The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2016 to Question 43378, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people by (i) region, (ii) county and (iii) parliamentary constituency are paid less than the Living Wage Foundation’s living wage.
Chris Skidmore
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of people who have undertaken (a) training and (b) refresher training approved by her Department on humane shooting of badgers in each of the last three years.
George Eustice
Natural England does not hold figures for the number of operators who have been trained to undertake licensed action but does know how many are trained and are licensed. Industry organisations are responsible for running the training courses and Natural England only holds the number of trained operators who were put forward by the control companies, and subsequently become authorised to undertake licensed action. For 2016, over the 10 licensed areas, 1446 operators are authorised to carry out badger culling (latest figures: 17/10/16).
Natural England does not hold figures for the number of operators who attended refresher training. All operators who have been licensed in a previous year to undertake controlled shooting of badgers and who wish to be licensed again for the current year must attend refresher training. Industry organisations are responsible for undertaking refresher training. Natural England holds confirmation that each of these operators has attended refresher training.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department’s budget is for the 2021 UK City of Culture competition; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The process for determining the winning city in 2021 is due to take place in 2017. All funding is subject to the forthcoming spending review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of lone parents in receipt of (a) jobseeker’s allowance and (b) income support moved into work after successfully applying for a vacancy advertised on Universal Jobmatch in the most recent month for which figures are available.
Priti Patel
The information requested is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government plans to review legislation on joint enterprise.
Mike Penning
Joint enterprise law has enabled some of the most serious offenders to be brought to justice. It ensures that if a crime is committed by two or more people, all those involved can potentially be charged and convicted of that offence.
The Justice Committee made recommendations for a review of the law during the last Parliament, which the Government has been considering carefully.
Ministers are also mindful that the Supreme Court is looking at a case which might change the way the law in this area is applied. The Government will decide how to proceed after the Court has delivered its judgment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the total spending allocation her Department has made to supporting communities affected by recent floods has been spent to date.
Rory Stewart
Defra is administering a Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers affected by the flooding. Further support to communities is available through the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Farmers affected by flooding will be able to claim grants of between £500 and £20,000 to cover the cost of restoring their farmland. The RPA will pay out on all eligible claims. The deadline for Fund applications is 1 April 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police forces in England operate a neighbourhood policing model.
Mike Penning
How neighbourhood policing is delivered, its priorities, and the specific model that is used, are decisions for Chief Constables in conjunction with their democratically accountable Police and Crime Commissioners. This Government believes in local policing, accountable to local communities. That is why we abolished all central Government targets and put local people in charge by introducing directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a deposit return scheme for single use drinks containers to reduce litter.
Rory Stewart
Defra analysed the costs and benefits of implementing a deposit return system (DRS) for single use drink containers as part of the 2011 Review of Waste Policy in England, and sought views in the 2012 consultation on higher packaging recycling targets.
This work showed that introducing a DRS may increase recycling and reduce litter but might impose additional costs on businesses, consumers and local authorities (which would lose revenue from recycling). However, we lack evidence to quantify these benefits and costs appropriately. The current approach has driven a significant increase in packaging waste recycling rates, from less than 47% in 2003 to nearly 65% in 2013.
Last year, the Scottish Government published a feasibility study and a call for evidence investigating the implementation of a DRS for single use drink containers in Scotland. This valuable work highlighted significant uncertainties regarding the impacts and benefits that a DRS would have, notably regarding costs, environmental quality and littering, and existing waste collection systems. The Scottish Government is doing further work on the topic and we will review any new evidence arising from this in due course. However, in the meantime, we will continue to focus on improving existing waste collection and recycling systems, and developing a new National Litter Strategy for England to help coordinate and maximise the impact of anti-litter activity by local government, industry and others.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the Fourth Report of the Home Affairs Committee, on Reform of the Police Funding Formula, HC 476.
Mike Penning
We will respond to the Home Affairs Select Committee’s report as soon as we are in a position to do so.
We have noted the Committee’s recommendations and are taking them into account as we consider the options for how best to take forward the work on the police funding formula.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will bring forward proposals to change surrogacy law to give single parents with children born through surrogacy the same rights as couples.
Jane Ellison
The Government has accepted the judgment by Sir James Munby from the High Court. We will be looking to update the legislation on Parental Orders, and are now considering how best to do this.