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Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many domestic violence courts sat at each magistrates’ court in Lancashire in 2014.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The table below sets out the number of domestic violence courts scheduled to be sat in each magistrates’ court in Lancashire in 2014:

Magistrates Courts in Lancashire	Number of half day sessions scheduled to sit on domestic violence during 2014
Blackpool Magistrates’ Court	100
Lancaster Magistrates’ Court	50
Preston Magistrates’ Court	100
Chorley Magistrates’ Court	50
Ormskirk Magistrates’ Court	50
Blackburn Magistrates’ Court	100
Burnley Magistrates’ Court	100

02/11/2022

John Hemming – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Hemming on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer on 12 February 2015 to Question 223311, what calculations were made to determine that to answer the original question would incur disproportionate costs.

Mr Shailesh Vara

In order to answer 223311 Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) would have to manually check every court log from 1 May 2013 to the present at Birmingham County Court, Birmingham Family Court and the High Court at Birmingham. Birmingham County Court and Birmingham Family Court between them heard in excess of 24,000 cases, each of which would have to be manually checked for any hearings for contempt of court.

HMCTS have been able to check records of cases heard since November 2014, and identified those where committal orders were made for imprisonment for contempt of court. The contemnors weren’t all present at court and did not necessarily begin their term of imprisonment straight away. There were none at Birmingham Family Court. Details of committal orders made for imprisonment for contempt of court at Birmingham County Court and High Court since 1 November 2014 can be found in the table below. This data has been collated specifically to answer this question and has not been checked to the standard of Official Statistics.

Court	Judge	Date	Period
Birmingham High Court	HHJ Purle QC	13-2-15	6 weeks
Birmingham County Court	DJ Rich TD	7-11-14	8 weeks
Birmingham County Court	HHJ McKenna	19-11-14	16 weeks
Birmingham County Court	HHJ McKenna	15-1-15	18 weeks
Birmingham County Court	HHJ McKenna	15-1-15	25 weeks
Birmingham County Court	DJ Ingram	30-1-15	24 weeks
Birmingham County Court	DJ Shorthose	13-2-15	26 weeks

02/11/2022

Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is providing for security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan.

Mr Desmond Swayne

DFID’s Peacebuilding Support Programme supports the provincial Government to deliver improved security and justice to 250,000 citizens in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). It focuses on strengthening civilian security (police, prosecutions, prisons) and the formal and informal justice sectors. DFID also contributes to a Multi Donor Trust Fund supporting areas of KP affected by militancy and conflict. It helps improve state-citizen trust and reduce the root causes of insecurity through improved infrastructure, economic development and service delivery.

UK aid to Pakistan also addresses the conditions that might breed violent extremism by reducing poverty, meeting basic needs, increasing economic opportunities and promoting inclusion. It supports the government to build an effective state that is more able to respond to violent extremism through strengthening democratic processes and institutions, delivering better services and improving access to justice.

02/11/2022
Anas Sarwar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations her Department has made to the Malawian government on the introduction of user fees for health and education services in that country.

Mr Desmond Swayne

DFID engages with both the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on how to best ensure all poor Malawians can access good quality education and health care.

02/11/2022
Anas Sarwar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding has been allocated to NGOs and other non-state actors since bilateral support to Malawi was suspended in November 2013; and what the expected outcomes of that funding are.

Mr Desmond Swayne

General budget support to Malawi was suspended in 2011 due to concerns relating to human rights and public financial management. Tightly managed sector budget support for health and education was continued by all donors but following the Cashgate scandal in November 2013 this too was suspended. There can be no consideration of putting UK funding through Malawi government systems until the integrity of the Government’s financial management systems has been restored and independently verified. However, the UK is still committed to poverty reduction and supporting poor people in Malawi, through a large programme of ongoing investments delivered outside of government systems, in health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, economic development and governance.

