Category: Speeches

  • Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    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 3 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 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 These offences, along with section 54 of the Criminal Law Act 1977, were repealed by the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and there have been no convictions in the last four years.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.

  • Biography information for Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Biography information for Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Andrew Gwynne on Health.

    1

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England is currently progressing three commissioning through evaluation (CtE) schemes relating to invasive cardiology. A maximum full year annual budget of £9 million has been allocated, but the period of budget allocation will depend on the final length of the schemes themselves, which will be tailored with the assistance of National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE) to capture sufficient evaluative data over the scheme period.

    NHS England has allocated funding to each of the schemes based on early estimates of patient numbers and the key evaluative questions to be answered by the end of each scheme. Patient numbers will need to be contained within these parameters.

    NHS England is currently assessing a significant number of applications from providers who have expressed an interest in acting as a participating centre in each of the three schemes. Once this process is complete, and the selected centres are confirmed, we will be able to complete contractual arrangements and confirm a ‘go live’ date with each centre. Unfortunately we are therefore unable to give a specific date for patient recruitment to start at this stage.

    NHS England expects CtE schemes to typically run for two to three years but the final length of each of the invasive cardiology schemes is not yet finalised as they are being tailored with the assistance of NICE to capture sufficient evaluative data over the scheme period. The length of the schemes may also be influenced by early findings from the evaluation or by the publication of research data exploring similar parameters. The numbers of patients to be seen by each of the schemes is not yet finalised since it will depend on the final tariff negotiated with participating providers, and the length of each scheme.

  • Sir Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sir Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Peter Bottomley on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, under what circumstances the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office report on Benjamin Mire can be made public.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Information gathered in the course of a judicial conduct investigation is confidential and may only be disclosed in the circumstances set out in section 139 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make provision for construction of secure accommodation at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court to replace accommodation at Wrexham Police Station due to be closed by North Wales Police in 2016.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    No detailed discussions have taken place between HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) or the Department with North Wales Police with regards to future cell provision at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court. HMCTS is considering its options. Further discussions will take place once preferred options have been identified.

    Any decision for new arrangements for dealing with custody cases at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court will be guided by the principles of access to justice and best value for the taxpayer.

  • Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Swales on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency meets the deadline of 1 November 2014 for enabling payment for vehicle tax discs by direct debit.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has in place a dedicated project team which is working on the systems and other changes needed to deliver direct debits for vehicle excise duty. Progress is being monitored in line with departmental governance procedures.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the safeguarding directions in relation to High Speed 2 were last updated; and if he will publish the maps relating to that update.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The safeguarding directions in relation to High Speed 2 were last updated on 24 October 2013. The updated maps are published on the High Speed 2 Limited website at the following link:

    http://www.hs2.org.uk/safeguarding?sg_link=576

    “

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-04-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of how much the reduction in the additional rate of income tax to 45 per cent will be worth each year for a person earning £1 million a year.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Sefton Central (Bill Esterson).

  • Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have carried out an assessment of the impact of the Immigration Bill on children, as set out in the Cabinet Office guidelines.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The Home Office is committed to considering the impact of all new policies and legislation, including where they might have an impact on children. Careful regard has been had to the best interests of children in the UK in framing the provisions of the Immigration Bill. We are satisfied that the Bill is compatible with our obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and with the children’s duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009. The Home Office has published an Impact Assessment of the Immigration Bill and a European Convention on Human Rights Memorandum, so has no plans to conduct any additional child impact assessment.

  • Lord Chidgey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Chidgey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what methodology they use in co-ordinating with international partners the levels and distribution of international aid.

    Lord Bates

    There is no single international system designed to coordinate the level and distribution of international aid. However, the key determinant of where donor funds are distributed is the dialogue and coordination within each recipient country which is, where possible, led by the recipient country’s government

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to ensure the protection of bees.

    Lord De Mauley

    The importance of pollinators, including the honeybee, and their value to both food security and sustaining the natural environment is recognised as a high priority. In view of this, Defra has taken action on a number of fronts, including:

    · contributing £2.5 million over five years to the Insect Pollinators Initiative;

    · establishing the Healthy Bees Plan, a ten year plan to protect and improve the health of honeybees in England and Wales, of which five years has already been completed;

    · continuing to fund the long-established National Bee Unit bee health programme, which includes inspection of colonies, diagnosis of bee pests and diseases, and training for beekeepers; and

    · launching a public consultation on the National Pollinator Strategy this month.