Tag: 2014

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what visits each of the Ministers in his Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Dan Rogerson

    To identify every visit made by all of our Ministers over the period would incur a disproportionate cost as the information is not collated centrally.

    However, information on Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and their overseas travel is published quarterly on the Gov.uk site. This reflects the Civil Service’s commitment to transparency.

    Please find links to the relevant reports from 1 January 2013 until 31 December 2013:

    1 January to 31 March 2013:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/212312/defra-min-transparency-1213-q4.pdf

    1 April to 30 June 2013:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246396/Ministerial_expenses_-_1_April_to_30_June_2013.pdf

    1 July to 30 September 2013:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265462/Ministers_Quarterly_return_July_to_September_2013.pdf

    1 October to 31 December 2013:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/320333/Ministerial_Quarterly_Transparency_information_-_October_to_December_2013.pdf

    Transparency data for 1 January to 31 March 2014 is expected to be available on the webpage later this month. The data for 1 April to 30 June 2014 is due to be published in September.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2014, Official Report, columns 622-3W, on the Electoral Register: fraud, if the Electoral Commission will make an assessment of (a) the effect of the views of politicians and (b) statements by the Electoral Commission on public perception of electoral registration.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that it does not have any current plans to carry out research to make such an assessment.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether precursors of genocide exist in Burma for the Rohingya; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    It is the policy of the British Government that any judgement on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for international judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. Our approach is to seek an end to all violations, and to prevent their further escalation, irrespective of whether these violations fit the definition of specific international crimes. We consistently lobby the Burmese government for further action to address the humanitarian situation in Rakhine State, to improve security, to deliver accountability and to find a sustainable solution on citizenship. I raised our concerns with the Burmese government during my visit in January, summoned the Burmese Ambassador to press for humanitarian access in April, and discussed the situation with Deputy Foreign Minister U Thant Kyaw again on 13 June.

  • Gregg McClymont – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gregg McClymont – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregg McClymont on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received face to face guidance from the Pension Advisory Service in each of the last five years.

    Steve Webb

    The Pensions Advisory Service provides information and guidance over multiple distribution channels including by telephone, web chat, online and written enquiries and face to face via outreach activity. The outreach activity includes shows, forums and similar events. All guidance is tailored to the individuals’ personal circumstances.

    The data for the last five years are set out in the table below:

    Year

    2009/2010

    2010/2011

    2011/2012

    2012/2013

    2013/2014

    Helpline customers

    Includes calls, online enquiries, webchats and 1st party complaints

    99,663

    87,712

    93,505

    84,228

    76,348 (as at 28th February)

    Outreach work

    6,457 people spoken to at TPAS events/presentations

    7,577

    3,786

    1,091

    1,400 estimate to date

  • Virendra Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Virendra Sharma – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the review by the NHS on intellectual property, Innovation, Health and Wealth.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    NHS England has advised that work to develop proposals following the review is still continuing, and proposals will be shared in due course.

  • Teresa Pearce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Teresa Pearce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Teresa Pearce on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what funding his Department has agreed to provide in future years for former Remploy Employment Services; and until what year such funding will continue.

    Esther McVey

    The Department agrees Remploy funding and performance targets, including Work Choice job outcome targets on an annual basis. Remploy’s performance targets for 2013/14 were published in Hansard on 31 October 2013, column 60WS by Written Ministerial Statement confirming publication of Remploy Annual Report and Accounts 2013. Remploy performance targets and funding for 2014/15 will be published alongside the 2014 accounts later this year.

  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training is provided to staff working within alcohol and drugs treatment in identifying and treating the problem of gambling addiction.

    Norman Lamb

    The Department does not hold information on what specific training is provided to alcohol and drug treatment staff. Ensuring competent staff is the responsibility of local commissioners and providers.

    Public Health England (PHE) is working with the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the national gambling treatment service to identify how it can strengthen training, and are promoting the work of the Royal College of General Practitioners who have developed an online gambling diagnosis and treatment training resource that is available free to all health professionals.

    PHE promotes the Royal College of General Practitioners’ online training resource among all health professionals. PHE has developed guidance for local authorities on gambling and is exploring what the local needs are and where evidence allows it to intervene. However, PHE does not wish to undermine the treatment available through the national provider GamCare until evidence emerges that this is not meeting current need.

    My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with PHE and NHS England on a range of health issues. PHE is also working with NHS England and the Local Government Association to explore what the current need is locally so it can get a better picture; and decide whether PHE needs to act through prevention and restrictions on gambling shops; or through changes to the current GamCare treatment network.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 40W, how many offences charged under section 14(1) and 22 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 reached a first hearing in magistrates’ court in each year since 2008.

    Oliver Heald

    The number of offences charged under section 14(1) and 22 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 that reached a first hearing in magistrates’ courts in each year since 2008 are:

    Make a counterfeit of a

    protected coin with intent

    Make a counterfeit of a

    currency note with intent

    Total

    2008

    2

    22

    24

    2009

    0

    4

    4

    2010

    0

    4

    4

    2011

    3

    17

    20

    2012

    2

    12

    14

    2013

    2

    13

    15

    Total

    9

    72

    81

  • Jessica Morden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jessica Morden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jessica Morden on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what revenue has been received by the Passport Office for (a) standard passport applications, (b) fast-track applications and (c) premium service applications in (i) 1 January 2012 to 31 May 2012, (ii) 1 January 2013 to 31 May 2013 and (iii) 1 January 2014 to 31 May 2014.

    James Brokenshire

    The table below sets out the requested information:

    £m Standard Fast-track Premium
    1Jan – 31 May 2012 173.9 7.4 14.9
    1Jan – 31 May 2013 170.9 9.9 17.2
    1 Jan –31 May 2014 202.3 12.4 13.8

    Figures are based on cashiered income, without any accounting adjustments.

  • Pete Wishart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Pete Wishart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pete Wishart on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on Scotland’s justice system of the UK Government opting out of EU justice measures and then negotiating its re-entry into specific measures.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government is clear that there is no need for there to be an operational gap after 1 December, and is negotiating on that basis. Other Member States support the UK position and are keen for this process to be concluded as swiftly as possible to provide certainty for all involved.

    The Government has engaged with the Devolved Administrations throughout this process at Ministerial and official level. The Immigration and Security Minister (James Brokenshire) visited Edinburgh last year, where he met the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill, representatives from the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland and the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC. I plan to visit Edinburgh to discuss this matter further later this year.