HC 564 - UK Government Policy on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
HC 564 - UK Government Policy on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Foreign Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 80

ISBN-13: 0215081102

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The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is a genuine, if developing, democracy. It is also a haven of tolerance and stability in a critically unstable region where those values are needed more than ever. It has huge strategic value to the UK as a bridge to other regional powers, is a key bulwark against ISIL, and has significant oil and gas potential. But it is also vulnerable and needs the support of its friends. It should respond positively to the invitation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to be its "partner of choice" on trade, education and cultural exchange as well as on defence and intelligence matters. The Kurdistan Region has work to do on developing its democratic culture and its respect for human rights, and UK support should go hand in hand with proof of progress in these areas. The Committee commends the Region's defence force, the Peshmerga, for its defence of Kurdish territory against ISIL and its protection of vulnerable minorities. It supports the UK Government's decision to offer the Peshmerga equipment and training. Advice is also needed from the Kurdistan Region's experts on issues like counter-terrorism and on the situation on the ground in Iraq and Syria. More diplomats need to be working out of a proper office in Erbil instead of hotel rooms. And this is not easily achieved as the FCO has suffered from cuts to its meagre budget at a time when more expertise and high-level co-operation is desperately needed.

HC 605 - The FCO's Performance and Finances in 2013-14
HC 605 - The FCO's Performance and Finances in 2013-14

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Foreign Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 0215081722

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The cuts imposed on the FCO since 2010 have been severe and have gone beyond just trimming fat: capacity now appears to be being damaged. If further cuts are imposed, the UK's diplomatic imprint and influence would probably reduce, and the Government would need to roll back some of its foreign policy objectives. The FCO's budget is a tiny element of Government expenditure, but the FCO makes disproportionate contribution to policy making at the highest level, including decisions on whether to commit to military action. The next Government needs to protect future FCO budgets under the next Spending Review.

HC 842 - Hong Kong: China's Ban On The Committee's Visit
HC 842 - Hong Kong: China's Ban On The Committee's Visit

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Foreign Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 16

ISBN-13: 0215080742

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In July 2014, the Committee launched an inquiry into the UK's relations with Hong Kong, 30 years after the signing of the Joint Declaration. As part of this inquiry, they planned to visit Hong Kong to speak to a wide range of interlocutors about the UK-Hong Kong relationship. The Chinese and Hong Kong authorities informed the Committee that they considered this to be interference in China's internal affairs and they urged a halt to the inquiry. On 28 November, the Chinese Deputy Ambassador informed the Committee that the Chinese government would take any necessary measures to prevent the Committee from visiting Hong Kong, forcing the postponement of the visit. It was made clear that the Committee would be prevented from entering Hong Kong, despite the fact that, as UK nationals, no visa for entry was required. The Committee considers the ban by China to be unprecedented, and sees it as an obstruction to the conduct of the Committee's parliamentary duties.

HC 551 - The FCO's Human Rights Work in 2013
HC 551 - The FCO's Human Rights Work in 2013

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Foreign Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 64

ISBN-13: 0215078861

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The FCO designated 28 countries of concern in its 2013 report, where it judged the gravity of the human rights abuses to be so severe that a particular focus should be applied. The Committee concentrated attention on three of these countries: Sri Lanka, Burma, and Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Favourable trade concessions to the EU market should be removed from Sri Lanka if the Government of Sri Lanka continues to deny the OHCHR investigation team access into the country. The Government should advocate re-imposition of sanctions by the EU if there is no improvement in the human rights situation in Burma. The human rights of Israeli, Palestinian and Bedouin citizens living in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories continue to be of serious concern to the UK.

HC 142 - Underachievement in Education by White Owrking Class Children
HC 142 - Underachievement in Education by White Owrking Class Children

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Education Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-06-18

Total Pages: 76

ISBN-13: 0215073029

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This report finds that poor white British boys and girls are educationally underperforming - but great schools have a transformative effect. The problem of poor, white British under attainment is real and the gap between those children and their better off class mates starts in their earliest school years and then widens as they get older. Just 32% of poor white British children achieve five good GCSEs including English and mathematics, compared with 42% of black Caribbean children eligible for free school meals and 61% of disadvantaged Indian children. Poor white children also do less homework and have a higher rate of absence from school. But good schools and teachers can make a huge difference to the academic achievement of children eligible for free school meals. Twice the proportion of poor children attending an 'outstanding' school will achieve five good GCSEs when compared with what the same group will achieve in 'inadequate' schools. Guidance for schools is needed on how an extended school day could be used to provide space and time for children to complete homework. And more work is needed to understand what interventions can be most effective in improving parental engagement, early language stimulus and other home based conditions which can set children up to succeed. The Government should also publish an analysis of the incentives that influence where teachers choose to work, and use this to design a system that ensures that the most challenging schools can attract the best teachers and leaders.

