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  • Michael Connarty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Michael Connarty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Connarty on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his Department’s priorities are for provisions to be included in the forthcoming Modern Slavery Bill.

    Karen Bradley

    The Modern Slavery Bill is an important step in the fight against modern
    slavery. The provisions in the Bill are designed to protect victims and
    strengthen the law enforcement response. Increased sentences, restricting the
    activities of those who pose a risk to others and introducing an Anti-Slavery
    Commissioner will ensure that law enforcement have the tools they need to
    prosecute and convict the perpetrators of this abhorrent crime, whilst at the
    same time protecting more people from becoming victims of this appalling crime.

  • John Randall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John Randall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Randall on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to ensure that assets of human traffickers are frozen within 48 hours of their arrest; and if he will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The Serious and Organised Crime Strategy, published in October 2013, sets out
    how the Government will make it harder for criminals to use, hide and move the
    proceeds of crime. The Government will, as soon as parliamentary time allows,
    seek to amend the Proceeds of Crime Act to enable assets to be frozen more
    quickly and easily.

    Section 60B of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 allows for relevant land vehicle,
    ship or aircraft to be detained where a person has been arrested for a human
    trafficking offence. These powers will be brought forward and consolidated
    into the Modern Slavery Bill.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to bring forward proposals to expand the boundaries of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

    Simon Hughes

    The Government has already legislated to extend the Freedom of Information Act and brought more than 100 additional organisations within scope. We are currently considering ways in which the Act can be extended further to enhance transparency.

  • Rob Wilson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Rob Wilson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Wilson on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on ensuring that legal aid is targeted at people with a strong connection to the UK.

    Chris Grayling

    The Government believes that individuals should have a strong connection to the UK in order to benefit from the civil legal aid scheme and that the residence test we propose is a fair and appropriate way to demonstrate that connection.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether any restrictions exist in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland on upland farms contaminated by radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident in April 1986.

    Jane Ellison

    I have been asked to reply.

    There are no longer any restrictions in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland on upland farms contaminated by radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) previously restricted the movement of sheep in certain upland areas to prevent sheep with higher levels of contamination entering the food chain. Over time, controls were removed where the evidence showed they were no longer necessary. All remaining controls were lifted in Northern Ireland in 2000, in Scotland in 2010 and in Wales in 2012. Similarly, the final controls in England were lifted in 2012.

    Information on the historic controls and the decision to remove restrictions can be found on the FSA website:

    www.food.gov.uk/science/research/radiologicalresearch/radiosurv/chernobyl/

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2014, Official Report, column 473W, on Pakistan, whether Pakistan’s possession of nuclear weapons and the prospects of Pakistan joining the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty were discussed at his 30 April 2014 meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

    Mr David Cameron

    When I met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on 30 April, I discussed a range of issues, including on foreign and security policy.

    It is the UK’s position that all countries should join and abide by the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty.

  • Mary Macleod – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mary Macleod – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Macleod on 2014-04-29.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in (a) London, (b) Hounslow Borough and (c) Brentford and Isleworth constituency, will benefit from the Government’s tax free childcare policy.

    Nicky Morgan

    The information requested is not available.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Environment Agency is taking to reduce the time taken to update its flooding maps after the completion of flood defence projects.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency produces and publishes maps showing areas at risk of flooding from rivers and sea, surface water and reservoirs in England. It reviews and updates these maps on a quarterly basis to ensure they are based on the most recent local mapping and modelling information.

    To ensure new flood risk management schemes are included in the map updates as soon as possible, the Environment Agency has put in place changes to speed up the update process, together with a new Key Performance Indicator (introduced in October 2013) specifying that maps showing the risk of flooding from rivers and sea should be updated within six months of completion of a scheme.

    Initial performance has been affected by the development and publication of new maps in December 2013 and by the winter floods, but significant efforts are being made to ensure that new defences will be taken into account more quickly in future.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the palliative care service ratings for England were in the most recent period for which information is available.

    Norman Lamb

    There is no national rating system for palliative care services in England. However, The National End of Life Care Intelligence network (NEoLCIN), part of Public Health England, works with partner organisations including NHS England to collect, analyse and present end of life care intelligence, drawing together data and information from a range of sources.

    The NEoLCIN has published end of life care profiles at local authority and by clinical commissioning group level. These help commissioners and providers understand the end of life care needs of their populations. More information can be found at the following link:

    www.endoflifecare-intelligence.org.uk/home

    “

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the case for abolishing prescription charges in England.

    Norman Lamb

    The Department does not intend to abolish prescription charges in England, which raise in the region of £450 million each year. This is valuable income, which helps the National Health Service to maintain services for patients.

    An extensive system of exemption arrangements are in place which mean that around 90% of all prescription items are already dispensed free of charge.

    Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPCs) are also available for those who have to pay NHS prescription charges and need multiple prescriptions. The cost of the annual and three-month certificates have been frozen for the fifth and third years running, at £104 and £29.10 respectively, and will also remain frozen next year. There is no limit to the number of items that can be obtained through a PPC. The annual certificate benefits anyone needing more than 12 items a year, and the three month certificate anyone needing more than three items in that three month period.