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Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents his Department has recorded of drones operating over prison estates in the last year for which figures are available; what steps his Department took following each such incident; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Selous

If an incident involving a drone occurs, prisons will invoke appropriate contingency plans and will work alongside the police and CPS to ensure those responsible are caught. NOMS are exploring research options with the Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) on detection and mitigation technology for drones.

There were 30 reported drone related incidents between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2015. This includes drone finds and drone sightings by prison staff in and around public and private prisons in England and Wales.

Individual prisons will invoke the appropriate contingency plan relevant to the circumstances of the incident involving a drone. This includes, for example, working with the police and CPS to ensure those responsible for an incident involving a drone are caught and, if appropriate, prosecuted.

These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

01/01/2023

Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18875, in which prisons each of those mobile telephones and sim cards were detected in each of those years; and what the number of such detections was per prisoner in each of those years.

Andrew Selous

Mobile phones have no place in our prisons and we have invested in technology to prevent their use. But more needs to be done, and we will look at new ways of finding and blocking them. It is a criminal offence to possess a mobile phone or component part in a prison.

The Chancellor announced in the spending review that we will invest in more safety improvements to stamp out the organisation of crime from within prisons, including funding for tackling illicit mobile phones and investing in body scanners.

The table below provides the number of ‘‘finds’ of mobile phones and/or SIM cards reported by each prison between April 2010, when recording started, and December 2014. One ‘find’ may constitute a handset containing one SIM card or media card, a handset only, or a SIM card only.

Table: Number of mobile phone and SIM card finds broken down by prison.

