Virendra Sharma

Thousands of disabled people have benefitted from apprenticeships. In 2014/15, 44,090 of those starting an apprenticeship declared a disability or learning difficulty (LDD). This compares with 26,390 in 2009/10.

To provide an incentive to employers to offer more opportunities, apprenticeship training for 16-18 year olds is fully funded by Government. Government also fully funds apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan). Apprentices aged 19 to 24 without an EHC Plan, who have a learning difficulty and/or disability can benefit from additional funding through Learning Support.

Advice is also available to help employers and training providers understand disabilities and how to better support disabled apprentices. We have funded NIACE to produce an employer toolkit http://www.employer-toolkit.org.uk/ for employers that want to develop a more inclusive and accessible apprenticeship offer.

An Apprenticeships Equality and Diversity Advisory group helps government understand and address any apprenticeship equality and diversity issues in order to reduce barriers and make apprenticeships as inclusive as possible.

The sale price was dependent on market conditions, the prevailing share price and investors’ interest in buying the shares.

Based on analysis from our independent financial adviser, the sale price achieved, 500p per share, represents value for money for the tax payer.

We have received no such representations. However, the paper industry is an important part of the UK’s manufacturing infrastructure. This Government recognises the challenges facing energy-intensive sectors such as paper, and we have taken steps to reduce the cumulative impact of energy and climate change policies on industrial electricity prices this industry faces. Building on the achievement of a £10 billion saving for business from deregulation in the last Parliament, we have also committed to reducing business red tape by a further £10 billion over the next five years.

The ‘Speak Up for the Love of’ climate lobby on the 17 June will be a significant opportunity for people’s voices to be heard on the issue of climate change.

Campaigning matters – as seen through years of campaigning against apartheid, cancelling debt, Make Poverty History, and recent food campaigns, when people come together in the right spirit, change can happen.

I welcome next week’s climate lobby – MPs will be listening, and stand ready to act. My noble friend Lord Bourne and I will be engaging with civil society and businesses throughout the day to discuss the UK’s priorities for a climate deal in Paris.

Securing a global climate deal at the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference in Paris this year is vital to give a clear signal to businesses and investors that Governments are committed to delivering a global low carbon economy. I am pleased the G7 prioritised an ambitious climate package at this year’s Summit, including strong language on the need for a deal in Paris, finance and future ambition. On 10 June, I too, will reiterate the significance of an ambitious deal during debate of the Opposition Day motion on climate change at the House of Commons.

The National Church Institutions of the Church of England do not maintain a record of the number of LGBT clergy.

The most recent statistics available on the number of women in ordained ministry in the Church of England can be found in the table below. These figures combine all clergy who are full time or part time stipendiary clergy and those who are self-supporting clergy. Although more recent figures are not yet available, the general trend is towards an increase in women training for ordained ministry and the Church of England has most recently appointed three women as bishops who are:

• The Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Revd Rachel Treweek,

• The Bishop of Stockport, Rt Revd Elizabeth Lane,

• And the Bishop of Hull, Rt Revd Alison White.

UK Trade and Investment does not collect this sort of personal data about the participants of our trade missions.

A Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence (PEDL) is a pre-requisite before any oil and gas operations, including fracking, can take place. No PEDLs are in effect in these areas of London and there are no applications for such operations.

Details of my meetings with representatives of other Governments both in this country and during my visits overseas and my meetings with external organisations are available on the gov.uk website.

Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs) are the responsibility of a number of Government Departments. No central guidance is issued by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) on exploiting intellectual property rights. The approach to doing so is determined by individual PRSEs in consultation with their sponsoring department where appropriate.

However, tools like the Lambert toolkit have been developed, hosted and promoted by the Intellectual Property Office. These can help PSREs conduct effective negotiations in collaborative research projects and includes a set of model IP licensing and ownership agreements.

BIS has conducted surveys of knowledge transfer activities of PSREs since 2002. The results of the most recent survey undertaken earlier this year will be published shortly. This will include data about numbers of patents applied for, numbers granted and income from the licensing of IP.

The Home Secretary and Lord Chancellor will shortly be launching a public consultation into the Government's response to domestic abuse. The analysis of this consultation will inform the draft Domestic Abuse Bill, which we intend to publish later this session.

My Right Honourable Friend, the Leader of the House, has been clear to the House on this issue, he expects written questions to be answered and dealt with in good time.

Furthermore, my Right Honourable Friend has written to all members of the Cabinet to remind them of the importance of timely and helpful responses.

In line with successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not usually disclosed.

The Cabinet Office has received a number of representations on the proposed content of the census as set out in the white paper “Help Shape Our Future: The 2021 Census of Population and Housing in England and Wales”. These include the addition of Sikh as a separate ethnicity on the census.

The estimated savings were based on the established cost of delivering the previous European Parliamentary elections in 2014, which cost the public purse £108.7 million.

The potential cost of a 2019 European Parliamentary election, should it take place, would not be known until after the poll, once all expenses claims have been received and settled and invoices paid.

