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  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Human Rights Act 1998 on society and communities in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    The Government was elected in May with a clear mandate to implement its manifesto commitment to replace the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights.

    We believe that it is entirely possible to do that in ways that are consistent with the Belfast Agreement.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the effect of potential reforms of the Human Rights Act 1998 on the Good Friday Agreement; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    The Government was elected in May with a clear mandate to implement its manifesto commitment to replace the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights.

    We believe that it is entirely possible to do that in ways that are consistent with the Belfast Agreement.

  • Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much of the Stormont Agreement’s financial package of £2 billion in extra spending power to the Northern Ireland Executive is a loan to be paid back to the Government by the Executive.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Through the Stormont House Agreement the Government committed to allow the Executive to use £700 million of Reinvestment and Reform Initiative (RRI) capital borrowing to fund Voluntary Exit Schemes (VES). The Executive expect full implementation of VES to deliver around £500 million in annual savings, which can be deployed to other public services.

    The Government also agreed to allow the Executive increased access to RRI borrowing to fund £350 million of capital projects, over four years. This funding is for economic projects.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will clarify the definitions of careless driving and dangerous driving during his review of driving offences and penalties.

    Andrew Selous

    The legal meaning of careless or inconsiderate driving, and of dangerous driving, and the associated offences are set out in the Road Traffic Act 1988.

    Since the announcement of the review of driving offences and penalties the Ministry of Justice has received a number of representations about the distinction between careless and dangerous driving.

    It is important that all criminal justice agencies, including the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the judiciary, should explain clearly any decisions made in relation to careless or dangerous driving.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to establish Road Justice Scrutiny Panels to scrutinise investigations of road crime.

    Mike Penning

    The investigation of road crime incidents is an operational matter for the police. If anyone wishes to complain about any treatment he or she has received, they should raise a complaint with the local Chief Officer, Chief Constable or Police and Crime Commissioner. The Police Reform Act 2002 stipulates the procedures to make a complaint and outlines the role of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). This ensures that police officers and staff are fully answerable for their actions.

    The Home Office does not centrally hold information on the number of motorists who chose to attend a driver alertness scheme. How the scheme is managed is an operational matter for the police.

  • Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Bill Esterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make representations to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to open an investigation into the case of James Thompson.

    Mike Penning

    As I stated in response to Questions 14066 and 16560, although the Criminal Cases Review Commission is funded by my Department, it is entirely independent of Government, and Ministers cannot, and should not, attempt to intervene in its reviews or decisions.

  • Julian Sturdy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Julian Sturdy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what account he has taken of trends in reports of pregnancy discrimination as in his review into employment tribunal fees.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    On 11 June we announced the start of the post-implementation review of the introduction of fees in the Employment Tribunals. The review will consider, so far as is possible, the impact the fees have had on those with protected characteristics and the types of case they bring. In order to do this, we will be giving all relevant material the appropriate consideration.

    The review is underway and will report in due course.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost of using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Mike Penning

    From July 2014, recruitment for SCS posts have been managed centrally by Civil Service Resourcing. Data prior to that date is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

    As part of its long-term economic plan, this Government has reduced the size of the Civil Service by 22%, adjusting for Machinery of Government changes that moved staff into and out of the Civil Service since the 2010 General Election, representing a significant increase in efficiency and productivity that helped save taxpayers £2.8 billion last year alone.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the cost of using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in her Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The table below confirms DFID’s spend on using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in the last five years.

    Year

    Spend

    2012/13

    £14,760

    2013/14

    £40,500

    2015/16

    £38,000

    As part of its long-term economic plan, this Government has reduced the size of the Civil Service by 22%, adjusting for Machinery of Government changes that moved staff into and out of the Civil Service since the 2010 General Election, representing a significant increase in efficiency and productivity that helped save taxpayers £2.8 billion last year alone.

  • Derek Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Derek Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is giving to strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene services in countries affected by Ebola.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Prior to, during and following the Ebola outbreak, DFID has provided funding and technical assistance to increase access to water, sanitation services and hygiene education (WASH) in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Between 2012-2016, DFID has committed through our country programmes up to £71.3m for WASH programmes in Sierra Leone and £4.75m for Liberia. We have no bilateral programme in Guinea.

    During the Ebola outbreak our existing WASH programmes were adapted to help Sierra Leone and Liberia respond to the crisis. The above figure includes DFID assistance to improve water and sanitation facilities in schools and health facilities as part of our support to the post-Ebola recovery.

    The President of Sierra Leone has identified water as one of his top six priorities for the post Ebola recovery period. DFID has committed to support delivery of this agenda and we are working with them to define high quality programmes that will increase access to clean water.