The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will set out the timetable for publishing the principles referred to in paragraph 97 of her Department’s Counter-Extremism Strategy published on 19 October 2015.
Karen Bradley
We will publish the principles that will guide government engagement in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to re-open court room provision in (a) Todmorden and (b) other rural areas.
Mr Shailesh Vara
Access to justice is not just about proximity to a court. We are committed to providing alternatives to travel, for example through making better use of technology, including video conferencing, and exploring whether we can appropriately make use of civic buildings for certain types of hearing.
No decision has been taken to close any court. The consultation closed on 8 October and we are considering all responses carefully.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2015 to Question 12187, which organisations were represented at the High Level Cycling Group’s meeting on 13 July 2015.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Representatives from the following organisations attended the High Level Cycling Group’s meeting on 13 July 2015:
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Allan on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the progress of the economic recovery in Nepal since the recent earthquake in that country.
Mr Desmond Swayne
Economic recovery has been slow. Delays setting up the National Reconstruction Authority and unrest in the border area with India, which has closed most border crossings for over 6 weeks, make economic recovery challenging. We are pressing the government to prioritise the post-disaster response.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2015-10-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia concerning the cases of Dawood Hussein al-Marhoon and Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are aware of and seriously concerned by the cases of Dawood Hussein al-Marhoon and Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher. We have raised these cases at a senior level in the Government of Saudi Arabia, most recently on 11 October. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially in cases which do not meet the minimum standards defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This includes the execution of a minor and the use of the death penalty for a crime which isn’t deemed “the most serious”.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2015-10-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what monitoring takes place of the use of tasers on patients detained under the Mental Health 1983, and how that monitoring information is made accessible to the public.
Lord Bates
Data is not recorded centrally on the number of individuals tasered who are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 or on the monitoring of patients. A Taser record is completed by police officers on every occasion where a Taser is used. However, this record does not show whether individuals are detained or monitored after the incidents nor information on the ratio of staff to patients.
Police guidance specifies that all individuals who have been subjected to the discharge of a Taser should be examined by a forensic medical examiner.
To improve transparency around how force such as Taser is used by the police, the Home Secretary has asked Chief Constable David Shaw to carry out an in depth review of Taser data and other use of force. This will present options for collecting, collating and publishing data on how force including Taser is being used, who it is being used on and what the outcomes are.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2015-10-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which police forces contributed to the national Ugly Mugs Scheme during 2014–15.
Lord Bates
The National Ugly Mugs Scheme is a mechanism for reporting crimes committed against people involved in prostitution. The Home Office provided £108,000 for the pilot scheme that ran from April 2012 to March 2013, coordinated by the UK Network of Sex Worker Projects. The evaluation of the pilot is available on its website.
The previous Government supported the pilot as part of its drive to end violence against women and girls. This Government is pleased that the evaluation of the scheme shows that it was successful in increasing access to justice and protection for those involved in prostitution. Police forces have been encouraged to contribute financially to the scheme, given its crime prevention focus and its role in encouraging reporting and contributing to intelligence. That is a decision for individual forces, and the Home Office does not collect information regarding which forces have contributed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-10-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support non-online applications for marriage allowance by couples on low incomes.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs is able to support customers who need additional help such as taking applications by phone.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support he plans to provide to home-buyers after the end of the mortgage guarantee scheme in 2016.
Harriett Baldwin
The Government is committed to addressing the affordability of housing and making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. At Budget 2014, the Help to Buy: equity loan scheme was extended to 2020 and the Government also intends to support younger buyers through delivering 200,000 Starter Homes by 2020, to be sold at a 20% discount for first time buyers under 40. These measures will also be supported by the launch of a Help to Buy: ISA through which the Government will top up mortgage deposit savings for first time buyers by 25% up to a maximum of £3,000.
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2015-10-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the average level of per car tax receipt in each year since 2012.
Damian Hinds
At the Summer Budget the government announced the creation of a Roads Fund so that from 2020 all money raised from VED in England will be invested in the Roads Fund and used to improve the English strategic road network. The latest figures for VED revenue can be found in Table C.3 of Summer Budget 2015, which can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summer-budget-2015. Revenue raised for previous years can be found in the relevant Budget document.
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