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  • Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Edward Argar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Argar on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to increase the effectiveness of the UK Border Force as a law enforcement organisation since it was established as an independent operational command within her Department in 2012.

    James Brokenshire

    Since it was established as an operational command of the Home Office in 2012, a number of positive changes have been made to Border Force’s working practices in order to make it a more effective law enforcement organisation. In 2012, Border Force was, for the first time, provided with an operating mandate which set out parameters for operational decision-making, including the need to maintain 100% checks on all passengers arriving at passport control at all times. Border Force has also become more intelligence-led – adept at utilising increasing volumes of advance data to make targeted interventions against potentially dangerous passengers and consignments of goods upon arrival in the UK.

    Other important changes include: an improvement in command and control arrangements so that Border Force can rapidly respond and adjust to evolving security threats across different locations; employing new leadership in headquarters and ports across the country to install a more security-focussed culture in the organisation and plan effective operations with partner organisations at both a national and international level. Border Force has also increased the capability of its officers to respond to security threats, by equipping all permanently employed staff working at passport control with powers and training to detain individuals that pose a threat to the public who are subject to an arrest warrant or otherwise liable to arrest.

    These reforms have had a transformative effect on Border Force. As well as undertaking its traditional immigration and customs roles more effectively and efficiently, it has also proved capable of meeting a range of new strategic priorities, including rapidly implementing a screening regime in response to the global ebola outbreak and being a international leader in its work to identify victims of trafficking and slavery. Furthermore, in the past year Border Force has seized nearly 8 tonnes of Class A Drugs, more than two and half times as much as in 2009/10.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average conviction rate has been in England and Wales in each of the last three years; and what that rate has been where the offender is someone brought back to the UK under a European Arrest Warrant.

    James Brokenshire

    The Ministry of Justice publishes statistics on conviction ratios, and these were last published on the 19th May 2016 (Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly Update to December 2015 (annual edition) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2015).

    The statistics on conviction ratios can be found at Table Q3.3 (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524269/overview-tables.xlsx) and percentages for all offences were 81.8% in 2013, 83.0% in 2014 and 83.7% in 2015.

    In relation to the European Arrest Warrant, this information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The National Crime Agency publishes statistics on the operation of the European Arrest Warrant and these can be found here:

    http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/european-arrest-warrant-statistics

  • Gill Furniss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gill Furniss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gill Furniss on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Prime Minister of 11 May 2016, Official Report, column 627, when she plans to decide whether to launch an independent panel hearing into the policing of the miners’ strike at Orgreave in 1984.

    Mrs Theresa May

    I am currently considering a submission from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign on the need for an inquiry into the events at Orgreave and will set out the Government’s position in due course.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provisions are in place at detention centres for people suffering with mental health conditions.

    Ben Gummer

    People detained in immigration removal centres (IRCs) should receive an equivalent range and quality of treatment and services for their mental health needs to those in the community with similar clinical needs.

    Health care in IRCs in England is commissioned by NHS England, who commission evidence-based treatments approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

    NHS England commissions services against service specifications which define the standards of care expected from healthcare providers.

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what security checks her Department carries out on EU citizens seeking entry to the UK; how those checks differ from such checks on non-EU citizens seeking entry to the UK; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    All passengers arriving on scheduled services to the UK from outside the Common Travel Area are subject to a range of checks against police, security and immigration watchlists. For security reasons we do not detail what these are. Non-EEA nationals are assessed against the UK Immigration Rules and EEA nationals need to meet the requirements of the relevant Regulations.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what resources her Department has allocated to publicise the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.

    Karen Bradley

    Communications activity to make people aware of the intended blanket ban on psychoactive substances has been developed by Home Office officials, working closely with and agencies such as the National Police Chiefs Council and Public Health England. We have consulted with external partners such as Angelus Foundation, Mentor and Adfam. Activity will explain the legislative changes and consequences to sellers, young people and other users and signpost support and advice. In addition we have also planned proactive press features for the commencement of the act.

    Value for money is being maximised through the use of existing internal resources, materials developed at no cost in-house and free to use channels, such as press, publicity and social media to raise awareness of the ban.

  • Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to increase reporting and improve data collection of violence against women and girls in developing countries.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID has championed the introduction of a VAWG ‘marker’ by the OECD-DAC to better track donor funding on VAWG. The Department has also already made changes to its own systems so that it can report annually to the OECD-DAC about VAWG spending. The DAC marker is a critical accountability tool for all donors, including in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 5.2. In addition the department is supporting some national governments to collect data on violence against women and girls through its bilateral programmes, one example of which is the support to Ghana to conduct a violence against women and girls prevalence survey.

  • Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to publish a specific strategy for policy-influencing work relating to violence against women and girls and monitoring of that work.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK’s international policy relating to violence against women and girls is set out in the UK’s Ending Violence against Women and Girls Strategy 2016 – 2020. In her position as Ministerial Champion for tackling VAWG Overseas my colleague Baroness Verma will have a key role to play in international influencing to deliver this policy agenda. We do not intend to publish a policy influencing strategy.

  • Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Imran Hussain – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what training and learning activities her Department undertakes to improve evidence collection for the design and implementation of violence against women and girls programmes.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Helpdesk central programme has developed a series of guidance notes on how to mainstream the prevention of violence against women and girls into sectoral programmes, including health, education and economic development. Building on this DFID is developing and offering resources to strengthen the capability of specialists in these disciplines in addressing VAWG, including investing up to £25 million over five years (2013-2018) in a pioneering violence against women and girls research and innovation programme called ‘What Works to Prevent Violence’.

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of potential steps to reduce corruption in Pakistan (a) in general and (b) within the political system.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    As the Prime Minister recently confirmed at the UK-hosted Anti-Corruption Summit the UK and DFID are committed to tackling corruption with new measures to reduce opportunities, punish the perpetrators and empower people to demand that it stops. Corruption impacts on all aspects of public life in Pakistan. DFID Pakistan is working to support the Government of Pakistan, civil society and the private sector to address corruption by improving the business environment, creating more effective institutions and engaging citizens for better service delivery and accountability. By supporting reforms to the taxation sector, DFID Pakistan is seeking to support the Government of Pakistan to make it easier for tax payers to submit payments directly, thus reducing the opportunity for corruption. By supporting reforms to the management of public funds, and improving access to information DFID Pakistan seeks to further limit the opportunities for corruption by public officials. By supporting parliament, political parties and citizen groups, DFID and other cross-Government interventions ensure that the democratic institutions are more accountable and the state as a whole is more responsive to the needs and aspirations of the Pakistani people.