Category: Speeches

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-10.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, which local authority databases may be consulted by local authority electoral registration officers for the purpose of data matching for the electoral register.

    Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are entitled to access any records kept in any form by the local authority which appointed them, for the purpose of meeting their registration duties. These records may include, for example, council tax, social services and education records. Access to these records serves a dual purpose: to identify potential new electors and to check that registered electors continue to be eligible to be registered.

    As direct access to records is limited to records held by the appointing authority, in those parts of England where there are two tiers of local government, EROs are currently unable to directly access county council records (such as education records). The Commission understands that the Government is planning to legislate to enable records held by county councils to be shared with EROs for the purposes of maintaining and improving the accuracy and completeness of electoral registers.

  • Gordon Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gordon Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Brown on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he was first made aware of health risks at Dalgety Bay.

    Mr Mark Francois

    In 2006 the then Health Protection Agency (HPA) Radiological Protection Authority advised that radioactive contamination on Dalgety Bay presented a low risk to the public. A more recent scoping risk assessment undertaken in 2011 by the HPA Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards at the bequest of the Scottish Government concluded that the risk to health was very low.

    The view of the Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (now part of Public Health England) remains unchanged. However, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is completing a detailed quantitative risk assessment to inform the longer term management strategy which will be available in due course.

    Copies of the advice received by MOD together with a copy of the more detailed risk assessment, when published, will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-07.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, which local authorities in Great Britain failed the Standard Three performance standard for the completeness and accuracy of electoral registration records in 2013.

    Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that this information was published and tabled in a written statement to the House on 31 March. The Commission has written to the hon. Member with a copy of the report.

  • Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 330W, on medical records: data protection, for what reason the Health and Social Care Information Centre’s register of approved data releases does not contain entries on the Data Access Advisory Group (DAAG) register of approved applications for (a) Department of Health Dental and Eye Care Analytical Team DAAG application reference 240413-a, (b) HCV Research UK DAAG application reference MR1316, (c) Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust section 251 notification DAAG application reference MR1320 and (d) UK Biobank DAAG application reference MR1109.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) register as published on 3 April 2014 only covers data releases approved and data released by the HSCIC within the period 1 April 2013 to 31 December 2013.

    The applications the hon. Member refers to have been approved by the Data Access Advisory Group’s (DAAG) but are not included on the HSCIC Register of Approved data releases as they are not within the scope outlined for the following reasons:

    (a) Department of Health Dental and Eye Care Analytical Team DAAG application reference 240413-a, this request was for additional access for an individual field by Department of Health through the Business Objects on-line system, access to which was approved prior to 1 April 2014. This means of access has subsequently been replaced, and the Department’s access to the new system is covered by row id 373 in the approved release register;

    (b) HCV Research UK DAAG application reference MR1316 – the release of data to this customer has not yet been approved by the HSCIC;

    (c) Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust section 251 notification DAAG application reference MR1320 – the applicant has received no data from the HSCIC within the time period; and

    (d) UK Biobank DAAG application reference MR1109 – this was approved prior to 1 April 2013.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of people (1) displaced, and (2) facing a humanitarian crisis, in the northern Nigerian states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa as a result of the insurgency by Boko Haram; and what assessment they have made of the needs of those people for aid.

    Baroness Northover

    The UK Government supports the assessment of humanitarian needs in Northern Nigeria through OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Although figures are difficult to quantify, OCHA estimate 5.9 million people have been affected by the insurgency in northeast Nigeria and an estimated 350,000 people have been displacedsince May 2013, both within Nigeria and across the borders into Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Most displaced people are living in host communities, although around 5,000 are in camps. OCHA has assessed the priority needs of affected people as food, water, health and shelter.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria are used to commission Ofsted to carry out spot inspections on schools.

    Mr David Laws

    Ofsted has been carrying out Section 8 inspections at schools with serious behavioural problems since January 2014. No-notice inspections can also be triggered by parental complaints or safeguarding concerns.

  • Lord Boateng – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Boateng – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2014-03-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to review the effectiveness of the inquest system in respect of the absence of a duty on the Legal Aid Agency to ensure publicly funded legal representation at inquests for families of victims of deaths in custody from the actions of police officers or in circumstances of failures in the duty of care of public authorities.

    Lord Faulks

    The Government is confident that the inquest system is functioning effectively following reforms introduced last July under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. We are committed to reviewing the impact of the reforms in 2015.

    In addition, the Government has specifically protected legal aid for families at inquests. Legal Help (the advice and assistance level of legal aid) remains routinely available within the scope of the civil legal aid scheme. In exceptional circumstances funding can also be provided for the family’s legal representation at the inquest pursuant to section 6(8)(b) of the Access to Justice Act 1999 (AJA) or section 10(1) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) (the applicable legislation depending on the date of the original application). A means test applies but can be waived in certain circumstances.

    The Lord Chancellor is prevented by statute from giving directions and guidance to the Legal Aid Agency in relation to an individual case, but has published general guidance to which the Director of Legal Aid Casework must have regard when making individual decisions on applications for exceptional funding for representation at inquests. The guidance sets out the relevant criteria and specifically addresses inquests where there is a death in custody or a death in the course of police arrest, search, pursuit or shooting.

    Following a review of its decision in the Groce family’s case, the Legal Aid Agency made a funding request to the Lord Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor has considered the request and has granted funding

  • John Mann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John Mann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many private and third sector bidders for privatised probation work employ ex-offenders; and of these how many employ ex-prisoners.

    Jeremy Wright

    In mid December, the bidders who passed the first stage of the competition to win the regional rehabilitation contracts were announced. The list includes a diverse mix of private and voluntary sector partnerships with more than 50 organisations represented – from charities experienced in tackling a range of issues affecting offenders, to small and large British businesses and experienced multinationals. All of these Tier One bidders have experience in working with offenders or across the wider Criminal Justice System.

    The successful delivery of this competition does not depend on or require the Programme to hold information on how many private and third sector organisations bidding for Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) contracts employ ex-offenders or ex-prisoners. Such information would be included in bidder’s submissions if it was deemed relevant by that bidder. We have a strong and diverse market and anticipate that the bids we receive to run CRCs will be of a high standard. Providers will need to demonstrate in their bids how they would deliver high quality rehabilitative support to offenders, and they will be held to account to deliver these services in their contracts.

  • Gregg McClymont – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gregg McClymont – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregg McClymont on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the upper limit will be of the amount of state pension top-up people can buy.

    Steve Webb

    As announced in the Budget 2014, the maximum amount of additional State Pension that individuals can obtain under the State Pension top-up scheme (Class 3A) will be £25 per week. We intend to make details available shortly of the contribution rates by age for each £1 per week of additional pension.

  • John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of schools which will be unable to provide universal free school meals for infant children from September 2014.

    Mr David Laws

    From September, all state-funded schools in England will be under a statutory duty to offer a free school lunch to all infant pupils. Based on the feedback we are receiving, the vast majority of schools are already on track to deliver this policy and we are supporting the other schools to do so.