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Tag: 2015

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to ensure the full participation of the Northern Ireland Executive and people in memorialising UK servicemen and civilians who have died in conflict.

    Mark Lancaster

    While the Ministry of Defence makes every effort to ensure that those who have died as a result of conflict are remembered and honoured, it is for local communities to decide on their own memorials to the fallen as they see fit.

    Nationally, the names of all Servicemen who lost their lives on operations are recorded on the Memorial Wall at the National Arboretum.

  • Barbara Keeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barbara Keeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on making additional funding available to local authorities to help fund the introduction of the national living wage into social care from April 2016; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    Over the course of the Spending Review there have been a large number of in-depth discussions at both official and Ministerial level to inform the outcome. These discussions and analysis informed the decision to provide a settlement which means local government has access to the funding it needs to increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament, including:

    – The introduction of a social care precept, which puts money raising powers into the hands of local areas who understand the need in their area and who are best placed to respond. This could raise up to £2 billion by the end of the Parliament; and

    – From 2017/18, additional funds for social care will be made available through the Better Care Fund. This will rise to £1.5 billion by 2019/20.

    Following this additional funding, we expect councils will be able to increase the prices they pay for care in order to cover costs providers are facing such as the national living wage.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many parents in Ashfield have been fined for a child’s unauthorised absence from school in each of the last three years.

    Nick Gibb

    We do not collect data on the number of penalty notices (fines) issued to parents for offences relating to Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996 by constituency. The numbers of penalty notices issued to parents by Nottinghamshire County Council can be found online here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/parental-responsibility-measures-academic-year-2012-to-2013

    “

  • Khalid Mahmood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Khalid Mahmood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Khalid Mahmood on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle gang-related gun crime.

    Mike Penning

    The Government and police work nationally, and with international partners, to reduce the threat to the UK from the criminal use of firearms. In 2013/14, firearms were used in a small and diminishing proportion of total police recorded crime, 0.2%.

    The Government keeps the firearms licensing system under review to safeguard against abuse by criminals and to preserve public safety. We have asked the Law Commission to conduct a scoping consultation on firearms law and we are considering the recommendations made by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary following their inspection on how the firearms system is working in practice. We also support local areas to take action against gang violence to reduce offending and protect vulnerable people. Under the Ending Gang and Youth Violence programme, Birmingham was subject to a peer review in 2012 and has implemented and integrated the recommendations from the review into their local strategic plans.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the economic effect of the England Coast Path on each area through which opened sections of that path pass.

    Rory Stewart

    Annex 4 of the impact assessment which was prepared for the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 included a summary of the estimated social and economic benefits and costs of the coastal access provisions.

    The impact assessment noted that the average annual benefits to people who would make use of the improved access would be £12.35m. This figure would increase over time and from year 20 onwards was estimated at £25.8m per year. The benefits would include the improved health and wellbeing that access to the natural environment would bring. The impact assessment also noted that there would be a benefit to the coastal economy from increased spending in coastal areas where additional visitors were attracted to the area. The assessment suggested that the uplift from increased spending would be on average £6 – £9 per day visitor and £35 – £45 per overnight visitor.

    A copy of the impact assessment is available on the National Archive website.

    As the right of coastal access is implemented throughout England, Natural England will collect and evaluate national and local information about the social and economic benefits of new and improved access.

  • David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Anderson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what account the prison estates review took of the existence of restrictive covenants prior to the Government’s announcement of the programme of prison closures and new prison construction.

    Andrew Selous

    We will consider what impact the existence of any restrictive covenant would have on any future closures and new prison sites. Providing a list of restrictive covenants on the use and disposal of each prison in England and Wales could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether snares are used to trap animals on land owned by her Department; and what records her Department keeps of animals caught in such snares.

    Rory Stewart

    Policy on wildlife management issues including snares is a devolved matter so I can only speak for England.

    In 2012 Defra published research on the extent of use and humaneness of snares in England and Wales. This research included an analysis of the issues covered by the code. Ministers are currently considering options.

    Defra and its agencies do not use snares on their property.

  • Mary Glindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mary Glindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many NOMS staff have been dismissed for corruption in each of the last five years.

    Andrew Selous

    The vast majority of NOMS staff undertake their duties with honesty and integrity. However, like all large organisations a minority of staff engage in corrupt activity. This is particularly challenging for NOMS given its role. We are committed to ensure that corruption will be investigated and eliminated to ensure prisons remain a safe and secure environment for staff, prisoners and visitors. Allegations against staff that are potentially criminal in nature are referred to the police for investigation.

    A Corruption Prevention Unit delivers the key elements of the Agency’s corruption prevention strategy, including: detection, enforcement, training and support for staff. As part of this work NOMS collates records centrally of staff dismissed for offences which meet its definition of corruption.

    The number of dismissals over the last five years of NOMS staff for corruption related offences has been provided in the table below.

    Year

    Dismissals

    2010

    16

    2011

    17

    2012

    14

    2013

    16

    2014

    16

    Total

    79

    Notes:

    1. Data covers staff directly employed by NOMS and not contractor staff.
    2. The information provided has been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what study her Department has made of the experience of other countries in reducing lead poisoning through regulation of the use of lead ammunition and the use of non-toxic alternatives.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government is considering the independent Lead Ammunition Group’s report on the effect of lead shot on human and wildlife health and will respond as soon as possible.

    The Food Standards Agency has produced advice on the consumption of lead shot game which can be accessed at https://www.food.gov.uk/science/advice-to-frequent-eaters-of-game-shot-with-lead.

    “

  • 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 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Written Statement of 10 December 2015, HCWS377, on universal credit and local authorities, how he will define reasonable efforts to redeploy staff.

    Priti Patel

    We will work with Local Authorities to manage the impact of these changes in a way which minimises the need for any redundancies. Where this does not prove possible, after the exercise of all reasonable efforts to redeploy people, the Department has given Local Authorities a commitment that we will meet their costs of any residual redundancies. Reasonable efforts will vary according to the circumstance of the Local Authority.