Blog

  • Lord Wigley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Lord Wigley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the recommendation by Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate in its Thematic Review of the CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Units that all lawyers working at Rape and Serious Sexual Offences units undergo refresher training is implemented.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    Ensuring that staff have the tools and skills necessary to prosecute effectively is a CPS priority. A detailed CPS/Police Joint National Rape Action Plan was published in June 2014 which identified a programme of training activity to deliver improvements in investigation and prosecution outcomes. This extensive programme, consisting of a range of face to face specialist training, is currently underway. The programme includes refresher training for all specialist prosecutors undertaking rape and serious sexual offence casework which will be delivered during 2016.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are bound to consult or seek the approval of Parliament before undertaking aircraft or drone air strikes in Libya.

    Earl Howe

    The Government is committed to the convention that, before UK troops are committed to conflict, Parliament should have an opportunity to debate the matter except when there is an emergency and such action would not be appropriate.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether UK personnel have been involved in military targeting planning meetings in Libya.

    Earl Howe

    We continue to engage with the Libyan authorities to support the UN political process and to counter the growth of extremist groups in Libya, including Daesh. The UK is considering, alongside our partners, how we can best support the new government.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the outcome of potential female genital mutilation victims being interviewed in UK airports at the beginning and end of the school summer holidays in 2015.

    Lord Bates

    Border Force continues to prioritise safeguarding activity, with trained safeguarding teams in place across Border Force. These teams are specifically trained to identify potential victims of FGM, and work collaboratively with the police and social services to carry out targeted operations on high risk flights. Such activity is highly sensitive, and to preserve the integrity of such operations, the Home Office does not comment on individual cases or investigations, or their outcomes. Border Force is aware of specific concerns raised by Baroness Tonge last summer and will write to her addressing those concerns.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many potential female genital mutilation victims were interviewed in UK airports at the beginning and end of the school summer holidays in 2015.

    Lord Bates

    Border Force continues to prioritise safeguarding activity, with trained safeguarding teams in place across Border Force. These teams are specifically trained to identify potential victims of FGM, and work collaboratively with the police and social services to carry out targeted operations on high risk flights. Such activity is highly sensitive, and to preserve the integrity of such operations, the Home Office does not comment on individual cases or investigations, or their outcomes. Border Force is aware of specific concerns raised by Baroness Tonge last summer and will write to her addressing those concerns.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the announced closure of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ Sheffield office and their proposal to establish six new business centres across the country, where those proposed new centres will be located.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As part of the Department’s change programme, BIS2020, we anticipate reducing the number of our locations from more than 80 to approximately 7 centres plus a regional footprint. Beyond the announcement made about our Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place on 28 January, we do not yet know exactly which sites will be retained or closed over the course of the Parliament. By 2020 the majority of employees in BIS and its Partner Organisations will continue to be based outside London through a number of centres – such as in Birmingham, Glasgow, and Swindon – as well as a regional footprint for the provision of local services.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the budget of each Regional School Commissioner; who scrutinises and audits those budgets; how many staff are employed by each Commissioner; and whether those Commissioner budgets are made publicly available at the end of each financial year, and if so, how.

    Lord Nash

    Each Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) has an annual budget of approximately £560k for the 2015-16 financial year. This consists of a programme budget of £40k per region and an administration budget of approximately £520k. The programme budget is to cover costs related to events and other communications activities. The administration budget is for staff costs, for example salary and travel. In addition, each RSC also has a Head Teacher Board (HTB) budget of approximately £100k annually to recompense the HTB members’ employer for loss of staff time.

    There are a number of other budgets that are used to support the work of the RSCs and the delivery of the academies and free schools programmes, but these are not held by the RSCs themselves.

    In line with the Department for Education’s internal review and governance arrangements, RSCs are required to provide financial reports each month, as well as an assurance statement at year end. Their budgets are included within the annual financial scrutiny and audit of the DfE accounts carried out by internal audit and externally scrutinised by the National Audit Office (NAO).

    At present, each RSC office employs between 8 and 10 members of staff. The RSC and their office’s salary information are included within the Department’s salary details published on GOV.UK.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which 10 local authorities have (1) the most, and (2) the least, pupil funding.

    Lord Nash

    Local authorities (LAs) are funded for their schools through the dedicated schools grant (DSG). This currently comprises three blocks, namely schools, early years and high needs. Each LA has its own school block unit of funding (SBUF), and the 10 highest and lowest 10 SBUFs for financial year 2016 to 2017 are shown below:

    10 highest funded LAs

    2016-2017 SBUF

    10 lowest funded LAs

    2016-2017 SBUF

    City of London

    8,587

    Leicestershire

    4,238

    Tower Hamlets

    6,982

    Dorset

    4,232

    Hackney

    6,858

    Stockport

    4,229

    Lambeth

    6,486

    Trafford

    4,227

    Southwark

    6,463

    South Gloucestershire

    4,214

    Hammersmith and Fulham

    6,351

    Cheshire East

    4,206

    Camden

    6,233

    York

    4,202

    Islington

    6,221

    West Sussex

    4,198

    Newham

    6,127

    Poole

    4,187

    Westminster

    6,020

    Wokingham

    4,167
  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have had any discussions with relevant bodies about National Museums Liverpool coming under the control of the combined authorities, and what assessment they have made, if any, of such a move.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As part of the Liverpool City Region Devolution Agreement, the Department is engaging with Liverpool City Combined Authority and National Museums Liverpool to explore options around a sustainable and viable business model for National Museums Liverpool.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any future plans to make all secondary schools academies.

    Lord Nash

    The government’s ambition is for every school to have the opportunity to become an academy. Over 60 per cent of secondary schools have already become academies and we want to encourage more schools to do this. The Education and Adoption Bill, currently going through Parliament, will enable us to intervene more quickly to turn underperforming schools into academies.