2015 – Page 343 – UKPOL.CO.UK

Lord Quirk – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Quirk on 2015-11-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 9 July (HL896, HL897) and 30 July (HL1654), why according to recent press reports HMRC are still failing to answer telephoned inquiries and complaints from the public within an acceptable time frame.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) recognise that their customer service has not been good enough, and have taken major steps to improve, including recruiting 3,000 new staff into customer service roles, available outside normal office hours when many of their customers choose to call them. The process of recruiting and training the new staff is now complete. These improvements have started to make a difference. This month, HMRC have answered more than 80 per cent of calls, and average queue times are now around 10 minutes.

HMRC also recognise that some customers have been waiting too long for a response to their complaint. HMRC have recovery plans in place and their performance is improving week on week.

January 1, 2023

Fabian Hamilton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the £1 billion over five years for use by the Ross Fund in conjunction with the Gates Foundation is UK Aid funded.

Mr Nick Hurd

All of the £1 billion Ross Fund, announced in November 2015, is UK Aid funded. Discussions are underway with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation about how their investments can contribute to the objectives of the Fund.

January 1, 2023

Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations she has received on support for charities which provide sexual health advice and services in Northern Ireland.

Mr Ben Wallace

Support for charities which provide sexual health advice and services in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office have received no representations.

January 1, 2023

Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times the National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) has been called out in each month in 2015; and to which prison the NTRG was called out in each case.

Mr Shailesh Vara

Any violence in prison is unacceptable – especially when it is directed at our hardworking staff.

We have a zero tolerance approach to violence and work closely with the police on this issue. Those who are violent could face extra time behind bars. Anyone found to have broken prison rules will be stripped of their privileges and could have time added to their sentence.

The following tables set out the occasions from 1^st January 2015 until 9^th December 2015 when the National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) has been called out to public and private sector establishments.

The information does not include aborted callouts.

	Date	Establishment
1	January	Onley
2	January	Northumberland
3	January	The Mount
4	January	Pentonville
5	January	Garth
6	January	Northumberland
7	January	Durham
8	January	Lancaster Farms
9	January	Ranby
10	January	Feltham
11	January	Morton Hall
12	January	Styal
Total	January	12
1	February	Risley
2	February	Oakwood
3	February	Lindholme
4	February	Moorland
5	February	Isis
6	February	Lindholme
7	February	Liverpool
8	February	Deerbolt
9	February	Durham
10	February	Channings Wood
11	February	Lindholme
12	February	Brinsford
13	February	Lindholme
14	February	Wetherby
15	February	Bullingdon
Total	February	15

~~Any violence in prison is unacceptable – especially when it is directed at our hardworking staff~~

We have a zero tolerance approach to violence and work closely with the police on this issue. Those who are violent could face extra time behind bars. Anyone found to have broken prison rules will be stripped of their privileges and could have time added to their sentence

The following tables set out the occasions from 1^st January 2015 until 9^th December 2015 when the National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) has been called out to public and private sector establishments.

~~The information does not include aborted callouts.~~

	Date	Establishment
1	March	Rochester
2	March	Rochester
3	March	Pentonville
4	March	Woodhill
5	March	Doncaster
6	March	Whitemoor
7	March	Deerbolt
8	March	Leicester
9	March	Woodhill
10	March	High Down
11	March	Lindholme
12	March	Isis
13	March	Wandsworth
14	March	Preston
15	March	Wandsworth
16	March	Lindholme
17	March	Wetherby
18	March	Werrington
19	March	Dovegate
20	March	Humber
21	March	Leicester
22	March	Swaleside
23	March	Brixton
24	March	Doncaster
25	March	Lindholme
26	March	Aylesbury
27	March	Hull
28	March	Northumberland
Total	March	28

	Date	Establishment
1	April	Lindholme
2	April	Manchester
3	April	Deerbolt
4	April	Glen Parva
5	April	Brixton
6	April	Leicester
7	April	Garth
8	April	Nottingham
9	April	Liverpool
10	April	Bristol
11	April	Bristol
12	April	Leeds
13	April	Stocken
14	April	Featherstone
15	April	Werrington
16	April	Dovegate
17	April	Birmingham
18	April	Northumberland
19	April	Nottingham
20	April	Wayland
21	April	Wayland
22	April	Stafford
23	April	Wetherby
24	April	Manchester
25	April	Humber
26	April	Bristol
27	April	Liverpool
Total	April	27

