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Tag: 2015

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many case conferences have resulted in the reallocation of transgender prisoners to a prison which corresponds with the gender with which they self-identify in the last five years.

    Caroline Dinenage

    This information is not held centrally and as my Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation, committed to the House on 20 November, my Department will publish data on the number of trans people in prison in due course.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Minister attending the Summit Conference on the future Governance of Libya in Rome on 12 and 13 December 2015 discussed the matter of compensation for UK victims of IRA Semtex supplied by the Gaddafi Regime with any parties attending the Summit; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The formation of a Government of National Accord (GNA) is an important step towards engagement with the Libyan Government on reconciliation initiatives relating to Qadhafi-sponsored terrorism. Once stability returns to Libya and our Embassy re-opens we will urge the Libyan authorities to engage again with UK victims and their legal representatives, including those seeking compensation.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cars the DVLA clamped in each month of each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Andrew Jones

    The table below shows the information requested.

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    January

    9,023

    8,370

    5,131

    5,197

    5,696

    8,890

    February

    10,892

    10,550

    4,947

    5,391

    5,115

    8,741

    March

    12,722

    9,517

    5,356

    5,450

    5,333

    8,630

    April

    8,978

    8,911

    4,636

    5,802

    5,214

    8,228

    May

    8,887

    8,265

    5,065

    5,450

    5,549

    8,511

    June

    8,790

    8,217

    4,339

    4,968

    5,530

    9,957

    July

    8,970

    7,365

    5,257

    4,238

    5,634

    10,554

    August

    8,883

    7,947

    4,644

    2,079

    5,384

    8,050

    September

    8,562

    7,472

    4,525

    3,918

    5,530

    9,444

    October

    9,435

    5,533

    4,275

    4,576

    5,806

    9,778

    November

    9,873

    2,828

    4,349

    4,791

    5,756

    December

    7,587

    4,507

    1,870

    4,283

    6,740

    Total

    112,602

    89,482

    54,394

    56,143

    67,287

    90,783

    By way of context, the equivalent total figure for 2009 is 123,695 cars.

    These vehicles would have been clamped by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s national wheelclamping contractors or by local authorities and police forces with devolved powers to clamp and impound unlicensed vehicles.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press, communication and public relations staff are employed by (a) his Department, (b) Public Health England, (c) NHS England, (d) Monitor, (e) the Care Quality Commission, (f) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (g) NHS Blood and Transplant, (h) the NHS Litigation Authority, (i) the Trust Development Authority, (j) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, (k) the Human Tissue Authority, (l) the NHS Business Service Authority, (m) Health Education England and (n) the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency; how many of those employees are paid more than (i) £50,000 and (ii) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and communication by each of those organisations in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Jane Ellison

    Below are details of communications headcount and spend for the organisations requested.

    On headcount, to ensure consistency, all organisations have provided information according to the following criteria for public relations (PR) and communications staff:

    – Press and PR

    – Stakeholder relations

    – Campaigns (including marketing and strategic communications)

    – Digital Communications (not IT/digital service teams)

    – Internal Communications

    On communications spend, we have provided figures for 2014/15, which is the most recent year for which figures are available.

    The figures on spend are split between major communications and marketing spend costs (submissions of above £100,000 which are assessed through the Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Group process) and the remaining admin and minor programme spend costs. Major programme spend costs cover budgets for public information campaigns – such as smoking cessation, blood and organ donor recruitment, dementia friends, cancer diagnosis and immunisation campaigns.

    The figures on major campaign programme spend (in column three below) reflect the amount of money requested in the Cabinet Office submission. In some instances, the final spend on communications was lower, as some of the budget was reappropriated for operational requirements or was unused and returned to central budgets.

