UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • 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 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average amount of time was that a prisoner spent on education or work-related activities at HMP Wormwood Scrubs in the last period for which figures are available.

    Andrew Selous

    Our prison system needs reform. Without reform, there will be more reoffending, more crime, more victims and the public will be less safe. We want prisons to be places of hard work, rigorous education and high ambition, with incentives for prisoners to learn and for prison staff to prioritise education and work. Prison should help offenders get the skills and qualifications to make a success of life on the outside. When so many come into custody illiterate and innumerate it would be a travesty if we didn’t get them reading and writing when they are in our care.

    Of the 1251 prisoners at HMP Wormwood, 665 are either remand or non-EU foreign national (FNO) prisoners. Non-EU FNO prisoners are not eligible for employment on release and therefore education funding for this cohort mainly concentrates on English as a second language and basic literacy and numeracy provision. Remand prisoners are not required to work though are able to access education if they choose to.

    There are 556 activity spaces available daily at Wormwood Scrubs which involve work or education. There are a further 108 spaces related to resettlement activities or addressing reoffending needs.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the value was of (a) jobseeker’s allowance and (b) employment and support allowance sanctions imposed by his Department in each of the last five years.

    Priti Patel

    The Department does not make an estimate of the value of benefit withdrawn as a result of benefit sanctions.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to update guidance for sex and relationships education so that it is inclusive of LGBT young people.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government believes that sex and relationship education (SRE) is essential for children’s development and preparation for responsible adult life. The Secretary of State’s guidance makes clear that all schools should ensure that young people, whatever their developing sexuality or identity, feel that SRE is relevant to them and sensitive to their needs. We have received requests about updating the guidance and have made a commitment to develop an action plan for improving PSHE and have agreed to consider updating the 2000 statutory SRE guidance. In her letter of 10 February 2016 to the Education Select Committee, the Secretary of State said that she would consider updating the SRE guidance.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2016 to Question 37474, on children: maintenance, what specific areas of case closure require less effort than earlier analysis suggested.

    Priti Patel

    The impact assessment was completed in 2013, well before CSA cases started to be closed. These numbers have since been reviewed to reflect the experiences of the case closure journey. The initial estimate of £103m to review the cases has reduced to £75m as the updating work has taken less time than assumed when the impact assessment was completed. The initial estimate to set up the arrears on the CMS system was £20m and this is proving to take longer than anticipated, with the latest estimate at £26m. The revised figures are still subject to further change as we move more cases and update estimates.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Blencathra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce criminal sanctions against social media companies and their managers in the UK who refuse to take down tweets, pages or other content supporting terrorism, hate crime or radical Islam.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    HMG has developed strong collaborative relationships with Communications Service Providers (CSPs) which has led to the voluntary removal of over 200,000 pieces of terrorist-related content via referrals from the police Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) since 2010. The government continue to work with CSPs to encourage them to take more responsibility voluntarily for tackling terrorist and extremist content on their own platforms and, in certain circumstances, reporting terrorist content (for example, where there may be an imminent threat to life) to UK law enforcement when they become aware of it.

    As most CSPs are international organisations based outside the UK and most online material is hosted outside the UK, national legislation has little application hence our focus on voluntary removals through companies’ terms and conditions. These arrangements mean that where companies take action this removes access to the content from the whole platform world-wide, not just for users accessing it from within a particular jurisdiction.

  • Jenny Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jenny Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jenny Chapman on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have (a) registered for and (b) attended events as part of the Better Health Programme.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    This information is not available centrally. The Better Health Programme is a locally-led programme run by the National Health Service in Darlington, Durham and Tees. Information on the number of people who registered for and attended engagement events can be obtained from the NHS locally.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to promote British business in (a) Australia, (b) Canada and (c) New Zealand.

    Anna Soubry

    We are taking forward our manifesto commitment to strengthen relationships with Australia and New Zealand and bilateral trade plays an important part of this. Our trade campaigns are focussed on the strongest growing sectors that match UK business strengths. Australia continues to offer particularly good opportunities for UK firms in transport infrastructure witha Laing O’Rourke led consortium winning a £2.1bn highway upgrade project earlier in the year. Other sectors of opportunity include: defence, urban regeneration & construction, airports, rail, ICT & software, food & beverage. The changing dynamics in the world economy have reduced demand for UK oil & gas expertise but we are continuing to explore opportunities in renewable energy.

