Tag: 2016

  • Richard Graham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Richard Graham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Graham on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has undertaken or commissioned research into the relationship between people who are convicted of multiple breaches of restraining orders and commission of stalking offences.

    Dominic Raab

    The Government recognises that stalking is an insidious crime that can have a devastating impact on the lives of victims and their families. That is why the coalition Government created specific stalking offences in 2012 and why we continue to look at ways to protect victims of stalking, ensure stalking is recognised early and dealt with effectively and, where an offender is convicted, provide the courts with appropriate sentencing powers.

  • Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to limit online financial fraud.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    This Government is clear that more must be done not only to disrupt and prosecute criminals but also to protect people and businesses from becoming victims of fraud. In February this year the Government launched the Joint Fraud Taskforce a genuine collaboration of banks, law enforcement and government. It is the first time these organisations have come together to tackle fraud, and particularly to focus on those issues that have been considered too difficult for a single organisation to manage alone. The Taskforce has five work strands which are:

    – Understanding the Threat – Bringing together data to agree key threats, vulnerabilities and drivers of fraud;

    – The Collective Response – Better targeting to disrupt and catch fraudsters, through increased cooperation between banks and law enforcement;

    – Victims & Vulnerability – More efficient identification of victims, including addressing the barriers preventing return of funds to victims;

    – Behaviour Change – better targeted messaging on fraud prevention and,

    – Tackling systemic vulnerabilities – Designing out vulnerabilities and loopholes in systems and processes which fraudsters exploit.

    The Government has also published in March this year "A Guide for Consumers: Staying Safe When You Shop and Bank Online." The report draws on real life, anonymised examples of reported crimes and provides simple but effective advice on how the people can protect themselves from these types of frauds: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-guide-for-consumers-staying-safe-when-you-bank-or-shop-online

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has raised with his Turkish counterpart the issue of Turkish academics being banned from international travel.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    The UK Government has strongly condemned the attempted coup on 15 July and stands firmly in support of Turkey’s democratically elected government and institutions. I visited Turkey on 20-21 July to reiterate our support for democracy in Turkey. In meetings with Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, amongst others, I stressed the need for Turkey to respect human rights and the rule of law.

    We have been concerned to hear reports of academics being suspended and investigated. Freedom of expression is vital in a democratic society, and especially in education. That includes the right to express views we might think are mistaken, or one-sided. Public debate should be encouraged –not suppressed. Private travel for most academics remains unimpeded. As with all Special Passport holders, academics with a Special Passport need a letter from their employer stating they have permission to travel. Academics can travel abroad for work with permission from their rectors and a written invitation from the hosts.

    We will continue to monitor the situation closely and to stress to the Turkish government the importance of ensuring that all measures taken are proportionate and justified

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Recommendation 3 of the report of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary on Royal Navy Police, published in September 2016, what steps that police force has taken to establish a system for collecting feedback from victims of crime; and if he will make a statement.

    Mark Lancaster

    In response to Recommendation 3 of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s (HMIC) report, Provost Marshal (Navy) has started work to introduce a new process to provide victims of crime the opportunity to express any views about their experience of interaction with the Royal Navy Police.

    Following discussions with HMIC, this new process is expected to be introduced by the end of 2016.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward amendments to regulations under the Pet Animals Act 1951 to include a ban on the sale of kittens in pet shops.

    George Eustice

    Under the Pet Animals Act 1951 local authorities can already apply conditions to individual pet shop licences. This includes, for example, restricting the species that can be sold. The power to apply conditions to an individual licence is in section 1(3) of the 1951 Act and is intended to help secure the welfare requirements set out in that section. We are currently reviewing animal establishment licensing which will include looking at the 1951 Act.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 22808, what Network Rail maintenance, renewal or enhancement works that were planned to be carried out under blockade the 2015-16 Christmas and New Year period were deferred.

    Claire Perry

    Detailed information of this kind is an operational matter for Network Rail.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will instruct the National Measurement and Regulation Office to publish a list of all known heat networks in the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    In the final quarter of this year DECC will publish summary tables, including regional breakdowns, of the data gathered as a result of the notification requirement in the Heat Networks (Metering and Billing) Regulations. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of the data, this information will be aggregated rather than a list of individual networks.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to support efforts to achieve goal 6 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on water and sanitation.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    In the manifesto in April 2015 and in the UK Aid Strategy published in November 2015, we committed to help 60 million people get access to clean water and sanitation in support of goal 6 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    We will achieve this target through projects managed by our Country Offices, through projects managed from the UK and through our contributions to multilateral organisations such as the World Bank. We will continue to invest in country and regional programmes to improve water resources management, water efficiency and improve water quality, as well as drive value for money.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many times she has attended public meetings of the Women and Equalities Committee since her appointment.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities has attended two public meetings of the Women and Equalities Select Committee since its establishment in June 2015, giving evidence to the Committee’s enquiries on Transgender Equality and the Gender Pay Gap. In my role as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Family Justice, I also attended and gave evidence at the first of these sessions. I remain informed of other public meetings via Parliament TV and meeting transcripts.

    Attendance at Committee meetings is a matter of public record. Transcripts and videos of these appearances can be found on the Committee’s web pages, via the links below. There is also a transcript in Hansard.

    http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/women-and-equalities-committee/transgender-equality/oral/24014.html

    http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/women-and-equalities-committee/gender-pay-gap/oral/28868.html

    “

  • Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what Ofsted inspections of Birmingham City Council’s children’s social care services have been made since April 2014; whether Ofsted have indicated since then any major concerns about those services; and what information is available to the Department for Education Ministers to suggest that the City Council is not adhering to the three-year improvement plan approved by the City Council and the Department’s previous Commissioner in April 2015.

    Lord Nash

    The most recent Ofsted inspection of Birmingham City Council’s children’s services took place in March 2014. This inspection found services to be inadequate. Since then, Birmingham City Council has made some progress against its improvement plan, which ends in 2017. However, the current Commissioner for children’s services in Birmingham, Andrew Christie, and the council itself recognise that much more needs to be done. The Council is coming to the end of its current improvement plan and is exploring models for further improvement in future.