	Date	Establishment
1	May	Stoke Heath
2	May	Stocken
3	May	Lindholme
4	May	Highdown
5	May	Leeds
6	May	Highdown
7	May	Wandsworth
8	May	Wayland
9	May	Isis
10	May	Nottingham
11	May	Liverpool
12	May	Werrington
13	May	Leeds
14	May	Glen Parva
15	May	Dover
16	May	The Mount
17	May	Buckley Hall
18	May	Durham
19	May	Doncaster
20	May	Pentonville
21	May	Featherstone
22	May	Lincoln
23	May	Lincoln
24	May	The Mount
25	May	Exeter
26	May	Preston
27	May	Lindholme
28	May	Werrington
29	May	Bullingdon
30	May	The Mount
Total	May	30

	Date	Establishment
1	June	Hindley
2	June	Wayland
3	June	Wandsworth
4	June	Stocken
5	June	Leicester
6	June	Wayland
7	June	Lowdham Grange
8	June	Glen Parva
9	June	Lincoln
10	June	Humber
11	June	Lindholme
12	June	Lincoln
13	June	Moorland
14	June	Wormwood Scrubs
15	June	Lowdham Grange
16	June	Leeds
17	June	Highpoint
18	June	Leeds
19	June	Channings Wood
20	June	Leeds
21	June	Stocken
22	June	Glen Parva
23	June	Stocken
24	June	Swaleside
25	June	Onley
26	June	Channings Wood
27	June	Isis
28	June	Humber
29	June	Hindley
30	June	Wandsworth
31	June	Isis
32	June	Wetherby
33	June	Northumberland
34	June	Woodhill
35	June	Wayland
36	June	Highpoint
37	June	Wetherby
38	June	Frankland
39	June	Garth
40	June	Wandsworth
41	June	Coldingley
42	June	Feltham
43	June	Garth
Total	June	43

	Date	Establishment
1	July	Humber
2	July	Littlehey
3	July	Wandsworth
4	July	Bristol
5	July	Wayland
6	July	Swaleside
7	July	Wandsworth
8	July	Pentonville
9	July	Swaleside
10	July	Lindholme
11	July	Nottingham
12	July	Liverpool
13	July	Lancaster Farms
14	July	Doncaster
15	July	Leeds
16	July	Swaleside
17	July	The Mount
18	July	Humber
19	July	Buckley Hall
20	July	Eastwood Park
21	July	Highdown
22	July	Portland
23	July	Woodhill
24	July	Chelmsford
25	July	Lancaster Farms
26	July	Parkhurst
27	July	Swaleside
28	July	Lowdham Grange
Total	July	28

	Date	Establishment
1	August	Wandsworth
2	August	Glen Parva
3	August	Isis
4	August	Hewell
5	August	Wandsworth
6	August	Lowdham Grange
7	August	Manchester
8	August	Swinfen Hall
9	August	Brixton
10	August	Hewell
11	August	Featherstone
12	August	Bullingdon
13	August	Cardiff
14	August	Leicester
15	August	The Mount
16	August	Hull
17	August	Parc
18	August	The Mount
19	August	Guys Marsh
20	August	Lowdham Grange
21	August	Bullingdon
22	August	Rochester
23	August	Wayland
24	August	Parc
25	August	Belmarsh
26	August	Moorland
27	August	Bullingdon
28	August	Parc
29	August	Werrington
30	August	Hewell
31	August	Wayland
32	August	Ranby
33	August	Leicester
34	August	Wetherby
35	August	Dovegate
36	August	Manchester
37	August	Bronzefield
38	August	Birmingham
39	August	Highpoint
Total	August	39

	Date	Establishment
1	September	Nottingham
2	September	Isis
3	September	Parc
4	September	Holme House
5	September	Manchester
6	September	Lewes
7	September	Rochester
8	September	Hewell
9	September	The Mount
10	September	Chelmsford
11	September	Highpoint
12	September	Doncaster
13	September	Lincoln
14	September	Garth
15	September	Manchester
16	September	Whitemoor
17	September	Whatton
18	September	Wymott
19	September	Highpoint
20	September	Bristol
21	September	Haverigg
22	September	Lowdham Grange
23	September	Humber
24	September	Leicester
25	September	Isis
26	September	Hindley
27	September	Exeter
28	September	Glen Parva
29	September	The Mount
30	September	Feltham
31	September	High Down
32	September	Wayland
33	September	Doncaster
34	September	Lindholme
35	September	Lowdham Grange
Total	September	35

	Date	Establishment
1	October	Brixton
2	October	Erlestoke
3	October	Stocken
4	October	Dover
5	October	Isis
6	October	Bedford
7	October	Wormwood Scrubs
8	October	Manchester
9	October	Stocken
10	October	Leeds
11	October	Wealstun
12	October	Swaleside
13	October	Bristol
14	October	Coldingley
15	October	Winchester
16	October	Lowdham Grange
17	October	Winchester
18	October	Glen Parva
19	October	Wayland
20	October	Wandsworth
21	October	Highpoinnt
22	October	Lancaster Farms
23	October	Lowdham Grange
24	October	Lindholme
25	October	Moorland
26	October	Gartree
27	October	Doncaster
28	October	Swinfen Hall
29	October	Belmarsh
30	October	Winchester
31	October	Full Sutton
32	October	Brinsford
33	October	Leeds
34	October	Bedford
35	October	Manchester
Total	October	35

