The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the homelessness prevention grant.
Mr Marcus Jones
I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 15 October 2015, to the rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake), PQ 11365.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much UK-produced steel has been used in the manufacturing of the MARS tankers being procured by his Department.
Mr Philip Dunne
Under European and UK procurement regulations, the Ministry of Defence could not contractually mandate the use of particular suppliers.
Decisions on the source of steel are a matter for the contractors who take into account the cost, timeliness of availability and the quality of the steel used in defence contracts . These considerations allow defence contractors to deliver value for money for the taxpayer.
I will write with more details and place a copy in the Library of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Attorney General, what estimate he has made of the costs awarded to the Crown Prosecution Service under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 in (a) each financial year since 2010 and (b) 2015-16 to date.
Robert Buckland
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain data on the value of costs awarded to the CPS but does have data on the value of costs recovered following the award of costs.
A table showing the value of costs recovered and paid to the CPS, following the award of costs under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, in (a) each financial year since 2010 and (b) 2015-16 to date is presented below.
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2015/16 |
2014/15 |
2013/14 |
2012/13 |
2011/12 |
2010/11 |
2009/10 |
||
|
(Qtr 1) |
||||||||
|
Costs recovered (£M) |
10.7 |
35.3 |
37.7 |
39.6 |
42.3 |
44.6 |
40.6 |
|
The value of costs recovered has reduced in total but has increased in terms of the average cost recovered per defendant since 2010/11. The total CPS caseload has also reduced since 2010. This reduction in CPS caseload is due, in part, to the transfer of prosecutions from the CPS to the police as part of the police led prosecution initiative.
Notes: The figures in the table are compiled from returns sent to the CPS by HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The amount reported for 2015/16 reflects the first quarter’s returns only. Returns for the second quarter are not yet available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Champion is taking to ensure (a) improved engagement and (b) increased promotion rates of under-represented groups.
Matthew Hancock
To govern modern Britain, the Civil Service needs to look and sound likemodern Britain. We need access to the broadest possible pool of talent, drawing on peoplefrom all backgrounds and all parts of the country.
We have published the Talent Action Plan which introduced the ‘Removing Barriers to Success’ programme’, overseen by the Diversity and Inclusion Champion, Sue Owen. We have introduced Shared Parental Leave, launched the Civil Service Job Share Finder and made sure all-male shortlists and selection panels for senior positions are by exception only. We are also increasing the number of places on our development programme aimed at disabled, BAME and LGB&T Civil Servants from 200 to 1000.
We are also implementing a number of initiatives to recruit individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds onto the Fast Stream and Fast Track Apprenticeship schemes, including internship programmes, schools and colleges mentoring and discovery days, work experience programmes and engagement with universities with a high representation of lower socio-economic students.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the implementation of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation; which non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and agencies overseen by his Department will be affected by that regulation; and what estimate he has made of the potential liability of his Department, its agencies and NDPBs in connection with that proposed regulation.
Brandon Lewis
Negotiations on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation are still continuing and our negotiating position has taken into account the likely impact on Government Departments, NDPBs and agencies. Once the outcome of trilogue negotiations between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Commission are complete, and the Regulation has been adopted, the liabilities will be further assessed. There will then follow a maximum implementation period of two years. Between now and then, Government departments who will be affected by the Regulation are closely involved in work led by the Department for Culture, Mediaand Sport to consider the implications of the text as it develops through the negotiating process.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in which countries UK defence attachés are posted.