Since November 2013 to date the DFID bilateral programme in Malawi has disbursed £ 70.4 million to NGOs, Multilaterals and other non-state channels outside of government systems. Expected outcomes include:

– An important contribution to meeting contraception needs in a country with a high total fertility rate and increasing population pressure. By 2016, the UK’s Malawi Family Planning Programme is expected to support 800,000 additional women to access and use modern methods of family planning.

– Improved access to Water and Sanitation. 750,000 people will have access to clean drinking water sources by 2016.

– Supporting 15,000 girls to benefit from secondary school bursaries by 2016.

– Supporting improved health outcomes. DFID support is currently supplying the bulk of emergency drugs and medical supplies to Malawi’s hospitals.

– Helping to strengthen civil society in Malawi to hold their government accountable for the provision of basic services.

– Supporting 370,000 people to access relief food supplies; provision of emergency water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for 34,000 people; and assisting 54,000 people with seeds and tools to rebuild their lives after recent floods washed their crops away.

Full details of these outcomes and others are available in DFID’s Operational Plan 2011-2016 accessible online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389289/Malawi.pdf .

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02/11/2022
Anas Sarwar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anas Sarwar on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to work with the government of Malawi to enhance financial controls and transparency in that country, with a view to restoring bilateral support by the UK.

Mr Desmond Swayne

General budget support to Malawi was suspended in 2011 due to concerns relating to human rights and public financial management. Tightly managed sector budget support for health and education was continued by all donors but following the Cash-gate scandal in November 2013 this too was suspended. There can be no consideration of putting UK funding through Malawi government systems until the integrity of the Government’s financial management systems has been restored and independently verified. However, the UK is still committed to poverty reduction and supporting poor people in Malawi, through a large programme of ongoing investments delivered, in health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, economic development and governance.

In the wake of the Cash-gate corruption scandal in 2013, we have funded a forensic audit as well as technical assistance to the investigation agencies to help bring the culprits to court and continue to support public financial management reforms.

02/11/2022
Gavin Shuker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Shuker on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial contribution the Government plans to make to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The UK is currently the third largest donor to the UNRWA General Fund providing £106.5 million between 2012-2015. In response to the Gaza conflict last summer, the UK also provided an additional £9 million to the UNRWA Gaza Flash Appeal. Future funding decisions for contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) will be informed by an assessment of need.

02/11/2022
Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total value of contracts her Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mr Desmond Swayne

We do not hold information in the form requested.

02/11/2022
Mark Durkan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what account she took of the recommendations of (a) the Report of the Modern Slavery Bill Evidence Review presented to her on 16 December 2013 and (b) the report from the Joint Committee on the Draft Modern Slavery Bill published on 3 April 2014, HC 1019, when establishing the review of migrant domestic worker arrangements.

Karen Bradley

Both reports were considered carefully when establishing the review of the
Overseas Domestic Worker visa. That is why the review will focus on all aspects
of this visa regime, including the support available to those who are subject
to modern slavery offences whilst holding these visas. The Government is
determined to ensure that our visa regime does not encourage or facilitate
abuse. James Ewins was asked to conduct the review in light of his significant
background in tackling modern slavery, including as specialist adviser to the
pre-legislative scrutiny Committee and as a member of the steering committee
for the Modern Slavery Bill Evidence Review Panel. The Review will report by
the end of July 2015.

02/11/2022
Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total value of contracts her Department has with private sector providers was in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Karen Bradley

Details of contracts above the value of £10,000 awarded to private sector
providers are published on the Contracts Finder website,
www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk .

The total value of contracts the Home Office has with private sector providers
in each of the years for which records are available is as follows:

Financial Year Aggregated Spend against contracts with private sector providers

2009/10 Data Not Available
2010/11 £2.45 billion
2011/12 £2.40 billion
2012/13 £2.13 billion
2013/14 £1.99 billion

The aggregated spend data provided shows a reduction in private
sector contract spend of £460 million since 2010-11.

02/11/2022