The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many schools in England and Wales were closed for the local and European elections on 22 May 2014.
Greg Clark
The Information requested is not held centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-03-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the socio-economic development performance of NMP in West Cumbria.
Michael Fallon
NMP is the parent body organisation for Sellafield Ltd, the site licence company that operates Sellafield site under contract to the NDA. NMP, Sellafield Ltd and the NDA work collaboratively to support the socio-economic agenda in West Cumbria, with all three organisations having focussed their activities through Britain’s Energy Coast, the private/public sector partnership established to promote and develop the economic prospects of the area. DECC has no direct role in assessing NMP’s performance in this area which is a matter for the NDA.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what representations he has had on including insolvency litigation in the scope of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
Mr Shailesh Vara
We have recently received representations from insolvency practitioners, including the Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3), regarding a permanent exemption for insolvency litigation from the scope of the costs and funding provisions in Part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012. Ministry of Justice officials have met with R3 on this matter.
The LASPO reforms were implemented generally from 1 April 2013, although they were delayed for insolvency proceedings in order to allow stakeholders time to adjust. The Government’s position remains – as announced by written ministerial statement in May 2012 (24 May 2012: Col 94WS) – that the reforms should apply to insolvency proceedings from April 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2014-03-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2014, Official Report, column 318W, on Personal Independence Payment, what discussions he has had with providers about personal independence payment claim processing times.
Mike Penning
Officials meet regularly with both assessment providers to discuss performance. We are closely monitoring their progress against the Department’s expectations for service delivery, including claim processing times and are taking robust action to drive up performance where this does not meet the required standards.
Whilst, in line with other benefits, there are no statutory time limits on processing claims for PIP, we are working closely with our service providers to minimise the length of time claimants have to wait for assessments.We are also seeking to ensure that all the steps in the process run as smoothly as possible and that there are no barriers in our processes and systems that contribute to claims taking longer than necessary to progress
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Weir on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the total cost was of production and delivery of the booklet, What staying in the United Kingdom means for Scotland; and what proportion of such costs relate to (a) research, verification and co-ordination, (b) writing, editing, sub-editing and proofing of the text, (c) photography, design, artwork and licensing, (d) printing, (e) distribution and delivery and (f) related communications, administration and public affairs support.
Greg Clark
The total cost to-date of What Staying in the United Kingdom Means for Scotland is £723,501 (plus VAT).
Each booklet cost around 30p to design, produce, print and deliver to every household in Scotland. As is standard practice, detail and spending data will published in the Cabinet Office transparency returns.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2014-03-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, column 181W, on D-Day landings: anniversaries, how many (a) veterans, (b) armed forces’ widows, (c) armed forces’ spouses and (d) carers his Department expects will be in attendance for each of the 70th anniversary D-Day commemoration events in the UK.
Anna Soubry
The 70th Anniversary D-Day commemorative events in Portsmouth are being organised by Portsmouth City Council, and the military is supporting the event as requested. Similarly, the Services are supporting events planned by the Normandy Veterans Association (NVA). The Department is unable to predict the numbers who may be present at any of these events and has received no requests to facilitate attendance.
The Ministry of Defence was made aware of Portsmouth City Council’s planned events in April 2013. We were informed about the majority of NVA events in February 2013, and the National Memorial Arboretum event in November 2013. We have been working closely with the Royal British Legion and the NVA on the planned events to mark this significant anniversary, and have ensured that a range of Service charities and associations are kept informed, including COBSEO, the Confederation of Service Charities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Robertson on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to publicise information on changes to child maintenance.
Steve Webb
Since the Child Maintenance Service launched in December 2012 we have been talking to clients (via caseworkers and through our Child Maintenance Options service) about the planned introduction of charging, and letters to Child Maintenance Service clients have made reference to the charges.
More widely we have engaged with stakeholders, partners, MP caseworkers and intermediaries to share information about the reforms to the child maintenance system.
Ahead of existing Child Support Agency cases closing, a regional media trial is currently running in the Manchester area. The media activity includes digital, radio and press advertising to let parents know that the Child Support Agency is changing and to reassure them that they don’t need to take any action until they receive a letter. We will evaluate the results of this media activity before confirming plans to run this campaign nationally later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2014-03-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have had with members of the National Panel on Serious Case Reviews.
Mr Edward Timpson
My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and I had a meeting with the members of the panel of independent experts on Serious Case Reviews earlier this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-06-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Scottish Government regarding environmental and economic effects of the restoration of former open cast sites in East Ayrshire.
Michael Fallon
I last discussed this matter with my Scottish counterpart in May 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-03-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fines levied under the Immigration (Employment of Adults Subject to Immigration Conrol) (Maximum Penalty) Order 2008 of a value of (a) up to £1000, (b) between £1000 and £2000, (c) between £2000 and £5000 and (d) between £5000 and £10000 remained unpaid.
James Brokenshire
Information on how many fines levied under the Immigration (Employment of
Adults Subject to Immigration Control) (Maximum Penalty) Order 2008 of a value
of (a) up to £1000, (b) between £1000 and £2000, (c) between £2000 and £5000
and (d) £5000 and £10000 remained unpaid, is not recorded in a format
compatible with National Statistics protocols. Data constraints on electronic
records mean that the Home Office would have to examine in detail a large
number of individual case files in order to ascertain the information
required. The cost of producing the data linking civil penalties issued to our
accounting system for civil penalties which remain unpaid by value would be at
a disproportionate cost to the Home Office.
However, the Home Office has collected £30.6 million in fines through the life
of the regime and the current total value of outstanding collectable debt is £14.6
million.
The Home Office is using the Immigration Bill to make it easier to enforce
civil penalty debts in the courts and is incorporating debt recovery best
practice from across government departments, with earlier initiation of legal
proceedings for debt recovery if required.