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  • Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Graham Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officials are employed in her Department’s Human Trafficking Unit; what the purpose of the unit is; and what the role is of each such official.

    Karen Bradley

    A dedicated Modern Slavery Unit has been set up in the Home Office to lead and
    coordinate cross-Government activity to stamp out this terrible crime. The
    Modern Slavery Unit currently comprises 13 members of staff and is responsible
    for a comprehensive programme of activity, which includes development of the
    Modern Slavery Bill, and management of the adult victim care contract. In
    addition, one member of staff has been seconded from the Foreign and
    Commonwealth Office to lead on international issues. There are also six members
    of staff working on the review of the National Referral Mechanism. This team is
    independent of the Modern Slavery Unit.

    The Modern Slavery Unit is further supported by a number of staff across the
    Home Office who work on related modern slavery issues including child
    trafficking and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority. This is in addition to
    the operational caseworkers in UK Visas and Immigration, who are involved in
    decision making on individual cases.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many conversions of office premises to housing have been notified to him since the lifting of planning approval requirements for such conversions; and how many social housing units have been included in such conversions.

    Nick Boles

    New homes are being created now because of the permitted development right for office to residential change of use. These new homes are helping to address the country’s housing need regardless of tenure. Developers seeking to convert an office to a residential property are required to seek prior approval from the local planning authority. A survey by Estates Gazette has found that there were more than 2,250 applications for change of use from office to residential in the first six months since the change was introduced. Some of these developments are, in themselves, each set to deliver more than 100 homes. The Department will begin collecting data on the number of prior approval applications from local planning authorities later in the year, covering applications from April 2014.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has undertaken into (a) the safety effectiveness of voice warnings on freight vehicles reversing, (b) the extent of noise pollution arising from such warnings and (c) the potential benefits of introducing visually triggered automatic systems for giving warnings.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department has undertaken no recent research on voice warnings on reversing freight vehicles or on the benefits of visually triggered automatic systems.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Bernard Jenkin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, appointments to which public bodies and offices to which Ministers make appointments are not regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, by appointing Minister.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The public appointments that are subject to regulation by the Commissioner for Public Appointments are governed by legislation – the Public Appointments Order in Council 2013. This lists the public bodies that fall within the Commissioner’s remit.

    The document is available to view online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-appointments-order-in-council

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Bernard Jenkin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what criteria are used to decide which public bodies and offices are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The public appointments that are subject to regulation by the Commissioner for Public Appointments are governed by legislation – the Public Appointments Order in Council 2013. This lists the public bodies that fall within the Commissioner’s remit.

    The document is available to view online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-appointments-order-in-council

  • James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Duddridge on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of (a) the economic effect on and (b) changes in tourism revenue in Southend as a result of the closure of East Beach in Shoeburyness for his Department to survey for unexploded ordnance.

    Anna Soubry

    East Beach is managed by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council under a licence agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The decision to close the beach was made by the Council and it will be for them to determine when to re-open it. As such, no estimates have been made by the MOD about the economic effect of the Council’s decision to the local economy.

    A MOD survey of East Beach will assist in the formulation of a risk management plan that will focus mitigation work on those areas of the beach at greatest risk. It is too early to say what mitigation work will be required, when it will be carried out, and how long it will take to complete.

  • James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Duddridge on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timescale is for his Department to (a) survey East Beach in Shoeburyness for unexploded ordnance and (b) carry out remedial works.

    Anna Soubry

    East Beach is managed by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council under a licence agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The decision to close the beach was made by the Council and it will be for them to determine when to re-open it. As such, no estimates have been made by the MOD about the economic effect of the Council’s decision to the local economy.

    A MOD survey of East Beach will assist in the formulation of a risk management plan that will focus mitigation work on those areas of the beach at greatest risk. It is too early to say what mitigation work will be required, when it will be carried out, and how long it will take to complete.

  • James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Duddridge on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long his Department expects East Beach in Shoeburyness to be closed.

    Anna Soubry

    East Beach is managed by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council under a licence agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The decision to close the beach was made by the Council and it will be for them to determine when to re-open it. As such, no estimates have been made by the MOD about the economic effect of the Council’s decision to the local economy.

    A MOD survey of East Beach will assist in the formulation of a risk management plan that will focus mitigation work on those areas of the beach at greatest risk. It is too early to say what mitigation work will be required, when it will be carried out, and how long it will take to complete.

  • James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Duddridge on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that East Beach in Shoeburyness is surveyed for any unexploded ordnance and that remedial works are carried out as a matter of urgency.

    Anna Soubry

    East Beach is managed by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council under a licence agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The decision to close the beach was made by the Council and it will be for them to determine when to re-open it. As such, no estimates have been made by the MOD about the economic effect of the Council’s decision to the local economy.

    A MOD survey of East Beach will assist in the formulation of a risk management plan that will focus mitigation work on those areas of the beach at greatest risk. It is too early to say what mitigation work will be required, when it will be carried out, and how long it will take to complete.

  • Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2014-05-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to deal with websites offering services to customers wishing to apply for a blue badge parking permit, and which are not associated with the Blue Badge Improvement Service.

    Baroness Kramer

    To obtain a Blue Badge in England applicants can apply directly via the Gov.UK website or to the relevant local authority. Successful applicants will be charged no more than £10.

    The Government’s contractor, Northgate Public Services, has taken a number of positive steps to raise awareness about unauthorised websites. These include issuing a press release warning people about dubious websites, issuing a Bulletin to all local authorities so that they can warn residents, providing advice and awareness to charitable organisations representing disabled people, and ensuring staff at the national Blue Badge support helpline are able to advise the public accordingly.