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answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered question first ministerially corrected answering member label attachment file name title previous answer version answering member constituency answering member constituency answering member printed answering member printed answering member label answering member label
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79430

registered interest
date	22/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many indeterminate sentenced prisoners were held in open prisons in the years ending 31 March (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	206954
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2014 answer text <p>The number of indeterminate sentenced prisoners held in open prisons in England and Wales, for financial years 2012 - 2014, can be found in table 1.</p><p> </p><p>A life sentence is mandatory on conviction for murder. Under a life sentence, and an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP), the court determines the minimum period to be served in prison for the purposes of punishment and deterrence. Prisoners serving these indeterminate sentences have no automatic right to be released. If released they are subject to recall for the rest of their life or, in the case of an offender serving an IPP, for at least 10 years. Public protection is the priority and the release of indeterminate sentence prisoners once they have served their minimum term is entirely a matter for the Parole Board.</p><p>Progression to open conditions is never automatic and only follows a satisfactory assessment of risk, generally involving the independent Parole Board in the case of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences.</p><p>The Parole Board may recommend such prisoners for open conditions if, for example: they have successfully completed any offending behaviour programmes identified in their sentence plan as essential to the risk reduction process; their behaviour in custody is such that it is considered that a move is appropriate; and their risks are manageable in open conditions.</p><p>Once allocated to open prison, prisoners continue to be monitored and are returned to closed prison immediately if there are any concerns about their suitability for low security conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Open prisons have been used since 1936, because they are the most effective means of ensuring that prisoners are suitably risk-assessed before they are released into the community under appropriate licence conditions. When a prisoner moves to the less rigid structure of open conditions an assessment can be made in a relatively safe environment of how the prisoner will adapt to increasing responsibility. For many prisoners, in particular those such as life sentence prisoners, who have spent a considerable amount of time in custody; these are essential components for successful reintegration in the community and therefore an important factor in protecting the public.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 04/09/2014 16:35:02 question first ministerially corrected 04/12/2014 11:34:33 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous attachment 1 file name PQ 206954 - table.pdf title Indeterminate Sentenced Prisoners in open prisons previous answer version 18219 answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

79431

registered interest
date	22/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Police Cautions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what types of indictable-only offence a caution was issued in each year since 2009; and how many cautions were issued for each type of offence in that period.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	206955
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2014 answer text <p><ins class="ministerial"></ins><ins class="ministerial"></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">This Government has taken action to end the cautions culture and to make sure serious offenders do not receive penalties seen as soft options. The use of cautions is at its lowest point for thirty years.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We are changing the law to ban simple cautions for all of the indictable only offences - the most serious criminal offences which must be tried in the Crown Court, including rape, manslaughter and robbery. We are also banning simple cautions for possession of a knife or offensive weapon, supplying Class A drugs and a range of sexual offences against children. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Further, we announced proposals in November 2014 for a new out of court disposal framework that would see an end to cautions and warnings and would require offenders to take actions to comply with their disposals. Elements of this new framework are being piloted in Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and Leicestershire before a decision is taken on whether to implement the new framework across England and Wales. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Ministry of Justice issues guidance on the process to be followed by the police when they are administering simple cautions for adult offenders. The latest guidance, issued in November 2013 following the Simple Cautions Review, states that the use of a simple caution for indictable-only offences, such as rape, should only be given following authorisation by a senior police officer of at least the rank of Superintendent and the Crown Prosecution Service. These will be cases where there are exceptional circumstances which would mean that it is not in the public interest to prosecute.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> Latest information on cautions issued by offence type is publicly available online at the Ministry of Justice’s statistics portal. This data is contained in Q2.3 of the Out of Court Disposals table: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-september-2014" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-september-2014</a></ins></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">Simple cautions are a non-statutory disposal available to the police to dispose of any offence committed by an adult and designed for dealing with low level, mainly first time offending. The Ministry of Justice issues guidance on the process to be followed by the police and the CPS when they are administering simple cautions for adult offenders. This guidance states that the use of a simple caution for indictable only offences should only be given following authorisation by the CPS. These will be cases where there were exceptional circumstances which would mean that it was not in the public interest to prosecute.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">Since 2007 the overall number of simple cautions issued has halved. The cautioning rate, that is, the number of offenders cautioned as a percentage of offenders who were either cautioned or convicted, in 2013 was 20 per cent; which has declined from a peak of 31 per cent in 2007.</del></p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 05/09/2014 15:19:10 question first ministerially corrected 24/03/2015 11:55:13 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning attachment 1 file name 206955 - table.xls title number of indictable only cautions issued 2009-13 previous answer version 18652 answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

