The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many compensation claims against prison staff were made by prisoners in each of the last five years.
Andrew Selous
NOMS defend robustly all claims brought and successfully defend two thirds of claims brought by prisoners. It is not possible accurately to separate prisoner compensation claims against prison staff from other similar claims (e.g. assaults by other prisoners).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the timetable for publishing the review of whistle blowing and governance at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is linked to the role the trust is to play in the provision of services to patients in Staffordshire.
Lord Prior of Brampton
This is a matter for the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA).
We understand that the NHS TDA commissioned Verita to conduct an independent review of the procedures carried out by Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust in investigating recent whistleblowing and human resource concerns. The NHS TDA has confirmed its commitment to publication of its report of the review.
The NHS TDA is currently clarifying publication arrangements in the light of legal advice and in liaison with the Department. A publication date will be arranged as soon as possible.
The NHS TDA has confirmed that the timetable for publication of the Verita report is independent of any issues relating to the Trust’s role in providing services to patients in Staffordshire.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many full-time equivalent staff currently work in (a) the Joint Intelligence Organisation’s Assessments Staff and (b) the National Security Secretariat; and how many such staff have not previously been employed as civil servants.
Mr Oliver Letwin
Staff in the JIO are drawn from the Cabinet Office and across Government including the MOD, FCO, and Armed Forces. They are employed on a range of terms and conditions including formal and informal, short and long term secondments. In 2004 the Rt Hon The Lord Butler of Brockwell reported that its size was “some 30 senior and middle-ranking officials”; it is currently larger than that but, given the nature of the work that they do, I am unable, for security reasons, to give further detail. There are about 200 people in the National Security Secretariat, similarly drawn from a range of Departments and employed on a range of terms and conditions. Again, for security reasons, I am unable to give details on the previous employment of staff in either organisation, but both draw on external experts in their business.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-06-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 12 May 2016 to Question 36790, what plans his Department has to review progress under its voluntary agreement with the National Housing Federation and housing associations on replacing homes sold under right-to-buy with new affordable homes.
Brandon Lewis
The Government is working with the National Housing Federation and housing associations on the detailed design of the scheme, including data collection necessary for reviewing progress.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in which countries UK citizens are not able to transfer pension rights accrued in that country upon return to the UK.
Richard Harrington
We do not keep information on other nations’ transfer policies. State pension rights accrued elsewhere cannot be transferred to the UK. There is no bar to private pension savings accrued elsewhere being transferred to the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to implement the recommendations of the Review of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking, published in November 2014, on (a) requiring providers of housing of people going through the NRM to an audit process, (b) ensuring closer working between her Department, housing providers and local councils and (c) gathering data on the outcomes of people going through the NRM for two years after a conclusive grounds decision.
Sarah Newton
We are committed to doing all we can to identify and support UK-based victims of modern slavery. Following a review of the NRM, and in consultation with law enforcement and NGOs, we are piloting ways of improving the efficacy and efficiency of existing arrangements in two regions. The pilot will be evaluated and the findings will inform any reforms that we decide to roll out. Putting the NRM on a statutory footing would require secondary legislation and we will consider whether there is a need do so at the end of the pilot.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received about the level of junior doctor cover at weekends.
Ben Gummer
We have evidence that hospital leaders consider the junior doctors’ contract to be a significant barrier to delivering more seven-day services. NHS Providers’ written evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) on contract reform for consultants and doctors and dentists in training[1] stated that the junior doctor contract is still a significant source of barriers to seven day working and reform of the junior doctor contract is also required to support trusts to deliver more seven-day services. In particular, the pay banding system for junior doctors needs to be reviewed. There were concerns from employers that the banding system is too complicated, can create “perverse incentives” for junior doctors, and means that providing more seven-day services is unaffordable, since more junior doctors would be working outside core hours and receive premiums under the current banding system. NHS Providers also believe that more hours in a day and more days of the week need to be defined as core hours, as the current arrangement does not support the delivery of more seven-day services or reflect the needs and expectations of today’s patients. Professor Sir Bruce Keogh has also said that premium pay rates are hindering efforts to put services on a seven-day footing.
[1]
http://www.nhsproviders.org/resource-library/written-evidence-ddrb-special-remit/
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many civil servants in his Department are in the redeployment pool.
Joseph Johnson
The Department does not operate a redeployment pool.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people who live in supported housing are eligible for housing benefit.
Brandon Lewis
The Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department of Work and Pensions have jointly commissioned the Supported Accommodation Review to better understand the scale, shape and cost of supported accommodation. The Review will provide more robust and up-to-date information relating to supported housing, including the principal user groups. The Review will report later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the extent of the coverage of high-speed broadband in Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The roll-out of superfast broadband in Gloucestershire is being delivered by Fastershire which is a partnership between Gloucestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council with funding from central government’s BDUK programme matched by the local authorities. Over 68,000 homes and businesses in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire have access to superfast broadband which will increase to over 119,000 by September 2017.