Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with his Ministerial colleagues on the creation of a new bank holiday on 11 November to honour the armed forces.
Answered by Jo Swinson
The Government regularly receives requests for additional bank and public holidays to celebrate a variety of occasions. We have had many suggestions for the creation of a bank holiday after Remembrance Sunday, to celebrate the contribution of the armed forces. We fully understand the support for the idea, as our armed forces do a tremendous job and sadly some make the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
We believe however that Remembrance Sunday is the most fitting way to commemorate our armed forces, and so we have no plans to observe their achievements and their great sacrifices by means of a new bank holiday.
We also have to bear in mind the costs of additional bank holidays. The most recent assessment for the Diamond Jubilee is that a bank holiday across the whole of the UK costs employers around £1.2bn.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
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 9 September 2014 to Question 206821, how many meetings (a) his Department and (b) Ofcom have had with HM Treasury on compensation for the Programme Making and Special Events sector if the 700 MHz band was cleared of such users; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
DCMS is currently working closely with HMT and Ofcom to examine all aspects of clearing the 700MHz band, including in relation to PMSE. Once a decision on the future of the 700MHz band has been made and timelines for any programme have been finalised, it will be possible to consider any compensation scheme for PMSE.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
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 9 September 2014 to Question 206823, what assessment his Department has made of the future possibility of mobile network operators demanding access to more spectrum; what steps his Department is taking to test the validity of such future demands; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Ofcom published a statement in May on its strategy to deal with the growing demand for mobile data services.
In that document Ofcom highlighted that there are a wide range of long term forecasts both in terms of traffic levels and set out the subsequent implications for future spectrum requirements. Ofcom will continue to review the growth in mobile data demand, and consequently how much spectrum (in addition to public sector spectrum in the 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz bands and the proposed release of the 700 MHz band) it might be beneficial to make available for mobile data services in the future. However, this type of analysis is inherently subject to a high degree of uncertainty, and therefore Ofcom is working to ensure there are sufficient spectrum options for the future to deal with this demand if and when it emerges.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
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 9 September 2014 to Question 206821, what assessment his Department has made of the risk of PMSE market failure if PMSE users are not allocated alternative spectrum in which to operate before the 799 MHz band is cleared; what discussions his Department has had with Ofcom regarding mitigating that risk; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
In its consultation on the future of the 700MHz band, Ofcom highlights the important benefits that PMSE delivers to the UK. Ofcom sets out a clear objective, in case of a change of use of those frequencies away from existing services including PMSE, to continue to secure those important benefits. Its plan to achieve this includes improving the way current use takes place as well as securing access to alternative frequencies and Ofcom is working closely with stakeholders through its regular engagement with the British Entertainment Industry Radio Group.
I welcome Ofcom’s recognition of the significant value that PMSE delivers and we fully support their work on mitigating the effect of loss of access to the 700MHz band. This is an integral part of any change to the 700 MHz band and the DCMS will continue to monitor Ofcom’s work in this.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's communication to industry of its future requirements.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with defence companies through several forums to ensure the best possible access to its future requirements. The Department engages key suppliers, defence trade associations and SMEs through regular meetings of the Defence Suppliers Forum, the SME Forum and their respective sub-committees. In addition, under the delegated model of defence transformation, each of the Commands have regular interface through their equipment capability teams with relevant industry to apprise them of broad capability issues.
We hold regular industry days focused on particular projects and programmes which allow the department and domains an opportunity to discuss future requirements directly with a wide range of suppliers, including Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. This includes regular events organised by Front Line Commands to share information with industry about future requirements such as the Air Environment Capability Strategy day held in May 2014.
The MOD uses the MOD Defence Contracts Online portal and, where appropriate, the Contracts Finder portal, to advertise all its publishable tenders and contract opportunities valued in excess of £10,000. Access to the portals are free of charge.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Ministerial Working Group announced in the White Paper National Security Through Technology, Cmd 8278.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Defence and procurement issues have been considered by relevant Government Departments, rather than formerly through the Ministerial Working Group. The Group remains available, if needed, to consider cross-Government aspects of the new approach.
