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Tag: 2014

  • Brooks Newmark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Brooks Newmark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brooks Newmark on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has in response to the HM Inspector of Constabulary Inquiry into police response to domestic violence in creating a culture change towards domestic violence.

    Norman Baker

    Last September, the Home Secretary commissioned Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of
    Constabulary to conduct a review of the response to domestic abuse
    across all police forces. HMIC published its findings in March 2014,
    emphasising that the key priority is a culture change in the police so that
    domestic violence and abuse is treated as the crime that it is and that the
    police use the full range of tools already available to them.

    In response to the Review, the Home Secretary has established a new national
    oversight group, which she is chairing, and on which I sit, to oversee delivery
    against each of HMIC’s recommendations. Their first meeting was held
    on 10 June. The Home Secretary has also written to chief constables making it clear
    that every police force must have an action plan in place by September 2014.

    There are a number of offences that make domestic abuse illegal, including
    actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm and assault. Assault can extend to
    non-physical harm. This Government has introduced stalking and harassment
    legislation which can apply to coercive control and psychological abuse.
    However, the Government will continue to consider what measures will drive
    culture change in the police in response to the findings of the HMIC review.

  • Fiona O’Donnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Fiona O’Donnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona O’Donnell on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of statutory maternity and paternity pay to parents of premature and sick babies.

    Jenny Willott

    The UK’s maternity leave provision is one of the most generous in the world; all employed women have a “day one” entitlement to 52 weeks of maternity leave. Mothers with 26 weeks qualifying service and meeting the earnings requirement are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). Those mothers who do not qualify for SMP may be entitled to Maternity Allowance. This means that expectant mothers and mothers can take time off work to prepare for and recover from childbirth and bond with their babies, and to deal with unexpected eventualities including ill health, premature births and any complications associated with sick babies.

    Through the Children and Families Act 2014, the Government is introducing a new system of shared parental leave which will give parents much more flexibility in how to use their leave entitlement. This flexibility will be particularly valuable to parents who have to deal with difficult or unexpected circumstances and it will allow parents, for the first time, to take leave together in a way that suits them. The system will be available for working parents whose baby is due on or after 5 April 2015 (irrespective of when the baby is born), and will be introduced later this year so that it catches babies who are born early.

    The Government has committed to explicitly considering the issues facing families with babies admitted to neonatal care within the context of the review that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has announced it will undertake on the review of changes to employment law enacted by the Children and Families Act after 2018.

  • Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with non-governmental organisations in Pakistan and neighbouring countries about honour killings.

    Justine Greening

    Following the brutal murder of Farzana Parveen in Lahore on 27 May, I raised this issue at various levels in the Government of Pakistan. The Foreign Secretary and senior HMG officials in Pakistan have also publically and privately condemned the appalling crime of ‘honour killings’ and called for immediate action to bring the culprits of the 27 May attack to justice.

    HMG regularly engages with the government and civil society in Pakistan on women’s rights and violence against women, including so-called ‘honour killings’. Across DFID’s programmes in Pakistan we are helping women and girls to live healthy and secure lives.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has agreed to the Top Level Budget holder in the Ministry of Defence making ex-gratia payments to members of the armed forces wrongly disciplined under AGAI 67 following receipt of a police caution; what estimate he has made of the level of such payments; when such payments are to start; and if he will make a statement.

    Danny Alexander

    The Treasury delegates ex-gratia payments that are not novel or contentious to the Ministry of Defence, below an agreed threshold. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) may then delegate further to Top Level Budget holders with the agreement with Treasury.

    The MOD has not made any ex-gratia payments in response to claims from Armed Forces personnel that they had been wrongly disciplined under AGAI 67 on receipt of a police caution.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department expects to raise from increased Notice to Seek Possession fees in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16 and (c) 2016-17.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    We expect to generate around £35m in additional gross income in 2014/15 and subsequent years from increased Notice to Seek Possession fees.

    However, as part of our reforms we also removed the listing and allocation fees for possession claims in the county and high court.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, column 182W, on Defence Infrastructure Organisation, whether there are any covenants on the use of DIO Ashcurch; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    There are two covenants on the site at Ashchurch. These relate to:

    The erection and maintenance of stock proof fences; and

    The reservation of mines and minerals and rights of access to light and air.

  • David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Ward on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s key performance indicators are for decisions that require mandatory reconsideration.

    Esther McVey

    There is no statutory time limit. We deliberately do not have one because each case will be considered on its merits.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for renewing the 1958 Agreement between the UK and US for Co-operation in the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes; whether he will lay the draft renewed agreement before Parliament; and what role the British Embassy in Washington DC will play in the renewal.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    We are continuing to work with the US and satisfactory progress is being made. Parliament will be informed of the amending text at the appropriate time. The British Embassy in Washington DC will facilitate discussions between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the US Department of State.

  • Biography information for Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Biography information for Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Julian Huppert on Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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    Hugh Robertson

    We are not aware of any recent action taken by the US against Bangladesh.

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the commerical and procurement capability of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; and what steps have been taken to assist the authority in the development of its capability in this area of operations.

    Michael Fallon

    The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for running competitions to manage its sites, and for managing the contracts with those sites; maintaining the capability to do so effectively is also the responsibility of the NDA. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State appoints the Chairman and other non-executive members of the NDA Board and we have ensured that it has strong commercial skills to support the Executive. With regard to the NDA’s Parent Body Organisation competitions, the process is subject to governance by the NDA’s Competition Programme Board (CPB), on which the Shareholder Executive (on behalf of DECC), HM Treasury and Infrastructure UK sit. A key role of the CPB is to provide assurance that the NDA has the right commercial and procurement capability. We also monitor continuously the NDA’s performance, capability and overall effectiveness.