For example, the postage costs of the freepost mailing will depend on the number of nominated parties/candidates, who in turn then choose to take up the offer of the mailing.

The Cabinet Office has now published the relevant Charges Order which provides the basis for reimbursing Returning Officers for their services and any expenses necessarily incurred in relation to the European Parliamentary elections.

The Government has made it clear the UK intends to leave the EU with a deal and not take part in the European Parliamentary Elections (EPE) in May, however, all the necessary preparations will be made for the election to take place on 23 May.

As is normal practice the relevant Charges Order sets out further action, however the full cost of the election would not be known until after the poll, should it take place, once all expenses claims have been received and settled and invoices paid.

Departments continually review workforce plans and reprioritise according to changing needs. The number of people moved from other tasks at any one time is not recorded.

The Government’s policy is for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union with a negotiated deal. The Cabinet Office, like other Departments, is continually looking at and reviewing workforce plans, reprioritising and assessing changing needs. We expect our ‘no deal’ preparations will not be required, but we will prepare responsibly to ensure the smoothest exit in all outcomes.

Departments continually review workforce plans, reprioritise and assess changing needs, which includes identification and cessation of non-priority work where appropriate. We have accelerated our plans, and at the same time, the Civil Service as a whole is working to ensure that EU Exit Implementation is carried out to high quality without impacting public service delivery across the whole of government. The Cabinet Office has staff working on EU exit implementation for a range of scenarios in the interests of preparedness, however the percentage of time spent on exiting the EU without a deal is not recorded or easily accessible.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

Following the EU Referendum and the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017, the UK will cease to be a member of the European Union on 29th March 2019. At that point, we will no longer sit at the European Council table or in the Council of Ministers and we will no longer have Members of the European Parliament. We will therefore not be taking part in the European Parliamentary elections in 2019 which are currently scheduled to be held from 23rd to 26th May 2019.

Given this, the Government does not consider it is necessary or a prudent use of taxpayers’ money for Returning Officers and electoral administrators to make the usual preparations for the conduct of a European Parliamentary poll in 2019. The Government does not intend to make an Order setting the date of the poll for the European Parliamentary elections in 2019. We also do not intend to undertake the usual preparations for Information Exchange between the UK and the Member States in respect of EU citizens (including UK citizens) living in another Member State.

In due course, the intention is to repeal the underlying pieces of legislation providing for the holding of European Parliamentary elections in the UK under the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill. Once that Bill has Royal Assent, all associated legislation will be repealed through Parliament by means of a Statutory Instrument made under powers in the Bill.

We estimate that not holding European Parliamentary elections will save British taxpayers at least £109 million next year; this is in addition to the cost of the British contribution to the EU budget.

According to long standing practice the copy of the speech printed for the State Opening of Parliament is printed on high quality archival paper.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of ministerial discussions are not normally disclosed.

The Cabinet Office takes the well-being of its employees seriously and provides a range of support, including the recent launch of the Cabinet Office Listening Service, resourced by staff who have been trained in active listening and emotional support. The service can provide upfront support to Cabinet Office staff dealing directly or indirectly with specific issues in their personal or working life or to help them to cope with mental health issues of any kind including depression, anxiety or stress. Listeners can also signpost individuals onto other relevant services such as the external Employee Assistant Programme which offers counselling, impartial advice and access to online health and wellness related resources.

The department has established an employee led WorkWell community to further develop and implement a strategy for wellness. Progress to date includes establishing resilience training for senior leaders and their teams, signing up to the Time to Change pledge on mental health, providing access to coaching and training in skills to improve wellbeing such as mindfulness. WorkWell are also seeking to increase awareness of opportunities to improve physical wellbeing at work including provision of on-site health checks.

The Cabinet Office takes the well-being of its employees seriously and provides a range of support, including the recent launch of the Cabinet Office Listening Service, resourced by staff who have been trained in active listening and emotional support. The service can provide upfront support to Cabinet Office staff dealing directly or indirectly with specific issues in their personal or working life or to help them to cope with mental health issues of any kind including depression, anxiety or stress. Listeners can also signpost individuals onto other relevant services such as the external Employee Assistant Programme which offers counselling, impartial advice and access to online health and wellness related resources.

The department has established an employee led WorkWell community to further develop and implement a strategy for wellness. Progress to date includes establishing resilience training for senior leaders and their teams, signing up to the Time to Change pledge on mental health, providing access to coaching and training in skills to improve wellbeing such as mindfulness. WorkWell are also seeking to increase awareness of opportunities to improve physical wellbeing at work including provision of on-site health checks.

A list of special advisers, and their pay bands, is published on an annual basis.

The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the role of special advisers and describes the range of activities they may undertake. Copies of the Code of Conduct are available in the Libraries of the House and on-line at

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/468340/CODE_OF_CONDUCT_FOR_SPECIAL_ADVISERS_-_15_OCTOBER_2015_FINAL.pdf

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.