Blog

  • Brian H. Donohoe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Brian H. Donohoe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brian H. Donohoe on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to meet the costs of the National Air Traffic Service’s employee share scheme if the Civil Aviation Authority decides that these costs will no longer be allowed for in the next regulatory settlement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The regulatory settlement is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority. We would expect the NATS Board, in the first instance, to continue to consider the benefits of the employee share scheme and the terms on which it operates.

  • Simon Hart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Hart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Hart on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there are plans for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to accept Army Personnel Centre records of driver qualifications as proof of army personnel having passed driving tests.

    Stephen Hammond

    Legislation provides, under delegated authority, for military personnel to carry out driving tests. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) following a notification from the Military of Defence records the test pass and applies the new entitlement to the driving record. Letters from the Army Personnel Centre are also accepted, provided it confirms that the driver has passed an appropriate driving test that allows them to drive on public roads.

  • Bob Russell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

    Bob Russell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Russell on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many staff were employed by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) at its London headquarters on 1 June 2010; and of those employees how many are currently employed by IPSA.

    Mr Charles Walker

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.

    Letter from Paul Hayes, May 2014:

    As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about the number of staff employed by IPSA.

    The below data include individuals on permanent and fixed-term contracts and on secondment. Data are not available for temporary staff, who in June 2010 made up the majority of our workforce.

    Number

    Employed by IPSA on 1 June 2010

    20

    of which still employed

    6

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Sexual Assault Referral Centres in supporting victims of crime.

    Damian Green

    Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) are commissioned jointly by NHS England, individual police forces and Police and Crime Commissioners. Although the Ministry of Justice have not undertaken any recent assessments into the effectiveness of sexual assault centres in supporting victims of crime, NHS England ensure that Sexual Assault Services are commissioned in ways that support consistently high standards of care and quality across the country through the Public Health Oversight Group. NHS England is currently undertaking a review of these commissioning processes.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals who have served their sentence but are awaiting deportation there are in each prison.

    James Brokenshire

    The number of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) detained in prison beyond the
    end of their sentence pending deportation (as of 31 December 2013) is shown in
    the table below:

    Prison Name

    Total

    HMP & YOI Isis

    10

    HMP Addiewell

    *

    HMP Altcourse

    *

    HMP Aylesbury

    5

    HMP Barlinnie

    5

    HMP Bedford

    5

    HMP Belmarsh

    10

    HMP Birmingham (Winson Green)

    15

    HMP Brinsford

    5

    HMP Bristol

    5

    HMP Brixton

    10

    HMP Bronzefield

    10

    HMP Bullingdon

    25

    HMP Bure

    5

    HMP Cardiff

    5

    HMP Channings Wood

    *

    HMP Chelmsford

    15

    HMP Coldingley

    *

    HMP Dartmoor

    *

    HMP Deerbolt

    5

    HMP Doncaster

    10

    HMP Dorchester

    *

    HMP Dovegate

    *

    HMP Drake Hall

    5

    HMP Dumfries

    *

    HMP Durham

    *

    HMP Eastwood Park

    *

    HMP Edinburgh

    5

    HMP Elmley

    5

    HMP Elmley (Sheppey Cluster)

    30

    HMP Erlestoke House

    *

    HMP Everthorpe

    *

    HMP Exeter

    *

    HMP Featherstone

    5

    HMP Feltham

    15

    HMP Forest Bank

    15

    HMP Garth

    *

    HMP Glen Parva

    10

    HMP Guys Marsh

    5

    HMP Haverrigg

    *

    HMP Hewell

    15

    HMP High Down

    15

    HMP Highpoint North

    20

    HMP Highpoint South

    10

    HMP Holloway

    15

    HMP Holme House

    5

    HMP Hull

    *

    HMP Huntercombe and Finnamore

    35

    HMP Lancaster Farms

    *

    HMP Leeds (Armley)

    15

    HMP Leicester

    10

    HMP Lewes

    5

    HMP Lincoln

    20

    HMP Lindholme

    5

    HMP Littlehey

    15

    HMP Liverpool

    10

    HMP Long Lartin

    *

    HMP Low Newton

    *

    HMP Maidstone

    45

    HMP Manchester

    10

    HMP Moorland

    20

    HMP New Hall

    *

    HMP Northumberland

    *

    HMP Norwich

    10

    HMP Nottingham

    15

    HMP Oakwood

    5

    HMP Parc

    5

    HMP Pentonville

    45

    HMP Peterborough

    15

    HMP Portland

    5

    HMP Preston

    *

    HMP Ranby

    15

    HMP Risley

    15

    HMP Rochester

    *

    HMP Send

    *

    HMP Shotts

    *

    HMP Stafford

    5

    HMP Standford Hill (Sheppey Cluster)

    *

    HMP Stoke Heath

    5

    HMP Styal

    *

    HMP Swinfen Hall

    *

    HMP Thameside

    35

    HMP The Mount

    10

    HMP Wakefield

    *

    HMP Wandsworth

    45

    HMP Wayland

    *

    HMP Whatton

    *

    HMP Winchester

    *

    HMP Wolds

    *

    HMP Woodhill

    15

    HMP Wormwood Scrubs

    60

    HMP Wymott

    5

    Grand Total

    850

    1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are
    therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been
    quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
    2. Figures relate to main applicants only.
    3. Figures relate to criteria FNO cases only.
    4. Figures rounded to the nearest 5 ( – = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the
    totals shown because of independent rounding.
    5. Data is a snapshot of individuals detained in prison on 31 December 2013.

