UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2015

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to overhaul child abuse investigations.

    Lord Bates

    The Government is clear that if anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, or knows of someone who has been a victim, then they should report it to the police so that it can be thoroughly investigated. The day to day investigation of child sexual abuse is an operational matter for the relevant Chief Officer.

    In July last year, the Home Secretary established an Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. This Inquiry will consider whether, and the extent to which, public bodies and other non-state institutions have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse. The Inquiry will have statutory powers under the Inquiries Act 2005, to enable it to compel witnesses to give evidence. This is of huge national significance and is a once in a generation opportunity to get to the truth.

    At a national level, Operation Hydrant is the national policing response which oversees and coordinates all child abuse investigations concerning persons of public prominence or those offences which took place historically in institutional settings. It is overseen by the National Policing Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigations. More generally, Operation Hydrant is responsible for the production of best practice for Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs) investigating relevant allegations.

    To support forces in conducting operations into child sexual abuse, the College of Policing has published Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on managing complex child abuse investigations.

    Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary is currently conducting a rolling programme of unannounced child protection inspections. Reports on Norfolk, South Yorkshire, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire have been published so far. This inspection programme, once completed, will give a national picture, and focus on the role of police in child protection and specifically how effectively forces safeguard young people.

  • Gerry Sutcliffe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gerry Sutcliffe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerry Sutcliffe on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what terms and conditions the contract of the Chief of Defence Materiel has been extended.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I am pleased to confirm that the Chief of Defence Materiel’s contract has been extended for a further year on the existing terms and conditions. He will therefore have served a total of five years in post, in line with existing guidelines for senior civil servants of his rank.

    As a member of the Defence Board, details of Mr Gray’s salary and bonus payments are published annually in the Department’s accounts.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Cathy Jamieson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what qualifications are required of Pension Wise staff providing (a) telephone and (b) face-to-face advice.

    Andrea Leadsom

    All guidance specialists working for Pension Wise will receive high quality and rigorous training, whether they are delivering guidance face to face or over the phone. They will be required to pass a certificated test to demonstrate they have the necessary technical knowledge and guidance skills to deliver the guidance. The training programme is designed in accordance with FCA standards, and will be accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute, a well-respected professional standards body in the financial services industry.

    HM Treasury’s delivery partners, TPAS and Citizens Advice, Citizens Advice Scotland and Citizens Advice Northern Ireland are currently recruiting guidance specialists. Recruitment strategies and the setting of pay scales is the responsibility of individual delivery partners.

    At Budget 2014, the Chancellor allocated a development fund of up to £20m to establish the initial guidance service. Spending on advertising will be published as part of the government’s Transparency Agenda. Initial funding to The Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) and the Citizen Advice organisations will be included in the HM Treasury Accounts to be published in July.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons ministerial returns for his Department for quarters two and three of 2014 have not yet been published.

    Kris Hopkins

    Updated detail of Ministerial hospitality, overseas travel and meetings with external organisations will be published in due course on the same day as other government departments.

  • James Paice – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    James Paice – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Paice on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to bring the ETSU-R-97 assessment methodology for calculating the noise impact of wind turbine generators in line with current World Health Organisation guidelines.

    Amber Rudd

    The Government takes seriously the impact of noise from wind turbines. Potential noise impacts are considered within the planning process in accordance with ETSU-R-97, and taking into account any guidance on good or best practice that the Government has published or endorsed, before any decision is taken whether or not to grant consent to a project. The Government believes that wind farms built in accordance with current guidance should not have significant impacts on those living or working within the vicinity of these sites, and has no plans to revise ETSU-R-97.

  • Derek Twigg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Derek Twigg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) benefits for and (b) risks to patient care of NHS foundation trusts and trusts being financially penalised for failing to meet performance targets in 2015-16; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    Patients have a right to National Health Service care in line with performance standards set out in the NHS Constitution. We believe it is correct that there should be financial incentives for providers of NHS services to achieve these important standards for their patients, and the NHS Standard Contract has for many years included such incentives.

    Commissioners are able to apply sanctions where a provider misses one of these national quality standards, and retain the funding for re-investment in front line services.

  • Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2015 to Question 222395, what proportion of UK Official Development Assistance was allocated to fragile and conflict-affected states in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2011-12.

    Justine Greening

    The most recent available figures for UK official development assistance (ODA) show the following proportions were spent in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS):

    Year

    % UK ODA Spent in FCAS (Bilateral and multilateral)

    2010

    39%

    2011

    44%

    2012

    42%

    2013

    43%

    ODA spend is calculated on a calendar-year basis; provisional figures for 2014 UK ODA spend will be published in the spring.

  • Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the justification for the Ministry of Justice’s refusal to permit visits to any prisons by a reporter from The Guardian.

    Lord Faulks

    The External Communications team at the Ministry of Justice receives a significant number of requests by local and national media for access to prisons. For operational reasons and resource implications it is not possible to facilitate all requests.

    Each request is considered on its own merit, with careful thought over the subject area, resource and security implications, victim impact, and value to the taxpayer. In a similar way to the police or the NHS, there are operational considerations to be made when filming or reporting in prisons. When facilitating media access we must ensure that the needs of victims are met, which may involve concealing identities, carrying out relevant checks and liaising directly with victims about the access request. We must also ensure that media access does not breach any security restrictions, for example filming keys or locks. Consideration is also given to protecting the identities of prisoners and staff.

    We are committed to providing open and transparent access to prison and regularly provide access to journalists for news items, features and documentary programmes. We aim to provide a range of access to different journalists covering both print and broadcast media, local, national and online media.

    Since the beginning of January 2015 we have provided access to a range of media outlets, a few examples are listed below:

    • The Guardian were given access to HMP New Hall – http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/30/new-hall-womens-prison-inmates-equals
    • BBC and the Sun were giving access to HMP Coldingley
    • Regional BBC were giving access to HMP Northumberland (Sodexo run prison)
    • Telegraph and Heart Radio were giving access to HMP Drake Hall
    • Evening Standard and regional BBC were giving access to HMP Thameside (Serco run prison)
    • BBC Radio 4 were giving access to HMP Prescoed/HMP Cardiff
    • Sky Sports were giving access to HMP Feltham
    • National BBC, regional ITV and the Manchester Evening News were giving access to HMP Styal
    • Evening Standard and London Live were giving access to HMP Isis
    • East Anglia Daily Times and regional BBC radio were giving access to HMP Hollesley Bay
    • Sky News were given access to HMP Ranby
    • ITV were given access to HMP Norwich
  • Christian Matheson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Christian Matheson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will amend the road traffic construction and use regulations to require dashboard warning lights for faulty brake lights to be mandatory.

    Andrew Jones

    Dash board warning lights are the subject of the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989. There are no specific requirements for brake light failure warning and there are no plans to amend them. The optional fitment of such a warning light is permitted.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Alison Thewliss – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Glasgow Central, (b) the city of Glasgow and (c) Scotland have been unsuccessful in claiming jobseeker’s allowance because they did not meet the criteria for the habitual residence test since October 2014.

    Priti Patel

    Statistical information regarding the habitual residence test is intended for publication at a future date.