Tag: Roger Godsiff

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much compensation was paid from the public purse to Chagossians; on what dates such compensation payments were made; and how many families were so compensated.

James Duddridge

The UK Government has paid out around £21m at current prices. This comprises two sums. An initial figure of £650,000 which the UK Government paid in 1973 to the Government of Mauritius towards the resettlement of those removed from the British Indian Ocean Territory since 1965. This was disbursed with accrued interest in 1977 and 1978 to 595 families. Furthermore, in 1982 the UK Government paid over a further £4m pursuant to an agreement with the Government of Mauritius which had established the Ilois Trust Fund Board to distribute the money for the benefit of the Chagossians. The government of Mauritius had also contributed some land to the Trust Fund and the government of India contributed £1m to it. At least 1,344 Chagossians received compensation through the Trust Fund, which was largely paid out between 1982 and 1984, with a final disbursement in 1987. The Government does not hold information about those it has not compensated.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether additional funding will be provided to support further education students who have to travel further to access education as a result of colleges merging.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Future college mergers will tend to be decided through area reviews of post-16 education which are focused on meeting the needs of learners in each area. Area reviews, because they are overseen by steering groups including Chairs and Principals of colleges as well as local authorities, are well placed to ensure decisions are taken which are in the interests of local further education students, taking into account travel to learn distances. The steering group’s recommendations will always be based on the best available evidence, including an analysis of local economic and educational needs, and the mapping of current curriculum provision and travel to learn patterns.

As well as being members of area review steering groups, local authorities have statutory responsibility for transport to education and training for 16- to 19-year-olds. We expect local authorities to make reasonable decisions about the support they offer based on the needs of their young people, local transport infrastructure and the resources they have available. Authorities will need to take account of the recommendations arising from each area review and the impact on transport for learners. Local authorities fund any support they provide for transport to post-16 education through the grants they receive from national government and through generated income, such as council tax.

Most 16- to 19-year olds have access to a discount or concession on local travel, from their local transport provider, their local authority, or from their education or training provider. The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also available to support young people with the costs associated with attending education or training, and transport is the biggest single area of expenditure for which this fund is used.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much was spent by academies on marketing and public relations in each of the most recent five years for which figures are available; and how much of that spending came from (a) public funding and (b) other sources.

Edward Timpson

Marketing and public relations is not a category under which the Department collects expenditure information from academies and data is not, therefore, held by the Department in a way which distinguishes it from other spending by academies.

Income and expenditure data for academies is collected and published each year by the Department as a Statistical First Release. The latest published data is for 2013/14 and can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-and-expenditure-in-academies-in-england-2013-to-2014

It is not possible to differentiate for any spend in an academy whether it was made from public funds or from self-generated income.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who will represent the Government at the UN General Assembly meeting on refugees and migrants on 19 and 20 September 2016; and if the Government will make a commitment at that meeting to creating safe, legal routes for refugees to enter the UK.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Her Majesty’s Government will be represented at the UN General Assembly high level meeting on refugees and migrant on 19 September and at the Leaders’ Summit on refugees hosted by President Obama on 20 September. Who will attend is to be confirmed.

The Government has no plans to introduce additional pathways for refugees to come to the UK. The UK is already a leading resettlement state, offering a number of safe and legal pathways for refugees. In the year ending June 2016, a total of 3,439 people were resettled in the UK.

In addition to the 20,000 Syrian refugees and up to 3,000 vulnerable persons from the Middle East and North Africa region that the Government has committed to resettle by 2020, the UK has also committed to relocate unaccompanied refugee children from France, Greece and Italy. Under the family reunion policy we have reunited around 22,000 refugees with their immediate family over the past five years and will continue to do so. The Government supports the principle that those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. This allows vulnerable persons to receive help quickly rather than risking their lives on hazardous journeys into and across Europe or falling victim to criminal gangs who are exploiting the situation. Providing humanitarian aid in the region is the best way to provide much needed support to the majority of those fleeing persecution while working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to resettle the most vulnerable who cannot reasonably remain.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her French counterpart on the conditions at the refugee camp in Calais; and what assistance the UK is providing to improve living standards at that camp.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The management of the migrant camp in Calais is the responsibility of the French Government, and they have made suitable alternative accommodation places available for migrants inside the camp.

With the support of the UK, the French Government has also created more than 160 new centres away from Calais where migrants can consider their options, including whether to claim asylum, in comfort and safety away from the traffickers. Both Governments are clear that there is no reason for migrants to live in the difficult conditions in the camp, there is a reasonable and accessible remedy available in France.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in cases when someone in receipt of a state pension passes away, (a) whether their family is automatically notified on any pensions payments owing, (b) how long such payments take to process and (c) how many people are currently waiting for such a payment to be made.

Richard Harrington

When someone in receipt of a state pension passes away:

(a) The death arrears payee would be notified of any arrears by letter. The death arrears payee is normally a family member but can also be another body such as a solicitor.

(b) Payments owing are normally made within 15 days following confirmation of the correct payee.

(c) There are 4,092 customers who have confirmed the correct payee currently waiting for such a payment to be made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what waiting time targets are in place for access to (a) mental health treatment and (b) talking therapies for children experiencing mental health problems; and how many times any such targets have been missed in each of the last 12 months.

Nicola Blackwood

Access and waiting times standards for people aged from 14 to 65 years old experiencing a first episode of psychosis came into effect in April 2016. The target is that more than 50% of all people experiencing a first episode of psychosis should receive National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-concordant treatment within two weeks of referral.

There is also a waiting time standards for improving access to psychological therapies for all ages (six weeks for 75% of people referred to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme, with 95% of people being treated within 18 weeks).

There is no waiting time target for access to mental health treatment or talking therapies specifically for children experiencing mental health problems.

Experimental data to monitor the waiting time target for people experiencing a first episode of psychosis has been collected by NHS England since December 2015 and is available at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/eip-waiting-times/

Some experimental data from the Mental Health Services Data Set relevant to waiting times standards is also published by NHS Digital.

The most recent figures are at:

http://content.digital.nhs.uk/searchcatalogue?productid=23263&returnid=1741

Information about Improving Access to Psychological Therapies is available at:

http://content.digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB21575

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the average time it takes in Birmingham for a disability benefit appeal to reach a tribunal; and what assessment he has made of the effect of that average time on the financial position of appellants.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The First-tier Tribunal – Social Security and Child Support, administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions’ decisions on a range of benefits.

HMCTS is unable to provide the information requested as it is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is Government policy to phase out coal.

Andrea Leadsom

Coal accounted for 39% of total UK electricity generation in 2012, falling to 30% in 2014. This trend is expected to continue and the Department’s published forecasts suggest that, in our central scenario, the last unabated UK coal fired power station will close in 2026.

However, if market conditions are right, there is a possibility that coal could continue to produce electricity until the late 2020s.

Source: DECC Updated energy and emissions projections 2014 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368021/Updated_energy_and_emissions_projections2014.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions on Yemen took place at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 17 November 2015.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

During the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 16 November, Yemen was discussed and Council Conclusions adopted. These expressed concern at the humanitarian situation, and gave full support to the UN-led process, working towards a ceasefire and political solution. These were supported by all Member States.