Tag: 2014

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many legal and enforcement cases in each geographical area of the Environment Agency were (a) under investigation, (b) being considered for enforcement action, (c) being considered for legal action by the legal services department, (d) issued and proceeding through the courts and (e) completed on the final day of that accounting year for each of the years 2010 to 2013.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency is unable to provide a breakdown of legal and enforcement cases in each of its geographical areas which were (a) under investigation, (b) being considered for enforcement action, (c) being considered for legal action by the legal services department, (d) issued and proceeding through the courts and (e) completed on the final day of that accounting year for each of the years 2010 to 2013, due to disproportionate cost.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department has taken to increase the number of black and minority ethnic professors teaching in public universities.

    Mr David Willetts

    Higher education institutions (HEIs) are independent, autonomous bodies and are entirely responsible for the recruitment, promotion and retention of their staff. Universities, like other employers, are subject to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and must ensure they do not discriminate in their recruitment practices. Universities are also required to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty and take a proactive approach to advancing equality of opportunity.

    I understand that employer and employee representative organisations are taking action to address issues of equality in the higher education sector workforce. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) through the Equality Challenge Unit and in other ways, works with the higher education (HE) sector to support activities to address issues of representation both in the HE workforce and student population.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drivers who received driving convictions during the two year probationary licence period undertook (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more speed awareness courses in (i) 2010 to 2014 and (ii) 2005 to 2009.

    Karen Bradley

    This information is not held centrally. A motorist is prohibited from taking
    more than one speed awareness course under the national scheme within a 3 years
    period from the date of the offence.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year.

    Brandon Lewis

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Francis Maude) on 16 June, Official Report, Column 434W.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on what occasions prisons have relied on detached duty staff from other establishments since 1 September 2013.

    Jeremy Wright

    The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.

    Elizabeth Truss

    We take into account an organisation’s diversity policy and record where it is relevant to the subject matter of the contract or grant and is permissible by law. Where the organisation is listed as a Crown Strategic Supplier, we would also approach the relevant Crown Representative as part of the appraisal.

  • Miss Anne McIntosh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Miss Anne McIntosh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Miss Anne McIntosh on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what prosecutions there have been for (a) sheep rustling and (b) other crimes on farms in each of the last three years.

    Damian Green

    The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. This database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not the specific circumstances of each case. It is not possible to separately identify from this centrally held information offences of sheep rustling from other offences of theft. Nor is it possible to separately identify which offences occurred on a farm. This information may be held on the individual court files, which can only be checked at disproportionate cost.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of staff within his Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department publishes Workforce Equality Data which consists of information about disciplinary cases combined together with grievance cases, by ethnicity. This information is presented in the attached table with the proportion of cases where ethnicity has not been declared.

    Detailed information on disciplinary cases alone is not held for this full period, as penalties which may have been imposed would have been ‘spent’.

    However, since 1 April 2013 detailed information is available and for the financial year 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014 54% of staff who were subject to formal disciplinary proceedings were white British and 9% were of undeclared ethnicity.

    More information for the years 2012 to 2014 is available on the .GOV website on the links below:

    2012 – www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-health-workforce-information-2012

    2013 – www.gov.uk/government/publications/workforce-equality-information-department-of-health

    2014 – www.gov.uk/government/publications/workforce-equality-information-2014

  • Greg Knight – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason a 60mph speed limit has been introduced on the A1 in both directions south of Offord near Southoe; and whether that limit is (a) temporary or (b) permanent.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    A permanent 60mph speed limit has now been introduced on the A1 trunk road between the B1041 at Little Paxton and the B661 at Buckden, including the bends at Southoe, for safety reasons. This new speed limit, enforced by average speed cameras, is more suited to the alignment of the A1 at this location.

    This section of the A1 has a higher than average collision severity rate, particularly those involving single vehicles. This is partially due to a high number of vehicles exceeding the current 70mph limit, especially through the sharp bends at Southoe. Problems at this location are also exacerbated by gaps in the central reserve, with vehicles turning across the dual carriageway to access Southoe.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of staff within his Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British.

    Simon Hughes

    Staff within the Ministry of Justice (MoJ HQ), HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and Legal Aid Agency (LAA) can, but are not compelled to, declare their ethnicity. Consequently, definitive figures for the proportion of white British staff who have been dismissed or subject to formal disciplinary proceedings over the last five financial years cannot be provided.

    The MoJ Diversity report for 2012/2013 provides an overview of information on staff grievances, investigations, conduct and discipline. This can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/279638/moj-diversity-data-report-2012-13.pdf

    This information has not been collated or published in respect of earlier financial years.