Tag: 2016

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons of interest have been found to have left the UK when it has not been possible to check and act upon Advance Passenger Information in real-time since April 2015; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    This information is not centrally held. Since April 2015, Advanced Passenger Information has been provided by international commercial air, sea and rail carriers to Border Force in advance of passenger travel from the UK. This data is used to identify known or suspected criminals and where appropriate is acted upon in real time by Border Force or another law enforcement partner.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has (a) made any arrangements and (b) had any discussions with the governments of each country in the Middle East on the application of Temporary Exclusion Orders in those countries.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    The Government has engaged with a number of international partners on the implementation of the Temporary Exclusion Order power. The Government made clear throughout the passage of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill that the operation of the TEO power would depend on the circumstances of each case and on the country from which an individual is seeking to travel to the UK. We will not comment on individual cases.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time equivalent health visitors were employed in each of the last six years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent health visitors employed in National Health Service trusts and clinical commissioning groups in England in each of the last six years. Data for July 2016 will be published by NHS Digital on 25 October 2016.

    As at 30 June each year full-time equivalent

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    2016

    7,643

    7,393

    8,084

    8,887

    10,042

    9,491

    Source: NHS Digital NHS Hospital and Community Health Service monthly workforce statistics

  • Baroness Young of Old Scone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Young of Old Scone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Young of Old Scone on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether an environmental assessment has been made of the impact of the likely withdrawal of the landfill operators from the Landfill Communities Fund scheme as a result of the proposed removal of the provision for contributing third parties on the environment and projects funded through that scheme, and if so, what environmental impact has been assessed; and what measures the Government are planning to put in place to counteract that impact.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Since its introduction in 1996, the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) has contributed over £1.4 billion to community projects in areas near a local landfill site or other qualifying site and the Government acknowledges the positive impact of this funding for communities. However, as the LCF is a tax credit scheme, it reduces the Government’s tax revenues and we therefore have a responsibility to seek value for money for the taxpayer. This is a particular concern given the need to reduce the deficit and return the public finances to a sustainable path.

    Despite difficult decisions on spending, the Government has decided to retain and reform the LCF. The aim of these reforms is to encourage money to get to communities more quickly. The LCF will provide £39.3 million of additional funding in 2016-17 alone. We also hope more unspent funds, which this year totalled £118 million, will reach projects as soon as possible.

    The Government is committed to providing the best value for communities, and over the next five years £20 million of the additional Landfill Tax revenues will be used by the Environment Agency to address waste crime, which can be a danger to both human health and the environment.

    The government has received representations on the LCF reforms. We are taking views into consideration and our priority is to ensure that the LCF operates effectively and encourages money to be spent in the communities that need it.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of non-emergency care in the NHS for non-EEA seafarers employed on UK registered ships in each year since 2009-10.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department does not hold this information.

  • Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action is being taken about consultant lobbyists not on the Register of Consultant Lobbyists.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    Enforcement is a matter for the independent Registrar who has a duty to monitor compliance. The legislation provides a range of powers and sanctions for the Registrar to use in pursuance of this duty and in dealing with those who will not comply, including both civil and criminal measures.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the annual budget of the Housing Ombudsman has been in each year since 2009-10.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Housing Ombudsman, is funded by subscriptions from member landlords, and the majority of members (83%) are private organisations.

    The annual budget of the Housing Ombudsman in each year since 2009-10 is as follows:

    2009-10

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    Budget Expenditure

    £3,333,971

    £3,537,072

    £3,910,742

    £4,425,735

    £4,886,112

    £4,913,500

    £5,085,751

    Actual Expenditure

    £3,198,478

    3,239,693

    £3,374,908

    £4,280,909

    £4,240,126

    £4,447,759

    £4,746,068

    The Localism Act 2011 extended the jurisdiction / remit of the Housing Ombudsman from 2013 to local authorities as well as housing associations, resulting in increases in the number of cases, dealt with by the Housing Ombudsman.

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

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average cost is of a personal independence payment tribunal hearing.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) is administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service. The Tribunal hears appeals against decisions of the Department for Work and Pensions on a range of benefits including personal independence payment (PIP).

    HM Courts & Tribunals Service cannot isolate cost data relating to specific benefit types.

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of bilateral investment treaties between the UK and developing countries on the ability of (a) infant industries and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises in such countries to contribute to poverty reduction.

    Sir Desmond Swayne

    Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) commit both Governments to provide a reciprocal standard of treatment towards each other’s investors, including: protection and security against discriminatory action, fair and equitable treatment and a commitment not to expropriate without compensation. The content of BITs do not place specific obligations on or provide support to domestic companies, including infant industries and SMEs, aimed at delivering wider policy objectives.

    Since 2012, through the Investment and Sustainable Development Programme, DFID has provided technical and legal assistance to 24 developing countries to develop and negotiate international investment agreements (including BITs) that best reflect their own interests.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the proposed budget is for court reporting and transcribing services after the completion of the current tender process.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has issued an Invitation to Tender for the future provision of court transcription services. The successful bidders will provide transcription services under a four year framework agreement, the value of which is estimated at between £20m and £28m over the term of the agreement.

    We are not in a position to disclose the proposed budget in any greater detail than outlined above for court reporting and transcription services whilst the competition is still running as this may undermine the Authority’s commercial position.