The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-31.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women detained at Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre have been held for (a) four years or more, (b) three years or more and (c) two years or more.
James Brokenshire
As at 31 December 2013, the latest date for which figures are available, no women were detained at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre for longer than two years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much in overtime costs has been spent in HM Passport Office in each month of 2014.
James Brokenshire
Overtime costs in Her Majesty’s Passport Office in each month of 2014 are as follows
January – £199,146
February – £400,812
March – £840,588
April – £793,559
May – £964,742
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-03-31.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of a smoking ban in prisons on the number of incidents of violence relating to cigarettes.
Jeremy Wright
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) support the desirability of attaining a smoke free prison estate in the future and continue to work towards this objective. However, the timing of that implementation will take account of the operational realities of running safe, decent and secure prisons and in particular the impact any smoking ban may have on the general safety of staff and prisoners. Therefore the decision on timing to move to smoke free prisons will reflect an operational assessment of risk, which will include an assessment of potentially adverse impact on prisoner behaviour and how this risk can be minimised and effectively managed. This assessment is ongoing and the risks are being carefully considered to ensure effective plans and support are in place before introducing smoke free prisons.
The work by NOMS on moving to a smoke free prison estate will continue to be informed by the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies in Nottingham University; by further assessments of air quality in prisons; and by the work with Public Health England and expertise from the New Zealand prison service which has introduced smoke free prisons.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Ainsworth on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what programmes and projects her Department funds which aim to promote trade and transit between India and Pakistan.
Mr Alan Duncan
Through the South Asia Regional Trade and Integration Programme, DFID is working with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to promote trade in the region. This includes support to modernise procedures and infrastructure at the Wagah border post between India and Pakistan (to reduce transit times and business costs), and to develop an electricity connection between the two countries.
In Pakistan, DFID is also supporting, through the World Bank, the development of a regional trade strategy with India, advice to small and medium enterprises on cross-border trading, and innovative youth programmes aimed at reducing trade barriers between Pakistan and India.
Finally, the tri-departmental Conflict Pool is providing support to increase cooperation and dialogue between the Governments and the public and private sectors of both countries on trade liberalisation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-03-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many social housing tenants who were liable to pay the under-occupancy penalty have moved house since 1 April 2013.
Esther McVey
The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will meet the hon. Member for Wellingborough to discuss HMP Wellingborough.
Jeremy Wright
As this Government has made previously clear, we will not take any steps to dispose of the mothballed HM Prison Wellingborough because it is sensible measure to retain reserve capacity. I have no immediate plans to change that status.
My office will be in touch to arrange a meeting to further discuss this matter further.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-03-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many spaces were agreed under each contract with a private provider for additional spaces in existing prisons signed since May 2010; how long each contract was for; and what the value was of the contract (a) in total and (b) per space agreed.
Jeremy Wright
A significant amount of this information is not held centrally, and we would need to interrogate a very large volume of separate files to obtain the information required and then review and collate that information. By doing so we would incur disproportionate costs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when she last met the Chief Executive of UK Trade & Investment to discuss that organisation’s role in attracting inward investment to Northern Ireland.
Mrs Theresa Villiers
It has not been possible to meet the outgoing Chief Executive of UKTI. I look forward to meeting Dominic Jermey in the coming weeks to discuss how UKTI can promote Northern Ireland trade and investment working in tandem with InvestNI.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-03-27.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate the Government has made of the likely change in the number of people in the UK who will be aged 90 years and over between 2012 and 2023.
Mr Nick Hurd
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings he has had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser in the last 12 months.
Esther McVey
As was the case under previous administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.