Mr Julian Brazier
There are resident Defence Attachés in the following countries:
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Afghanistan – Kabul |
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Algeria – Algiers |
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Argentina – Buenos Aires |
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Australia – Canberra |
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Austria – Vienna |
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Bahrain – Manama |
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Estonia – Tallinn |
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Bangladesh – Dhaka |
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Bosnia and Herzegovina – Sarajevo |
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Brazil – Brasilia |
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Brunei – Bandar Seri Begawan |
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Burma – Rangoon |
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Canada – Ottawa |
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Chile – Santiago |
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China – Beijing |
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Colombia – Bogota |
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Croatia – Zagreb |
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Cyprus – Nicosia |
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Czech Republic – Prague |
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Denmark – Copenhagen |
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Egypt – Cairo |
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Ethiopia – Addis Ababa |
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France – Paris |
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Georgia – Tbilisi |
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Germany – Berlin |
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Ghana – Accra |
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Greece – Athens |
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India – New Delhi |
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Indonesia – Jakarta |
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Iraq – Baghdad |
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Ireland – Dublin |
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Israel – Tel Aviv |
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Italy – Rome |
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Jamaica – Kingston |
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Japan – Tokyo |
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Jordan – Amman |
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Kazakhstan – Astana |
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Kenya – Nairobi |
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Korea – Seoul |
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Kuwait – Kuwait City |
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Lebanon – Beirut |
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Libya – Tripoli |
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Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – Skopje |
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Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur |
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Mexico – Mexico City |
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Morocco – Rabat |
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Nepal – Kathmandu |
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Netherlands – The Hague |
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New Zealand – Wellington |
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Nigeria – Abuja |
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Norway – Oslo |
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Oman – Muscat |
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Pakistan – Islamabad |
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Poland – Warsaw |
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Qatar – Doha |
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Romania – Bucharest |
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Russia – Moscow |
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Saudi Arabia – Riyadh |
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Serbia – Belgrade |
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Sierra Leone – Freetown |
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Singapore – Singapore City |
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Somalia – Mogadishu |
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South Africa – Pretoria |
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South Sudan – Juba |
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Spain – Madrid |
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Sudan – Khartoum |
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Sweden – Stockholm |
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Thailand – Bangkok |
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Turkey – Ankara |
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Uganda – Kampala |
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Ukraine – Kyiv |
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United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi |
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United States of America – UK Mission to UN |
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United States of America – Washington |
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Uzbekistan – Tashkent |
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Vietnam – Hanoi |
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Yemen – Sana’a |
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Zimbabwe – Harare |
There is Non-Resident Accreditation for a further 82 countries.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11023, how many developers are developing proposals at each of the sites referred to in that Answer; what indicative electricity strike rates have been discussed with those developers; and what (a) generating capacity and (b) potential timescales have been discussed with each developer in each case.
Andrea Leadsom
I set out the position below. It is too soon to say what any strike price might be for these projects.
|
Site |
Developer |
Proposed generating capacity |
Potential timescale for operation |
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Wylfa |
Horizon |
2.7 GW |
mid-2020s |
|
Oldbury |
Horizon |
2.7 GW |
to be confirmed |
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Moorside |
NuGen |
3.6 GW |
mid-2020s |
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Sizewell |
EDF/CGN |
3.2 GW |
to be confirmed |
|
Bradwell |
EDF/CGN |
to be confirmed |
to be confirmed |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect on agricultural land of invasive non-native waterfowl.
George Eustice
A 2010 report produced by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) (part funded by Defra) estimated the annual costs of non-native geese and swans to agriculture to be approximately £1.5 million. These costs included damage to crops due to grazing, trampling and reduction in soil quality, as well as costs of applying mitigation measures.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received about Iran testing a guided long-range ballistic missile.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Reports that Iran carried out a ballistic missile test earlier this month are highly concerning. We believe such a test constitutes clearly a violation of Iran’s obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions. We have taken appropriate action to bring this matter to the attention of the Security Council.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2015-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has had discussions with medical organisations on the implications of the recent European Court of Justice ruling against Ireland on the Working Time Directive.
Ben Gummer
The Department has commissioned Health Education England to take forward the recommendations of the task group led by Professor Sir Norman Williams into the impact of the European Working Time Directive on the training of junior doctors.
Health Education England has set up a specific working group to take this work forward, with membership including the Royal College of Surgeons and other stakeholders. The group is taking forward work on all the taskforce recommendations. This includes looking at the categorisation of training time and will consider the impact of the recent European Court of Justice ruling on Ireland. Health Education England will deliver an interim report to the Department in due course.