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Tag: 2014

  • Emma Reynolds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Emma Reynolds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the funding allocated to tackle beds in sheds has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Beds in Sheds Taskforce was a specific initiative in 2012 to 2013, to hold a set of summits to bring together councils and central government to ascertain best practice and barriers to be removed to help ensure co-ordinated action against illegal outbuildings.

    Summits took place on 27 November 2012, 30 April 2013 and 1 July 2013. It was not an ongoing working group.

    In July 2013, £2.6 million was subsequently allocated to nine local authorities to deal with the mainly London-based problem of beds in sheds, with a further £4.1 million of targeted funding to 23 local authorities in December 2013 to tackle rogue landlord behaviour (including beds in sheds).

    Thanks to the lessons learnt and best practice adopted from these meetings in 2012 to 2013, we estimate there have been:

    • 2,500 streets surveyed
    • 30,000 inspections
    • 1,100 raids
    • 2,800 landlords facing prosecution
    • 530 buildings prohibited, and
    • 145 sheds demolished.

    Following our 2012 publication, we will in due course be publishing refreshed guidance to local authorities on tackling beds in sheds and rogue landlords.

    The Immigration Act 2014 contains a raft of measures which puts the law firmly on the side of those who respect it, not those who break it, by:

    • stopping migrants using public services to which they are not entitled;
    • reducing the pull factors which encourage people to come to the UK for the wrong reasons; and,
    • making it easier to remove people who should not be here.
  • Seema Malhotra – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Seema Malhotra – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on implementation of the violence against women and girls action plan.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The Government is committed to ending violence against women in all its forms. We published our cross-government strategy, ‘A Call to End Violence Against Women and Girls’ in 2010 and have published supporting action plans with
    updates on progress each year since 2011. We have ring-fenced nearly £40 million of stable funding up to 2015 for specialist local support services and national helplines.

    We have criminalised forced marriage, introduced two new stalking offences, piloted new ways of protecting the victims of domestic violence and sex workers and we have launched prevention campaigns to tackle rape and relationship abuse
    amongst teenagers. We recently announced a new offence of domestic abuse to tackle coercive and controlling behaviour.

    The 2014-2015 Action Plan details recent progress and on 8 March this year, we will publish a full progress report on the implementation of the strategy.

  • Stephen Barclay – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Barclay – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Barclay on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 5.1.2 of the report of the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Tackling Radicalisation and Extremism, published in December 2013, how many people have been barred from managing or teaching at independent schools because of involvement with or links to extremism under the new regulations.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    New regulations enabling the Secretary of State to bar individuals from taking part in the management of independent schools came into force in September 2014. A number of cases are under consideration.

    These regulations cover individuals involved in the management of independent schools rather than teachers. The Teachers’ Standards were amended in September 2012 to require that teachers uphold public trust in the profession by not undermining fundamental British values. The National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) takes decisions on whether to bar individuals from teaching and guidance to teacher misconduct panels issued in July 2014 makes clear behaviour that promotes extremism is likely to be considered incompatible with being a teacher. Four individuals are currently subject to Interim Prohibition Orders by NCTL preventing them from teaching for reasons relating to extremism.

    We will investigate and take action wherever we find evidence of extremism.

  • Frank Dobson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Frank Dobson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Dobson on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any employers have indicated an intention to transfer activities from London to Birmingham after the opening of Phase 1 of High Speed 2.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport are not aware of any businesses that have indicated that they plan to relocate from London to Birmingham. However, as the HS2 scheme is not expected to receive Royal Assent until 2016 and will not be operational until 2026, the Department would not expect businesses to make relocation plans at this early stage.

    In the interim period however, Greater Birmingham and Solihull’s Local Enterprise Partnership are undertaking work as part of both their Strategic Economic Plans to attract more jobs and businesses to their area. They are also developing HS2 Growth Strategies to maximise the wider benefits the railway will bring.

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many enforcement actions in respect of IR35 legislation there have been in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland in each year since 2010.

    Mr David Gauke

    Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) carries out IR35 status enquiries by way of compliance interventions. The table below shows the number of interventions up to 2013/14. Regional data is not produced by HMRC.

    Year

    Compliance interventions

    2009/10

    12

    2010/11

    23

    2011/12

    59

    2012/13

    256

    2013/14

    192

  • David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle the persecution of Christians in Somalia.

    Mr David Lidington

    The overwhelming majority of people in Somalia are Muslim (around 99.8%) and Islam is recognised as the official state religion in Somalia’s provisional constitution. The UK continues to support the Federal Government of Somalia in their efforts to bring government control to Somalia, and restore essential freedoms to all Somalis.

    The UK is working with the Federal Government of Somalia to establish a national human rights commission, to improve human rights for everybody in Somalia, irrespective of their religious persuasion – and also supporting the United Nations assistance mission in Somalia (UNSOM) monitoring and improving human rights.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the flogging of Raif Badawi in Saudi Arabia.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Whilst the latest flogging has been postponed, we remain seriously concerned by Raif Badawi’s case. The UK condemns the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment in all circumstances. We have raised Mr Badawi’s case at a senior level with the Saudi authorities. The UK is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to freely discuss and debate issues, challenge their governments, exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur.

  • George Hollingbery – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    George Hollingbery – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Hollingbery on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2015 to Question 219112, if she will publish a list of all the documents that the review of domestic management measures for bass will take into account.

    George Eustice

    The current review of the domestic management measures for bass should be completed within the next few weeks. Aligned with work at European level to reverse the steep decline in bass stocks, the high-level review will focus principally on the need for any change to our current domestic management measures, such as the catch limits on commercial fishing for bass, minimum landing size for bass and protection of bass nursery areas. Where it is identified that action is required, this work will be further developed and, where national legislation may be required, will follow the usual legislative process. We will seek the views of key stakeholders on the way forward. Any proposed national legislation will be subject to public consultation involving stakeholders, other government departments and interested parties. The relevant documentation to support the new legislation will be made publically available, where not already published.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 219724, whether those Reapers have been relocated to the UK for maintenance, strategic or other reasons.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Reaper relocated to the UK have been placed in storage for routine fleet management purposes.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what budget was allocated by her Department to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in each financial year from 2009-10; and what budget is allocated to the ILO for 2015-16.

    Justine Greening

    Information on previous budget allocations is available at http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/. 2015-16 allocations remain subject to ministerial approval.

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