Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in his Department's human resources section in April 2020.
Answered by Robin Walker
The number of full-time equivalent staff employed in the Northern Ireland Office human resources section in April 2020 was 4.57 FTE.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in his Department's human resources section in April 2020.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
The information requested can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2020
Table 8A of the Cabinet Office 'Annual Civil Service Employment Survey' provides details of the UK civil service workforce by Department and job profession, including the category 'Human Resource'. The information provided is correct as at 31 March 2020.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in his Department's human resources section in April 2020.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
There were 33 full time equivalent staff employed in HMT Treasury’s human resource section in April 2020.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he plans to take to promote careers in the food and drink manufacturing industry.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Apprenticeships will have an important role to play in creating employment opportunities, particularly for young people, and in supporting employers in all sectors to access the skilled workforce that they need to recover and grow following the COVID-19 outbreak. We recognise that employers, at the moment, face increased challenges with hiring new apprentices and so we will introduce a new payment of £2,000 to employers in England for each new apprentice they hire aged under 25, and a £1,500 payment for each new apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, from 1 August 2020 to 31 January 2021. Details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury. We will also ensure that there is sufficient funding to support small businesses wanting to take on an apprentice this year.
We have introduced a broad range of flexibilities, including encouraging the remote delivery of apprenticeships, to ensure that apprentices can continue with their learning as far as possible and to support the continued take-up of apprenticeships: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-apprenticeship-programme-response/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-apprentices-employers-training-providers-end-point-assessment-organisations-and-external-quality-assurance-pro.
We work closely with employers and organisations in the food and drink sector, including the Food & Drink Federation, to promote the benefits of apprenticeships and we are supporting the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink’s plans to facilitate levy transfers between employers. In addition, we are arranging a series of webinars to update employers and intermediary organisations on the latest apprenticeship developments and to offer guidance to help employers make the most of our apprenticeship reforms and funding support offer. There are over 560 high-quality apprenticeship standards available for employers to use; a variety of these are in food and drink manufacturing including, baker, food and drink advanced engineer, and senior culinary chef.
It is important for young people to have information on a wide range of jobs and careers. It is also important for them to have encounters with a variety of employers in different sectors to inspire them about a broad range of opportunities and what they can achieve. The Careers & Enterprise Company is making sure that every young person has access to high quality and inspiring encounters with employers from a variety of sectors, which may include the food and drink manufacturing industry. The National Careers Service provides independent, professional advice on careers, skills and the labour market. Information on a variety of careers, including those in the food and drink manufacturing industry, can be found on the National Careers Service website.
HM Treasury will provide £32 million in additional funding to the Department for Education over the next two years. The funding will ensure that 269,000 more people in England will receive impartial and tailored information, advice and guidance to meet their individual needs and circumstances within the context of current economic circumstances. The careers advice provided will draw on labour market trends and growth areas including opportunities available in the food and drink manufacturing industry.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to apprenticeships in the food and drink manufacturing sector.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Apprenticeships will have an important role to play in creating employment opportunities, particularly for young people, and in supporting employers in all sectors to access the skilled workforce that they need to recover and grow following the COVID-19 outbreak. We recognise that employers, at the moment, face increased challenges with hiring new apprentices and so we will introduce a new payment of £2,000 to employers in England for each new apprentice they hire aged under 25, and a £1,500 payment for each new apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, from 1 August 2020 to 31 January 2021. Details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury. We will also ensure that there is sufficient funding to support small businesses wanting to take on an apprentice this year.
We have introduced a broad range of flexibilities, including encouraging the remote delivery of apprenticeships, to ensure that apprentices can continue with their learning as far as possible and to support the continued take-up of apprenticeships: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-apprenticeship-programme-response/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-apprentices-employers-training-providers-end-point-assessment-organisations-and-external-quality-assurance-pro.
We work closely with employers and organisations in the food and drink sector, including the Food & Drink Federation, to promote the benefits of apprenticeships and we are supporting the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink’s plans to facilitate levy transfers between employers. In addition, we are arranging a series of webinars to update employers and intermediary organisations on the latest apprenticeship developments and to offer guidance to help employers make the most of our apprenticeship reforms and funding support offer. There are over 560 high-quality apprenticeship standards available for employers to use; a variety of these are in food and drink manufacturing including, baker, food and drink advanced engineer, and senior culinary chef.
It is important for young people to have information on a wide range of jobs and careers. It is also important for them to have encounters with a variety of employers in different sectors to inspire them about a broad range of opportunities and what they can achieve. The Careers & Enterprise Company is making sure that every young person has access to high quality and inspiring encounters with employers from a variety of sectors, which may include the food and drink manufacturing industry. The National Careers Service provides independent, professional advice on careers, skills and the labour market. Information on a variety of careers, including those in the food and drink manufacturing industry, can be found on the National Careers Service website.
HM Treasury will provide £32 million in additional funding to the Department for Education over the next two years. The funding will ensure that 269,000 more people in England will receive impartial and tailored information, advice and guidance to meet their individual needs and circumstances within the context of current economic circumstances. The careers advice provided will draw on labour market trends and growth areas including opportunities available in the food and drink manufacturing industry.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the Falkland Islands retains tariff free access to the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government has always been clear that we are committed to engaging the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories as we exit the EU, to ensure that their interests and priorities are properly taken into account.
We are seeking a bold and ambitious economic partnership with the EU and want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, so that British companies, including Falkland Islands companies, have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate within European markets.
I most recently met Hon. Teslyn Barkman, the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly Member leading on Exit issues, at the 4th Joint Ministerial Council Overseas Territories (EU Negotiations) held on the 14th of June. Through discussions in this forum, supported by official level contact, the Government understands the importance to the economic wellbeing of the Falklands Islands of their access to the EU market for fish and meat.
We also welcome the substantive input we have received from the Falkland Islands’ Government as the UK prepares to exit the EU.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue was raised from VAT on flight training in the last five years for which data is available.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HM Revenue and Customs does not hold information on VAT revenues that can be broken down to the requested level of detail.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of divergence from EU food and drink regulations on continued frictionless trade with the 27 countries of the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government is undertaking a wide range of analysis looking at the implications of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Our programme of analysis is constantly developing and evolving, and includes all areas of the UK economy and input from a wide range of sectors.
It will always be for the Parliament of the day to decide which rules are adopted in the UK. The Parliament of the day may potentially decide to diverge from EU law. Where this occurs it will be in the knowledge that there may be consequences for market access in both directions.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What his diplomatic priorities are for Africa after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Alan Duncan
UK and EU priorities in Africa will remain aligned, which makes a strong case for post-exit co-operation in certain areas. We will identify areas in which the UK can act more effectively bilaterally, which will transform the way we engage with Africa and demonstrate that we remain one of the leading international partners for the continent.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government has discussed with the EU negotiating team the possibility of the UK rejoining the European Free Trade Association after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
As the Government has made clear, when we leave the EU, we will be leaving the Single Market. The UK will not seek a model already enjoyed by other countries. European Economic Area membership would, for example, mean the UK having to adopt in future new EU rules over which we will have little influence and no vote. As such, we will not be seeking to join EFTA in order to remain party to the EEA Agreement. We will instead pursue a new, ambitious economic partnership.