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  • Dr Thérèse Coffey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Dr Thérèse Coffey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Thérèse Coffey on 2014-02-24.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the additional costs to be reimbursed to local authorities for the transition of voter registration forms from A4 size to A3.

    Greg Clark

    The A3 format was selected following the Electoral Commission’s recommendation.

    The Government is committed to meeting reasonable costs incurred by local authorities in the transition to individual electoral registration and will publish figures once they are finalised.

  • Mr Elfyn Llwyd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mr Elfyn Llwyd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria will be used to identify preferred bidders for probation contracts.

    Jeremy Wright

    Under our Transforming Rehabilitation proposals we are opening up the market to a diverse range of new providers across the public, private and voluntary sectors to bring innovation to rehabilitative services and help deliver reductions in reoffending rates. We are currently engaged in a competition to appoint the 21 owners of the new Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) which will be responsible for the provision of services to all but those offenders which pose the highest risk. We will assess the bids we receive over the summer, and appoint CRC owners later this year. Offers will be evaluated using quality and financial criteria. We expect the new owners to implement their new operating models during 2015.

    We are taking a staged approach to implementation and are rolling out business readiness tests at key stages of implementation so that we can ensure we are managing the transition to the new system in a safe and measured way which maintains public protection.

  • Sir Bob Russell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Sir Bob Russell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Bob Russell on 2014-02-24.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what progress he has made on identifying areas not included in the first or second wave of the City Deals programme as eligible for subsequent initiatives.

    Greg Clark

    Building on the successes of City Deals, all 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have been invited to develop Strategic Economic Plans to set out what needs to be done to boost growth in their area.

    As part of each Strategic Economic Plan, a Growth Deal bid is being developed for negotiation with central government for the allocation of the Local Growth Fund.

    The Local Growth Fund will be at least £2 billion a year from 2015/16. As a result of this, all parts of England are able to access and benefit from this initiative.

  • Keith Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Keith Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2014-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum cases were awaiting decision for travel documents on 1 February 2014.

    James Brokenshire

    We are unable to provide figures specific to asylum cases awaiting travel
    documents. This information is only held within paper case files, which would
    mean this question could only be answered through a disproportionately
    expensive manual case search.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2014-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many civil servants have been transferred from London and the South-East of England to the West Midlands since May 2010.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    Relocation of Government staff outside of London and the South East continues to be considered, amongst other options, to deliver the savings set out at the Spending Review and increase the efficiency of the Government’s estate. Reducing and rationalising the estate could result in relocations, although there is no centrally driven relocation target to this effect. Workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each individual Department to determine.

  • Biography information for Lord Morris of Aberavon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Biography information for Lord Morris of Aberavon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Morris of Aberavon on 2014-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by the Prime Minister on 15 June 2009 (HC Deb, col 21–38) that the final report of the Chilcot Inquiry would be able to disclose all but the most sensitive information—that is

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The terms under which the Chilcot Inquiry is operatingare set out in the Protocol between the Inquiry and Her Majesty’s Government regarding documents and other written and electronic communication. They have not changed since the Inquiry’s inception in June 2009. A copy of the Protocol is available on the Inquiry’s website:

    http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/background/protocols.aspx

    Each request under the Freedom of Information Act is considered on its merits and handled accordingly. The reasons for the use of the veto on the disclosure of Cabinet minutes prior to the Iraq war are a matter of public record.

    “

  • Lord Morris of Aberavon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Morris of Aberavon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon on 2014-02-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the ministerial veto was used to overturn the Information Commissioner’s ruling on the disclosure of the minutes of Cabinet meetings prior to the Iraq war; and why that route was preferred to an appeal to the courts as in the case of Plowden.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The terms under which the Chilcot Inquiry is operatingare set out in the Protocol between the Inquiry and Her Majesty’s Government regarding documents and other written and electronic communication. They have not changed since the Inquiry’s inception in June 2009. A copy of the Protocol is available on the Inquiry’s website:

    http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/background/protocols.aspx

    Each request under the Freedom of Information Act is considered on its merits and handled accordingly. The reasons for the use of the veto on the disclosure of Cabinet minutes prior to the Iraq war are a matter of public record.

    “

  • Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Williamson on 2014-02-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to protect library services.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I have been asked to reply.

    Together with other public services, local authorities are rising to the challenge of delivering and developing the library service, with many reviewing and re-shaping their library offer. Some changes have been made in response to the on-going funding environment to which all public services are making their contribution to savings. But many changes have also been made because individual authorities are looking at better ways of delivering a range of services so that they are fit for the present and the future. Details of the various developments in library services in England, including a range of innovative approaches to the task of delivering a comprehensive and efficient service are set out in the annual report to Parliament during 2012/13 and can be accessed at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-under-the-public-libraries-and-museums-act-1964-for-201213

    “

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-02-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has made to the EU Commission on the UK applying for and drawing down monies from the European Solidarity Fund following the recent flooding and storm damage; and what the deadline is for making any such bid.

    Dan Rogerson

    EU Solidarity Fund money is available to all Member States suffering from large-scale natural disasters, but is subject to a number of eligibility requirements, including on the level of direct damages. Comparing the damage today to the 2007 floods, and following contact with the Commission, the Government’s assessment was that we had not met these conditions. The Regulation governing the EUSF sets the deadline for applications as ten weeks after the first damage caused by the disaster.

  • Mark Reckless – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mark Reckless – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Reckless on 2014-02-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on the implementation of the so-called Eve’s Law.

    Damian Green

    The Government takes the issue of domestic violence very seriously and is committed to ensuring greater protection for victims of all forms of violence.

    The issue raised by the Eve’s Law campaign is complex and cuts across a number of justice jurisdictions, and into many areas of a victim’s interaction with the state and other agencies.

    Having considered the issues raised by the campaign this Department is not persuaded that primary legislation is the necessary and appropriate way forward. However, we are committed to taking action to improve the protection of personal information of victims and will identify opportunities in the cross-Government programmes that are tackling the priority issues of domestic and sexual abuse.

    I refer the Honourable Member to my response to questions raised in the House by Dan Jarvis MP, Honourable Member for Barnsley Central, regarding the Eve’s Law campaign, on 17 December 2013, and 14 January this year (Hansard 14 Jan 2014 : Column 480W, 17 Dec 2013 : Column 607).