The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Lumley on 2014-06-10.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether recall powers for local elected representatives will be included in the Government’s Bill to enable recall of hon. Members.
Mr Nick Clegg
The Government has no plans at this time to extend the power of recall beyond Members of Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-06-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives from Govia on its plan to reduce the number of revenue protection staff working on the London Midland line; what reasons he has been given by Govia for those reductions.
Stephen Hammond
Govia have made us aware of their staffing restructuring plans and the reasoning behind them. They have also provided assurances that these plans will not prevent them from fulfilling their obligations in meeting the requirements of the Franchise Agreement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-06-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training they provide for magistrates.
Lord Faulks
Responsibility for the training of magistrates rests with the Lord Chief Justice and this is exercised through the Judicial College. The National Training Programme for Magistrates provides the framework of training and appraisal for magistrates who sit as chairs and wingers for each of the jurisdictions of Adult Court, Youth Court and Family Court in England and Wales.
The training programme supports the learning and development of magistrates to a consistent standard across England & Wales to enable them to perform their duties effectively. Magistrates will go through an induction process and thereafter attend continuation training. The Judicial College supports the training process by providing Bench Books for the Adult, Youth and Family proceedings. Where a need is identified, the Judicial College will also provide training materials to the magistracy for the implementation of major legislation and other changes.
Magistrates are advised in court by their legal advisers who, as professional lawyers, will keep themselves up-to-date with legal developments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2014-06-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to bring their proposals to give HM Revenue and Customs power to remove money from bank accounts without prior judicial process for consideration or agreement by the House of Lords; and, if so, how.
Lord Deighton
The Government is consulting on the Direct Recovery of Debts until 29th July. This policy will modernise and strengthen HMRC’s ability to recover tax and tax credit debts from those who are refusing to pay what they owe but have sufficient funds in their accounts.
The Government intends to publish a response document and draft legislation later this year. This draft legislation will be consulted on before it is included in next year’s Finance Bill, where it will be subject to the usual Parliamentary scrutiny.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their intention for on-site legal surgeries be held in HMP The Verne.
Lord Faulks
Earlier this year the Legal Aid Agency conducted an expression of interest exercise among existing contract holders providing immigration surgeries at other Immigration Removal Centres, with four providers confirmed as interested in operating surgeries in HMP The Verne. Communications will be issued shortly regarding when these services are likely to commence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress his Department has made in reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training since May 2010.
Matthew Hancock
Latest quarterly figures published in May show that the proportion of 16-18 year olds NEET is 6.7% – down a third since 2010 and the lowest on record.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-06-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 13 May (WA 493), what is the amount of the annual charge used to calculate the net presentvalue of the Thameslink rolling stock project and the number of diagrammed multiple units and diagrammed vehicles to be provided.
Baroness Kramer
The aggregate net present value for the supply and maintenance of the new Thameslink trains (including the provision of depots) is £2.8 billion in 2014 prices. Cross London Trains Ltd will lease 1140 vehicles as 115 trains, consisting of 55 12-car units and 60 8-car units, to the Thameslink operator to support an assumption of 109 diagrams. The final number of diagrams to be operated will be determined through the planning process for the December 2018 timetable.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laming on 2014-06-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take to reduce the number of children and young people who currently disappear from public care.
Lord Nash
It is every Council’s responsibility to provide looked after children with safe, secure care. This includes protecting them from the risks of going missing. New guidance was issued in January 2014 on children who go missing from care. The guidance places a duty on local authorities to offer all children an independent interview when they return from going missing. These interviews can reduce the likelihood of the child going missing again, as well as identify risks to which they may have been exposed whilst missing. We have also now started to collect national data for all children who go missing from care, not just those missing for 24 hours. This data will help build a clearer picture of the extent to which children go missing from local authority care.
The new Ofsted inspection framework has a focus on missing children. To be judged as “good” local authorities will have to show that:
“Comprehensive records are held and shared between agencies to help and protect children and young people. Together they take steps to ensure that all children, including those who are excluded from school, are safe and that for those who are missing or often missing there is a clear plan of urgent action in place to protect them and to reduce the risk of harm or further harm.”
Where Ofsted find poor practice they make specific recommendations to the local authority in their report.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2014-06-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Prime Minister’s comments in Brussels on 27 May that Brussels was too big and too busy” indicate that they intend to oppose any further expansion of the European Union.”
Baroness Warsi
The Prime Minister, my Rt. Hon Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron)’s comment was that Brussels is “too big and too bossy”. He was referring to the need for the EU to reform to become less interfering and more competitive, flexible and democratically accountable. He was not pronouncing on the EU’s territorial size.
The UK continues to be a strong supporter of enlargement based on firm but fair conditionality, focussing on key concerns shared by many Member States, particularly around the rule of law. Enlargement has proved a huge driver of peace, prosperity and progress across our continent.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2014-06-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will bring forward delegated legislation under the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 enabling complaints against claims management firms to be heard by the Legal Services Ombudsman.
Lord Faulks
The Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 provides the necessary enabling powers to put in place the funding arrangements for the Legal Ombudsman to deal with complaints against claims management companies. These provisions were commenced on 21 March 2014. They include a power for the Lord Chancellor to make Regulations to charge fees to recover the costs he has incurred in meeting the expenditure of the Legal Ombudsman in relation to claims management complaints.
The Government consultation on the proposed structure of the Lord Chancellor’s cost recovery fee ended on 6 June and the responses are being analysed. Once the fee structure is finalised, the Fee Regulations will be laid in Parliament for approval. Following this, an order to commence section 161 of the Legal Services Act 2007 will be laid. This will extend the remit of the Legal Ombudsman to enable it to deal with complaints about authorised claims management companies.
The government is committed to enabling this as soon as possible.