ESTABLISHMENT	2010*	2011	2012	2013	2014	*2010-2014 total**
ACKLINGTON	63	28	–	–	–	91
ALBANY	0	3	4	0	–	7
ALTCOURSE (C)	790	609	534	290	689	2912
ASHFIELD(C)	1	2	2	0	0	5
ASHWELL	2	7	–	–	–	9
ASKHAM GRANGE	0	0	2	1	0	3
AYLESBURY	278	97	29	176	130	710
BEDFORD	27	55	29	53	28	192
BELMARSH	15	25	9	126	180	355
BIRMINGHAM (C)	248	537	302	133	140	1360
BLANTYRE HOUSE	19	12	4	3	14	52
BLUNDESTON	27	1	11	6	–	45
BRINSFORD	12	76	45	182	200	515
BRISTOL	54	33	26	32	37	182
BRIXTON	46	67	28	23	41	205
BRONZEFIELD(C)	34	12	3	13	18	80
BUCKLEY HALL	11	22	149	111	197	490
BULLINGDON	42	16	6	23	51	138
BULLWOOD HALL	1	8	15	1	–	25
BURE	5	1	0	1	0	7
CAMP HILL	98	52	22	1	–	173
CANTERBURY	22	10	21	7	–	60
CARDIFF	19	36	7	9	14	85
CASTINGTON	10	11	–	–	–	21
CHANNINGS WOOD	64	63	15	39	34	215
CHELMSFORD	42	38	11	4	4	99
COLDINGLEY	37	52	42	106	34	271
COOKHAM WOOD	6	1	1	1	0	9
DARTMOOR	27	16	2	11	42	98
DEERBOLT	3	15	2	4	25	49
DONCASTER(C)	15	6	24	182	419	646
DORCHESTER	20	14	8	5	1	48
DOVEGATE (C)	5	24	15	30	51	125
DOVER	14	21	10	5	2	52
DOWNVIEW	5	5	2	1	0	13
DRAKE HALL	10	2	3	0	4	19
DURHAM	24	41	23	20	0	108
EAST SUTTON PARK	1	5	4	6	1	17
EASTWOOD PARK	3	9	1	6	9	28
EDMUNDS HILL	25	22	–	–	–	47
ELMLEY	45	47	53	103	308	556
ERLESTOKE	62	176	137	98	83	556
EVERTHORPE	50	32	26	45	19	172
EXETER	14	21	15	16	7	73
FEATHERSTONE	39	29	133	42	128	371
FELTHAM	84	65	45	22	27	243
FORD	61	250	200	202	270	983
FOREST BANK (C)	122	37	105	165	258	687
FOSTON HALL	0	1	2	6	2	11
FRANKLAND	6	2	7	0	5	20
FULL SUTTON	10	4	9	2	10	35
GARTH	76	32	39	33	36	216
GARTREE	14	22	65	57	20	178
GLEN PARVA	2	4	8	3	4	21
GLOUCESTER	1	4	3	0	–	8
GRENDON	17	10	3	0	1	31
GUYS MARSH	77	182	175	54	75	563
HASLAR	0	0	2	0	0	2
HATFIELD	10	58	154	96	104	422
HAVERIGG	107	134	291	172	95	799
HEWELL	76	289	335	166	366	1232
HIGHDOWN	23	68	49	61	164	365
HIGHPOINT	80	55	180	203	214	732
HINDLEY	1	4	6	1	9	21
HOLLESLEY BAY	193	129	90	120	59	591
HOLLOWAY	7	7	10	5	8	37
HOLME HOUSE	18	15	5	9	105	152
HULL	23	25	13	2	2	65
HUNTERCOMBE	2	36	9	26	34	107
ISIS	8	52	39	18	4	121
ISLE OF WIGHT	–	–	–	0	4	4
KENNET	4	5	9	8	35	61
KINGSTON	6	0	0	0	–	6
KIRKHAM	273	390	493	488	526	2170
KIRKLEVINGTON GRANGE	13	15	19	9	19	75
LANCASTER CASTLE	18	–	–	–	–	18
LANCASTER FARMS	89	79	25	117	92	402
LATCHMERE HOUSE	69	40	–	–	–	109
LEEDS	53	59	27	8	7	154
LEICESTER	27	26	15	9	24	101
LEWES	38	46	30	51	140	305
LEYHILL	83	27	30	49	42	231
LINCOLN	28	33	4	1	3	69
LINDHOLME	164	96	145	63	70	538
LITTLEHEY	13	34	4	2	7	60
LIVERPOOL	138	118	88	65	15	424
LONG LARTIN	12	31	77	28	34	182
LOW NEWTON	0	3	0	0	1	4
LOWDHAM GRANGE (C)	27	10	26	24	2	89
MAIDSTONE	6	34	22	26	38	126
MANCHESTER	41	36	23	12	8	120
MOORLAND	111	65	13	20	52	261
MOORLAND OPEN	10	–	–	–	–	10
MORTON HALL	0	4	5	2	5	16
MOUNT	86	78	182	220	111	677
NEW HALL	2	0	1	1	0	4
NORTH SEA CAMP	86	63	67	61	48	325
NORTHALLERTON	0	7	3	11	–	21
NORTHUMBERLAND (C)	–	15	109	130	170	424
NORWICH	30	15	11	18	66	140
NOTTINGHAM	11	38	17	16	136	218
OAKWOOD (C)	0	0	33	194	181	408
ONLEY	53	68	65	85	197	468
PARC (C)	32	79	16	16	30	173
PARKHURST	6	8	20	16	–	50
PENTONVILLE	207	199	124	149	282	961
PETERBOROUGH (C)	141	145	60	44	51	441
PORTLAND	24	6	11	10	0	51
PRESCOED	0	2	4	4	9	19
PRESTON	18	15	9	12	98	152
RANBY	90	124	300	229	261	1004
READING	12	25	7	5	–	49
RISLEY	72	12	37	84	30	235
ROCHESTER	6	10	23	60	145	244
RYE HILL (C)	42	79	70	113	71	375
SEND	3	12	11	13	8	47
SHEPTON MALLET	3	7	4	1	–	15
SHREWSBURY	3	0	0	0	–	3
SPRING HILL	12	13	34	117	104	280
STAFFORD	12	69	14	70	7	172
STANDFORD HILL	150	186	127	270	159	892
STOCKEN	26	12	30	11	38	117
STOKE HEATH	8	28	19	44	100	199
STYAL	7	7	9	13	10	46
SUDBURY	72	120	124	134	102	552
SWALESIDE	100	58	107	103	241	609
SWANSEA	2	0	1	61	2	66
SWINFEN HALL	32	44	14	10	18	118
THAMESIDE (C)	0	0	8	98	33	139
THORN CROSS	74	79	84	109	141	487
USK	2	1	1	1	3	8
VERNE	67	144	161	50	3	425
WAKEFIELD	1	2	3	4	4	14
WANDSWORTH	157	131	119	119	163	689
WARREN HILL	5	10	5	0	1	21
WAYLAND	20	30	17	15	34	116
WEALSTUN	57	145	155	120	330	807
WELLINGBOROUGH	61	195	181	1	–	438
WERRINGTON	12	4	9	6	7	38
WETHERBY	5	3	5	1	2	16
WHATTON	9	1	0	3	5	18
WHITEMOOR	18	28	17	9	1	73
WINCHESTER	39	3	31	21	9	103
WOLDS	104	96	44	23	54	321
WOODHILL	4	58	74	64	74	274
WORMWOOD SCRUBS	141	267	39	128	248	823
WYMOTT	58	50	11	34	52	205
Subtotal	6758	7786	7301	7451	9745

*April to December only.

