations set out in the Migration Advisory Committee’s report and will benefit tens of thousands of international students. During the Home Office’s 12-month engagement programme on the Immigration White Paper, business and stakeholders from a wide range of sectors, including the Higher Education sector, will be able to feed in their views on white paper proposals.</p><p>In addition, the International Education Strategy, published on 16 March 2019, sets out actions to continue to provide a welcoming environment for international students, and includes our ambition to increase the number of international students we host to 600,000 by 2030. One of the actions within the strategy includes considering where processes could be improved to improve the visa experience for international students.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 10/04/2019 16:47:37 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1109726

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Justice and Security Act 2013
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2018 to Question 152051, and with reference to the fifth annual Report to Parliament on the use of closed material procedures published in December 2018, what steps he has taken to establish the review of the operation of sections 6 to 11 of the Justice and Security Act 2013; and when that review is scheduled to begin.
tabling member constituency	Orkney and Shetland
tabling member printed	Mr Alistair Carmichael
uin	240976
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>A reviewer has not been appointed yet. Discussions between officials are ongoing and an announcement will be made in due course.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 240977 240978 question first answered 11/04/2019 16:24:37 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	1442 label Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael

1109727

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the level of (a) female and (b) BAME representation in top university positions.
tabling member constituency	Harrow East
tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
uin	241027
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>Diversity and equality in higher education is a priority for this government. Higher education institutions are independent bodies and responsible for decisions about who they employ. Like every employer they must ensure they meet their obligations under the Equality Act 2010.</p><p>Important progress has been made on the number of women in leadership roles in higher education, particularly in the increase in the proportion of female Chairs of Governing Bodies and female Vice-Chancellors. Sector-led gender initiatives, such as the Athena SWAN Charter and the Aurora development scheme, demonstrate the importance the sector attaches to tackling the barriers that hinder women’s progression in higher education careers.</p><p>On 1 February, the government announced measures to tackle ethnic disparities in higher education including encouraging higher education providers to make use of tools such as the Race at Work Charter and the Race Equality Charter to drive forward a step-change in the recruitment and progression of ethnic minority employees.</p><p>The government has also consulted on ethnicity pay reporting in order to inform future government policy.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 10/04/2019 16:06:43 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1109728

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Justice and Security Act 2013
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2018 to Question 152051, and with reference to the December 2018 publication of the fifth annual Report to Parliament on the use of closed material procedures, when he plans to announce the review of the operation of sections 6 to 11 of the Justice and Security Act 2013.
tabling member constituency	Orkney and Shetland
tabling member printed	Mr Alistair Carmichael
uin	240977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>A reviewer has not been appointed yet. Discussions between officials are ongoing and an announcement will be made in due course.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 240976 240978 question first answered 11/04/2019 16:24:37 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	1442 label Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael

1109729

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Justice and Security Act 2013
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2018 to Question 152051, how he plans to determine the terms of reference for the review of the operation of sections 6 to 11 of the Justice and Security Act 2013; and whether he will consult civil society and the legal profession on the nature and scope of that review.
tabling member constituency	Orkney and Shetland
tabling member printed	Mr Alistair Carmichael
uin	240978
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>A reviewer has not been appointed yet. Discussions between officials are ongoing and an announcement will be made in due course.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 240976 240977 question first answered 11/04/2019 16:24:37 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	1442 label Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael

1109730

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Biofuels
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will issue a response to Early Day Motion 1771, on subsidies for biomass electricity generation.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	241056
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>Sustainable biomass has an important role to play in our electricity mix as it can help balance demand on the grid by being dispatchable, balancing out intermittent renewables like solar and wind.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to keeping energy costs as low as possible and subsidies for biomass are monitored through the Levy Control Framework. Biomass plants only receive subsidy for the electricity output which complies with our sustainability criteria</p><p> </p><p>We have consistently stated that we see the use of biomass conversions as a transitional technology. We have announced that support for coal to biomass conversions will end in 2027 and we will be consulting on making coal to biomass conversions ineligible for future allocation rounds of the Contract for Difference scheme in due course.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 09/04/2019 16:01:25 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1109731

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Air Pollution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has reviewed the effectiveness of the German Federal Immission Control Act; and whether he has any plans to implement similar such legislation in the UK.
tabling member constituency	West Bromwich East
tabling member printed	Tom Watson
uin	240979
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>No, the Government has not reviewed the effectiveness of the German Federal Immission Control Act. The UK introduced a similar integrated approach to controlling pollution to air, water and land with the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as well as the concept of Best Available Techniques. These approaches have subsequently been adopted and applied across the EU through the Industrial Emissions Directive, which sets challenging industry standards for the most polluting industries.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 09/04/2019 14:43:16 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1463 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Wyre Forest

1109732

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Housing: Construction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to local planning authorities on the proximity of residential dwellings to areas zoned for industrial use.
tabling member constituency	West Bromwich East
tabling member printed	Tom Watson
uin	240980
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the high-level issues that local planning authorities should consider when preparing plans and making decisions on planning applications. This includes development being appropriate for its location, taking into account matters such as pollution and the scope to mitigate such effects.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 09/04/2019 13:01:07 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	1463 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Wyre Forest

1109736

registered interest
date	04/04/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Birmingham
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of Network Rail's sleeper factory at Doncaster meeting the shortfall in production capacity in the event of the potential closure of Network Rail’s exiting sleeper factory at Washwood Heath, Birmingham.
tabling member constituency	West Bromwich East
tabling member printed	Tom Watson
uin	240984
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2019 answer text <p>A proposal for a new facility in Bescot is being developed by Network Rail to produce the sleepers necessary for them to maintain, renew, and enhance our rail network. The facility is intended to make up the shortfall when an existing facility at Washwood Heath is closed to become an HS2 depot.</p><p> </p><p>The Network Rail facility at Doncaster is not capable of being extended to increase capacity. The facility itself is entirely surrounded by adjacent development, railway lines, railway depots, housing and roads. It is operating at full capacity and only able to deliver production of 400,000 sleepers each year.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, Network Rail require a geographically separate, second facility to avoid the supply chain risk of a single point of failure, should anything prevent production at a facility.</p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 12/04/2019 08:16:32 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	1463 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Wyre Forest