A Defence and Security Export Ministerial Working Group has been established under the chairmanship of the Secretary of State for Defence to co-ordinate Defence Export issues across Government.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness of the arrangements and (b) capacity to provide international training by the UK armed forces to support exporters of defence equipment.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The International Defence Engagement Strategy underpins the role that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) plays in supporting defence export campaigns. In line with this strategy the Department seeks to support all requests of assistance from the UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), who are the Government lead for support to responsible defence exports. This can include the provision of training by UK Armed Forces as part of a proposed export sale. All such requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure that they would not impact on available capacity, operational commitments or the availability of training places for UK personnel. Given that this is by definition a finite resource, with UKTI DSO, the MOD considers how this is best deployed across the span of ongoing export campaigns.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the new approach towards engagement with overseas-based defence suppliers set out in the White Paper National Security Through Technology, Cmd 8278.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Defence and Security Industrial Engagement Policy (DSIEP) has made good progress since it was launched in the National Security Through Technology White Paper in February 2012. DSIEP tracked over £400 million of inward investment by overseas companies during 2012. This rose to nearly £500 million during 2013. With eight companies now signed up to DSIEP and discussions under way with several others, we hope that this figure will continue to rise. This compares favourably with the previous policy of Industrial Participation. In addition to this quantitative assessment, the Department is in the early stages of a Qualitative assessment of DSIEP and will be engaging with the DSIEP signatories and Defence academics to ensure this is robust.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to encourage more universities to provide chemistry subject knowledge enhancement courses which are 24 weeks or longer.
Answered by David Laws
Initial teacher training (ITT) providers and School Direct (SD) schools are responsible for identifying whether an ITT applicant needs to undertake a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course and the length of any course required. This decision is based on the ITT provider or SD school’s assessment of the applicant’s subject knowledge and the requirements of the ITT course they have applied to.
ITT providers and SD schools can commission SKE courses from any source or they can deliver SKE courses themselves. All universities are able to offer SKE courses. The National College for Teaching and Leadership promotes these courses through its online SKE course directory and “Get into Teaching” website. The course directory includes 53 SKE courses in chemistry provided by 20 universities, including the University of Worcester. Officials are working with the Royal Society of Chemistry to promote chemistry SKE in the coming academic year.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help schools provide subject-specific continuing professional development for science teachers.
Answered by David Laws
The Department for Education currently supports curriculum-focussed Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for science teachers and technicians through a contract with Myscience.co Limited to manage five Regional Science Learning Centres (RSLCs). The five RSLCs additionally co-ordinate and quality assure up to ten local Science Learning Partnerships (SLPs) each, which bring together teaching schools and other outstanding schools, higher education institutions, independent schools, further education and sixth form colleges and employers and industry experts to deliver CPD locally.
In addition, the Department provides funding to Myscience.co Limited to support the payment of Impact Awards for science teachers and technicians who attend and undertake CPD run by the Regional Science Learning Centres and Science Learning Partnerships.
The Department also funds the Triple Science Support Programme (TSSP), delivered by MyScience.co Limited, to provide an extensive programme of practical support and guidance to schools on how to provide triple science at GCSE level. The TSSP focuses its support on schools that do not currently offer triple science or that have few pupils taking triple science.
The Department supports the improvement of science teaching through a joint arrangement with the Wellcome Trust and industry partners to fund CPD through scholarship awards called Enthuse Awards. Over five years from August 2013 to July 2018, the Department will provide £10 million to schools to support teachers’ attendance at high quality science CPD training delivered by the National Science Learning Centre.
The Stimulating Physics Network has also been set up to provide support at regional level to increase progression to A level physics. This is funded by the Department and administered by the Institute of Physics. The network provides two strands of support: universal support for all schools, which offers programmes of workshops, networking opportunities and other professional development events though a team of Physics Network Co-ordinators; and developing intensive partnerships with selected schools provided through a team of Teaching and Learning Coaches who facilitate tailored programmes of CPD.