The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions under the Hunting Act 2004 there were in 2013; how many of those prosecutions were successful; and what offences these prosecutions involved.
Damian Green
Court proceedings data for 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of an offence contrary to section 54 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 in each of the last four years.
Jeremy Wright
The number of offenders found guilty at all courts of the offences specified in the Sexual Offences Act 2003, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000, the Indecency with Children Act 1960, the Sexual Offences Act 1967 and the Criminal Law Act 1977, in England and Wales, from 2008 to 2012 is provided in the attached tables.
Please note that offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 sections 9 to 12, 14 to 19, 25 to 26, 47 to 50 provide data where the victim can be specifically identified as a child, whereas offences under sections 3, 4, 52 to 53, 57 to 59, 61 and 66 to 67, are not specific to the age of the victim.
The tables do not include data for offences under section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967, or under section 3 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000. These offences, along with section 54 of the Criminal Law Act 1977, were repealed by the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and there have been no convictions in the last four years.
The number of offenders found guilty of offences under section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 was provided in answer to PQ 193582 and can be found at Official Report c638W, 1 April 2014. It is not possible to separate out the age of the victims of offences under section 2.
Similarly, it is not possible to separate out the age of the victim of offences committed under sections 30 – 41 Sexual Offences Act 2003 from centrally held data. For data on offences under this legislation as a whole, I refer the honourable lady to the answer provided to PQ 193810, which can be found at Official Report column 136W, 7 April 2014.
Section 20 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 deals with offences in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Statistics for these offences in Scotland are a matter for the Scottish Government, with those in Northern Ireland being a matter for the Department of Justice Northern Ireland
Court proceedings data for England and Wales for 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.
The Government takes very seriously all matters relating to the sexual abuse of children and adults. Our laws in these areas are rightly robust and clear. The 2003 Act, which came into effect in May 2004, significantly modernised and strengthened the laws on sexual offences in England and Wales.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Ainsworth on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Prime Minister, what role the National Security Council plays in the long-term strategic planning and development of security policy.
Mr David Cameron
The National Security Council is a sub-committee of the full Cabinet. It addresses all elements of national security strategy. It seeks to understand the context, risks and opportunities facing the country; debates policy options; decides courses of action; and monitors and evaluates their implementation. It brings together Ministers and experts on a weekly basis, fostering genuine discussion and collective decision-making on both strategic and operational issues. Regularity of meetings enables Ministers to build up knowledge of particularly complex matters over time and to take well-informed decisions. Specialised sub-committees ensure that appropriate attention is paid to the most complex and technical issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how often and when each coastguard station has been under-staffed in the last two years.
Stephen Hammond
The following table shows the number of occasions each Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels over the last two years by month.
Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty’s Coastguard is using the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average caseload was for a Jobcentre Plus advisor in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and (e) 2013.
Esther McVey
The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2014-04-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many incursions into Gibraltarian waters by Spanish government-owned vessels occurred in (1) 2012, (2), 2013, and (3) January and February 2014.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire
The number of unlawful incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters by Spanish state vessels totalled:
229 in 2012
496 in 2013
75 in January and February 2014
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2014-04-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Botswana about the ban on hunting imposed on the Bushmen, in contravention of the terms of independence agreed by the United Kingdom in 1966.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire
The British Government have had regular discussions with the Government of Botswana regarding the situation of the San (Bushmen). In those discussions we have consistently encouraged the Government of Botswana to seek an inclusive, sustainable and negotiated solution. EU Heads of Mission discussed the impact of the hunting ban on the San (Bushmen) in February 2014 with the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2014-04-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Randerson on 8 April (HL Deb, cols 1237–9), in the event that the police fail to provide the review led by Lady Justice Hallett with adequate information in respect of whether they are currently seeking evidence on on the runs”
Lord Bates
I understand the PSNI are working closely with Lady Justice Hallett’s team to provide access to the information they require in order to fulfil their remit. It will be a matter for Lady Justice Hallett to consider and, if she so wishes comment on, the levels of cooperation received from all relevant parties, and to make recommendations. Her Majesty’s Government will respond appropriately to any recommendations which Lady Justice Hallett makes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2014-04-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to Growth is Our Business: A Strategy for Professional and Business Services published in July 2013, what progress his Department has made in piloting new approaches to improving business and skills system engagement and sharing of good practice.
Matthew Hancock
These questions ask about a number of actions related to skills development from “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services”, published in July 2013 as part of Government’s industrial strategy. The strategy was developed in collaboration with the professional and business services sector, focusing on the industry’s agenda for long term growth. It is led by the Professional and Business Services Council.
The strategy reflects two key business priorities in skills development. First, to expand recruitment routes into the sector, in particular higher apprenticeships, to access a wider, more diverse talent pool. Second, to help businesses engage with the education system to raise aspirations and promote work readiness. A business-led skills taskforce for professional and business services has been established. It is developing approaches to implement the strategy and will report progress at the end of this year.
The skills taskforce is leading work to help towards the strategy’s ambitious target to treble the number of higher apprenticeship starts across professional and business services to 10,000 over five years; and to follow progress in the interim, so that the numbers of these apprenticeships can be monitored. As a first step, the taskforce is supporting the London Professional Apprenticeship scheme, which was launched in December 2013, and is now recruiting apprentices and employers to take part. The scheme will pilot the proposal for a “clearing house” to help small firms access higher apprenticeships in professional and business services. In addition, the taskforce is backing new ‘trailblazer’ initiatives, announced in March 2014, to develop employer-driven standards for apprenticeships in several professional and business services occupations.
The skills taskforce is currently researching the metrics for schools’ reporting and their effect on the prestige of higher apprenticeships as initial career destinations. It will consider if more could be done to ensure higher apprenticeships have parity of esteem with higher education.
The taskforce is also mapping current school engagement activity involving professional and business services firms with a view to identifying and sharing good practice.
The new emphasis on wider use of higher apprenticeships across professional and business services should contribute towards a greater diversity of routes into these careers in the years to come; potentially offering opportunities to a wider pool of talent.
The skills taskforce intends to consider how the employability of young people can be supported within the national curriculum, but believes that greater engagement between employers and young people is the best way of improving employability skills.
My noble friend Lord Lingfield has set up the independent Institution for Further Education to take forward work on a new chartered status quality schemeand is considering the application and assessment process for Further Education providers.
The skills taskforce is exploring how web-based services can support engagement between firms and the education sector, including a planned digital “inspiration” tool being developed by this Department to encourage business-schools engagement.
Further information on the implementation of “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services” is included in a progress report on industrial strategy, published on 23 April 2014: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-early-successes-and-future-priorities.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-09.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of people of pensionable age in Brighton, Kemptown constituency; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Nick Hurd
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.