    We make every effort to ensure that a person’s removal by deportation
    coincides, as far as possible, with his/her release from prison on completion
    of sentence. Where a detainee refuses to cooperate with the removal or
    deportation process, detention may be prolonged.

    The Immigration Bill will have a significant impact on the ability of FNOs to
    delay removal by mounting legal challenges whilst in the UK. The current
    appeals system means that 17 different types of decision can be appealed. The
    Immigration Bill will simplify the appeals system and mean that appeals can
    only be brought where the Home Office has refused a protection (asylum or
    humanitarian protection) claim, a human rights claim or a claim based on EU
    free movement rights. It will also give us the power to certify that where
    deportation will not cause serious irreversible harm, the appeal will be heard
    after the offender has left the country.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals in prison awaiting deportation beyond the end of their sentence have spent (a) up to one month, (b) up to two months, (c) up to six months, (d) up to 12 months, (e) up to 24 months, (f) up to 60 months and (g) over 60 months awaiting deportation.

    James Brokenshire

    The table below shows the number of time served Foreign National Offenders
    (FNOs) in prison pending deportation, based on the length of time held beyond
    the end of their sentence, as of 31 December 2013.

    Time held beyond end of sentence

    Total

    0-1 month

    110

    1-2 months

    110

    2-6 months

    285

    6-12 months

    200

    12-24 months

    100

    24-60 months

    35

    60+ months

    10

    Grand Total

    850

    1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are
    therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been
    quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
    2. Figures relate to main applicants only.
    3. Figures relate to FNO cases who met the criteria for deportation only.
    4. Figures rounded to the nearest 5 ( – = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the
    totals shown because of independent rounding.
    5. Data is a snapshot of individuals detained in prison on 31 December 2013.

    We make every effort to ensure that a person’s removal by deportation
    coincides, as far as possible, with his/her release from prison on completion
    of sentence. Where a detainee refuses to cooperate with the removal or
    deportation process, detention may be prolonged.

    The Immigration Bill will have a significant impact on the ability of FNOs to
    delay removal by mounting legal challenges whilst in the UK. The current
    appeals system means that 17 different types of decision can be appealed. The
    Immigration Bill will simplify the appeals system and mean that appeals can
    only be brought where the Home Office has refused a protection (asylum or
    humanitarian protection) claim, a human rights claim or a claim based on EU
    free movement rights. It will also give us the power to certify that where
    deportation will not cause serious irreversible harm, the appeal will be heard
    after the FNO has left the country.

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) asylum and (b) non-asylum New Matter Starts were awarded to the firm that had its award of a contract withdrawn in August 2010.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    These questions relate to ongoing litigation against the Lord Chancellor and in the circumstances it would be inappropriate to respond at the current time.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the National Probation Service will be responsible for the provision of court reports after the introduction of the Transforming Rehabilitation Agenda in England and Wales.

    Jeremy Wright

    Pre-Sentence Reports currently fall into three categories; Standard Delivery (SDR), Fast Delivery (FDR), and Same Day (or Oral) reports. This process allows Courts the flexibility to deliver sentencing decisions in the appropriate timeframe, depending on each individual case, reducing the number of adjournments and expediting the criminal justice process.

    The Transforming Rehabilitation reforms will introduce a new Risk of Serious Recidivism (RSR) tool which will be used to inform the allocation of cases to new Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) or the National Probation Service (NPS) and complements the pre-sentence report process. Our testing with operational staff in Trusts of the RSR tool indicates that it is straightforward to use, in line with our commitment to minimising bureaucracy for frontline staff.

    The new National Probation Service (NPS) will be responsible for advice to courts and, prior to sentence, the NPS will advise courts on sentencing options for cases as part of a pre-sentence report (in accordance with the reserved function of advice to court under section 4 of the Offender Management Act 2007).

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what resources he will make available for interviews between a prisoner and a probation officer to allocate the case to the National Probation Service or a Community Rehabilitation Company after a sentence of imprisonment after the introduction of the Transforming Rehabilitation Agenda in England and Wales.

    Jeremy Wright

    The Transforming Rehabilitation transitional process taking place during April and May 2014 will allow us to refine all new procedures before the creation of CRCs and the NPS on 1 June 2014, and help to ensure the right resources are in place to carry out all associated tasks.

  • John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the assessment and allocation tools to be used by probation staff in England and Wales from 1 April 2014 have been finalised.

    Jeremy Wright

    We are carrying out extensive local testing of the key elements of the new Transforming Rehabilitation systems across a number of Probation Trusts. Findings are helping us to refine the associated tools and guidance. We have now completed testing of the new Risk of Serious Recidivism (RSR) tool, which will be used to inform the allocation of cases to new Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) or the National Probation Service (NPS), and we have begun the roll out of the current version of the tool to all Trusts.