    We are also using the GREAT Campaign to provide platforms for UK firms to network through business events around Rugby World Cup, Bond, the Clipper Yacht Race, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Melbourne and a broader Culture is GREAT campaign in Victoria. Trade missions from London, Northern Ireland and a sports infrastructure themed mission organised by Major Events International have all visited Australia in 2015. We are also supporting the launching of EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement talks and we maintain a strong flow of ministerial and high-level official contacts in support of the bilateral relationship including on trade and investment.

    In New Zealand particularly good opportunities continue for UK firms in transport infrastructure, defence,construction, airports, rail, and food & beverage. Our campaigns have exposed senior New Zealand infrastructure leaders to UK infrastructure best practice which has helped eight UK companies win contracts totalling over £28m this financial year.

    We are using the GREAT Campaign here to provide platforms for UK firms to network through business events around Rugby World Cup, Bond and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Wellington. Trade missions from London and companies from Northern Ireland visited in 2015. We also strongly support the launch of negotiations on an EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and we will continue to use ministerial engagement in 2016 to further trade and business objectives.

    In Canada, our efforts are focussed on those sectors with the highest potential for British business and where the UK has competitive advantage. These include: energy, infrastructure, transport, financial services, creative industries and defence and security. Activities in the past three months to deliver this include: a Northern Ireland Minister led trade mission to Montreal & Toronto; securing business for UK film producers at the Toronto International Film Festival; deliver a 12 day programme of GREAT activity in Toronto and supporting low carbon technology at the opening of Shell’s Carbon Capture and Storage facility in Alberta.

    In 2016 we will promote the Canada EU comprehensive economic and trade agreement which will deliver substantial benefit for UK business. This will include publication of a report to highlight specific opportunities for UK business afforded by CETA and a roadshow of profile raising UK events targeted at businesses.

  • Lord Rana – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Rana – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rana on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action the new Commonwealth counter-extremism unit will take to tackle extremism.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are committed to tackling extremism and radicalisation. A number of Commonwealth countries face significant challenges. The Commonwealth Secretariat has done some work in this area but additional capacity is required to coordinate the sharing of expertise and support efforts to counter the causes of radicalisation. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), announced UK funding of £5m over 5 years to establish a Counter-Extremism and Counter Radicalisation Unit in the Commonwealth Secretariat. Setting up a new unit recognises that Commonwealth countries must work together to counter extremist ideologies and build their counter extremism capabilities. The unit will:

    •Provide technical assistance to governments developing counter-extremism strategies.

    •Mobilise Commonwealth civil society networks to counter radicalisation through targeted counter-narratives and strategic communication training.

    •Enable Commonwealth members to meet their international counter extremism obligations. There is a demand from Commonwealth countries for support in implementing international counter extremism obligations (e.g. in relation to UNSCR 2178.).

    We will work closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth members and key stakeholders to ensure that UK funding supports the work of countries across the Commonwealth to tackle the threat of extremism.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many museums and galleries have closed in each region and nation of the UK since 2010.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Thanks to an excellent Spending Review settlement in November 2015 – the Government is honouring its manifesto commitment to keep entry to the permanent collections of our national museums free.

    Through the Arts Council England, DCMS is increasing funding for major partner museums to £22.6 million to enable greater regional spending. In addition to this, regional museums can bid for funds from ACE’s £10 million per year Resilience Fund. We are also investing millions of pounds to boost local and regional museums – for example, £5 million towards a new South Asia Gallery at Manchester Museum and £2.5 million to the Manchester Museum of Science andIndustry.

    Spend on DCMS-sponsored museums and galleries was £389.7 million in 2014/15. In 2005 spend was £397.4 million and in 2010 it was £474.7 million. The Heritage Lottery Fund is also a major source of support to museums. To date, HLF has supported a total of 38,000 projects with £6.6 billion across the UK with around one third of this being allocated to museums, including support for capital projects, acquisitions and skills development.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on patient care of reductions in funding of HIV support services from April 2016.

    Jane Ellison

    Decisions on funding and access to social care support services for people with HIV are made by local authorities. The Care Act 2014 sets out the legal framework for social care in England, and this applies to all adults with support needs including those living with HIV.

    Diagnosed early most people with access to HIV treatment can expect a near normal life expectancy. Public Health England monitors the results of individuals receiving NHS HIV treatment. In 2014, 91% of people attending for care were receiving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment of which 95% were virally suppressed and very unlikely to be infectious to others. The United Kingdom is already ahead in meeting two of the three ambitious UNAIDS 90/90/90 global goals of 90% of people with HIV being diagnosed, 90% on ARV treatment and 90% viral suppression for those on ARV treatment by 2020.