The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department spent from the public purse on industrial tribunals in the last 12 months.
Karen Bradley
The cost of Employment Tribunals can be found within the HM Courts & Tribunals Service annual accounts published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/433948/hmcts-annual-report-accounts-2014-15.pdf .
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will launch a consultation on proposals for a deposit return system for single use drinks containers.
Rory Stewart
Defra analysed the costs and benefits of implementing a deposit return system (DRS) for single use drink containers as part of the 2011 Review of Waste Policy in England, and sought views in the 2012 consultation on higher packaging recycling targets.
This work showed that introducing a DRS may increase recycling and reduce litter but might impose additional costs on businesses, consumers and local authorities (which would lose revenue from recycling). However, we lack evidence to quantify these benefits and costs appropriately. The current approach has driven a significant increase in packaging waste recycling rates, from less than 47% in 2003 to nearly 65% in 2013.
Last year, the Scottish Government published a feasibility study and a call for evidence investigating the implementation of a DRS for single use drink containers in Scotland. This valuable work highlighted significant uncertainties regarding the impacts and benefits that a DRS would have, notably regarding costs, environmental quality and littering, and existing waste collection systems. The Scottish Government is doing further work on the topic and we will review any new evidence arising from this in due course. However, in the meantime, we will continue to focus on improving existing waste collection and recycling systems, and developing a new National Litter Strategy for England to help coordinate and maximise the impact of anti-litter activity by local government, industry and others.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on infraction proceedings in each of the last 10 years.
Dominic Raab
I refer the honourable lady to the answer provided by the Minister for the Cabinet Office (36288).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the legal status is of the changes to health and social care proposed in Sustainability and Transformation Plans.
George Freeman
The Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) has no legal basis. Any plans submitted will be proposals that will form the basis for discussion. Depending on the level of local and national agreement, they may form the basis for further plans and actions that will be subject to the same legal and best practice requirements that govern the National Health Service.
The local, statutory architecture for health and care remains, as do the existing accountabilities for Chief Executives of provider organisations and Accountable Officers of clinical commissioning groups. Organisations are still accountable for their individual organisational plans, which should form part of the first year of their footprint’s STP.
The June STP submissions will be work-in-progress, and as such we do not anticipate the requirement for formal approval from boards and/or consultation at this early stage. Plans have no status until they are agreed. When plans are ready, normal rules around engagement and public consultation will apply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his policy is on the European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007 remaining in effect in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.
Jesse Norman
The Department is working with industry organisations and interests across Government. This input will inform the Government’s approach as we shape our future relationship with Europe.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Prime Minister, on what date she first became aware that allegations of misconduct had been made against Dame Lowell Goddard in her capacity as Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse; what those allegations were; and who made her aware of those allegations.
Mrs Theresa May
I refer the Hon member to the answer that I gave her on Wednesday 19 October, Official Report, column 801.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Kendall on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people of each gender work in his Department.
David Mundell
As at 31 December 2015, there were 32 men and 27 women working in the Scotland Office.
Information on staff gender breakdown by grade in the Scotland Office for previous years is published in the Office’s annual reports. The latest annual report for 2014-15 is available in the House of Commons Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information she holds on the number of drug traffickers who have been sentenced to death in (a) Iran and (b) Pakistan following conviction resulting from counter-narcotics activities supported by the UK in those countries.
Karen Bradley
The Government provides counter-narcotics assistance to a range of international partners, including Pakistan. The Government does not provide counter-narcotics assistance to Iran. There is no evidence to suggest that any drug traffickers have been sentenced to death in Pakistan where the conviction has resulted from counter-narcotics activities supported by the UK government.
All our work is the subject of comprehensive and ongoing assessments of human rights risks, in line with Overseas Security & Justice Assistance (OSJA) guidance. This helps ensure that counter-narcotics assistance provided to countries which retain the death penalty is congruent with UK human rights principles. The Government strongly opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. UK Ministers have and will continue to urge countries, including Iran and Pakistan, to repeal the death penalty and take action to ensure human rights are safeguarded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) publications, (b) consultation documents and (c) circulars her Department has issued since August 2012; and what the title was of each such publication, consultation document or circular.
Mr Desmond Swayne
All such materials can be found on the GOV.UK website, in line with our commitment to transparency which saw us ranked second globally in the 2014 Aid Transparency Index.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what investigatory methods his Department uses for reports of potential breaches of international humanitarian law by UK allies in Yemen.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence monitors incidents of alleged International Humanitarian Law (IHL) violations using all available information which in turn informs our overall assessment of IHL compliance in Yemen. We consider a range of information from government sources, foreign governments, the media and international non-governmental organisations regarding reports of potential breaches of IHL.
We regularly raise the importance of compliance with IHL with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the military Coalition. The UK is not a member of the Saudi-led Coalition. British personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen or selecting targets and are not involved in the Saudi targeting decision-making process. However we have provided training and advice to Saudi Arabia to ensure continued compliance with IHL and minimise civilian casualties.