79478

registered interest
date	22/07/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Students: Loans
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to initiate a review of the sustainability of the student loans system.
tabling member printed	Baroness Deech
uin	HL1377
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>There are no current plans to initiate a formal review of the student loans system in England.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The costs of the loan system are based on projections of graduate repayments over the next 35 years. These projections were revised in 2013-14 following changes to the student loan repayments model but will continue to fluctuate due to numerous macroeconomic variables, and present no immediate pressure on the system. Funding for new student loans is secure for the remainder of the Spending Review period.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Popat question first answered 11/08/2014 11:43:29 question first ministerially corrected 08/09/2014 08:16:28 answering member 4173 label Biography information for Lord Popat previous answer version 16050 answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire answering member 1816
tabling member	3756 label Biography information for Baroness Deech

78447

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the total staff cost has been of (a) the Office of Unconventional Oil and Gas, (b) the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage, (c) his Department's human resources services, (d) the EMR delivery unit and (e) his Department's press office in each year since June 2010.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Tom Greatrex
uin	206298
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Business Area</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>2010-11</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>2011-12</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>2012-13</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>2013-14</strong></del></p></td></tr><tr><td><del class="ministerial"> </del></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">£(k)</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">£(k)</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">£(k)</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">£(k)</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Unconventional Oil &amp; Gas</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">-</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">-</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">-</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">448</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">OCCS</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,419</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,762</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2,515</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2,570</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">HR</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,385</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,614</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,968</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2,044</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">EMR Delivery Unit</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">-</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">-</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">-</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">4,299</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Communications (incl. Press Office)</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,764</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,408</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1,643</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2,384</del></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Business Area</strong></ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>2010-11</strong></ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>2011-12</strong></ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>2012-13</strong></ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>2013-14</strong></ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td></tr><tr><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">£(k)</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">£(k)</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">£(k)</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">£(k)</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td></tr><tr><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">Unconventional Oil &amp; Gas</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">-</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">-</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">-</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">448</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td></tr><tr><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">OCCS</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">1,419</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">1,762</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">2,515</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">2,570</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td></tr><tr><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">HR</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">1,385</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">1,614</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">1,968</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">2,044</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td></tr><tr><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">EMR Delivery Unit</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">-</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">-</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">-</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">4,299</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td></tr><tr><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">Communications (incl. Press Office)</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">2,678</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">2,223</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">2,450</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td><td><ins class="ministerial"> </ins><p><ins class="ministerial">2,384</ins></p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Hastings and Rye answering member printed Amber Rudd previous answer version 11655 answering member constituency Hastings and Rye answering member printed Amber Rudd answering member 3983 label Biography information for Amber Rudd 17532 answering member constituency Hastings and Rye answering member printed Amber Rudd answering member 3983 label Biography information for Amber Rudd question first answered 01/09/2014 13:56:12 question first ministerially corrected 12/09/2014 11:18:56 answering member 3983 label Biography information for Amber Rudd
tabling member	4047 label Biography information for Tom Greatrex

