Tag: 2014

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff worked in investigation, legal and enforcement action in each geographical area of the Environment Agency in each year since 2010.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency is unable to provide a breakdown of the number of staff that worked in investigation, legal and enforcement action across geographical areas since 2010 due to disproportionate cost.

    Many Environment Agency staff work on investigation, legal and enforcement action as part of their role and across more than one geographical area.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the TecSOS system for high risk victims of domestic abuse; and what plans she has to rollout the programme to other areas of the country.

    Norman Baker

    The report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) on the police
    response to domestic abuse, published in March 2014, clearly set out the
    importance of using new technology to help protect victims of domestic abuse.
    Whilst it is an operational matter for chief constables on procuring
    technology, we are aware that the TecSOS system is used by 16 police
    forces across England and Wales.

    Through the National Oversight Group, set-up and chaired by the Home Secretary
    to drive delivery against the HMIC recommendations, the Government is ensuring
    that best practice on the use of new technology, like TecSOS, is identified and
    shared so that the policing of domestic abuse is robust.

    As part of its commitment to support high risk victims of domestic abuse, the
    Government part-funds 144 Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and 54
    Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference co-ordinator posts. This funding
    amounts to £3.4 million per year.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases were dealt with in magistrates’ courts in 2013 (a) in total and (b) for non-payment of a television licence.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Statistics on prosecutions, convictions and sentencing for calendar year 2013, including those of installing or viewing a television receiver without the appropriate licence, are planned for publication in May 2014 as part of the Criminal Justice Statistics annual publication.

  • Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment will be made, prior to the appointment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive, of each candidate’s knowledge of and expertise on procedural and constitutional issues.

    John Thurso

    Three organisations specialising in executive search services were invited to tender to provide support for the recruitment of the next Clerk of the House and Chief Executive. Saxton Bampfylde was selected through this process.

    The selection panel comprises Mr Speaker, Rt Hon Andrew Lansley MP, Angela Eagle MP, John Thurso MP, Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP and Dame Julie Mellor (Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman). No confirmation hearing is envisaged. The composition of the panel for the recruitment of the present postholder was Mr Speaker, Rt Hon Sir George Young MP, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, John Thurso MP, Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith MP, Rt Hon Lindsay Hoyle MP and Sheila Drew Smith.

    Knowledge of procedural and constitutional issues will be tested as part of the formal interview process. The Clerk of the House is appointed by the Crown by Letters Patent, on the recommendation of the Speaker to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister to the Crown. As part of normal pre-appointment checks it will be a requirement for the next Clerk of the House to be subject to security vetting. The terms of the recruitment brief were agreed by the Commission by correspondence, and the advertisement, finalised by the Speaker and the Director General of HR and Change, was based on the agreed brief.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to the UK of international students.

    Mr David Willetts

    The Government’s International Education Strategy, published in July 2013, included an analysis of the value of international education to the UK. This analysis showed that international students across all parts of the education sector (higher education, further education, English language training, and independent schools) were estimated to contribute £13.6bn to the UK economy in 2011. More recent data indicates that this figure rose to £13.9bn in 2012.

    International students also bring indirect economic benefits to the UK, including: strengthening the quality, diversity and reputation of the UK education sector; providing a pipeline of prospective students who may study at higher levels in the UK; and improving overseas business, research, social and cultural links.

    The International Education Strategy and the accompanying analytical narrative can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-education-strategy-global-growth-and-prosperity.

  • Kate Hoey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kate Hoey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions the Royal Prerogative of Mercy has been granted in relation to offences occurring as a result and in the course of escaping from or breaking out of prison in the last 25 years; and if he will make a statement.

    Jeremy Wright

    We do not centrally hold data on the number of occasions the Royal Prerogative of Mercy has been exercised for the time period in question. Consequently, the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, as it would involve a manual trawl through the records of every prisoner who has formed part of the prison population for the last 25 years, to identify, firstly, if they have ever escaped from prison custody and secondly, if a request to exercise the Royal Prerogative of Mercy was successful.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she intends to respond to the email of 17 October 2013 sent by the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish concerning her Department’s plan for spending and distributing the core funds of £375 million that were pledged in June 2013.

    Lynne Featherstone

    I replied to the Hon. Member’s correspondence on 14th February 2014.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent staff were employed in her Department on 1 June 2014.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    As of 1 June 2014, my Department employed 155 permanent members of staff made up of Home Civil Servants and Northern Ireland Civil Servants staff seconded to the Northern Ireland Office. Three part-time members of staff are engaged on an annual contract.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees whether there are plans to sell or give away the tiles currently being replaced in the Palace of Westminster.

    Lord Sewel

    The Encaustic Tile Programme is a seven year conservation programme to replace and repair the encaustic tiles throughout the Palace of Westminster. As part of the programme, tiles which are in good condition are either left in place or re-used elsewhere whenever possible.

    In some cases, the tiles cannot be re-used elsewhere, and the Administration and Works Committee in the Lords and the Administration Committee in the Commons have agreed that, in these cases, some tiles should be kept for archival purposes, some tiles should be donated to museums or related institutions, and a limited number of tiles should be sold.

    The Committees in both Houses are currently discussing the details of this proposal.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he expects High Speed 2 will require a separate ticket pricing structure from regular rail services.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The HS2 business case demonstrates that the project can deliver significant benefits for the country without any fares differential being required for journeys using the high speed line. It is too soon to know what fares will be set for travel on HS2 services. Government decisions about fares structures and regulation will be taken closer to the commencement of HS2 Phase One services in 2026.