Tag: 2014

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what Red, Amber, Green ratings the Major Projects Authority has given to the Emergency Services Communications Programme.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Major Projects Authority (MPA) has been applying MPA assurance processes to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) including a Project Assessment Review and Gateway Reviews. Further information on the ESMCP Programme is available at the link below:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-emergency-services-mobile-communications-programme

    Delivery Confidence Assessment ratings are supplied according to the MPA’s Transparency Policy which is on the Cabinet Office website. The policy allows for non-disclosure of information which should properly remain confidential, for example where it is market sensitive or necessary to safeguard national security.

    This will be in line with the principles of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/major-projects-transparency-policy-and-exemptions-guidance

    The DCA for ESMCP was not revealed in MPA’s first annual report last year in line with the above policy. The next annual report of the MPA is due to be published in May.

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

    Andrew Stephenson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicles have been found to be in breach of rules about tinted windows in (a) England, (b) the North West and (c) Lancashire in each of the last five years.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department has information broken down relating to the enforcement by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for the most recent year. The following prohibitions were found in the year to March 2014, a) 710 in England, b) 62 in the North West and c) 37 in Lancashire. National totals for the previous 4 years were, 2013 – 720, 2012 – 663, 2011 – 1617, 2010 – 2364. The Department does not have the Police data for this offence at this time. Enforcement of Construction and Use regulations is a matter for both DVSA and the police.

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of employees in his Department of each (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.

    Brandon Lewis

    The proportion of Department staff currently working reduced hours by Civil Service pay grade is as follows:

    Administrative

    Officer

    Executive Officer

    Higher Executive Officer

    Fast Stream

    % Part-Time

    8.7%

    11.4%

    10.3%

    2.1%

    Senior Executive Officer

    Grade 7

    Grade 6

    All Senior Civil Servants

    Total

    % Part-Time

    12.5%

    14.8%

    10.0%

    12.5%

    11.7%

    The proportion of Department staff currently working reduced hours by gender is as follows:

    Male

    Female

    Total

    % Part-Time

    2.7%

    20.3%

    11.7%

    With regards to flexi-time, the Department operates a Flexible Working Hours system of attendance under which managers may agree that staff work flexibly within certain set hours. This policy applies to all non-Senior Civil Service staff at all office locations and is subject to operational need.

    The Department does not hold a central record of staff working from home, a compressed working week, job share, and term-time only. These arrangements are agreed between managers and staff and may reflect very short term arrangements as well as those of a more enduring nature. As home working and compressed hours arrangements do not impact on pay or employment terms these arrangements are not recorded on the Department’s central HR system. Where job share and term-time arrangements have an impact on pay or employment terms and conditions these staff are recorded as part-time on the Department’s central HR system.

    The Department’s definition of part-time working is the same as reduced hours and so the above proportions still apply.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he or officials in his Department have had with counterparts in the Royal Canadian Navy or the US Navy on personnel of those navies undertaking conversion training at HMS Sultan to fill current vacancies in suitably qualified and experienced personnel positions.

    Anna Soubry

    There have been no such discussions with the Royal Canadian Navy or the United States Navy. However, we work closely with many nations and provide opportunities for their personnel to serve with the Royal Navy through a range of schemes including exchange and liaison postings.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

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

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2012, Official Report, column 444W, on constituencies, what comparative assessment he has made of the accuracy of the (a) electoral register and (b) census.

    Greg Clark

    Using population figures derived from census data would not provide a better basis for a review of constituency boundaries than using the electoral register. The electoral register is updated annually, whereas the census takes place every ten years; in addition, census figures will include persons who are not eligible to register to vote, for example on grounds of citizenship or age.

  • Annette Brooke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Annette Brooke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Annette Brooke on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will issue guidance on the safe use of bicycle trailers to provide a minimum level of safety for children being towed by bicycles on the roads.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department has no current plans to issue guidance on the safe use of trailers on bicycles. However children should be transported safely and securely and trailers should be in a roadworthy condition before being used on the highway.

  • Nigel Adams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nigel Adams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Adams on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many properties built after January 2009 were flooded in winter 2013-14; and what guidance his Department issues to homeowners who are declined insurance by their provider because of risk of flooding. [R]

    Dan Rogerson

    We do not collect information on the number of properties built after January 2009 which were flooded in the winter of 2013-14. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published a “Guide to obtaining flood insurance in high risk areas” on the GOV.UK website, which sets out steps for households in flood risk areas to access appropriate insurance.

  • Robert Syms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Robert Syms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Syms on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the cost of abating all global warming projected to occur over the lifetime of Navitus Bay in sterling and in US dollars; and what intertemporal discount rate has been used in such calculations.

    Gregory Barker

    The Department does not undertake analysis or hold information of this nature relating to specific developments.

  • Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to ensure that the probation contracts in England and Wales are let without risk to the public or waste of public money.

    Jeremy Wright

    Under our reforms the market will be opened up to a diverse range of new rehabilitation providers, so that we get the best out of the public, voluntary and private sectors, at the local as well as national level. Protecting the public must remain our top priority,and the new National Probation Service will manage all offenders who pose a high risk of harm to the public or have committed the most serious offences. The Secretary of State will continue to issue national standards for the management of offenders, and the Government will place contractual requirements on Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) to ensure that the risk of harm posed by offenders is effectively managed. Providers bidding to run CRCs will need to demonstrate in their bids how they would deliver high quality rehabilitative support to offenders, and they will be held to account to deliver these services in their contracts. Bidders will also need to demonstrate how they will maintain a workforce with appropriate levels of competence and training to deliver these services.

    Our proposals will be affordable within the context of the MoJ commitment to deliver annual savings of over £2 billion by 2014/15. We plan to make efficiency savings through the use of competition, the introduction of private and voluntary sector providers, and by consolidating back-office functions within the public sector. Releasing these efficiency savings will enable us to invest in rehabilitation and extend provision to support supervision to a wider group of offenders.

  • 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.

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