The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 28422, on terrorism: social networking, how many of the cases referred to in that Answer resulted in (a) prosecution and (b) conviction.
Mr John Hayes
The Home Office can only obtain the data requested at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Government has spent on specialist BAME domestic violence services in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 to date.
Karen Bradley
The Government is committed to tackling domestic violence in all its forms and is determined to ensure all victims, including those from black and minority ethnic communities, have access to appropriate support.
The previous Government provided £40 million of dedicated funding for domestic and sexual violence services between 2011 and 2015 equating to £10 million per year. This funding was extended until April 2016, supplemented by an additional £10 million for refuges, and a £3.5 million fund to boost the provision of domestic violence services including refuges. This funding supported all victims of domestic abuse, including victims from black and minority ethnic communities.
A new Violence Against Women and Girls strategy published on 8 March 2016 sets out how the Government will support local authorities in implementing tailored services for victims who experience different forms of discrimination or additional barriers to accessing support. This includes women from black and minority ethnic communities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for refugee family reunion from each country of nationality of such applicants were (a) submitted, (b) decided and (c) granted in 2015.
James Brokenshire
The published statistics relate to the ‘Family: other’ category, the vast majority of which are for family reunion. Data for applications, decisions, of which grants and refusals, withdrawns/lapsed, and grants by nationality, is given in the attached tables.
The latest quarterly Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visas are published in ‘Immigration Statistics, October-December 2015’, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has recently discussed the Istanbul Convention with the (a) Welsh and (b) Scottish Government; and if she will make a statement.
Karen Bradley
The previous Government signed the Istanbul Convention to show the strong commitment it placed on tackling violence against women and girls and this Government remains committed to ratifying it.
The devolved administrations are responsible for implementing the obligations of the Convention in their territories and the Government continues to liaise with them about ratification.
The UK already complies with the vast majority of the Convention’s articles but further amendments to domestic law, to take extra-territorial jurisdiction over a range of offences (as required by Article 44), are necessary before the Convention can be ratified. The Ministry of Justice is currently considering the approach to implementing the extra-territorial jurisdiction requirements in England and Wales and will seek to legislate when the approach is agreed and Parliamentary time allows. Ministry of Justice officials have been in contact with their counterparts in the devolved administrations about the requirements of Article 44.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to reduce the number of dogs used for medical experimentation.
Karen Bradley
Our annual statistics show that in 2014 less than 0.1% of animals used in research in Great Britain are dogs. Dogs are primarily used in procedures for regulatory testing. They are also used in other procedures such as nutritional studies and to better understand naturally occurring diseases and to develop treatments for dogs themselves.
The Home Office is responsible for regulating the use of dogs in research under the Ani-mals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Dogs are a specially protected species under the Act and the Home Office will grant a project licence for a programme of work using dogs only where the purpose of the programme of work specified in the licence can be achieved only by their use; or where it is not practicable to obtain other suitable animals.
Since 2010 the number of procedures performed on dogs has dropped nearly 30% from 5,782 in 2010 to 4,107 in 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce medical experimentation on live animals in England.
Karen Bradley
The Home Office is responsible for regulating the use of live animals in scientific research under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (the 3Rs) are at the core of project authorisation under this legislation. Furthermore, these principles also extend to breeding, accommodation and care of protected animals.
Animals can only be used where no scientifically satisfactory, non-animal alternative exists which has been suitably validated. The number of animals used must be reduced to the minimum needed to achieve the results sought. For those animals which are used, procedures must be refined as much as possible to cause the minimum pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm.
In addition the Home Office also works with the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) who work towards replacing, reducing and refining the use of animals in research. This has included projects such as CRACK IT which to date has invested over £15million with the aims to accelerate the availability of technologies which will deliver i) measurable 3Rs impacts, ii) new marketable products and iii) more efficient business processes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received from (a) schools and (b) colleges on the reduction of knives and other weapons at such institutions; and if she will make a statement.
Karen Bradley
We have received no formal representations from schools and colleges on this matter. However reducing violence and tackling knife crime is a priority for this Government and we are delivering a range of measures to strengthen our response to this issue including strengthening the criminal justice and policing response; strengthening controls on knife sales; building resilience in young people, families and communities; and improving prevention and early intervention.
Last month we supported the Metropolitan Police Service and twelve other police forces who undertook coordinated action against knife crime. This involved targeting habitual knife carriers, weapon sweeps, test purchases of knives from identified retailers, and use of surrender bins.
We also jointly hosted a meeting with the Metropolitan Police and National Policing Lead aimed at retailers selling knives on 24 February. We want to work with retailers to ensure they are doing all they can to ensure the responsible sale of knives, in particular to under-18s.
But we recognise there is more to do. Last year we introduced the new measure that those convicted of carrying a knife more than once are automatically sent to prison and our new Modern Crime Prevention Strategy will shortly set out measures we are taking to prevent knives from being used on our streets in the first place.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department plans to increase the understanding and use of social value in the design of healthcare services.
Alistair Burt
The Department is reviewing its work with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector and will consider how to enhance the understanding and use of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 as part of this work. The Department also intends to develop guidance for procurers and non-procurers on how to make best use of the Act. In addition, the Sustainable Development Unit, funded by NHS England and Public Health England, has established a programme of work on social value which includes providing guidance to commissioners and embedding social value in the Sustainability and Transformation Planning process underway across the health and care system.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England on the agreement of a long-term arrangement to control the cost of medical indemnity cover for out-of-hours GPs.
Alistair Burt
The Department and NHS England are committed to addressing the issue of increasing medical indemnity costs for general practitioners (GPs), including those working out of hours.
Increasing costs of indemnity cover associated with out of hours work may discourage GPs from undertaking out-of-hours shifts in primary care.
The Department was represented at a roundtable event held by NHS England on 17 November 2015 to develop a shared understanding of how to address rising medical indemnity costs. A range of stakeholders, including the British Medical Association and Medical Defence Organisations (MDOs), also attended.
On 9 December 2015, NHS England announced a winter indemnity scheme to offset the additional indemnity premium for GPs who wish to work additional sessions for their out-of-hours providers. In addition they have negotiated changes to the products offered by MDOs to bring down costs of indemnity for extended access.
Discussions are ongoing between the Department and NHS England on a long-term solution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Jackson on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with NHS England on its report into the collapse of the Uniting Care Partnership contract; and if he will make a statement.
Ben Gummer
No such discussions have taken place. NHS England advises that the draft report is currently being finalised and will be published in due course.