    Organisation

    Number of Communications Staff

    Major campaign programme spend (Activity over £100,000 approved in 2014/15)

    Admin (staff / non-staff) and minor programme spend 2014/15 (£)

    Department of Health

    106.5

    1,129,507

    6,968,643

    Public Health England

    115.5

    57,162,157*

    8,134,900

    NHS England

    69

    9,721,465

    3,292,340

    Monitor

    21

    n/a

    1,697,000

    Care Quality Commission

    34

    650,000

    6,671,635

    NICE

    74

    n/a

    2,427, 944

    NHS Blood & Transplant

    124.59

    4,862,257

    8,689,004

    NHS Litigation Authority

    3

    n/a

    315,329

    NHS Trust Development Authority

    12

    n/a

    926,023

    Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

    6.5

    n/a

    381,443

    Human Tissue Authority

    3.2

    n/a

    291,454

    NHS Business Services Authority

    17.6

    1,028,800

    823,586

    Health Education England

    32

    n/a

    2,219,301

    Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority

    28

    n/a

    1,987,441

    *See breakdown of Public Health England campaign spend in table below

    Public Health England Campaign Spend in 2014/15

    Cost

    Smokefree (tobacco control) includes Stoptober and January Health Harms campaigns

    £11,580,000

    PHE Smokefree Cars

    £1,400,000

    Be Clear on Cancer

    £11,685,000

    Stroke- ACT Fast

    £975,000

    Change4life

    £11,514,248

    Start4life

    £3,200,000

    Rise Above

    £1,970,000

    DH PHE Dementia Friends Campaign

    £4,000,000

    HIV Prevention England 14/15

    £550,000

    Sexual Health Information Family Planning Association

    £262,000

    Care & Support Reforms Phase 1

    £1,950,000

    Dementia Friends Phase 2

    £1,500,000

    Seasonal Flu Campaign

    £1,868,000

    PHE Alcohol Campaign

    £1,825,000

    PHE, Seasonal Flu, respiratory and hand hygiene 2014/15

    £500,000

    TOTAL

    £54,779,248

    We can provide information on staff paid in different salary bands. However, due to differing bands between organisations and differing geographical weighting, this does not allow us to provide figures for the number of employees paid more than £50,000 and £100,000.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what timetable his Department has set for drawing up contracts for new welfare to work schemes; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    Now that the 2015 Spending Review is finalised, we are working on our Commercial Strategy for the welfare to work contracts.

    All procurement opportunities will be advertised in the normal manner via Contracts Finder.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on people who receive disability benefits being able to volunteer without it affecting their entitlement to those benefits.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Claimants of Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment are free to do paid or unpaid work or volunteering without losing entitlement to their benefit, so long as they continue to meet the entitlement conditions.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how his Department is monitoring the implementation of the family test across Government.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014, through the publication of guidance for officials – which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf. Consideration of the Family Test takes place as part of the usual policy making process within departments.

    “

  • Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how the Government implements the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK was the first country to produce a National Action Plan (NAP) in September 2013 for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights. It was launched jointly by the the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Busines, Innovation and Skills and was developed through consultations with business and civil society organisations. Implementation has been coordinated through a cross-Whitehall Steering Group.

  • Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to page eight of the Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan, published on 17 November 2015, what the further financial support of around £500 million from the Government will consist of and for what purposes it can be used.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    The financial support of around £500m consists of:

    – £160m in Additional Security Funding;

    – £25m to tackle Continuing Paramilitary Activity;

    – £3m to establish and fund a Monitoring and Implementation body; and

    – £60m for Shared Future measures.

    Additionally, welfare deductions stopped when the Assembly passed a consent motion for UK legislation to implement reforms. The UK Government will refund the deduction due for the remainder of the year, which is estimated to be around £40m.

    The Executive is also to develop effective Spend to Save proposals. The Treasury will work with them to finalise proposals, help fund them (up to £125m), and let the Executive keep half the savings that can be verified by the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR). The parties project that this will generate significant savings in the next five years, taking the total package over £500m.

  • Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Blencathra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to follow the example of the government of Belgium which has passed a law to arrest all suspected extremists who have returned to Belgium from Syria or Iraq.

    Lord Bates

    The UK has a wide range of disruptive tools and offences under which a suspected terrorist or violent extremist can be arrested and prosecuted. Earlier this year, we legislated, through the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and the Serious Crime Act 2015, to strengthen further our capabilities to deal with the threat from foreign fighters and British-born jihadis who seek to harm the UK, including where they have undertaken prohibited activities abroad.We keep our counter-terrorism powers under constant review.

    All decisions relating to the arrest, charge and prosecution of terrorism suspects are a matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.