Tag: 2014

  • David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether customers phoning Ofgem can speak to an employee in addition to using the automatic system; whether it is Ofgem’s policy to advise callers to contact the nearest citizen’s advice bureau for queries on energy firms and prices; and if he will make a statement.

    Michael Fallon

    Telephone calls to Ofgem’s main telephone number initially lead to an automated system, where complaints or inquiries about an energy company or a need for advice lead to a recorded message advising the person to contact the relevant energy company or Government-funded Citizen’s consumer service. If callers wish to speak to a named person, have an inquiry about Ofgem policies or have any other inquiry they will be transferred to a person.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

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

    To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of staff within the Law Officers’ Departments who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British.

    Oliver Heald

    I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 16th June (Official Report, Col 433W).

  • 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 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 Cabinet Office

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

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

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year.

    Mr Francis Maude

    To win the global race we need the best civil servants regardless of their background so we must recruit, retain and promote on the basis of merit. We want to see more talented people, whatever their background, reach the very top roles.

    There has been for many years a majority of women in the Civil Service but this was not reflected into the Senior Civil Service.

    Although there has been a small increase in the proportion of women in the Senior Civil Service since 2010, and in the proportion of civil servants who declare that they are from an ethnic minority background, there is still much to do.

    We know that for too long talent management in the Civil Service has been weak. That’s why I have commissioned research to examine the blockages preventing women from reaching the most senior levels of the Civil Service.

    A plan to address these issues will be published this summer.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to reform civil procedure rules to clarify courts’ powers to strike out cases due to exaggerated or fabricated personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government is committed to turning the tide on fraudulent personal injury claims. To this end, it is considering what specific reforms might be appropriate, including whether the Law Commission should be asked to consider this issue. We will make our conclusions known in due course.

    No figures are available on the number of exaggerated or fabricated personal injury claims struck out by the courts. Figures for 2011 published by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) indicate that whiplash claims cost customers more than £2 billion a year and add £90 to the average motor insurance premium.

    The ABI describe 7% of all motor claims in 2011 – worth £441m – as fraudulent. In addition, they estimate that a further £1 billion of motor insurance fraud went undetected in 2011.

    As announced last year, we are working with stakeholders in the industry to tighten the medical evidence process so that only evidence from accredited experts can be considered, and the costs for those reports can be fixed. This will mean people can no longer profit from exaggerated or fraudulent compensation claims but victims with genuine cases can still get the help they deserve. We are introducing these reforms later in the year. We are also working to secure better data on motor accident cases, including the number of fraudulent cases.

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

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

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

    Anna Soubry

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not have targets for increasing diversity.

    In 2012 the MOD published its Strategic Equality Objectives in accordance with the statutory requirements flowing from the Equality Act 2010 to promote equality. These objectives, including the advancement of equality of opportunity, were endorsed by the Defence Board to reflect the fact that the duty to promote equality sits squarely at the top of the Department.

    In September 2013, the Permanent Secretary and Chief of the Defence Staff announced the establishment of a Defence Diversity and Inclusion Programme, with the aim of making a tangible and meaningful change in the MOD’s approach to diversity and diversity outcomes.

    The primary aim of the programme is to make the workforce more representative of society at all levels, and metrics will be used to measure success.

    The MOD publishes a biannual breakdown of diversity statistics which contains analysis of all diversity categories for both civilian and Service Personnel. The most recent report, published on 29 May 2014, can be found at the following address: http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/personnel/combined/diversity-dashboard

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average custodial sentence was for people of each gender sentenced in the West Yorkshire Police Force area to immediate custody for (a) summary only offences, (b) either way offences and (c) indictable only offences; and for which offences such people were sentenced.

    Jeremy Wright

    The sentencing framework and sentencing guidelines apply equally to all offenders. Sentencing is entirely a matter for the courts, taking account of all the circumstances of each case. This will include all aggravating and mitigating factors, the criminal history of the offender and a guilty plea.

    Defendants are now more likely to be convicted for committing crime and sent to prison for longer than they were a decade ago. In addition criminals convicted since 2010 are more likely to receive an immediate custodial sentence, both overall and for a first time offence.

    Offenders sentenced at all courts, by gender, class type, offence type in West Yorkshire police force area from 2008 to 2012 (latest available) can be viewed in the table. In many cases the numbers are too small for the average custodial sentence length to be meaningful.

    Court proceedings data for 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 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.

    Dan Rogerson

    Core Defra follows Cabinet Office advice in meeting its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which is part of the Equality Act 2010, when considering bids for commercial contracts or grants.

    As part of our evaluation criteria we ask each bidder to provide evidence of their equality and diversity policy or an equivalent document which demonstrates their organisation’s commitment to equality and diversity and which is compliant with the relevant legislation.

    We ask each bidder to describe the steps they have taken to:

    · monitor equality and diversity performance;

    · implement training programmes for raising awareness;

    · ensure staff and sub-contractors working on the contract comply appropriately with the relevant legislation;

    · address cases of discrimination and other breaches and set out measures for preventing recurrences; and

    · give the Department full confidence in their organisation’s approach to equality and diversity.

    A score is allocated to the bidder’s response to these questions which forms part of the overall technical evaluation of the bid.

  • Naomi Long – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Naomi Long – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naomi Long on 2014-04-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she considers the failure of the Northern Ireland Executive to allow the National Crime Agency to operate fully in Northern Ireland is beginning to have a significantly detrimental impact on the fight against organised crime in Northern Ireland.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    There is an increasing risk of such an impact. The National Crime Agency is committed to assisting the Police Service of Northern Ireland to tackle serious and organised crime in Northern Ireland, as far as the restrictions on its powers permit. However, its activities in devolved areas have been curtailed and the capability that the Agency has available in Northern Ireland is therefore less than that available in the rest of the UK. This is of particular concern in areas where the Police Service of Northern Ireland or other Northern Ireland agencies do not have the powers or expertise to replace NCA capabilities, such as civil asset recovery.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

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

    Karen Bradley

    Table 1 provides information on the proportion of staff within the Home
    Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of
    the last 4 financial years (2009-10 to 2012-13) and who were white. It is
    planned that information for 2013-14 will be published in January 2015.

    It has not been possible to provide information further broken down as white
    British staff as historical data is not collated in this way and could only be
    provided at disproportionate cost.

    Individuals can be dismissed for a variety of reasons (such as conduct,
    performance, or attendance). It is not possible to identify those dismissed
    following disciplinary proceedings without incurring disproportionate costs.