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 question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

61663

registered interest
date	12/06/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education: Basic Skills
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to ensure a high standard of teaching in numeracy and literacy.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200344
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2014 answer text <p>We have published a more rigorous curriculum for English and mathematics. The new national curriculum sets expectations that match those in the highest-performing education jurisdictions in the world, challenging pupils to realise their potential in an increasingly competitive global market. It increases the level of demand from an early age, with greater emphasis on arithmetic, including learning times tables to 12 x 12 by age 9 and removing calculators from key stage 2 tests in mathematics, and on phonics, grammar and vocabulary development in English. GCSEs in English language and mathematics are also being reformed to be more challenging and give stronger guarantees of literacy and numeracy, with the mathematics GCSE in particular covering more than the current GCSE.</p><p> </p><p>We are confident that our reform to the national curriculum will give teachers greater flexibility and freedom, which will help to raise standards and expectations for all pupils. It has been significantly slimmed down and will free-up teachers to use their professional judgement to provide support that best meets the needs of their pupils.</p><p> </p><p>We have invested in and reformed initial teacher training (ITT) to focus on attracting the very best graduates with the right qualities for teaching into the profession through making more scholarships available; using bursaries to attract more of the most talented graduates in key subjects such as maths and physics and supporting the expansion of the highly-successful Teach First programme. Teach First is now the largest graduate recruiter in any sector in the United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>In 2013/14, we recruited 96% of the overall number of trainees we set out to recruit and the proportion with first-class or 2:1 degrees has risen 3 percentage points (74%) – a record compared to last year (71%). We have raised the bar for entry into ITT by making skills tests tougher, limiting candidates to two re-sits and making passing the tests in literacy and numeracy a requirement before entering, rather than exiting, ITT.</p><p> </p><p>Sir Andrew Carter has been appointed to lead an independent review about the effectiveness of ITT. As part of this, the review will look at ITT courses for both primary and secondary teaching to consider how well trainees are equipped to become outstanding teachers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 19/06/2014 16:27:54 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

61664

registered interest
date	12/06/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that children at primary and secondary schools have access to a healthy and balanced dinner each day.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200348
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The independent School Food Plan, published in July 2013, is designed to increase the quality and take-up of school meals in England and ensure that the food available conforms to healthy standards. As part of the School Food Plan, we are introducing new statutory food-based standards for schools in England from January 2015 and funding three organisations to increase take-up in junior and secondary schools.</p><p> </p><p>From September 2014 we are introducing free school meals for every child in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state-funded schools in England, to ensure that every child in those year groups has access to a nutritious lunch. We are targeting infants in order to help establish good eating patterns early. Our intention is that by providing a meal when children start at school, they and their parents will see the benefits of school meals and continue to choose them throughout their education.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 17/06/2014 15:31:18 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

61693

registered interest
date	12/06/2014
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	Farms: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the effective implementation of regulations (a) relating to storage of slurry and (b) in general for safety in farm yards.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200345
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Implementing safety regulations in farm yards is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The HSE recognises agriculture as a priority industry and has a programme for measurable and sustainable changes to the industry's health and safety performance.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The regulation of slurry storage is a devolved matter. In England it is controlled by the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 2010 (the SSAFO regulations), with the Environment Agency as the main regulator. From this year the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is including slurry storage in its cross compliance inspections. Both the RPA and Environment Agency work closely with the HSE on farm safety.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>Slurry storage and management in England has been reviewed recently by a Joint Industry and Government Working Group and this included a review of the SSAFO regulations. The Group's report was published on 21 November 2013 and is available online at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-management-and-storage-joint-government-and-industry-report" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/slurry-management-and-storage-joint-government-and-industry-report</a>.The report recognised the risks involved in managing slurry and included a recommendation about developing regular assessment of the condition of slurry stores to provide assurance that stores both prevent environmental pollution and meet health and safety requirements.The Government and industry continue to work in partnership to implement the recommendations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 19/06/2014 11:37:47 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

61706

registered interest
date	12/06/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what direct steps the Government has taken to ensure the safety of Christians in countries where they are being persecuted for their faith.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200349
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2014 answer text <p>Freedom of religion or belief is a priority for this Government internationally. On 15 November 2014, the Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend, the right hon. Baroness Warsi gave a speech in Washington stressing the need for an international response to the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. The full text of her speech is available on our website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/an-international-response-to-a-global-crisis. We are concerned about the rising tide of persecution of individuals on the basis of their religion and belief. We regularly raise individual cases and discriminatory legislation with other governments and we support overseas programmes designed to overcome prejudice, discrimination and sectarianism. We also work in multilateral fora to ensure that the right to freedom of thought, conscience and belief is afforded the international legal protection that it deserves. Furthermore the Senior Minister of State has convened meetings of international leaders to generate practical steps to promote freedom of religion or belief and to fight religious intolerance within our societies.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 19/06/2014 10:22:12 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

61707

registered interest
date	12/06/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	China
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in China.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200350
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2014 answer text <p>We do have concerns about restrictions to civil and political freedoms in China, particularly around ethnic minority rights; the death penalty; and freedom of expression, association and assembly.</p><p>The climate for human rights defenders and civil society is very difficult, and security in areas with ethnic minorities remains tight.</p><p>Ministers regularly raise human rights issues with Chinese counterparts, and we highlight our concerns in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 19/06/2014 15:20:57 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

61772

registered interest
date	12/06/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Drugs: Convictions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that convictions are brought for possession of large quantities of illegal drugs.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200346
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Action to restrict drug supply, including the investigation of drug offences and enabling the prosecution of those responsible, is a priority for law enforcement and other regulatory agencies. It is important that the courts are able to consider all the circumstances of any offence and offender which is why law enforcement agencies work closely with their prosecutors to provide the courts with the best evidence of an offence, presented in the most effective way.<br><br>In addition to prosecution, law enforcement agencies and the Criminal Justice System in the UK have at their discretion a number of disposals available to deal with drug-related offenders, including referral for drug treatment. This ensures that a robust and proportionate enforcement approach can be taken, which gives due regard to the public interest.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Norman Baker question first answered 16/06/2014 16:28:08 answering member 28 label Biography information for Norman Baker
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

61786

registered interest
date	12/06/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Syria
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Syria.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2014 answer text <p>The humanitarian crisis in Syria has reached catastrophic proportions. The UN estimates that 9.3 million people are in dire need of humanitarian aid within Syria. At least 6.5 million people in Syria have been forced to flee their homes to other areas of the country and there are now over 2.8 million refugees in the region.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Putney answering member printed Justine Greening question first answered 18/06/2014 16:19:31 answering member 1555 label Biography information for Justine Greening
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

61795

registered interest
date	12/06/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Racially Aggravated Offences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many racially aggravated attacks were recorded in the latest period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	200511
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2014 answer text <p>The police provide the Home Office with aggregated figures of the recorded number of racially or religiously aggravated assault with (a) and (b) without injury offences. It is not possible to separately identify the specific aggravating factor. <br><br>In the year ending December 2013, the police recorded 2,473 racially or religiously aggravated assault with injury offences and 3,988 racially or religiously aggravated assault without injury offences.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Norman Baker question first answered 18/06/2014 15:54:32 answering member 28 label Biography information for Norman Baker
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson