Tag: 2016

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33485, in what capacity those polygraph examinations have been conducted; and for what reasons polygraph examinations have been so used to examine sex offender behaviour.

    Andrew Selous

    The legal basis for the polygraph scheme is in the Offender Management Act 2007. Sections 28 to 30 enable a polygraph licence condition to be added to the release licence of certain sex offenders. In January 2014, following a successful pilot, the condition was introduced nationally.

    Polygraph testing has proven to be a valuable additional tool for National Probation Service offender managers in the management of certain sex offenders in the community. It increases the chance that those sexual offenders will make critically significant disclosures relevant to their management, supervision, or risk assessment. Furthermore, it has increased the likelihood of preventative actions being taken by offender managers to protect the public from harm, such as warnings and recall to custody.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of all asylum appeals were made by Eritrean nationals or refugees in (1) 2013, (2) 2014, and (3) 2015.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    In answer to Questions HL329 and HL331, I refer the noble Lady to my answer on 04/05/2016 for Question HL8090.

    In answer to Question HL330, I refer the noble Lady to my answer on 04/05/2016 for Question HL8089.

    In answer to Question HL332 and HL333, I refer the noble Lady to my answer on 11/05/2016 for Questions HL8091 and HL9092.

  • James Berry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    James Berry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Berry on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government expects to receive the EU Commission’s assessment of the UK Air Quality Plan.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government submitted a revised air quality plan to the European Commission on 17 December last year. There is no formal timetable under the Air Quality Directive for the Commission to assess the plan. The Government is working with the Commission to ensure compliance with the nitrogen dioxide limits in the Directive in the shortest possible time.

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of staff on the payroll of her Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

    Matt Hancock

    All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

    Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.

    More broadly, the Government will be consulting in due course on how we work with business to ensure that workers in this country have the skills that they need to get a job. But there are no proposals to publish lists of the number or proportion of foreign workers.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to encourage unemployed teachers to seek work in England.

    Nick Gibb

    Qualified teachers not currently in the workforce, including those who are unemployed, are an important supply of teachers for schools. The number of those returning to teaching has been increasing in recent years, from 11,710 in 2011 to 14,100 in 2014 (School Workforce Census, 2014[1]). The Government is keen to support schools to attract teachers back to the profession and to provide support to refresh their skills where required.

    The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) is undertaking a new pilot, the Return to Teaching Programme. 61 school partnerships have been successful in applying for funding to support potential returners. Qualified teachers outside the profession who plan to teach a secondary English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subject can access free tailored support provided by these schools. Support could include subject knowledge training, training to update knowledge of classroom practice and assessment frameworks as well as access to classroom experience and mentor support. In addition, teachers returning to mathematics or physics also have access to one-to-one advisors.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440582/Additional_Tables_SFR21_2015.xlsx

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  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to address the congestion and air quality impacts of increases in numbers of private hire vehicles.

    Andrew Jones

    Licensing private hire vehicles and local traffic management are matters for local authorities. In London responsibility rests with the Mayor and Transport for London.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what financial and other resources the Government makes available to UK Trade and Investment trade envoys.

    Anna Soubry

    To fulfil their overseas and UK travel commitments, there is a dedicated budget for the Trade Envoys.

    Total cost of the programme to date has been £424,529

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the level of vulnerability of people on the autism spectrum to various aspects of cybercrime.

    Mr John Hayes

    The National Crime Agency (NCA) is a non-ministerial government department, however it is accountable to Parliament via the Home Secretary. As such I have contacted the NCA to inform my answer to you.

    During the course of cyber-dependent crime operations over the last five years (including SOCA Cyber and Metropolitan Police Central e-Crime Unit led operations) and based on recorded data following a subject’s arrest we are unable to determine the level of involvement of autistic individuals in cybercrime offences, or the level of vulnerability of individuals on the autism spectrum to various other aspects of cyber crime.

    The NCA are now embarking on research in partnership with Academia, Private Industry and Special Interest groups to explore the possibility of links between Autism and cyber-dependent crime. Understanding gained from this research will inform the NCA on best practice for managing operations and educational Prevent activity.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on the Thameslink programme; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    London Bridge station works are progressing to schedule to enable the planned opening of part of the new concourse in late summer.

    The new Class 700 trains are undergoing testing on the network and are due to enter passenger service on the Brighton to Bedford Thameslink route this spring.

  • Baroness Royall of Blaisdon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Royall of Blaisdon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessments they have made of the value of creating a legal status for those participating in full-time, long-term volunteering programmes, such as those run by City Year UK, vInspired and Volunteering Matters, under the proposed National Citizen Service Bill.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The National Citizen Service Bill will place the NCS programme on permanent statutory footing. It is estimated that NCS participants have dedicated over 8 million hours of volunteering to their local communities to date. Other opportunities for young people to participate in social action, such as those run by City Year UK, vInspired and Volunteering Matters, have contributed to the success of NCS and made sure that young people have opportunities to develop new skills that extend and transform their life chances. The government is committed to increasing volunteering and social action, and to providing support for different opportunities and programmes that encourage volunteering.