The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Chi Onwurah on Cabinet Office.
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Mr Francis Maude
The Taskforce has recently been reconstituted.
Category: Speeches
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Andrew Turner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Turner on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many rejections of asylum seekers, by country of origin, there have been in each of the last five years.
James Brokenshire
Figures for asylum applications for main applicants, by nationality, from 2009 to 2013 are published in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) in the release Immigration Statistics.
The number of asylum applications from main applicants pending an initial decision, by nationality, for (a) more than one year and (b) more than five years, as at the end of 2013, can be found in the table," Asylum application from main applicants pending an initial decision as at 31/12/2013" which i will place in the House library.
These figures are a subset of those also published in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) of the release Immigration Statistics.
Figures for asylum applications from main applicants refused a grant of asylum, Humanitarian Protection, Discretionary Leave or other grants of leave, at initial decision, by nationality, from 2009 to 2013 are published in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) of the release Immigration Statistics.
The latest release Immigration Statistics October to December 2013 is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2013 and from the Library of the House.
Asylum data tables volume 1 is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/283693
/asylum1-q4-2013-tabs.ods“
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Biography information for Tobias Ellwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Tobias Ellwood on Communities and Local Government.
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Brandon Lewis
This Government has provided a range of financial support schemes to help individuals, businesses, farmers and local authorities return to normality after the winter’s severe weather: these include Council Tax Relief, Business Rate Relief, the Business Support Scheme, and Repair and Renew Grants.
The Government deals with local authorities who administer support schemes on its behalf. It does not deal directly with residents and does not therefore hold information at constituency level in terms of requests for financial support that have been granted: that is a matter for the local authorities concerned. I can say, however, that Bournemouth Borough Council has received some £350,000 to repair local roads damaged by severe weather, a further £268,000 from the Department for Transport’s Potholes Fund and my Department is aware that as at 25 June, the Council has received 70 claims for Council Tax Relief totalling some £14,000, one claim for Business Rate Relief and three applications from residents for Repair and Renew Grant to help build better flood protection into their homes. The Government retrospectively reimburses councils for the costs incurred from its flood recovery schemes.
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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 1 or section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, where the offence was not committed against a child under the age of 16 years, 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.
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Biography information for Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Simon Burns on Health.
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Norman Lamb
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published technology appraisal guidance in June 2012 which recommends abiraterone (Zytiga) in its licensed indication for the treatment of castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen, subject to a patient access scheme agreed between the Department and the drug’s manufacturer.
NICE is currently appraising abiraterone for the treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy and has not yet published final guidance for the National Health Service. We understand that NICE has recently consulted on its draft guidance for this indication, which can be found at:
http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TAG/434/Consultation/Latest
NHS commissioners are legally required to fund those treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance.
In the absence of NICE technology appraisal guidance it is for the relevant NHS commissioner to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence. The NHS Constitution states that patients have the right to expect local decisions on the funding of drugs and treatments ‘to be made rationally following a proper consideration of the evidence’.
We understand that abiraterone as a first-line treatment is available through the Cancer Drugs Fund to NHS patients in England who could benefit from it.
We are unable to provide copies of the correspondence requested in the time available and this information will be placed in the Library in due course.
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Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what security breaches associated with the Prisons ICT Academy programme there have been since 1 January 2014; when these first came to the attention of Ministers; what the (a) nature of and (b) the outcome of their investigation was; and what illegal activities by prisoners were uncovered.
Jeremy Wright
We are aware of two security breaches within the Prison Information Technology Academies (PICTA) since 1 January 2014. These came to the attention of Ministers on 26 February 2014. As a precaution we immediately suspended the use of the PICTA workshops across the prison estate, pending an investigation which is still in progress. It would therefore not be appropriate to comment further at this stage. In addition we are increasing the security measures within PICTA workshops and we expect them to re-open in the near future.
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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 ensure that criminal cases continue to be considered at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court over the next five years.
Mr Shailesh Vara
HM Courts & Tribunals Service has no current plans to cease criminal work at Wrexham Magistrate’s Court.
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Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require landowners and service suppliers to install manhole covers that have resistance abrasion values to prevent slipping and injury.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The majority of manhole covers on the highway network fall under the responsibility of utility companies, with a small percentage in the ownership of local highway authorities.
The Department for Transport currently has no plans to bring forward legislative proposals for landowners and service suppliers to install high-friction manhole covers to prevent slipping and injury. That said, we are aware of a number of authorities who are taking steps to replace manhole covers with ones having enhanced anti-skid properties.
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Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of increases in passenger numbers (a) nationally and (b) on the West Coast Main Line over the next 10 years.
Stephen Hammond
The total train passenger numbers is forecast to grow from an estimated 1,530 million in 2013-14 to 1,842 million by 2023-24.
The Department has made no forecast of increases in passenger numbers on the West Coast Main Line over the next 10 years. Chapter 4 of Network Rail’s West Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy sets out anticipated changes in demand to 2024/25 and is available here:
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Michael Connarty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Connarty on 2014-04-10.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the potential funds that will accrue to the public purse from the Europe for Citizens Programme.
Nicky Morgan
No estimate has been made of potential funds that will accrue to the public purse from the Europe for Citizens Programme.