Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the review of exclusions practice led by Edward Timpson CBE will publish its final report.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In March 2018, the Government launched an externally-led review of exclusions practice, led by Edward Timpson CBE. The review is exploring how head teachers use exclusion, and why pupils with particular characteristics are more likely to be excluded from school. It is also considering the differences in exclusion rates across primary and secondary schools in England.
The review has gathered substantial evidence, including over 900 submissions to the call for evidence. Edward Timpson has also chaired a series of roundtables and the review has met with over 100 organisations and individuals, including schools, local authorities, parents and children. The review will report in this term.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department has allocated directly to (a) Keep Britain Tidy and (b) other anti-litter initiatives in each year since 2010.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The following table sets out the grant funding allocated to Keep Britain Tidy from 2010 to 2015:
Year | Grant |
2010-11 | £4.75 million |
2011-12 | £4 million |
2012-13 | £3.5 million |
2013-14 | £2.25 million |
2014-15 | £0.5 million |
After 2015, no funding was specifically allocated to Keep Britain Tidy, but it has successfully bid for a number of litter-related contracts:
Year | Project | Contract value |
2015-16 | Analysis of Local Environment Quality Survey for England data 2014-15 | £29,986 |
2017-18 | Survey of roadside litter on trunk roads other than motorways | £79,000 |
2018-19 | Economic valuation of the non-market benefits of dealing with specific types of litter that a Deposit Return Scheme in England would help to overcome | £41,525 |
Keep Britain Tidy was also awarded the following grant funding towards the delivery of national clear-up days in 2015-18:
Year | Grant |
2015 (Community Clear-Up Day) | £9,500 |
2016 (Clean for the Queen) | £9,500 |
2017 (Great British Spring Clean) | £10,000 |
In 2017, we also launched the £450,000 Litter Innovation Fund (jointly funded by Defra and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government), to pilot, implement and evaluate small scale local research projects that could be replicated more widely. The Fund was open to applications from councils, community groups, campaign groups and small/medium-sized enterprises. A total of £122,449 was awarded to 13 projects in the first round, including 4 awards to Keep Britain Tidy, totaling £39,717. Full details of all the first-round awards are available online at:
http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/litter-innovation-fund
Defra has spent the following amounts on the development of the national anti-littering campaign (none of this funding was paid to Keep Britain Tidy).
Year | Purpose | Amount |
2016-2017 | Initial scoping and research | £15,868 |
2017-2018 | Development of campaign and partnership strategy and stakeholder research, as well as testing and development of a campaign identify | £124,412 |
2018-2019 | Campaign branding, creative assets and launch. | £50,000 |
Since 2015, Defra has also provided £5,000 per year to the Marine Conservation Society to carry out beach cleaning at priority beaches.
No funding has been allocated to other anti-litter initiatives.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for which of his Department's posts is attendance on the religious literacy course run by his Department's Diplomatic Academy a mandatory part of pre-posting training.
Answered by Alan Duncan
There are no posts for which pre-posting training in religion and diplomacy is mandatory. However, Foundation Level online learning on Religion and Diplomacy is a mandatory component of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) fast stream induction programme. In addition, the FCO course on religion and diplomacy delivered by the London School of Economics is well advertised throughout the FCO and we actively encourage attendance by staff if their job relates to countries in which religion plays a significant part in social and political life.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and what proportion of staff of his Department have undertaken the course on religious literacy run by his Department's Diplomatic Academy.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Religion and diplomacy is included in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) Diplomatic Academy's training module on human rights. So far 181 staff have completed this module, which is mandatory for staff on the FCO fast stream induction programme.
The diplomatic academy is not the only way in which staff obtain and expand their religious literacy. The FCO offers a more in-depth two day course on religion and diplomacy. This course, which takes place twice-yearly is attended by 30 to 40 students. The FCO also runs seminars or talks on specific themes or religions. These are open to all staff.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial support the Government has allocated to Staffordshire County Council in support of caring for unaccompanied (a) adult and (b) children asylum seekers in each of the last five years.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The government provides funding to local authorities as a contribution to-wards the costs incurred in supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) and young care leavers who were UASC.
For unaccompanied children arriving from 1 July 2016, local authorities can claim £114 per day for those children aged under 16 and £91 per day for those children aged 16 or 17. The overall value of each claim is dependent on the number of agreed days that children are supported by the local authority. More information on the funding available to local authorities supporting UASC and former UASC care leavers can be found in the funding instructions published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-uasc-grant-instructions
The Home Office directly provides adult asylum seekers and their dependants who would otherwise be destitute with free furnished accommodation (rent and utility free) and a weekly cash allowance to cover their other essential living needs.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What steps his Department is taking to promote cultural diplomacy.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon Member to my response during Topical questions today in the Chamber.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to announce whether the Forces Help to Buy scheme will continue beyond December 2018.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
As announced by the former Secretary of State for Defence in October 2016, the Forces Help To Buy scheme is due to close at the end of December 2018. Applications can be submitted up to this date. Work is ongoing to consider how to take this policy principle forward and details will be confirmed later this year.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the report entitled, Stable and Secure? An Assessment on the Current Context of Human Rights for Chin People in Myanmar/Burma, published by the Chin Human Rights Organisation in September 2018.
Answered by Mark Field
We are aware of this published report. Since August, UK officials have consulted UNHCR in Geneva and in Burma for clarification on the needs assessment process for Chin refugees residing in other countries, and UNHCR's proposed process for ensuring their safe return to Burma. The UK will continue to monitor this process in line with our objective of ensuring the safety of all those displaced by violence in Burma and a safe return process for all groups forced to flee to other countries.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking ensure progress made by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is sustained after polio funding is withdrawn in countries transitioning away from support in 2019.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has successfully led global efforts that have reduced Wild Polio Virus cases by more than 99% since its inception in 1988. The UK has played an important role in this process and UK support to GPEI will mean up to 45 million children can be vaccinated against polio each year until 2020.
It is a key priority for the UK that polio-funded assets continue to ensure strong health systems after the world has been declared polio-free, when GPEI will cease to exist. Governments and key partners must take responsibility for ensuring the assets of the polio programme are not lost and countries remain polio-free. The UK expects the World Health Organisation (WHO) to take a leading role in ensuring a robust and coordinated response and part of the UK’s funding to WHO is conditional on this being met.
The UK has been instrumental in ensuring a coherent strategy be developed and implemented that will support countries as they transition from GPEI support. We will continue to work with WHO and other key polio partners to ensure this is fully actioned and well coordinated.
Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the guidance, Staying put: arrangements for care leavers aged 18 years and above, published on 22 May 2013, what progress the Government has made on implementing the staying put policy.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Staying Put has helped thousands of care leavers to continue to benefit from a stable and secure family setting and to prepare for independence at a more gradual pace rather than facing a ‘cliff-edge’ at the age of 18. The policy has been welcomed by care leavers and the sector.
The latest data for the year ending March 2017 shows that 51% of those ceasing to be looked after in a foster placement on their 18th birthday remained with their former foster carer. In addition, 25% of 19 and 20 year olds were still living with their former foster carers.