77841

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Trade Fairs: Farnborough
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the net benefit to the UK export sector as a result of the recent Farnborough Airshow.
tabling member constituency	Ribble Valley
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Evans
uin	206009
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2014 answer text <p><ins class="ministerial">Farnborough is an important showcase for the UK aerospace sector. The Department does not make estimates of aerospace exports arising as a result of the Farnborough Airshow. However, given the UK’s position as a leading supplier to the world’s aerospace industry, our industry is likely to be a major beneficiary of many of the new orders announced at the Show.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Recent data from the Aerospace Defence and Security trade association show aerospace exports grew by 12% in 2013 to £25 billion.</ins></p><p><br /><del class="ministerial">There has been significant interest in UK Export Finance’s (UKEF) Direct Lending Facility (DLF) since its enhancements were announced in the Budget. Since it was relaunched on 30 June 2014, the pipeline of potential export contracts has developed and now involves 28 UK-based exporters of varying size and export experience. As it stands, the pipeline has 35 potential export contracts that range from £3m to over £350m. Most importantly, the DLF pipeline is growing.</del></p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock previous answer version 11700 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock 19350 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock question first answered 10/09/2014 15:27:30 question first ministerially corrected 29/10/2014 14:19:01 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	474 label Biography information for Mr Nigel Evans

77965

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	Genetically Modified Organisms: Labelling
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 the Government's position is in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations on labelling of products containing GM in the UK food chain; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Ogmore
tabling member printed	Huw Irranca-Davies
uin	205728
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">This issue has yet to be discussed in detail within the framework of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. The Government will consider its negotiation position based on a range of factors including the environmental impact and public health benefit of such anti-microbial treatments that can reduce potential for foodborne illness.</del></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">The existing EU rules which require GM-derived food to be labelled are not expected to be discussed or reviewed as part of the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 22/07/2014 10:12:20 question first ministerially corrected 25/07/2014 08:04:43 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice previous answer version 11865 answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	1476 label Biography information for Huw Irranca-Davies

77773

registered interest
date	14/07/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Liverpool
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the relative impact on Liverpool, compared to Leeds and Manchester, if neither HS2 nor the proposed HS3 rail links are connected to the city.
tabling member printed	Lord Birt
uin	HL1070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2014 answer text <p>The high level assessments of potential options for the route of Phase Two of HS2, including options for serving Liverpool, were published and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/options-for-phase-two-of-the-high-speed-rail-network" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/options-for-phase-two-of-the-high-speed-rail-network</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The potential route of HS3 to introduce improved rail links in the North has not been decided. The plans are at an early stage. The Government has asked Sir David Higgins to produce a Plan for bringing the benefits of high speed rail to the north more quickly, as well as initial proposals for faster east-west connections – including options on route, timescales and cost, and to deliver this in the Autumn. This will start the process by which we can have a proper debate about the future of rail connectivity in the North.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Kramer question first answered 18/07/2014 11:00:40 question first ministerially corrected 21/07/2014 11:16:51 answering member 1557 label Biography information for Baroness Kramer previous answer version 11110 answering member printed Baroness Adams of Craigielea answering member 631
tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

77093

registered interest
date	10/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Official Residences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse was of running and maintaining each grace and favour residence provided by his Department to senior figures from the armed forces in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	205237
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/08/2014 answer text <p>Under previous arrangements, Official Service Residences (OSRs, colloquially known as ‘grace and favour’ residencies) were provided for senior officers in certain posts which required them to undertake official hospitality for Defence purposes. As announced by the then Minister for Personnel, Welfare and Veterans (Andrew Robathan) on 12 December 2011 (Official Report, column 63WS), these arrangements have been discontinued. Properties which were formerly categorised as OSRs are being phased out on a rolling basis as personnel retire or move on to other posts. However, senior officers remain entitled to Service Family Accommodation (Type 1 or Type 2). In addition, the Department is undertaking an ongoing review into domestic assistance policy to ensure that the level of support provided to senior entitled officers is appropriate and driven by a clear business need. Information is available for financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11 and is presented in the tables.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry previous answer version 11770 answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry 15385 answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry attachment 1 file name Tables - Part of answer to 205237.doc title Tables forming part of the answer to 205237 question first answered 07/08/2014 10:44:05 question first ministerially corrected 16/02/2015 10:06:13 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry attachment 1 file name Tables - Part of answer to 205237 FINAL.doc title Tables forming part of the answer to 205237 v3
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

