Author: admin

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken to process applications related to refugee family reunion.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Customer service is a key priority for UK Visas and Immigration, and the efficiency and effectiveness of the visa application process is kept under regular review, including by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. The published service standard for resolving refugee family reunion applications is within 12 weeks, or 60 working days.

    Where an application is complex and likely to take longer than the advertised processing times, UKVI will contact the applicant to inform them of this.

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle online abuse on social media.

    Sarah Newton

    The Criminal Justice Act 2015 strengthened two existing communications offences: section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988, and section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 which can now be used to prosecute misuse of social media. The police now have longer to investigate either offence, and the maximum penalty for the former has been increased to two years imprisonment.

    We have introduced a new law to make ‘revenge porn’ a specific criminal offence. Those convicted will face a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. We have already seen convictions under this legislation and will continue to monitor its effectiveness.

    To improve police capability, the Home Office has allocated £4.6m of the Police Transformation Fund to begin the critical work of setting up a comprehensive programme of digital transformation across policing. This money will help provide a step-change in digital capability, funding police led programmes that will work to equip forces with the tools to effectively police a digital age and protect victims of digital crime.

    We are also working with the College of Policing to drive improvements in police capability to investigate and prosecute online Violence against Women and Girls offences. For example, we have introduced an ‘online flag’ allowing police forces to record instances of crimes such as stalking and harassment taking place online.

    We are driving work through the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) to keep children and young people safe online. UKCCIS brings together industry, law enforcement, academia, charities and parenting groups to help to keep children and young people safe online.

  • Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to introduce a new passport with a navy blue cover for the UK following the exit of the UK from the EU; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    There are no immediate plans for changes to the format or colour of the UK passport. Parliament will be informed of any changes to the passport following UK withdrawal from the European Union.

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation her Department has undertaken on the draft Adults at Risk policy for vulnerable people detained under immigration powers.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Stephen Shaw carried out a comprehensive consultation in preparing his report of his review of the welfare of vulnerable people in immigration detention, and the draft adults at risk policy forms part of the Government’s response to Mr Shaw’s review. The Government saw no reason to duplicate this in developing the adults at risk policy. However, when the draft policy was published on 26 May, the Government wrote to a wide range of relevant non-Governmental organisations and offered them the opportunity to discuss it. Subsequently, Home Office officials have held meetings with a number of interested organisations, and the views of these organisations have been taken into account as the policy has been developed further.

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for Stephen Shaw to complete his follow-up review of the use of immigration detention.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The follow up to Stephen Shaw’s review into the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons will take place in late 2017, with timings to be agreed with Mr Shaw.

  • Stephen Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Twigg on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to replace programme partnership arrangements.

    Priti Patel

    I am currently considering the outcomes of my Department’s Civil Society Partnership Review, and will aim to publish it shortly.

    In July 2015, the then Secretary of State for International Development announced a 9 month extension of all PPA financing, providing 18 months-notice that all current PPA financing would come to an end in December 2016.

  • Stephen Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Twigg on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will consider extending current programme partnership arrangements until a replacement mechanism is introduced.

    Priti Patel

    I am currently considering the outcomes of my Department’s Civil Society Partnership Review, and will aim to publish it shortly.

    In July 2015, the then Secretary of State for International Development announced a 9 month extension of all PPA financing, providing 18 months-notice that all current PPA financing would come to an end in December 2016.

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which infrastructure projects were funded through or supported by the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2016; how much funding for each such project was (a) provided through PIDG and (b) leveraged from other sources; and whether each such project is operational.

    Rory Stewart

    The table attached shows all PIDG supported projects. The table indicates whether the support for projects was initiated before or after 01 January 2010. As support for many projects initiated before 2010 will have continued into the timeframe set out in the question, we have also listed all projects where support was started before 01 January 2010. There is no other straightforward way to filter the data. Further information is also available online (http://data.pidg.org/) .

    “

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which infrastructure projects were supported by borrowing guaranteed through GuarantCo between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2016; how much was guaranteed for each such project; how much funding was leveraged from other sources for each such project; and whether each such project is operational.

    Rory Stewart

    The table attached shows all projects supported by GuarantCo. The table indicates whether the support for projects was initiated before or after 01 January 2010. As support for many projects initiated before 2010 will have continued into the timeframe set out in the question, we have also listed all projects where support was started before 01 January 2010. There is no other straightforward way to filter the data. Further information is also available online (http://data.pidg.org/) .

    “

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the proposed creation of a contingent liability of £40 million in respect of callable capital of GuarantCo is treated as Official Development Assistance (a) when the contingent liability is created and (b) in the event that capital is called from the public purse under the contingent liability.

    Rory Stewart

    The creation of the contingent liability in respect of the callable capital for GuarantCo does not have immediate budgetary implications and is not treated as Official Development Assistance (ODA). If the capital is called it will be treated as ODA. This is in line with the internationally agreed rules on ODA.