Tag: 2014

  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has published for the use of local authorities in determining planning permission applications for the creation of cemeteries.

    Nick Boles

    In March, we published new planning guidance, which local planning authorities can use when determining planning applications. It explains that planning applications are considered on their own merits and, by law, must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The ‘Open space, sports and recreation facilities’ section of the guidance addresses provision of open spaces of public value.

    More broadly, separate to the planning system, the underlying statutory duties for local (burial) authorities are outlined in the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977. The associated guidance is overseen by the Ministry for Justice, and is available at:

    www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/burials-and-coroners/burial-ground-managers.pdf

    “

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what disability awareness training is provided to disability employment advisers in Jobcentre Plus.

    Esther McVey

    DWP staff have access to the ‘Raising the Game on Disability’ Seminar, which builds disability knowledge and confidence in working with disabled people. The ‘Hidden Impairment Toolkit’ training provides practical advice and guidance on how best to support individuals, into employment. This approach enables the anticipation of reasonable adjustments at appropriate stages of the individual’s journey to work

    For all Disability Employment Advisers (DEA) additional learning appropriate to this specialist area has been designed in conjunction with DWP Occupational Psychologists to enable DEA’s to provide effective support to people with particularly complex health-related needs.

  • Bill Wiggin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Bill Wiggin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the Mobile Infrastructure Project in Herefordshire.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Work has been ongoing in Herefordshire to search for appropriate locations for potential masts, and for each mast to: come to an agreement with a landlord, find an option to transmit signal back into the existing mobile networks, and ensure that the mast can be connected to a source of electricity

  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the influence of Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and its impact on the region; and what action they plan to take to reverse that influence.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Government continues to analyse the full range of political and militant actors in Gaza, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad. We have noted with concern Islamic Jihad’s growing involvement in attacks against Israel in 2014. We have called for the full implementation of the ceasefire of November 2012 between Palestinian militant factions and Israel.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cases of (a) rape, (b) sexual assault and (c) domestic violence were (i) reported to the Royal Military Police, (ii) referred by the Royal Military Police to prosecutors and (iii) directed for trial in each year since 2009.

    Anna Soubry

    The table below shows the number of cases of rape and sexual assault reported to the Royal Military Police, which of those were referred by the Royal Military Police to prosecutors and which were directed for trial since 2009.

    These represent any case worldwide where the Royal Military Police has jurisdiction. Decisions to direct cases for trial are taken by the independent Service Prosecuting Authority.

    Year

    Number of rape cases reported to the Royal Military Police

    Number of rape cases referred by the Royal Military Police to prosecutors

    Number of rape cases directed for trial[1]

    2009

    20

    15

    10

    2010

    20

    10

    10

    2011

    20

    15

    5

    2012

    20

    15

    10

    2013

    20

    5

    10

    Year

    Number of sexual assault cases reported to the Royal Military Police

    Number of sexual assault cases referred by the Royal Military Police to prosecutors

    Number of sexual assault cases directed for trial1

    2009

    60

    30

    10

    2010

    65

    45

    30

    2011

    50

    30

    40

    2012

    35

    25

    25

    2013

    45

    30

    25

    The figures have been rounded to the nearest five.The specific figure has not been disclosed to ensure that the alleged victim(s) cannot be identified. This is in line with the Sexual Offences (Amendments) Act 1976 and 1992.

    Because of the way domestic violence statistics are recorded it is taking some time to collate the information. I will write to the hon. Member with an answer shortly.

    [1] The figures relating to referrals and directions for trial use the date of referral receipt as the base line. The Service Prosecuting Authority often receive referrals in one year and the cases are directed, disposed and/or tried in the following year. As such there is no direct correlation to the number of cases brought in any one year. Over a period of time the figures may well fluctuate as additional referrals are either directed or non-instituted.

  • Lord Mawhinney – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Mawhinney – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawhinney on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what date the new trustees of the Royal Palace at Hillsborough Castle, Northern Ireland, were announced; and who has been appointed.

    Baroness Randerson

    On 24 March 2014, a press release was issued stating “The Northern Ireland Office and Historic Royal Palaces are pleased to announce that they have today signed a contract confirming that Historic Royal Palaces will take over responsibility for management and presentation of Hillsborough Castle as planned, with effect from 1 April 2014.”

    No new trustees were appointed specifically to Hillsborough Castle, but details of the current trustees of Historic Royal Palaces can be found at:

    http://www.hrp.org.uk/aboutus/whoweare/currenttrustees.

    “

  • Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Dominic Cummings has had any email contact with officials, Ministers or Special Advisers in his Department since he resigned his post as a Special Adviser.

    Matthew Hancock

    Mr Cummings is an ex-employee of the Department for Education. It is not uncommon for ex-employees to be in contact with Ministers and the Department. As the Secretary of State for Education explained to the House on Monday 16 June, many people seek to visit and contact the Department for Education to exchange ideas with old friends and colleagues.

  • Andrew Bridgen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Bridgen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much he estimates will have to be spent protecting the High Speed 2 track on phase 1 and phase 2 against the effects of mining subsidence; and whether that sum is included in the overall projected cost.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    On Phase One there are no specific allowances relating to mining subsidence in the cost estimate as there is no active mining below the route, nor any recorded abandoned mining shown in the publically available records that have been researched. Physical ground investigations and desktop studies of existing of records will be undertaken prior to construction of the railway, and allowances have been made in both the cost estimate and the project contingency for any ground treatments that are identified.

    On Phase Two there is an allowance within the cost estimate for the risks around crossing open cast quarries, mines and landfill sites and the current level of design reflects where appropriate the difficulty of crossing these type of areas.

  • Jim Dobbin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Dobbin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Dobbin on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 196584 6 May 2014, Official Report, column 41W, on drinking water, what plans his Department has to test for the levels of tranquillisers and antidepressants in drinking water; and if his Department will conduct a study into levels of psychotropic drugs in UK river and seawater.

    Dan Rogerson

    In 2012, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) published research looking at pharmaceuticals likely to present the worst case scenario in drinking water. Fluoxetine was included in the study, the outcome of which was that these pharmaceuticals presented no concern for public health. The research is part of an ongoing risk assessment which is revisited in the event of new information. The DWI has also responded to the earlier PQ (0019) on this matter.

    Monitoring river water and seawater is driven by requirements under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). As psychotropic drugshave not been identified as harmful chemicals under the WFD they are not routinely monitored, although they may be detected in less-specific investigations.

    The water industry has undertaken collaborative research into chemicals in sewage effluent through the UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) Chemicals Investigation Programme. Some medicines were included in the first Programme of 2010-13, including fluoxetine. A second Chemical Investigations Programme, beginning in 2015, will look at the psychoactive medicines fluoxetine and sertraline in sewage effluent.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients there are of disability living allowance, by parliamentary constituency.

    Mike Penning

    The information requested is already published and can be found at:

    http://83.244.183.180/100pc/dla/ccparlc/ccsex/a_carate_r_ccparlc_c_ccsex_aug13.html

    “