64896

registered interest
date	01/07/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Welfare Tax Credits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what average value of tax credits were paid to claimants who were (a) out of work, (b) self-employed and (c) employed in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	Leeds West
tabling member printed	Rachel Reeves
uin	203325
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p>The following table is based on finalised tax credits administrative data for each financial year. The latest data available are 2012-13.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Tax Year</p></td><td> </td><td colspan="3"><p>Average tax credit award for households who are classified as 'in work'</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Average tax credit award for households who are classified as 'out of work'</p></td><td><p>Households who are classified as self employed only</p></td><td><p>Households who are classified as employed only</p></td><td><p>Households who are classified as both employed and self employed</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>£4,300</p></td><td><p>£5,800</p></td><td><p>£2,800</p></td><td><p>£3,300</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>£4,700</p></td><td><p>£6,500</p></td><td><p>£3,300</p></td><td><p>£3,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>£5,000</p></td><td><p>£6,800</p></td><td><p>£3,700</p></td><td><p>£4,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>£5,200</p></td><td><p>£6,900</p></td><td><p>£3,900</p></td><td><p>£4,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>£5,600</p></td><td><p>£7,200</p></td><td><p>£4,500</p></td><td><p>£4,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>£6,000</p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">£7,600</del> <ins class="ministerial">£<ins>7,500</ins></ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">£6,300</del> <ins class="ministerial">£<ins>6,200</ins></ins></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">£6,400</del> <ins class="ministerial">£<ins>6,000</ins></ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>These figures have been rounded to the nearest £100.</p><p> </p><p>Data from earlier years is only available at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The increase in average tax credit awards in 2012-13 can largely be explained by the removal of the ‘Second Income Threshold’ in April 2012. This policy removed a number of higher income households from the tax credit population. As higher income households generally have lower tax credit awards, the effect of removing these households increases the average award.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Loughborough answering member printed Nicky Morgan question first answered 07/07/2014 14:06:19 question first ministerially corrected 24/03/2015 11:54:34 answering member 4027 label Biography information for Baroness Morgan of Cotes previous answer version 8139 answering member constituency Loughborough answering member printed Nicky Morgan answering member 4027 label Biography information for Baroness Morgan of Cotes
tabling member	4031 label Biography information for Rachel Reeves

64615

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Standards
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Elizabeth Truss MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, that "our 15 year-olds are up to three years behind their peers in the top-performing countries in reading and mathematics", what action they propose to address this.
tabling member printed	Lord Quirk
uin	HL698
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education believes that improving the quality of teaching in literacy and numeracy is crucial to building the foundation for future study and work. The Government has revised the national curriculum and set more rigorous and challenging content in English and mathematics to match the highest performing countries around the world. The new programmes of study for English and maths will challenge pupils to realise their potential in an increasingly competitive global market.</p><p> </p><p>The new maths GCSE will have more content, be more challenging and – alongside English - will be double weighted in school performance tables. The Department has recently allocated £11 million to fund <del class="ministerial">over</del> 32 new maths hubs to support a more challenging maths GCSE to improve the quality of maths education. This initiative, which includes a teacher exchange programme with Shanghai, will enable every school and college in England, from early years to the post-16 sector, to access locally-tailored support in all areas of maths teaching and learning.</p><p> </p><p>The new national curriculum for English places a greater emphasis on reading and requires pupils to study a range of books, poems and plays.</p><p>The national curriculum for English 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 design curricula that meet the needs of their pupils.</p><p> </p><p>The new English language GCSE will place greater demands on pupils and has more emphasis on those skills demanded by employers. The new English literature GCSE will build on this foundation, and encourage students to read, write and think critically.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 08/07/2014 15:42:37 question first ministerially corrected 09/07/2014 15:07:12 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash previous answer version 8669 answering member printed Lord Nash answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3254 label Biography information for Lord Quirk