Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to protect plants and wildlife in the UK.
Answered by George Eustice
Biodiversity policy is a devolved matter. In England, our Biodiversity 202 strategy includes a wide range of policies aimed at protecting, restoring and creating wildlife habitats, and halting the decline in plant and animal species. Central to delivering this ambition are our agri-environment schemes, which help farmers to manage their land in an environmentally friendly way. Over £3.1 billion will be spent on environmental objectives under our schemes between 2014 and 2020.
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question
To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with her ministerial colleagues on protecting the rights of women and girls overseas.
Answered by Jo Swinson
I regularly discuss with ministerial colleagues the Government’s commitment to the protection and advancement of women’s rights both domestically and overseas. In the summer we hosted two global events – a summit with a focus on preventing sexual violence in conflict which generated strong international support; and a girl summit. The Girl Summit brought together a range of international stakeholders to accelerate momentum in tackling child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation and to rally a global movement to end the practices everywhere within a generation.
We are also strong supporters of a stand-alone goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the post-2015 development framework.
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on human rights abuses in Western Sahara.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
We regularly receive reports on the human rights situation in Western Sahara from a number of sources including the Moroccan National Human Rights Council, UN Special Rapporteurs, international human rights organisations and civil society groups.
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Western Sahara.
Answered by Baroness Featherstone
The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) is currently monitoring the ceasefire and humanitarian situation in Western Sahara which is stable at present. There remain large numbers of refugees from the Western Sahara in refugee camps in Algeria, and humanitarian agencies report high levels of malnutrition among the refugee population.
The UK provides protection and support to refugees in Algeria through its core contributions to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many students sat A-levels in (a) mathematics, (b) further mathematics, (c) physics, (d) chemistry and (e) biology in (i) Flintshire Council area and (ii) Wrexham council area in (A) 2009 and (B) 2013.
Answered by David Jones
This information relates to a devolved matter and is not held by the UK Government. I have therefore written to the Minister for Education and Skills in the Welsh Government seeking the information requested.
I will write to the hon Gentleman when further information is received, and place a copy in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many students obtained eight GCSE B grades or above in (a) Flintshire council area and (b) Wrexham council area in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2013.
Answered by David Jones
This information relates to a devolved matter and is not held by the UK Government. I have therefore written to the Minister for Education and Skills in the Welsh Government seeking the information requested.
I will write to the hon Gentleman when further information is received, and place a copy in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students sat A-levels in (a) mathematics, (b) further mathematics, (c) physics, (d) chemistry and (e) biology in (i) City of Chester constituency and (ii) Cheshire West and Chester council area in (A) 2009 and (B) 2013.
Answered by David Laws
The requested information is provided in the following table.
GCE A level results1 of students aged 16 to 182 Years: 2008/09 and 2012/133 Coverage: City of Chester parliamentary constituency4 | |||||||
| Year | Number of students entered for: | ||||||
| Biological Sciences | Chemistry | Physics | Mathematics | Further Mathematics | ||
2008/09 | 70 | 51 | 51 | 101 | 11 | ||
2012/13 | 92 | 84 | 61 | 119 | 21 | ||
Source: Key Stage 5 attainment data 1. Includes A levels only. 2. Covers students aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of the 2012/13 academic year, i.e. 31 August. 3. Figures for 2012/13 are revised and 2008/09 figures are final. 4. Covers all state-funded mainstream schools, academies, free schools, maintained special schools and FE Sector Colleges (excludes Independent Schools, pupil referral units and other Government department funded). Note: Where qualifications taken by a student are in the same subject area and similar in content, "discounting" rules have been applied to avoid double counting qualifications. Please see the "Technical Notes" in the Main text of the SFR available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-england-2012-to-2013-revised | |||||||
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students obtained eight GCSE B grades or above in (a) City of Chester constituency and (b) Cheshire West and Chester council area in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2013.
Answered by David Laws
The table below gives the number and proportion of pupils who achieved at least eight full GCSEs (GCSE and equivalents) at B grade or above in (a) City of Chester constituency and (b) Cheshire West and Chester council area in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2013. A national figure has been included as an appropriate comparator.
Number and percentage of pupils achieving at least 8 GCSEs2 at grade B or above | ||||
Number of eligible pupils1 | Number of pupils | Percentage of pupils | ||
2008/093 | ||||
City of Chester | 1,028 | 223 | 21.7 | |
Cheshire West and Chester | 3,979 | 776 | 19.5 | |
England | 576,420 | 100,833 | 17.5 | |
2012/133 | ||||
City of Chester | 1,092 | 236 | 21.6 | |
Cheshire West and Chester | 3,835 | 819 | 21.4 | |
England | 569,118 | 115,897 | 20.4 | |
Source: National Pupil Database 1. Pupils at the end of key stage 4 in each academic year. 2. Figures are based on full GCSEs and equivalents. These include, full GCSEs, double awards, accredited international certificates and their predecessor iGCSEs and AS levels. Pupils are included if they have achieved 8 or more GCSEs at either a grade B, A, or A* 3. Figures for 2008/09 are based on final data. Figures for 2012/13 are based on revised data. Coverage: England, state-funded schools (including academies and CTCs) | ||||
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 4W, on railways: Chester, if he will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Wales on the potential implications for (a) rail services in Chester and (b) Chester railway station of the recommendation in the report on the Commission on Devolution in Wales that the Wales and Borders rail franchise should be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The Secretary of State would be happy to discuss these matters with the Secretary of State for Wales when they next meet.
Asked by: Stephen Mosley (Conservative - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the report of the Commission on Devolution in Wales published on 3 March 2014, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Wales on the potential implications for (a) rail services in Chester and (b) Chester railway station of the recommendation in that report to devolve the Wales and Borders rail franchise to the National Assembly for Wales.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
No discussions have taken place with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales, on further devolution of responsibilities for the Wales and Border franchise and its implications for the division of responsibilities between the two Governments for rail services calling at, and the management of, Chester station.