Tag: 2016

  • The Countess of Mar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The Countess of Mar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Countess of Mar on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many NHS and Public Health England (PHE) medical or microbiology laboratories (1) are, and (2) are not, currently ISO 15189 accredited; and what is the schedule for such accreditation of NHS and PHE laboratories.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Department of Health, Public Health England (PHE) or NHS England do not hold information about which laboratories are and are not International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189 accredited. A list of accredited laboratories is held on the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) website and is the definitive list of accredited laboratories to which the Department, PHE and the NHS refer. Accreditation is covered by the Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) company until recently, and is now part of the UKAS scheme.

    There is no intention to transfer the Lyme disease testing service from the Rare & Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL) to another laboratory. RIPL as a department will move from the Porton site as part of the PHE relocation scheduled to commence in 2018 but no decision on the exact date has been made. RIPL is scheduled to transfer to ISO 15189 in late summer 2016, when the ISO inspection team review the tests offered by the laboratory under ISO 15189. Until that time, the laboratory is operating under CPA in accordance with the transition process laid down by ISO.

  • Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether relatives of British nationals who have died as a result of terrorism abroad are entitled to financial compensation from them, and if so, how much compensation they have paid since 2010.

    Lord Faulks

    The Government provides two compensation schemes for victims of crime, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (the Scheme) 2012 and the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme (VOTCS) 2012. Both schemes are administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

    The Scheme is designed to compensate blameless victims of violent crime where the incident took place in Great Britain or a “relevant place” as outlined in Annex C of the scheme. Close relatives of a British citizen may also be eligible for compensation under the scheme. Under the Scheme compensation is only available to those who can demonstrate they are ordinarily resident in the UK at the time of the incident or have another defined connection to the UK.

    In fatal cases, compensation may be awarded to qualifying relatives who also satisfy the Scheme’s residency criteria. The meaning of qualifying relative is outlined in paragraph 59 of the Scheme. The CICA does not keep information on the nationality of the deceased in fatal applications, so we cannot identify the amount of compensation paid.

    Compensation for relatives of British nationals murdered abroad is not available under the two schemes provided by the Government. UK residents injured as a result of a crime of violence in another country within the European Union (EU) or outside the EU may be able to apply for compensation from that country. The CICA can assist with applications to other EU countries.

    The VOTCS was introduced to compensate victims of terrorism injured in incidents outside the UK on or after 27 November 2012. A person may be eligible for an award under VOTCS if they sustain a qualifying injury, which is directly attributable to their being a direct victim of a designated terrorist act. Close relatives bereaved as a result of a designated act may also be eligible for an award. The VOTCS applies to the whole of the United Kingdom.

    Claims under the VOTCS can be made by those who have a clear and sufficient connection to the UK, as evidenced by their residence and citizenship. British, European Union, European Economic Area and Swiss citizens who have been resident in the UK for three years immediately before the designated act may be eligible for an award. Data on the value of awards made under VOTCS from 2013 to 2016 are set in the table below.

    Year

    Amount of awards

    2013

    £206,607

    2014

    £11,200

    2015

    £309,541

    2016

    £11,000

    Total

    £538,348
  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of households that owned their home in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    Of the estimated 22.5 million households in England in 2014-15, 14.3 million or 64% were owner occupiers. The proportion of all households in owner occupation increased steadily from the 1980s to 2003 when it reached a peak of 71%. A period of gradual decline in owner occupation followed but this has recently abated with a slight increase in owner occupation rates between 2013-14 and 2014-15.

    The department publishes this information annually in the English Housing Survey headline report. Percentage of households that are owner occupiers, England:

