Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2016 to Question 53524, on Kids Company, whether the independent third party had any remit to investigate the outcomes reported by Kids Company; and whether a mechanism is in place to verify outcomes reported by grant-receiving charities in order to accurately evaluate performance against delivery targets.
Answered by Rob Wilson
For the first part of 2015, Methods Consulting were required to monitor the performance of Kids Company against the output measures set out in the grant. They had full access to Kids Company’s data to allow them to take an independent view. Methods Consulting also worked with Kids Company to put in place an outcomes framework.
For the 15-16 Financial Year, a dedicated CO official was responsible for monitoring Kids Company’s delivery against a set of delivery targets. A summary of these is set out on Parliament’s website: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/public-administration-and-constitutional-affairs-committee/kids-company/written/23362.html
Cabinet Office undertook a review of Grants making under Section 70 of the Charities Act, which fed into the wider work of Cabinet Office Grants Efficiency Programme. Minimum grant standards were introduced this month. This includes the requirement that grants will have outputs agreed wherever possible to enable active management of performance, including regular reviews and adjustment.
PACAC was informed of the progress made and offered a copy of the draft minimum Grant standards in a letter addressed to the Chair of PACAC on 30 August 2016.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2016 to Question 53525, if she will publish the delivery targets that were contained in the grant agreement for Kids Company.
Answered by Rob Wilson
A summary of the targets is available on Parliament’s website as part of Cabinet Office’s written evidence:
http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/public-administration-and-constitutional-affairs-committee/kids-company/written/23362.html
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what value for money assessment the Government made of the first payment to Kids Company of 2015-16 made in accordance with Section 70 of the Charities Act 2001.
Answered by Rob Wilson
Kids Company was required to meet a clear set of delivery targets. These were regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure Kids Company were delivering the outcomes set out in the Grant Agreement.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the amount of money paid to Kids Company in 2015-16 that went towards fulfilling that charity's objectives.
Answered by Rob Wilson
Kids Company was required to meet a clear set of delivery targets. An independent third party was appointed by Cabinet Office to independently monitor and evaluate the grant and outcomes Kids Company were reporting.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the first grant the Government paid to Kids Company in 2015-16 is her Department seeking to recover for the public purse.
Answered by Rob Wilson
We are still engaging with the Official Receiver about retrieval of any remaining Grant funds.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government made any provisions for the purposes for which the first assistance funds paid to Kids Company in 2015-16 could be used.
Answered by Rob Wilson
The Grant agreement set out a clear set of delivery targets which Kids Company were expected to achieve.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to promote Welsh literature in the UK.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Arts Council England funds organisations nationwide including National Portfolio Organisations offering high quality creative and professional training to writers, particularly aimed at emerging talent and funds and supports individual writers/literature via the Grants for the Arts funding scheme.Literature Wales is the national company for the promotion and development of literature in Wales, and works with the support of the Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Government. Literature Wales receives an annual revenue grant from the Arts Council of Wales as well as a subsidy from the Arts Council's Lottery Funds
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support he has made available to assist sports stadiums on improving their disabled accessibility.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The Government is committed to ensuring that all spectators have appropriate access to sporting venues and services. Professional sports clubs and sporting venues have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled supporters.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport approved a £1.9mbid from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to deliver the Sports Equality Standard programme. The programme includes support and guidance for improving the physical and cultural accessibility of sporting venues. As part of this programme, the EHRC is actively working with a range of sports to deliver access audits at a number of grounds over the next two years, which will enable clubs to identify areas where access can be improved.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the BBC has undertaken that free TV licences for over-75s will continue beyond 2020.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The policy for continuation of free television licences for over-75s is set out in the published government and BBC agreement, which says that, at the BBC’s request, the BBC will take responsibility for the policy following this Parliament.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons the UK has not ratified the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict; and whether he plans to ratify that treaty.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Previous Governments ran out of parliamentary time to bring forward the necessary legislation to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and accede to its two Protocols.
This Government’s priority is to bring forward legislation to allow this at the first opportunity.