The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential efficacy of the Transmarche Metro proposal connecting Kent with the Nord-Pas-de-Calais; and if he will make a statement.
Claire Perry
The Government has made no assessment of a Transmanche Metro. The efficacy of a route would be for the market to determine.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children have died as a result of abuse or neglect in each of the last 10 years.
Edward Timpson
The death of any child is a tragedy. We want all children at risk of abuse or neglect to be identified early, to have timely and proportionate assessments of their individual needs, and to have the right services provided at the right time.
The death of each child must be reviewed and the Department collects information on the outcomes of these reviews. Since 2010-11, the Department has published annual statistics on the numbers of reviews of child deaths and the numbers of reviews where the category of death was abuse or neglect. In 2010-11, there were 47 reviews completed of deaths of children due to abuse or neglect; 43 in 2011-12; 46 in 2012-13; 62 in 2013-14; and 60 in 2014-15.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications of the findings of the report by Europol, Migrant Smuggling in the EU, published in February 2016, for her policies on tackling smuggling through the criminal justice system.
James Brokenshire
The Government’s system-wide approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime is based on information and intelligence from a wide variety of sources. The Government takes Organised Immigration Crime very seriously – we are working to smash the criminal gangs that are fuelling this terrible trade in people. In June 2015 the Prime Minister announced the creation of the Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce bringing together officers from the NCA, Border Force, Immigration Enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service. The Taskforce was subsequently expanded in November 2015 to more than 100 officers, and has had its funding extended until 2020. The Government values the intelligence-led approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime Europol helps to facilitate, including through Joint Operational Team Mare, and welcomes the launch by Europol on 22 February 2016 of the new European Migrant Smuggling Centre which will proactively support EU Member States in dismantling criminal networks involved in organised migrant smuggling. The UK has been at the forefront of calls in the EU for a robust approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by MiDavies on 2016-03-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how his Department defines a vulnerable and intimidated witness; and what processes are in place to support such witnesses when giving evidence.
Mike Penning
Vulnerable witnesses are defined under section 16 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 as all child witnesses (under 18 years), or any witness whose quality of evidence is likely to be diminished because they are suffering from a mental disorder (as defined by the Mental Health Act 1983), have a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning, or a physical disability or disorder.
Under section 17 of the 1999 Act, a witness is considered ‘intimidated’ if they are giving evidence in a case involving a sexual, knife or gun, human trafficking or modern slavery offence, or if the court is satisfied that the quality of evidence given by the witness is likely to be diminished by reason of fear or distress on the part of the witness in connection with testifying in the proceedings.
Vulnerable and intimidated witnesses are eligible for special measures to support them to give their evidence. Measures include the use of intermediaries to help communication, allowing witnesses to give evidence by way of pre-recorded video and /or live video links from outside the courtroom, screening the witness from the accused, removing people from the public gallery whilst the witness gives evidence and the removal of gowns and wigs.
The full list of special measures available can be found in sections 23 to 30 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/23/part/II/chapter/I/crossheading/special-measures
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on ensuring that Ministry of Defence contracts with suppliers and manufacturers benefit the UK economy.
Anna Soubry
My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on a wide variety of issues. My department supports the Government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), published last November, which set out the Government’s commitment to get the best value for money for the taxpayer in a way that strengthens our economy and bolsters the long-term prosperity of people across the UK. The SDSR committed the Government to refreshing its defence industrial policy and taking further action to help the UK’s defence industry grow and compete successfully and my department is engaging MOD on taking this work forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2016-06-06.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of recruits enlisting under the age of 18 in the past five years had at least one parent who was serving or had served in the armed forces.
Earl Howe
The information is not held in the format requested. Questions regarding details of parental and family links with the Armed Forces are not a mandatory part of the recruiting process and this information is not captured or collated centrally by each Service.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-07-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about the use of the death penalty against minors.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially for crimes other than the most serious and for juveniles, in line with the minimum standards set out in the EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty of 2008 and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights.
We continue to raise the cases of Ali Al-Nimr, Dawood Al-Marhoon and Adullah Al-Zaher with the Saudi authorities at the highest levels, including during the former Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond)’s most recent visit to Saudi Arabia on 29 May. We expect that Ali Al-Nimr and the two others who were convicted as juveniles will not be executed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the Government’s policy is on the nature of the border controls between the UK and the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.
James Brokenshire
The open border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland existed for many years before either country was a member of the European Union and it has served both countries well. There is a strong will – within this Government, among the Northern Ireland parties and in the Irish Government – to preserve the open border. We must now work closely together to ensure that as the UK leaves the EU we find shared solutions to the challenges and maximise the opportunities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, where repairs to (a) the Strategic Road Network and (b) other key local roads are required in each region following recent flooding; and what estimate he has made of those repairs.
Andrew Jones
The flood recovery envoy for Yorkshire, the Minister of State for Transport (Mr Goodwill), convened a meeting on January 7 2016 with North Yorkshire County Council, wider local representatives, the military and Highways England experts to finalise a plan for reconstructing Tadcaster Bridge. The Government is providing £3.3m of funding immediately to repair the bridge. It has incurred substantial damage and the current estimate is that it will take up to a year to repair.
The Department for Transport is working closely with affected local highway authorities following the recent storms encountered in some areas of the country. As part of this work, local highway authorities are assessing the damage caused and likely estimated costs. It is too early to provide an estimate of the repairs or likely timescales until all waters have receded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-01-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the obligations are on the UK under the provisions of the Five Power Defence arrangements.
Mr Julian Brazier
Under the Five Power Defence Arrangements, the five powers (Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK) undertook to consult "immediately" in the event or threat of an armed attack on Malaysia or Singapore for the purpose of deciding what measures should be taken jointly or separately in response. There is no specific commitment to intervene militarily.