Category: Speeches

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list all meetings Dmitry Firtash has had at his Department since May 2010.

    Mr David Lidington

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials met Dmitry Firtash on 24 February to discuss developments in Ukraine and support for Ukraine from the international community. They did not discuss matters of national security. The meeting was part of a wider approach by the FCO to understand better the situation in Ukraine, by seeking information and views from a wide range of contacts, including senior business figures. The Government does not have plans to publish a note of the meeting at this time. According to our records, Dmitry Firtash has not attended any other meetings with the FCO in London.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the budget for enforcement of the National Minimum Wage was in 2013-14; and what that budget will be in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

    Jenny Willott

    The National Minimum Wage enforcement budgets for 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 in principal were set out in Parliamentary Question 174284 on 7 November 2013, Official Report 7 Nov 2013, Col 351W.

    The 2014/15 budget was reviewed at the start of the financial year and will be considered again at mid-year and may be subject to change.

  • Iain McKenzie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Iain McKenzie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain McKenzie on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the Emergency Services Mobile Communication programme; and what steps she is taking to ensure that commercial operators offer a service at least equivalent to the existing service.

    Karen Bradley

    The current Airwave Solutions Ltd contracts were let under a 20 year Private Finance Initiative arrangement, with a series of 15 year contracts, which expire over the period from September 2016 to December 2020.

    The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme aims to introduce a replacement for Airwave, as current contracts expire from September 2016. The requirements have been developed in partnership with the emergency services and we are running an open and fair competition in accordance with government guidelines.

    The aim is to provide a replacement solution which is at least equivalent to the existing service, but not necessarily delivered in the same way.

  • David Nuttall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Nuttall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Nuttall on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many inspections each local authority has carried out to ensure compliance with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 in each of the last three years.

    Michael Fallon

    The data in the detail requested is not held centrally. The total number of inspections carried out by local authority trading standards across all products, which would include those for furniture and furnishings, was 9,674 in 2011.

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women have been charged with child sex offences but not convicted in each of the last three years.

    Simon Hughes

    The proportion of offenders given custody for sexual offences has increased since 2003.

    The number of female defendants proceeded against at magistrates’ courts and found guilty or not guilty at all courts for sexual offences against children, in England and Wales from 2008 to 2012 (the latest data available), can be viewed in the table.

    Court Proceedings data for calendar year 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014

    Charging data is not held by the Ministry of Justice.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Williamson on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local education authorities have procedures in place to protect whistleblowers.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 16 June 2014, Official Report, col 411W, on local education authorities: disclosure of information.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals who have served their sentence but are awaiting deportation there are in each prison.

    James Brokenshire

    The number of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) detained in prison beyond the
    end of their sentence pending deportation (as of 31 December 2013) is shown in
    the table below:

    Prison Name

    Total

    HMP & YOI Isis

    10

    HMP Addiewell

    *

    HMP Altcourse

    *

    HMP Aylesbury

    5

    HMP Barlinnie

    5

    HMP Bedford

    5

    HMP Belmarsh

    10

    HMP Birmingham (Winson Green)

    15

    HMP Brinsford

    5

    HMP Bristol

    5

    HMP Brixton

    10

    HMP Bronzefield

    10

    HMP Bullingdon

    25

    HMP Bure

    5

    HMP Cardiff

    5

    HMP Channings Wood

    *

    HMP Chelmsford

    15

    HMP Coldingley

    *

    HMP Dartmoor

    *

    HMP Deerbolt

    5

    HMP Doncaster

    10

    HMP Dorchester

    *

    HMP Dovegate

    *

    HMP Drake Hall

    5

    HMP Dumfries

    *

    HMP Durham

    *

    HMP Eastwood Park

    *

    HMP Edinburgh

    5

    HMP Elmley

    5

    HMP Elmley (Sheppey Cluster)

    30

    HMP Erlestoke House

    *

    HMP Everthorpe

    *

    HMP Exeter

    *

    HMP Featherstone

    5

    HMP Feltham

    15

    HMP Forest Bank

    15

    HMP Garth

    *

    HMP Glen Parva

    10

    HMP Guys Marsh

    5

    HMP Haverrigg

    *

    HMP Hewell

    15

    HMP High Down

    15

    HMP Highpoint North

    20

    HMP Highpoint South

    10

    HMP Holloway

    15

    HMP Holme House

    5

    HMP Hull

    *

    HMP Huntercombe and Finnamore

    35

    HMP Lancaster Farms

    *

    HMP Leeds (Armley)

