The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-03-11.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish the report of the independent project review of the Counter Fraud Checking Service once it is completed.
Francis Maude
Prior to the last General Election, there was no-cross Government work to tackle the billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money lost to fraud.
We are currently reviewing the business case for a Counter Fraud Checking Service.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wills on 2014-03-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when Lord Wills will receive a response to his email to the Cabinet Office of 6 November 2013 (Cabinet Office reference IR317467) about Freedom of Information requests.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire
I apologise for the delay. The Noble Lord has received a reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-03-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government in what areas they operate drones; and for what use.
Baroness Kramer
The Ministry of Defence operates Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) globally for operational surveillance, precision attack and for training purposes. Reaper RPAS is the only armed system. It operates only in Afghanistan, and professional, qualified pilots follow the exact same Rules of Engagement as pilots of other aircraft types.
Whilst the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not used any RPAS, its Centre for Environment Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Food & Environment Research Agency, Environment Agency, Natural England and Royal Botanic Gardens have used small RPAS to support work on flood defence and coastal erosion, and the monitoring of crops, plants and nature reserves. All flights were carried out within the UK except for an aerial plant survey in Peru carried out by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The Home Office does not itself operate RPAS and the only police force operationally using a system (albeit very occasionally) is Staffordshire. This system is mostly used for patrol sweeps of car park and camping areas at V Festival, security sweeps for VIP events at the National Arboretum, they have also carried out some missing person, search and rescue, and counter-poaching tasks.
Sussex Police have completed formal training and are now in the process of gathering experience with their own RPAS system – although if an important operational task came up RPAS would be deployed. The formal start date for the trial is in the near future.
Kent Police, as part of the 2 Seas project, have hosted some RPAS trial flights to assess the performance of the system. They are planning to host an event about the project in July.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-03-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the recent finding in the Demos report, Introducing Generation Citizen, that 84 per cent of 14- to 17-year-olds intend to vote when they attain the age of 18, how they intend to ensure that such intentions to vote translate into first-time voting behaviour amongst young people; and what steps they are taking to ensure that education establishments are committed to registering all 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire
The new key stage 4 citizenship programme to be taught from September 2014 requires that pupils should be taught about “the different electoral systems used in and beyond the United Kingdom and actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond.”
The government has also made available £4.2 million funding to all 363 local authorities and valuation joint boards in Great Britain and 5 national organisations. Electoral registration officers have been encouraged to support the delivery of Rock Enrol! in their area, a learning resource which not only provides an opportunity for young people to register to vote, but enables them to discuss the importance of doing so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance he has issued on the requirement to have £16,000 or less in savings for eligibility for income-based jobseeker’s allowance.
Esther McVey
For Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), guidance on the requirement to have £16000 or less in capital and savings is in the JSA procedural guidance. Corresponding guidance for Decision Makers is in the Decision Makers Guide, chapter 29.
Public facing communications are available via the:
· Government website www.gov.uk;
· information leaflet INF4: changes you must tell us about; and
· Jobseeker’s Allowance: help while you look for work leaflet.
There has always been a level above which income-based JSA was not payable if savings were held since 1996.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.
Mike Penning
The Department does not own any buildings. The DWP estate was sold (freehold, feuhold and long leasehold interests) or transferred (short leasehold interests) to Telereal Trillium under a 20 year PFI contract known as “PRIME” in 1998.
Any properties that become surplus to DWP’s requirements are returned to Telereal Trillium under the PRIME contract.
The Health and Safety Executive estimate that the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database in the current financial year is £40,143.33. However, this relates to Douglas House in Edinburgh which, strictly speaking, is not empty. There are other occupants in the property but HSE’s space held on e-PIMS is shown as vacant to attract potential tenants. As a result, the e-PIMS entry will make Douglas House appear empty.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to review his Department’s Fee for Intervention policy.
Mike Penning
The Fee for Intervention (FFI) scheme will be reviewed as recommended in the recent Triennial Review of the Health and Safety Executive. An independent FFI Review Board is being established and will report its conclusions later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Karen Buck on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what change there has been in the number and proportion of homeless households in nightly booked temporary accommodation in London since March 2010.
Kris Hopkins
[Holding Reply: Monday 17 March 2014]
The Department does not collect information specifically on numbers of homeless households in nightly-booked temporary accommodation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Stewart Jackson on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce long term unemployment in Peterborough constituency; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey
The government are committed to helping people off benefits and into work, so it is encouraging that we have seen record numbers of people in work nationally, with unemployment falling.
The Government’s Work Programme revolutionises the help available to people who were in danger of becoming long-term unemployed. Private providers offer tailored help to people who may have been out of work for many years – moving them closer to getting a job. According to Industry figures released this month (March), half a million people have found work through the Work Programme.
We are determined to do everything we can to support those people who are hardest to help into work, and that is what the Work Programme is designed to do, whilst also being a good deal for the tax payer.
Work Coaches in local Jobcentres now have the flexibility to offer all claimants a comprehensive menu of help which includes skills provision, job search support and the Flexible Support Fund.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Karen Buck on 2014-03-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which 30 local authority areas have received the largest number of homeless households in temporary accommodation placed by London local authorities since March 2010.
Kris Hopkins
[Holding Reply: Monday 17 March 2014]
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to her of 19 December 2013, Official Report, Column 713W.