(C) denotes a privately operated prison

Note: The following prisons closed during the reporting period:

HMP Ashwell – April 2011

HMP Lancaster Castle – March 2011

HMP Latchmere House – April 2012

HMP Wellingborough – December 2012

HMP Bullwood Hall – March 2013

HMP Canterbury – March 2013

HMP Gloucester – March 2013

HMP Kingston – March 2013

HMP Shepton Mallet – March 2013

HMP Dorchester – January 2014

HMP Shrewsbury – March 2013

HMP Camp Hill – March 2013

HMP Blundeston – January 2014

HMP Northallerton – January 2014

HMP Reading – January 2014

HMYOI Moorland Open was renamed HMYOI Hatfield in the autumn of 2010

HMPs Acklington and Castington became HMP Northumberland in October 2011

HMP Edmunds Hill merged into HMP Highpoint in July 2012

HMPs Albany and Parkhurst became HMP Isle of Wight in February 2013

All figures in this answer have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time.Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. The data are not subject to audit.

We do not collect data on the number of detections of mobile phones and SIM cards in a way that would enable us to provide a meaningful rate of detection per prisoner.

01/01/2023

Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to reply to Question 15306, tabled by the hon. Member for Hammersmith on 16 November 2015.

Caroline Dinenage

I refer the honourable member to the answer which I gave in PQ 15306, answered on 17^th February 2016.

01/01/2023

Jake Berry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications by grandparents for rights of access to their grandchildren there were in each year since 2010.

Caroline Dinenage

Under the Children Act 1989 the court may make a child arrangements order to determine with whom a child is to live or spend time. Prior to 22nd April 2014 such orders were called contact and residence orders. The Department collates figures on the numbers of applications made by grandparents for child arrangements orders and the figures for such applications since 2010 are shown below.

Number of child arrangement (contact) order applications made by grandparents in England and Wales

Year	Applications by grandparents
2011	2403
2012	2574
2013	2755
2014	1624
2015 – 3 quarters only	1335

Unlike parents, grandparents and other family members can only make an application for a child arrangements orders with the permission of the court. The requirement to apply for the court’s permission is not designed to be an obstacle to grandparents, or other close relatives, but to act as a filter to sift out those applications that are clearly not in the child’s best interests. Experience suggests that grandparents (or other interested relatives) would not usually experience difficulty in obtaining permission where their application is motivated by a genuine concern for the child.

The Department does not collate figures on applications for a child arrangements order where the court’s permission has been sought. This information could only be obtained by manually checking each case file at disproportionate cost. Similarly, the Department does not collate figures centrally on family members named in a child arrangements order. Details of the numbers of child arrangements orders issued specifically for grandparents to see their grandchildren could only be obtained by checking each file at disproportionate cost.

01/01/2023

Jake Berry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many contact orders for grandparents to see their grandchildren were issued in each year since 2010.

Caroline Dinenage

Under the Children Act 1989 the court may make a child arrangements order to determine with whom a child is to live or spend time. Prior to 22nd April 2014 such orders were called contact and residence orders. The Department collates figures on the numbers of applications made by grandparents for child arrangements orders and the figures for such applications since 2010 are shown below.

Number of child arrangement (contact) order applications made by grandparents in England and Wales

Year	Applications by grandparents
2011	2403
2012	2574
2013	2755
2014	1624
2015 – 3 quarters only	1335

Unlike parents, grandparents and other family members can only make an application for a child arrangements orders with the permission of the court. The requirement to apply for the court’s permission is not designed to be an obstacle to grandparents, or other close relatives, but to act as a filter to sift out those applications that are clearly not in the child’s best interests. Experience suggests that grandparents (or other interested relatives) would not usually experience difficulty in obtaining permission where their application is motivated by a genuine concern for the child.

The Department does not collate figures on applications for a child arrangements order where the court’s permission has been sought. This information could only be obtained by manually checking each case file at disproportionate cost. Similarly, the Department does not collate figures centrally on family members named in a child arrangements order. Details of the numbers of child arrangements orders issued specifically for grandparents to see their grandchildren could only be obtained by checking each file at disproportionate cost.

01/01/2023

Jake Berry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications by grandparents for permission to apply for a contact order to see their grandchildren were successful in each year since 2010.

