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Tag: 2016

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether lease contracts on buildings currently housing HM Passport Office interview offices that are facing closure would allow for the proposed timeframe of office closures to be extended.

    James Brokenshire

    Sites which host flexible interview teams are operated by Her Majesty’s Passport Office as managed office space. Rental agreements vary, but most require one month notice.

    In Blackburn, Bristol, Crawley, Leicester and Sheffield HM Passport Office holds a licence to occupy the premises until September 2018, with an opportunity to break the licence in September 2016.

    A date to cease interviewing in March 2016 has been set to enable staff to work with the Home Office career transition service and focus on finding alternative employment prior to the offices being decommissioned.

  • Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on waste oil collection services in rural areas of the proposed changes to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

    Rory Stewart

    The changes referred to do not amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. The changes made are to the ‘Environmental Guidance On Waste Incineration’, which now clarifies that small waste oil burners used to burn waste oil must meet the requirements of Chapter IV of the Industrial Emissions Directive or switch to non-waste fuels. This guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permitting-guidance-the-waste-incineration-directive/environmental-permitting-guidance-waste-incineration.

    A consultation on the changes to the guidance was undertaken between 14 September and 26 October last year. A summary of responses can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487892/waste-incineration-consult-sum-resp.pdf.

    The impact assessment for the changes to this guidance considered some sensitivities on the price of crude oil with regard to collection fees only. The impact assessment can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487895/waste-incineration-consult-ep-ia.pdf.

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  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of (a) primary and (b) secondary school places in Calderdale.

    Edward Timpson

    Supporting local authorities to ensure sufficient school places in their area is one of this Government’s top priorities. That’s why we’ve committed to investing £7 billion in new school places up to 2021, which along with our investment in the free schools programme we expect to deliver 600,000 new places. This is on top of the £5 billion the Coalition Government spent between 2011 and 2015, which helped to create 600,000 additional places between 2010 and 2015.

    Calderdale received £8.8 million in basic need funding between 2011 and 2015, which helped to create nearly 2,000 new places between 2010 and 2015. Of these, around 960 were primary places and around 1,010 were secondary. Calderdale has also been allocated £17.6 million to create the places required by September 2019.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-05-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to extend the cross-government definition of domestic violence and abuse to include people under 16 years old.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government takes domestic violence and abuse extremely seriously and recognises that young people can be victims in both the home and their relationships. In March 2013, the non-statutory definition of domestic violence and abuse was extended to include 16 and 17-year-olds.

    In doing so the Government hopes to encourage young people to come forward and get the support they need, through a helpline or specialist service. Whilst domestic abuse against under 16s is captured by child abuse and existing child protection systems we continue to keep the non-statutory definition of domestic abuse under constant review.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who is leading the negotiations with the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies on sharing beneficial ownership information.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office leads on discussions with the Overseas Territories. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the constitutional relationship with the Crown Dependencies.

    Discussions on beneficial ownership information-sharing, with both the OTs and CDs, has involved a range of departments, including FCO, MoJ, HM Treasury, Cabinet Office and law enforcement authorities.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from charities, local authorities and policy experts on potential ways to reduce homelessness.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Ministers meet with representatives of local authorities, voluntary and charity sector organisations, policy experts and other partners on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues including potential ways to reduce homelessness.

    The government publishes a list of all ministerial meetings with external bodies on departmental business on a quarterly basis. This is available at www.gov.uk.

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  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) length and (b) number of public byways open to all traffic in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    The Department does not hold centrally any information on the length and number of byways open to all traffic in the United Kingdom. In 2005 it was estimated that there was over 4,000 km of byways open to all traffic in England.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many refugee applications from migrants living in the Sovereign Base Areas started before 1 December 2008 had not been determined on 8 August 2014; how many such applications were determined as failed following the enactment of the Refugees (Amendment) Ordinance 2014; and how many migrants have been removed from the Sovereign Base Areas as a consequence of the enactment of that ordinance.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Thirty-eight refugee applications from migrants living in the Sovereign Base Areas before 1 December 2008 had been open but not determined on 8 August 2014. Delays in processing asylum applications were due to the migrants refusing to co-operate with case workers handling their claims. In 2003, an MOU was agreed with the Republic of Cyprus on the handling of illegal migrants in the Sovereign Base Areas. Under the terms of that agreement, all applications for asylum from migrants present in the Sovereign Base Areas at that time were considered by the Republic on behalf of the Sovereign Base Areas Administration by specialist staff of the Republic of Cyprus Asylum Service.

    The 38 migrants were informed they were failed asylum seekers following their prolonged unwillingness to engage with Republic of Cyprus asylum case workers. The intent of the Refugees (Amendment) Ordinance 2014 was to regularise the residency status of failed asylum seekers residing in the Sovereign Base Areas, so as to grant them temporary residence until they could be returned to their country of origin or a third country. No persons amongst this group have yet been removed from the Sovereign Base Areas as a consequence of this ordinance. They remain liable for return.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how long in advance of the date of the closure will HM Revenue and Customs staff in each office earmarked for closure be informed of their future employment options.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has already commenced a discussion process with staff in offices identified for closure. HMRC has given a commitment to staff that they will have a one-to-one meeting with their manager to discuss their options at least one year ahead of their office closure.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent any person convicted of animal abuse from owning an animal.

    George Eustice

    The Animal Welfare Act 2006 already allows courts to make a disqualification order in respect of someone who has been found guilty of causing any unnecessary suffering to an animal. It is for the courts to decide whether to make such an order and, if so, for how long based on the individual circumstances of the case. If a court decides not to impose such an order, it must give its reasons in open court. I consider, therefore, that the courts have the necessary powers to impose appropriate penalties in relation to acts of animal cruelty