Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of Kuwaiti Bidoons resident in the UK.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had on including Jainism as a religious category in the UK census; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department permits its employees to join a credit union through payroll deductions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Ben Gummer
I can confirm my department currently does not have the facility to allow staff to join a credit union through payroll deductions. Staff can still however, make arrangements to contribute to a credit union via direct debit.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation. The outcome of these negotiations will determine what arrangements apply in relation to EU legislation in future once the UK has left the EU.
The only agreed EU directive which has not yet been transposed directly into UK law from the perspective of the Cabinet Office is as follows:
Directive 2014/55/EU on electronic invoicing in public procurement has yet to be transposed.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to introduce restrictions on the posts that EU nationals are able to (a) work in and (b) apply for within the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Ben Gummer
All Civil Service bodies are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules that are currently in effect.
We have no current plans to amend the rules, but will keep the matter under review.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to introduce further restrictions on the posts that EU nationals are able to (a) work in and (b) apply for within the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Davis
As yet, no consideration has been given, or decisions taken, about the laws or policies relevant to EU nationals applying for, or being employed in civil service posts.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has undertaken a value for money assessment of the National Citizen Service; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rob Wilson
A value for money assessment is conducted annually as part of the independent evaluation of the National Citizen Service programme. The most recent report, covering 2014, shows a return of up to £3.98 for every £1 invested. This figure quantifies a range of benefits including the time participants spend volunteering on their social action projects. The NCS Trust estimates that participants have volunteered 8 million hours since 2011.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding the National Citizen Service received in each of the last five years; how much it is estimated to receive in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rob Wilson
The table below shows the funding provided by Government for delivery of National Citizen Service since the programme started in 2011.
Year | Government Funding |
2011/12 | £21 million |
2012/13 | £62 million |
2013/14 | £84 million |
2014/15 | £130 million |
More than £1 billion has been committed to the further expansion of NCS in this Parliament. The annual funding arrangements were announced in the 2015 Autumn statement and Spending Review.
We want to extend the benefits of NCS to young people of all backgrounds.
Government funding means that it never costs more than £50 to participate in this unique experience, and independent evaluations have shown a return of up to £3.98 for every £1 invested.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have taken part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) in each of the last five years; how many people he estimates will take part in the NCS in the next three years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rob Wilson
Whilst the most recent figures for 2015 have not yet been confirmed, the table below shows numbers of National Citizen Service participants since the programme began in 2011.
Year | Number of NCS Participants |
2011 | 8,434 |
2012 | 26,003 |
2013 | 39,566 |
2014 | 57,789 |
2015 | To be published in 2016 |
We have ambitious targets for the next three years, on a trajectory to deliver 300,000 participants per year in 2019. We are committed to extending the benefits of NCS to as many young people and communities as possible, by providing a place for every young person who wants one.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to promote the use of credit unions in the work of his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Matt Hancock
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for West Worcestershire on 2 November 2015, UIN 13524.