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Tag: 2015

  • Lord Pendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Pendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the continued case for the 25 per cent proposed budget cuts to UK Anti-Doping in the light of reports that widespread doping exists in the world of athletics, and what steps they plan to take in the light of any assessment.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) works tirelessly to promote clean sport and is highly regarded internationally.

    Any decision regarding funding is subject to the forthcoming Spending Review.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of the budget of the Turks and Caicos Islands has been allocated to the funding of the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) and associated legal costs; and if he will take steps to offset the cost of SIPT for the Turks and Caicos Islands government to enable the necessary investment in other projects on those islands.

    James Duddridge

    In 2015/2016, expenditure on the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team represents approximately 1.34 per cent of Turks and Caicos Islands Government expenditure. Legal aid and security costs are 2.2 per cent and 0.98 per cent respectively. The Governor has committed to provide a full and transparent breakdown of Special Investigation and Prosecution Team costs, with as much detail as possible, once the trial has concluded. The implementation of good governance reforms alongside increased tourist arrivals means that Turks and Caicos Islands Government is projected to show a budget surplus of around $40 million in 2015/2016. This has also been supported by a loan guarantee from the Department for International Development to Turks and Caicos Islands Government of up to $260 million. Turks and Caicos Islands Government is therefore well placed to invest in projects without intervention from the UK.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider introducing stronger sentencing powers against those involved in illegal dog fighting.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government recognises the seriousness of offences involving illegal animal fights. We will look to increase the maximum sentence when a legislative opportunity arises.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses trained abroad were recruited by the NHS in each year since 2010.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department does not hold information on the numbers of National Health Service nurses that have received training outside of the United Kingdom.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Catherine McKinnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2015 to Question 12365, what savings have resulted from the police-led prosecution initiative in each year since 2012-13.

    Robert Buckland

    The police-led prosecution initiative has led to a significant reduction in motoring offences prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in magistrate courts, as the following figures indicate:

    Motoring offence cases finalised in the Magistrates Court

    2012-13: 229,875

    2013-14: 171,517

    2014-15: 112,955

    While the reduction has led to a fall in expenditure on these low-level cases, the overall effect on CPS budgets has been cost-neutral. A high proportion of these cases are dealt with as summary first-time guilty pleas, in which the Court requires the defendant to pay the prosecution costs as part of any financial penalty. Therefore, whilst the CPS has benefitted from a reduction in expenditure, it has foregone the receipt of cost awards that are routinely made in motoring offence cases, as these awards are now payable to the police.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2015 to Question 11834, whether the additional £25 million transitional funding announced by the Prime Minister was provided by HM Treasury or from within existing Departmental funds; how much of that funding has been allocated or spent to date; and what new funding for this purpose has been provided in the departmental settlement in the Spending Review 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    The £25 million was announced by the Prime Minister in March 2015, to support transition to a reformed scheme. The money will come from existing departmental funds. We expect to announce our plans for that money once we have a better understanding of what wider scheme reform might comprise following the outcomes of the consultation.

    Funding for specific programme budgets, following the Spending Review, will be set out as part of the normal business planning cycle, as we work on the detail of our central budgets over the coming months.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Prior of Brampton on 2 November (HL2987 and HL2988), what assessment they have made, if any, of whether the Chairman of the Herbal Medicines and Practitioners Working Group ignored the agreed terms of reference of that group by publishing his report without consulting the members of that group, and if so, why.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    As the Herbal Medicines and Practitioners Working Group was an independent Group, governance arrangements and internal mechanisms were a matter for the Chair and its members to resolve. The remit of the Group was to consider the issues around herbal medicines and herbal practitioners, and report in 2015 with recommendations on the way forward. The overall remit was met.

  • Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings of the Community Engagement Forum have taken place in 2015 to date; and how many such meetings are planned in the next 12 months.

    Karen Bradley

    In his speech on countering extremism on 20 July, the Prime MInister said that he wanted to hear directly from all those in our society who are tackling extremism. The Community Engagement Forum is one of the ways the Prime Minister plans to do this. The Forum provides a platform for people to share their experiences and learn from each other. Attendance varies from meeting to meeting to ensure Ministers can hear from a wide range of people.

    To date, the Community Engagement Forum has met on 13 October 2015 and 19 November 2015. The attendees have been from a wide range of backgrounds and were representing interests at both a local and national level.

    Further Forums are planned for 2016.

  • Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what account was taken of the results of the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Survey on workplace union representatives in the healthcare sector in bringing forward proposals to cap union facility time in the Trade Union Bill.

    Matthew Hancock

    There are no current proposals to cap facility time. The reserve powers in the Trade Union Bill, which allow Ministers to set a cap on the time and money spent on facility time, would be used only as a last resort.

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to launch its consultation on amending regulations on crematoriums.

    Caroline Dinenage

    In my written statement of 8 July 2015 (http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2015-07-08/HCWS88/http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2015-07-08/HCWS88/) I announced my intention to launch a consultation on changes to cremation legislation by the end of the year. I can confirm that this remains my intention; the consultation will be launched shortly.

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