The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passports have been issued under the Government’s new passport fast-tracked free policy since that policy came into effect.
James Brokenshire
As of 13 July 2014, 12,325 passports have been fast-tracked as a result of the
measures announced by the Home Secretary to the House of Commons on 12 June
2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to encourage more rape victims to report that crime to the police and to ensure that they are treated appropriately when they do so.
Norman Baker
Rape and sexual violence are devastating and unacceptable crimes. The
Coalition Government’s continued approach to tackling such violence and abuse
is set out in our Violence against Women and Girls Action Plan, updated in
March 2014. Supporting victims is at the heart of this approach, which
includes giving victims more confidence to report crimes, and it is encouraging
that police recorded crime figures show more victims are having the confidence
to come forward.
We want every report of rape to be treated seriously from the point of
disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and
every prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.
We have ring-fenced funding for 87 Independent Sexual Violence Advisers to
provide appropriate and independent support for victims.
We have supported the publication of data on rape for every police force in the
country as a basis for improving recording and investigations of rape and
ensure that guidance on investigating and prosecuting rape is implemented in
every police force area. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary is
inspecting the recording of rape as part of a wider crime recording audit, and
the police and Crown Prosecution Service have published a joint action plan to
improve how these cases are handled within the criminal justice system.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the Exchequer of the asylum and immigration system once fee income has been deducted has been in each of the last seven years.
Karen Bradley
Because of several restructures over the past seven years this information is
not available in line with the question posed. Published accounts for the
former UK Border Agency break down income and expenditure information since
2009 and further information is available in the Home Office Report and
Accounts for 2013-14.
These can be accessed from the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/321446
/ARA_web_enabled_18_June.pdf
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues to companies which carry out the required checks on individuals applying for spouse visas on the appropriate amount of time for those checks to be completed.
Karen Bradley
The Department does not contract with any companies to carry out checks on
people applying for spouse visas.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for emergency travel documents for children have been received by the Passport Office since 16 June 2014.
James Brokenshire
As at 6 July 2014, 151 emergency travel documents (ETDs) have been issued to
children free of charge as a result of the measures announced by the Home
Secretary on 12 June 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time staff are employed in the Older Live Cases Unit.
Karen Bradley
There were 332 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff employed by OLCU at the end of
Q1 2014. FTE means that part time employees are counted by the proportion of
full time hours they work, so that staff working half the time of an equivalent
full time colleague would count as 0.5 FTE.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Dowd on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made towards ending the testing of household products and ingredients on animals; and if she will make a statement.
Norman Baker
We have made a commitment to ban the testing of household products on animals.
Although superficially straightforward, the details have not been easy to
resolve. Any solution has to be legally viable since we cannot ban testing
which may be required under UK or EU law.
The key issue is around ingredients. I am looking to develop a solution that
is workable and sensible, but does not have a chain of unforeseen circumstances.
We are looking to publish progress on the commitment later in the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many contract or temporary employees are employed in the Older Live Cases Unit; and what proportion of the overall staff count are contract or temporary employees.
Karen Bradley
There were 208 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) temporary agency workers employed on
OLCU casework at the end of Q1 2014, this was equal to 62.7% of the overall
staff at the time. FTE means that part time employees are counted by the
proportion of full time hours they work, so that staff working half the time of
an equivalent full time colleague would count as 0.5 FTE.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was of running (a) the Case Resolution Directorate, (b) the Case Assurance and Audit Unit and (c) the Older Live Cases Unit in each year of those bodies’ operations.
Karen Bradley
The operational costs of running the Case Resolution Directorate (excluding
enforcement costs, detention and removal escort costs or asylum and immigration
tribunal costs) was approximately £32 million per year. The costs are inclusive
of an outsourced administrative function in 2009-2011. Support costs for
applicants were accounted for separately for this period.
The total running costs of the Case Assurance and Audit Unit was £27.4 million
(2011/ 2012) and £19. 5million (2012/ 2013). The total running costs of the Older Live
Cases Unit was £7.8 million (2013/ 2014). The Older Live Cases Unit budget spend to
date for 2014/ 2015 is £1.87 million. Since setting up the Case Resolution Directorate,
operational running costs have decreased year on year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the statement of 24 June 2014, Official Report, column 206, on student visas, whether she is seeking financial compensation from the Educational Testing Service.
James Brokenshire
Investigations are on-going and all potential remedies are being pursued.