    15

    HMP Leicester

    10

    HMP Lewes

    5

    HMP Lincoln

    20

    HMP Lindholme

    5

    HMP Littlehey

    15

    HMP Liverpool

    10

    HMP Long Lartin

    *

    HMP Low Newton

    *

    HMP Maidstone

    45

    HMP Manchester

    10

    HMP Moorland

    20

    HMP New Hall

    *

    HMP Northumberland

    *

    HMP Norwich

    10

    HMP Nottingham

    15

    HMP Oakwood

    5

    HMP Parc

    5

    HMP Pentonville

    45

    HMP Peterborough

    15

    HMP Portland

    5

    HMP Preston

    *

    HMP Ranby

    15

    HMP Risley

    15

    HMP Rochester

    *

    HMP Send

    *

    HMP Shotts

    *

    HMP Stafford

    5

    HMP Standford Hill (Sheppey Cluster)

    *

    HMP Stoke Heath

    5

    HMP Styal

    *

    HMP Swinfen Hall

    *

    HMP Thameside

    35

    HMP The Mount

    10

    HMP Wakefield

    *

    HMP Wandsworth

    45

    HMP Wayland

    *

    HMP Whatton

    *

    HMP Winchester

    *

    HMP Wolds

    *

    HMP Woodhill

    15

    HMP Wormwood Scrubs

    60

    HMP Wymott

    5

    Grand Total

    850

    1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are
    therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been
    quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
    2. Figures relate to main applicants only.
    3. Figures relate to criteria FNO cases only.
    4. Figures rounded to the nearest 5 ( – = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the
    totals shown because of independent rounding.
    5. Data is a snapshot of individuals detained in prison on 31 December 2013.

    We make every effort to ensure that a person’s removal by deportation
    coincides, as far as possible, with his/her release from prison on completion
    of sentence. Where a detainee refuses to cooperate with the removal or
    deportation process, detention may be prolonged.

    The Immigration Bill will have a significant impact on the ability of FNOs to
    delay removal by mounting legal challenges whilst in the UK. The current
    appeals system means that 17 different types of decision can be appealed. The
    Immigration Bill will simplify the appeals system and mean that appeals can
    only be brought where the Home Office has refused a protection (asylum or
    humanitarian protection) claim, a human rights claim or a claim based on EU
    free movement rights. It will also give us the power to certify that where
    deportation will not cause serious irreversible harm, the appeal will be heard
    after the offender has left the country.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the cost has been of the visit of his Department’s officials ahead of the completion of the agreements on energy collaboration with China signed on 17 June 2014; and if he will publish the dates and purpose of each such visit.

    Michael Fallon

    From April 12th-15th, three officials from the Office for Nuclear Development visited Beijing to discuss the Joint Statement on Civil Nuclear Energy Co-operation and Memorandum of Understanding on Enhanced Co-operation on Civil Nuclear Industry Fuel Cycle Supply Chain with the Chinese Government. Officials also attended various other meetings to understand Chinese civil nuclear capability and to explain UK regulatory requirements. The cost of this visit was £11, 787.38.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish his Department’s risk assessment of the transfer of his Department’s contract with Atos Healthcare for provision of work capability assessments to a new provider; and what steps he is taking to mitigate the risks identified in that assessment.

    Mike Penning

    The transition from Atos Healthcare to the new provider in 2015 provides a further opportunity to improve the service the Department offers to claimants and customers. The Department will manage the transition carefully to mitigate the impact on claimants and customers and to further mitigate any risks the new provider will initially use elements of the Atos infrastructure already in place, including IT, Estate and Atos employees (subject to TUPE).

    The priority for the new provider will be to deliver the best possible service for claimants, increase the volume of assessments carried out and reduce waiting times.

  • Michael Fabricant – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Michael Fabricant – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what works are currently being undertaken in King Charles Street, Westminster; and when the scaffolding and road and pavement equipment related to the works will be removed.

    Mr David Lidington

    The works currently being undertaken by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in King Charles Street are part of the Department’s UK Estate Reform Project. This involves the consolidation of the FCO’s London HQ presence into a single office building. The project is a major reconfiguration of the King Charles Street building and will release the Old Admiralty Building to the Department for Education. This will allow leased office space to be vacated and overall Government spending on the UK Civil Estate to be reduced.

    The gantry being installed in King Charles Street will be completed by the end of June 2014 and will remain in situ for the duration of the project, which is due to be completed in summer 2015. The scaffold is part of the Planning & Listed Building Consent granted by Westminster Council. When completed, the gantry will extend over the pavement between Clive Steps and the western side of the main entrance to the FCO building. Pedestrians will still be able to walk up King Charles St and the main entrance to the FCO will remain fully accessible.