    Thousands of households

    percentages

    1980

    9,680

    56.6

    1981

    9,860

    57.2

    1982

    10,237

    58.6

    1983

    10,613

    60.0

    1984

    10,990

    61.3

    1985

    11,305

    62.4

    1986

    11,619

    63.5

    1987

    11,934

    64.6

    1988

    12,248

    65.7

    1989

    12,515

    66.3

    1990

    12,782

    67.0

    1991

    13,050

    67.6

    1992

    13,069

    68.2

    1993

    13,280

    68.3

    1994

    13,429

    68.7

    1995

    13,467

    68.5

    1996

    13,522

    68.5

    1997

    13,629

    68.6

    1998

    13,817

    69.0

    1999

    14,091

    69.9

    2000

    14,340

    70.6

    2001

    14,359

    70.4

    2002

    14,559

    70.5

    2003

    14,701

    70.9

    2004

    14,678

    70.7

    2005

    14,791

    70.7

    2006

    14,791

    70.1

    2007

    14,733

    69.6

    2008

    14,628

    68.3

    2008-09

    14,621

    67.9

    2009-10

    14,525

    67.4

    2010-11

    14,450

    66.0

    2011-12

    14,388

    65.3

    2012-13

    14,337

    65.2

    2013-14

    14,319

    63.3

    2014-15

    14,324

    63.6
  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people of each nationality were held in detention for over (a) six and (b) 12 months between 2005 and 2015 for the purpose of removal.

    James Brokenshire

    The table attached shows the number of people removed on leaving detention, by nationality who were held for over six and over twelve months.

    Published statistics relating to immigration detention are only available from 2010 onwards. It is not possible to provide pre-2010 figures and this information could be provided only by examining individual case records, which would result in disproportionate cost.

    The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within the Immigration Statistics release on the GOV.UK website:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2016 to Question 41302, whether he has made an estimate of the total cost to his Department of hiring additional lawyers, and financial and trade experts as a result of the outcome of the EU referendum; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    The new unit established by the Cabinet Office will review arrangements for the UK’s exit from the EU.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many claims made by young asylum seekers in Calais in the past 12 months were refused, and on what grounds.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The number of asylum claims made in France over any given period, and their outcome, is a matter for the French authorities.

    The Dublin Regulation is the mechanism for determining responsibility for considering an asylum claim. If accepted for transfer to the UK, the asylum claim is considered in the UK after the individual has been transferred.

    The Home Office has accepted responsibility to consider the asylum claims of over 80 unaccompanied minors from France under Dublin since the start of the year and many more are in train.

    Dublin transfer requests involving children are now generally processed within 10 days by a dedicated team in the Home Office. Children can then be transferred within weeks and are now arriving in the UK on an almost weekly basis. A senior Home Office official has been seconded to the French Interior Ministry to help speed up the process of identifying children who may qualify for transfer to the UK.

  • Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultation they have had with community groups, organisations, and individuals to assess whether the policy of parity of esteem set out in the Belfast Agreement 1998 is working effectively, and what action they have taken as a result.

    Lord Dunlop

    I have nothing further to add to my earlier responses on parity of esteem.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the NHS Trust Development Authority has not published the findings of the review of whistle-blowing and governance at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The NHS Trust Development Authority intends to publish the review as soon as possible. It is making publication arrangements in the light of its legal advice.

  • Lord Teverson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Teverson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Teverson on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to review Best Available Techniques permissible with respect to environmental permits for back-up electricity generating plant.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Back-up electricity generating plants with a rated thermal input of 20MW or more are currently regulated under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. Guidance on Best Available Techniques that plants should use is periodically reviewed. The Best Available Techniques for plants with a rated thermal input above 50MW are currently being reviewed. Research is also being undertaken to assess Best Available Technique for combustion plants operating in the capacity market.

    Defra is reviewing environmental legislation for back-up generators and will consult on options to set emissions for relevant air pollutants for some plants such as diesel engines. We will consider the coherence of existing legislation with measures we will be introducing as a result of the review and the Medium Combustion Plant Directive.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at which military bases unauthorised entries were reported in each year from 2014.

    Mark Lancaster

    The figures for unauthorised entries to military bases include drones and air balloon flying at low altitude over military sites but do not include failed attempts at authorised access. None of these incidents resulted in any significant ramifications for Defence security.

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) treats all unauthorised entries very seriously. They are investigated to a level commensurate with their complexity and impact by Military Police, MOD Police or local constabulary.

    The locations of security incidents of this category recorded within the Ministry of Defence for 2014 are set out below.

    Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth

    HMNB Clyde

    Royal Marine (RM) Stonehouse

    Army Reserve Centre, Bristol

    Army Reserve Centre, Blackburn

    Army Careers Centre, Glasgow

    RAF Halton

    RAF Kirton on Lindsay

    RAF Wyton

    RAF Linton on Ouse

    RAF Brize Norton

    RAF Scampton

    RAF Benson

    RAF Honington

    RAF Mona

    RAF Leeming

    DSTL Porton Down Range Area

    With regard to the locations of security incidents of this category within the MOD for 2015 I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 9 February 2016 to question number 25082.

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