Caroline Dinenage

Under the Children Act 1989 the court may make a child arrangements order to determine with whom a child is to live or spend time. Prior to 22nd April 2014 such orders were called contact and residence orders. The Department collates figures on the numbers of applications made by grandparents for child arrangements orders and the figures for such applications since 2010 are shown below.

Number of child arrangement (contact) order applications made by grandparents in England and Wales

Year	Applications by grandparents
2011	2403
2012	2574
2013	2755
2014	1624
2015 – 3 quarters only	1335

Unlike parents, grandparents and other family members can only make an application for a child arrangements orders with the permission of the court. The requirement to apply for the court’s permission is not designed to be an obstacle to grandparents, or other close relatives, but to act as a filter to sift out those applications that are clearly not in the child’s best interests. Experience suggests that grandparents (or other interested relatives) would not usually experience difficulty in obtaining permission where their application is motivated by a genuine concern for the child.

The Department does not collate figures on applications for a child arrangements order where the court’s permission has been sought. This information could only be obtained by manually checking each case file at disproportionate cost. Similarly, the Department does not collate figures centrally on family members named in a child arrangements order. Details of the numbers of child arrangements orders issued specifically for grandparents to see their grandchildren could only be obtained by checking each file at disproportionate cost.

01/01/2023

Karl Turner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 1.143 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what the evidential basis is of the statement that a claimant culture exists in England and Wales in relation to whiplash claims.

Dominic Raab

The Government received and analysed data from numerous sources when formulating the announcement in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. The quoted figures were arrived at by combining published industry estimates along with data from government and other sources.

Government data, compiled by the Compensation Recovery Unit at the Department for Work and Pensions, indicates that claims volumes remain at historically high levels, some 50% higher than in 2006. Over the same period accident rates have fallen by around 26%. This is clear evidence that the system is in need of further reform, which is why on 25 November, in his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced tough new measures to control costs and reduce the number of unnecessary whiplash claims.

The Government will consult on the detail of the new reform package in due course and the consultation document will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

01/01/2023

Karl Turner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 1.143 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what steps his Department took to ensure accuracy of the £2 billion quoted as the cost to insurers of whiplash claims; and if his Department will conduct its own estimate of that cost.

Dominic Raab

The Government received and analysed data from numerous sources when formulating the announcement in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. The quoted figures were arrived at by combining published industry estimates along with data from government and other sources.

Government data, compiled by the Compensation Recovery Unit at the Department for Work and Pensions, indicates that claims volumes remain at historically high levels, some 50% higher than in 2006. Over the same period accident rates have fallen by around 26%. This is clear evidence that the system is in need of further reform, which is why on 25 November, in his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced tough new measures to control costs and reduce the number of unnecessary whiplash claims.

The Government will consult on the detail of the new reform package in due course and the consultation document will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

01/01/2023

Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2015 to Question 19180, how her Department calculates how to allocate refugee support funding to recipient countries; what information her Department holds on how the distribution of that funding is allocated by the recipient country; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd

The UK has allocated £559 million, of an overall £1.12 billion contribution to the Syria crisis response, to support refugees in the region and vulnerable host communities. This includes £304 million in Lebanon, £193 million in Jordan and the remainder across the region. The UK prioritises its assistance according to where needs are greatest and most unmet, guided by assessments including the UN appeals, and the capacity of the host country to absorb refugees.

In line with the key humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality, we work with trusted humanitarian partners with experience of operating in fragile and conflict affected states, to ensure that aid is delivered to people on a needs basis. In 2015/16 DFID is working with 18 humanitarian partners in neighbouring countries. These include UN agencies, international organisations, NGOs and civil society organisations.

01/01/2023

Virendra Sharma – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what effect Sustainable Development Goal 3 has had on her Department’s aid strategy for UK; and what account she plans to take of that goal in forming the new UK aid strategy.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID will continue to play a leading role in health globally supporting developing countries to meet the Global Goal 3. DFID’s work on health is also guided by the Government’s International Development manifesto commitments and the new UK Aid Strategy. This work will benefit millions of people, which will avoid needless deaths; and encourage healthier populations who are better able to contribute to their nation’s prosperity; and increase the ability of these countries to develop, which is in the UK’s national interest. We will also help build strong health systems that can sustain the gains.

For example, the new Ross Fund announced in the UK Aid Strategy is a commitment to global public health that will fund work to tackle diseases of epidemic potential, such as Ebola, neglected tropical diseases, drug resistant infections, and malaria. This will directly contribute to the achievement of a number of the global goal health targets.

01/01/2023

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