Tag: 2015

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many verified images are currently on the National Hash Set Database; and how many police forces have direct access to that database.

    Karen Bradley

    The Child Abuse Image Database (CAID) was launched in December 2014 and supersedes the interim National Hash Set Database. All of the hashes relating to Indecent Images of Children from the interim National Hash Set Database managed by Cheshire Constabulary were added to CAID along with hash sets held by other UK law enforcement agencies.

    CAID contains over four million images. All these images appearing on CAID have an indicative categorisation based on police force grading or ‘votes’. Of these images, at present, fewer than 600,000 have been categorised as having a “trusted grade”. This “trusted grade” is achieved once the image has received three independent, undisputed votes by police forces encountering them. These are therefore the images which have been most reliably assessed as being Indecent Images of Children.

    The focus this year has been to ensure that all police forces and the National Crime Agency are connected to CAID by the end of this year.

  • Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Justin Madders – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral contribution of 30 November 2015, Official Report, column 33, on NHS England collating feedback from all trusts on the effect of proposed industrial action, if he will place a copy of that feedback in the Library.

    Ben Gummer

    NHS England asked trusts to provide information on their preparations for the proposed industrial action for 1, 8 and 16 December 2015 which was being refreshed on an ongoing basis by trusts as plans developed locally.

    On 30 November 2015, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) announced on behalf of the Department of Health and the British Medical Association that action was suspended, upon agreement of a memorandum of understanding.

    NHS England is therefore continuing to work with trusts to ensure that the service is prepared should there be any industrial action in the future.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is providing to remote communities in Nepal affected by the earthquakes to prepare for and cope with winter.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK’s response to the recent devastating earthquakes in Nepal now stands at £70 million, making it one of the largest bilateral donors to the humanitarian response. With the onset of winter DFID is stepping up its support, particularly for communities in high altitudes. We are providing over 200,000 people with clothes, blankets, shelter kits, cooking stoves and solar lamps; reaching an additional 60,000 people with temporary shelter; and helping over 58,000 internally displaced people currently living in makeshift camps. In addition, we are providing logistic support to help transport emergency relief overland, including with mules and porters, to the most remote areas. We are also supporting helicopter operations to reach out to remote high altitude regions.

    The UK support to the humanitarian response has already delivered important results including: 5,600,000 people benefitting from the restoration of healthcare services in their area; 200,000 benefitting from shelter support; and 80,000 people receiving cash transfers for restoration of houses and livelihoods.

  • Mims Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mims Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mims Davies on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the drugs advice provided by FRANK in tackling use of illegal drugs.

    Mike Penning

    FRANK, the Government’s drugs information and advice service, is run by Public Health England. It provides impartial, reliable and confidential information and advice about drugs. It can be used in both specific drug prevention activities and in general health and wellbeing activities which are designed to help individuals to build and develop the skills they need to be able to actively choose not to use drugs.

    The last assessment of the website was run by the Home Office through the website user survey between 20 February – 11 March 2013. Key findings included:

    • 85% said they are very/fairly likely to visit the FRANK website in the future if needed

    • in total, 69% claimed that their visit to the FRANK website had a positive effect on their attitudes and/or behaviours in at least one way

    FRANK continues to be updated to reflect new and emerging patterns of drug use, remain in line with young people’s media habits and strengthen situational advice and support. FRANK is just one part of our approach to reducing the demand for drugs. For example, Public Health England has launched a new online resilience building resource, ‘Rise Above’, aimed at 11- to 16-year-olds, which provides tools to help develop skills to make positive choices for their health, including avoiding drug use.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated value of Network Rail was on the most recent date for which figures are available.

    Claire Perry

    As at 31 March 2015 Network Rail’s Net Assets totalled £6,391 million.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department has taken to promote use of the UK Guarantees Scheme in Scotland.

    David Mundell

    The HM Treasury Infrastructure support Guarantee scheme has been available for nearly three years and is well understood in the market by key infrastructure players.

    A range of projects have already been supported in Scotland, including Ineos Petrochemicals in Grangemouth and a Biomass project in Speyside with others currently participating in the process. Those interested in the scheme should contact IUKfinance@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk.

    “

  • 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 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of households that will move into work as a result of moving onto universal credit by 2020.

    Priti Patel

    Once fully rolled-out, up to 300,000 more people are likely to be in work as a result of Universal Credit (UC).

    Evidence from “Universal Credit at Work Spring 2015” show claimants are more likely to be in work, spend more time in work, and earn more than their counterparts on Jobseekers Allowance.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/405921/uc-at-work-spring-2015.pdf

    “

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce financial incentives for bus and coach companies to bring forward capital investment in Passenger Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations-compliant vehicles ahead of the deadline for compliance of January 2017.

    Andrew Jones

    By January 2017 all buses designed to carry over twenty-two passengers on local or scheduled services must comply with the Passenger Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR). Bus operators have had a long time to prepare for these new duties, and around 89% of vehicles are already compliant compared to just 59% in 2009/10. We have no plans to introduce financial incentives ahead of the deadline.

  • David T. C. Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David T. C. Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been paid from the public purse in backdated guardian’s allowance to people who have been granted leave in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs does not hold the requested information.

  • Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many times he has visited each parliamentary constituency in Wales in an official capacity in the 2015-16 session of Parliament.

    Stephen Crabb

    Wales Office Ministers regularly visit Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales. In each instance, the respective honourable Member is notified of the visit.

    Details of Ministerial visits and meetings are published on the Wales Office website, and in Quarterly Ministerial Transparency Returns. In addition, visits and meetings conducted in support of the Wales Office Business Plan are published in the Wales Office Annual Report and Accounts.

    Wales Office Ministers are always keen to receive invitation requests from honourable Members.