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Tag: 2015

  • Mark Durkan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mark Durkan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what account she took of the recommendations of (a) the Report of the Modern Slavery Bill Evidence Review presented to her on 16 December 2013 and (b) the report from the Joint Committee on the Draft Modern Slavery Bill published on 3 April 2014, HC 1019, when establishing the review of migrant domestic worker arrangements.

    Karen Bradley

    Both reports were considered carefully when establishing the review of the
    Overseas Domestic Worker visa. That is why the review will focus on all aspects
    of this visa regime, including the support available to those who are subject
    to modern slavery offences whilst holding these visas. The Government is
    determined to ensure that our visa regime does not encourage or facilitate
    abuse. James Ewins was asked to conduct the review in light of his significant
    background in tackling modern slavery, including as specialist adviser to the
    pre-legislative scrutiny Committee and as a member of the steering committee
    for the Modern Slavery Bill Evidence Review Panel. The Review will report by
    the end of July 2015.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of local magistrate advisory boards are (a) sitting magistrates and (b) non-magistrates.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    I have interpreted ‘Local magistrate advisory boards’ to mean Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace, the bodies responsible for recruiting and selecting magistrates in England and Wales.

    To enable their work to be informed by a range of knowledge and experience, Advisory Committees are composed of both magistrates and non-magistrates. At least one third of each Committee’s members should be non-magistrates.

    The attached table contains the names of each Committee’s members and indicates which of those members are magistrates.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with bidders for the Northern Rail franchise covering the Colne to Blackpool South service via Preston on the replacement of Pacer trains with rolling stock that has not previously been used on London Underground.

    Claire Perry

    The Department has held discussions with bidders for the Northern franchise to discuss and receive feedback on a range of specification areas, including rolling stock and the intended service specifications across the new franchise.

    Our specifications for the Northern franchise will be set out in the Invitation to Tender document, which will be published shortly.

  • Zac Goldsmith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Zac Goldsmith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recruitment process was used when hiring Simon Baugh, Group Director of Communications for his Department; and what role Mr Baugh will have in his Department after the Airports Commission has made its recommendation on airport expansion in the South East.

    Claire Perry

    The recruitment process for this role followed the legal principle that a person’s selection must be on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. The process was overseen at all stages by a Civil Service Commissioner and managed by executive search firm Odgers Berndston. The role was advertised nationally in September 2014, and the process that then followed comprised longlisting, shortlisting, psychometric testing and final interviews by a panel. The panel was chaired by the Civil Service Commissioner and otherwise comprised Philip Rutnam, Permanent Secretary of the Department for Transport; Alex Aitken, Executive Director of Government Communications, Cabinet Office; David Prout, Director General, High Speed Rail, Department for Transport; and Alison Rumsey, Group HR Director, Department for Transport. Prior to final panel interviews the shortlisted candidates met the Permanent Secretary and the Secretary of State for conversations in which the candidates had the opportunity to ask questions about the Department. The meetings with the Secretary of State were observed by representatives from the Civil Service Commissioner’s office in line with Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. As Mr Baugh was previously employed by Heathrow Airport Ltd, he will not be involved in advising Ministers on issues relating to the work of the Airports Commission for the 6 months following his appointment, which starts on 30 March 2015.

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-02-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many calls were made to (a) The Pension Service, 08456060265, (b) Personal Independence Payment, 08458503322, (c) Carer’s Allowance Unit, 08456084321, and (d) Bereavement benefits, 08456088601, in each of the last five financial years; how much revenue was generated from calls to each of those numbers; and when he plans to end the use of those numbers.

    Esther McVey

    Please see the attached table – PQ224822 Selected Volumes- detailing volume of calls made to (a) The Pension Service, 08456060265, (b) Personal Independence Payment, 08458503322, (c) Carer’s Allowance Unit, 08456084321, and (d) Bereavement benefits, 08456088601, in each of the last five financial years. (Metric definition and limitations included within the attachment)

    For the financial years 2014/15, 2013/14 and 2012/13, DWP received no revenue for the telephone number 08456060265. For the financial years 2014/15 and 2013/14, DWP received no revenue for the telephone number 08458503322. For the financial years 2014/15, 2013/14 and 2012/13, DWP received no revenue for the telephone number 08456084321. For the financial years 2014/15, 2013/14 and 2012/13, DWP received no revenue for the telephone number 08456088601.

    DWP is already in the process of replacing all its 0845 number prefixes in use for its national helplines.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The table below shows how much HM Treasury spent on training in the last six full financial years, and the training budget for each of those years.

    Financial Year

    Total staff training costs

    Training budget

    2013/14

    £774,689

    £1,494,452

    2012/13

    £656,790

    £1,697,037

    2011/12

    £819,847

    £2,147,479

    2010/11

    £1,169,237

    £1,793,392

    2009/10

    £2,369,560

    £2,908,638

    2008/09

    £2,282,714

    £3,125,260

    Records on number of staff training days are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

    HM Treasury provides guidance to staff including managers that all civil servants are entitled to a minimum of 5 days a year for learning which can include training, seminars, mentoring, and other professional and job-based development.

  • George Hollingbery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    George Hollingbery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Hollingbery on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of minor developments which will be built in the next five years; and what assessment he has made of in which towns and cities the greatest numbers of such developments will be built.

    Brandon Lewis

    We now have a locally-led Planning system. As a result the Department does not hold projections of future planning applications, nor does it publish forecasts of housing completions. However the National Planning Policy Framework requires local planning authorities to identify, update annually and publish a deliverable five year housing land supply. Local planning authorities are expected to report on progress on delivery of new homes through their Authority Monitoring Reports.

    In addition, the Department publishes official statistics on planning applications including those on minor sites, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/planning-applications-statistics

    “

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

    Anna Soubry

    The Ministry of Defence undertakes a wide range of training activity; from phase 1 and phase 2 training for new recruits to complex joint exercises with other nations to specialist training for specific trades and skills requirements, such as nuclear engineering. The costs for these activities encompass nearly all of the Defence Lines of Development and can not be broken out without incurring disproportionate cost.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many Green Deal providers, assessors and installers have broken the Green Deal Code of Practice since the start of the Green Deal.

    Amber Rudd

    Around 10% of Green Deal assessor organisations and 12% of Green Deal installers have had their authorisations as a Green Deal participant removed for non-compliance issues against the Green Deal Code of Practice. No Green Deal providers have had their authorisation removed.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in her Department was in each of the last three financial years.

    Dan Rogerson

    The information to answer this question is not readily available and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.