	Date	Establishment
1	November	Moorland
2	November	Wandsworth
3	November	Doncaster
4	November	Preston
5	November	Wandsworth
6	November	Swansea
7	November	Featherstone
8	November	Isis
9	November	Glen Parva
10	November	Wandsworth
11	November	Humber
12	November	Werrington
13	November	Birmingham
14	November	Morton Hall
15	November	Leeds
16	November	Moorland
17	November	Parc
18	November	Leicester
19	November	Nottingham
20	November	Birmingham
21	November	Leeds
22	November	Humber
23	November	Colnbrook
24	November	Humber
25	November	Wetherby
26	November	Leeds
27	November	Swinfen Hall
28	November	Winchester
29	November	Thameside
30	November	Wayland
31	November	Glen Parva
32	November	Cardiff
33	November	Lewes
34	November	Glen Parva
35	November	Glen Parva
36	November	Lindholme
37	November	The Mount
38	November	Durham
Total	November	38
1	December	Moorland
2	December	Wandsworth
3	December	Buckley Hall
4	December	Manchester
5	December	Humber
6	December	Wormwood Scrubs
7	December	Durham
8	December	Elmley
9	December	Humber
Total	December	9

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January 1, 2023

Drew Hendry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what effect the spending reductions agreed between his Department and HM Treasury will have on investment in (a) road, (b) rail, (c) air, (d) ports and ferry services, (e) active and sustainable travel and (f) freight facilities.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government will provide full details of the Spending Review outcome on 25 November.

January 1, 2023

Jonathan Reynolds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the public purse was of the negotiations on the TransPennine Express rail franchise agreement.

Andrew Jones

The costs of the project to procure the TransPennine Express rail franchise, to the end of November 2015, were £6.9M. Forecast costs to project completion, including project mobilisation, are expected to add a further £0.6M to this, making an estimated total of £7.5M by the end of the project. These figures include adviser costs (financial, technical and legal advisers), pay costs for the project team, “non-pay” costs (such as staff training, travel, bidder day seminar, consultation materials, etc) and VAT where applicable. The costs of procuring this franchise however need to be set against the context of a deal whereby the Government will receive £400million in premiums over the life of the franchise, compared to the previous situation where the franchise was subsidised. In addition, the franchise will deliver a transformation in services, with, for example, an overall capacity boost of nearly 70% across the region during the morning peak and doubling the number of Manchester to Newcastle services from December 2017.

January 1, 2023

Richard Benyon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Benyon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made towards the targets for protecting peat set out in the Natural Environment White Paper of 2011 since the publication of the last implementation update report in October 2014.

Rory Stewart

Defra is currently carrying out a review of progress towards the targets for peat reduction in horticulture set out in the Natural Environment White Paper. Based on sales data from 2014, there has been a 24% reduction in peat sales for horticultural use in the UK since 2011.

January 1, 2023

Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent progress he has made on reducing the proportion of 16 to 24 year olds not in education, employment or training.

Nick Boles

Figures for those not in education, employment or training (NEET) have fallen to a record low. The proportion of 16 to 24 year olds NEET in England between July and September has fallen compared to the same period last year. These figures show the excellent progress that is being made in providing opportunities for young people.

January 1, 2023

Joan Ryan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Sri Lankan counterpart on the application of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1978 in Sri Lanka.

Mr Hugo Swire

We regularly raise matters of concern with the Sri Lankan government, including the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the detention of prisoners without trial. I met Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, the Honourable Mangala Samaraweera MP, on 14 September in Geneva. I was encouraged by our discussion and by his speech to the UN Human Rights Council. Amongst other commitments, he told members of the UN Human Rights Council that the Sri Lankan government would review and repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and replace it with anti-terrorism legislation in line with contemporary international best practices. We will continue to monitor closely the situation of detainees held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and to raise issues of ongoing concern with the Sri Lankan government.

January 1, 2023

Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider distributing hand-held devices to households in flood-prone areas to allow them to transmit information, and to receive real-time news, about local water levels.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

There are currently no plans to consider such devices. However, we do already urge households to take care and be prepared by checking their flood risk, signing up to free flood warnings and keeping an eye on the latest flood updates, which are available on the Environment Agency website and Twitter. These are readily accessible from personal mobile phones with internet access. People can also call our 24-hour Floodline for updates.

January 1, 2023

Tag: 2015