Author: admin

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding the Government provides to the Protection of Basic Services Programme in Ethiopia.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The Government no longer provides funding to the Protection of Basic Services (later known as the Promotion of Basic Services) Programme in Ethiopia. The International Development Secretary announced withdrawal of funding to this programme in February, 2015.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the average hourly earnings were of her Department’s (a) BME and (b) non-BME employees in (i) 2015 and (ii) 2016.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The tables below are the average hourly rates for all employees (Senior Civil Service and below within DFID). The not declared BAME figure includes: those declared as white; those who selected “prefer not to say”; and those who have not declared. However, I would note to the Hon. Member that such simple averages do not paint an accurate figure of our workforce and recruitment practices.

    DFID HCS Staff

    March 2015 Average Hourly Earnings

    March 2016 Average Hourly Earnings

    Declared BAME

    £25.05

    £25.23

    Not Declared BAME

    £25.99

    £26.01

    The Civil Service is changing, and our recruitment seeks to reflect the make-up and composition of our nation as a whole. Historically, BME staff were under-represented: both in terms of previous recruitment patterns and the number and proportion in higher grades, both of these factors have contributed to the differences in average salaries.

    We are making progress the proportion of BME staff in the Civil Service has risen from 9.2% in 2010 to 10.6% in 2015, but we recognise that there is still more to do.

    In March, the Government published its 2016 Talent Action Plan for the Civil Service. It provides a progress update on initiatives to increase diversity in the Civil Service, including cross-Government talent programmes aimed at under-represented groups.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/talent-action-plan-2016-removing-the-barriers-to-success

    “

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average hourly earnings were of his Department’s (a) BME and (b) non-BME employees in (i) 2015 and (ii) 2016.

    Andrew Selous

    There are multiple Terms and Conditions and multiple working patterns in operation at the MoJ. Providing an accurate and meaningful answer for both BME and non-BME employees would incur disproportionate costs.

    The Civil Service is changing, and our recruitment seeks to reflect the make-up and composition of our nation as a whole. Historically, BME staff were under-represented: both in terms of previous recruitment patterns and the number and proportion in higher grades, both of these factors have contributed to the differences in average salaries.

    We are making progress the proportion of BME staff in the Civil Service has risen from 9.2% in 2010 to 10.6% in 2015, but we recognise that there is still more to do.

    In March, the Government published its 2016 Talent Action Plan for the Civil Service. It provides a progress update on initiatives to increase diversity in the Civil Service, including cross-Government talent programmes aimed at under-represented groups.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/talent-action-plan-2016-removing-the-barriers-to-success

    “

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will conduct a review of the effect of civil court fee increases on people’s ability to enforce their legal rights.

    Dominic Raab

    We keep court fees under regular review.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects his Department’s Propriety and Ethics team’s investigation into the activity of civil servants to report.

    Mike Penning

    As I said to the House on 14 March, the rules around former civil servants taking up employment in the private sector are made very clear when they leave the Department. Under no circumstance should they exploit privileged access to government contracts or sensitive information which could be used to influence the outcome of commercial competitions. The investigation has now reported and found that it was unlikely any intellectual property belonging to, or confidential information relating to, the MoJ or NOMS was compromised as a result of former staff gaining employment with TDPi. Nevertheless, we have strengthened internal procedures and increased awareness of the Business Appointment Rules within the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) so as to make departing civil servants and their new employers aware of their obligations under the Rules. My officials have written to TDPi reminding them of their obligations under the Civil Service Code.

    Over the last six months, we have improved our commercial capability, more than doubling the senior commercial experts monitoring work with the private sector. The investigation found no evidence of improper culture or general lack of professionalism in relation to how NOMS staff interact with suppliers or contractors.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria was used to select the prisons to take part in the planned pilot scheme on further autonomy for prison governors.

    Andrew Selous

    The six Reform Prisons have been carefully selected. Each of the prisons are different, which means the National Offender Management Service can test different models, in different locations, with different populations and different local circumstances.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that education and training is available to young offenders to help them access the digital economy.

    Andrew Selous

    Equipping young offenders with the skills to access the digital economy supports their rehabilitation, and computing forms a core part of the education and training provided to young people in custody.

    The Justice Secretary has asked Charlie Taylor to conduct a review of youth justice. His report of emerging findings published in February underlined the importance of education to an effective youth justice system. He will report back this summer with recommendations on how to improve the treatment of young people in our care.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to deter young people from committing cyber crime.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government’s Serious and Organised Crime Strategy (2013) sets out our approach to deterring people from becoming involved in serious and organised crime, including cyber crime.

    In March 2015, the Home Office published additional guidance to support local partners to understand pathways into serious and organised crime and put in place Prevent interventions for individuals at risk. The Home Office works closely with law enforcement, in particular the National Crime Agency (NCA) , to understand the drivers behind young people committing cyber crime.

    Working to the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy, the NCA aims to prevent young people from becoming involved in cybercrime in the first place, moving deeper into cyber crime and/or reoffending. The NCA works with both domestic and international partners to raise awareness of what activity is illegal, what are the consequences and the many positive career pathways available for those with technical cyber skillsets.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received representations from professionals working in criminal justice on the appropriate punishment for young people who have committed cyber crimes.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Home Office have not received any representations from professionals working in criminal justice on the appropriate punishment for young people who have committed cyber crimes.

    The Computer Misuse Act 1990 provides the legislative framework for cyber offences and sets out the sentencing for each of the five offences. Determination of sentencing guidelines is a matter for the Ministry of Justice.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people of each ethnicity were sent to prison in each of the last five years.

    Andrew Selous

    The number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody in England and Wales at Crown Courts, by ethnicity, from 2011 to 2015, can be found in the sentencing data tool contained in the annual Criminal Justice Statistics publication, linked below.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2015

    It is not possible to present a representative picture of ethnicity at magistrates’ courts because data on ethnicity at magistrates’ courts is not recorded for all offences.

    “