2012 GCSE English results
2012 GCSE English results

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Education Committee

Publisher: Stationery Office

Published: 2013-06-11

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13: 9780215058904

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The 2012 GCSE English results prompted significant controversy, which ultimately resulted in an application for judicial review. This report sets out the background to these events and identifies lessons to be learned. The problems with GCSE English can be traced back to the 2007-09 development phase of the qualification- in particular the turbulence which resulted from the shift away from a mostly linear to a modular system, combined with a high proportion of controlled assessment and generous marking tolerances. Exam board experts raised concerns at the time, but these were not acted upon by the regulator (the then-interim Ofqual). Further difficulties arose because of pressures from the school accountability system. The problems experienced with GCSE English in 2012 highlighted serious weaknesses in the moderation of speaking and listening, with consequences for grade awarding. The current status of Ofqual, as an independent regulator accountable to Parliament, is the right one. However, the Coalition Government is bringing in wholesale changes to GCSEs and A levels, to a tight timetable and at the same time. Ofqual must have systems in place. The Committee is also concerned that there is a rush towards separate exam systems for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, without careful reflection on what might be lost, or consensus that this is the right thing to do.

The importance of teaching
The importance of teaching

Author: Great Britain: Department for Education

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2010-11-24

Total Pages: 98

ISBN-13: 9780101798020

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England's school system performs below its potential and can improve significantly. This white paper outlines action designed to: tackle the weaknesses in the system; strengthen the status of teachers and teaching; reinforce the standards set by the curriculum and qualifications; give schools back the freedom to determine their own development; make schools more accountable to parents, and help them to learn more quickly and systematically from good practice elsewhere; narrow the gap in attainment between rich and poor. The quality of teachers and teaching is the most important factor in determining how well children do. The Government will continue to raise the quality of new entrants to the profession, reform initial teacher training, develop a network of "teaching schools" to lead training and development, and reduce the bureaucratic burden on schools. Teachers will be given more powers to control bad behaviour. The National Curriculum will be reviewed, specifying a tighter model of knowledge of core subjects so that the Curriculum becomes a benchmark against which school can be judged. Schools will be given more freedom and autonomy, the Academies programme extended and parents will be able to set up "Free Schools" to meet parent demand. Accountability for pupil performance is critical, and much more information will be available to aid understanding of a school's performance. School improvement will be the responsibility of schools, not central government. Funding of schools needs to be fairer and more transparent, and there will be a Pupil Premium to target resources on the most deprived pupils.

Improving Government Procurement
Improving Government Procurement

Author: Great Britain: National Audit Office

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2013-02-28

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 9780102981315

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Since 2010, the government has made a number of changes to its procurement structures and processes. There have been signs of good progress in key areas: expenditure on common goods and services is more centralised; participation by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has increased; and the Government Procurement Service is an improvement on its predecessor. The creation of a Chief Procurement Officer and associated positions has formed clearer lines of responsibility at the centre, and the Cabinet Office now has a firmer grip of procurement expenditure. Overall, the NAO expresses confidence in the Service's reported savings of £426 million in 2011-12 as a result of reductions in price owing to centralised procurement. Nevertheless, there have been problems in implementing the reforms, including ineffective governance structures, unrealistic targets, incomplete data and weaknesses in contract management. Government is not maximising the potential for savings through centralised procurement. There are some operational issues with GPS's management of the central contracts, with departments raising concerns about the inconsistency of contract management and the quality of customer service. And some weaknesses in implementation mean that the centralised approach is not releasing procurement resources in departments as originally expected. Roles and responsibilities for day-to-day contract management are unclear and there are inadequate mechanisms by which departments and the centre of government can hold each other to account. The Cabinet Office will have to lead a major cultural shift across government if the centralising of buying goods and services is to deliver the significant benefits on offer.