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Tag: 2016

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 18 April 2016, on immigration detention, HCWS679, whether there will be independent oversight of decisions to detain pregnant women.

    James Brokenshire

    At present, detention is authorised by an officer of at least the rank of Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) or Higher Executive Officer (HEO). As stated in the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement of 14 January, the Government is developing a new approach to the case management of those detained. This is intended to replace the existing detention review process with a clear removal plan for all those in detention.

    It will ensure that all detainees, including pregnant women, spend the minimum possible time in detention. Under the new policy in order for detention to be extended beyond 72 hours ministerial authorisation will be required and the maximum detention period will be one week.

    Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons and Independent Monitoring Boards already provide independent oversight of detention facilities and conditions of detention. Individuals, including pregnant women, are given prior notification of their liability to removal from the UK by the Home Office and they would be detained only for the purposes of identification or removal.

  • Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect on relations between the UK and Turkey of the decision in the Turkish Parliament to strip parliamentary immunity from 124 deputies.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The lifting of parliamentary immunity is a matter for the Turkish parliament. As a modern democracy and candidate for EU accession, we would expect Turkey to undertake any subsequent legal processes transparently and fully respect the rule of law.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received from the higher education sector on the future of the Erasmus programme.

    Joseph Johnson

    The referendum result has no immediate effect on students abroad under the Erasmus scheme or applying for 2016/17. Payments will be made in the usual way. Access to the programme after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations, and the potential effects could vary considerably. Since the referendum, I have met with stakeholders including representatives from:

    • Edinburgh University
    • Guild HE
    • Independent Universities Group
    • Independent HE
    • Manchester University
    • Million Plus
    • National Union of Students
    • Russell Group
    • Surrey University
    • Universities UK
    • University Alliance
    • University of Winchester
    • The All-Party Parliamentary University Group
    • Newcastle University
    • Sheffield University
    • Manchester Metropolitan University
    • Lancaster University
    • British and Irish Modern Music Institute
    • Durham University
    • Liverpool University
    • Leeds University
    • Salford University
    • York University
    • Aberdeen University
    • Dundee University
    • Universities Scotland
    • Heriot-Watt
    • University of the West of Scotland
    • Stirling University
    • Glasgow Caledonian University
    • Glasgow University
    • Queen Mary University Edinburgh
    • Strathclyde University

    Officials have additionally met with or spoken to:

    • the Learned Societies
    • the Open University
    • University and College Union
    • Higher Education Academy

    They have also received various representations.

  • Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Lord on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in (a) Woking constituency, (b) Surrey, (c) the South East and (d) the UK have received access to superfast broadband through government programmes since May 2010.

    Matt Hancock

    Approximately 2,487 premises in the Woking constituency and 77,141 premises in Surrey have received access to superfast broadband through the Superfast Broadband Programme. Over 4 million premises across the UK have received access through the programme. BDUK does not measure coverage at regional level.

  • Kelly Tolhurst – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kelly Tolhurst – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelly Tolhurst on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consideration he has given to the duties under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 to conserve biodiversity with regards to the sale of the former Royal School of Military Engineering training site at Lodge Hill in Medway.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and in preparation for the forthcoming Local Planning Inquiry is working closely with Medway Council, Natural England and other key stakeholders in carefully considering the potential effects on biodiversity of any proposed development at Lodge Hill.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department has spent on (a) taxis, (b) first class train tickets and (c) business class air travel in each year since 2010-11.

    David Mundell

    The Scotland Office spend on air, rail and taxi travel since 2010-11 is shown below:

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    Air

    £73,376

    £141,601

    £171,483

    £131,538

    £158,897

    Rail

    £32,314

    £30,492

    £47,694

    £57,487

    £55,718

    Taxi

    £14,946

    £19,967

    £20,967

    £23,845

    £27,165

    The Scotland Office does not separately record information and expenditure on first or business class travel. It is Scotland Office policy not to use first or business class travel for officials. All ministerial travel is undertaken by the most efficient and cost effective way, in accordance with the Ministerial Code, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  • Owen Thompson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Owen Thompson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2016-02-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the findings of the most recent OECD Interim Economic Outlook.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The OECD forecasts show the cocktail of risks facing the world this year, with expectations for global growth downgraded in 2016 and 2017. This is expected to have an impact on the UK as well, but we are forecast to be the fastest growing G7 economy this year.

    We need to keep taking action to restore order to the public finances and deliver economic security for working people.

  • Stephen McPartland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen McPartland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen McPartland on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to improve GP training on the identification, diagnosis and management of allergic diseases.

    Ben Gummer

    It is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC), working closely with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), to set the standards and clinical practice for general practitioners and approve education and training curricula to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care.

    The GMC and the RCGP regularly review their standards and curricula to ensure they reflect good practice and the latest clinical evidence.

  • 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, what the outcome was of the National Offender Management Service Authority Audit of South Yorkshire Community Rehabilitation Company in September 2015 on that company’s risk management.

    Andrew Selous

    Major transitions are always challenging, but figures show the performance of Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and National Probation Service, is continually improving. Thanks to these reforms, offenders in prison for less than 12 months are now receiving support from probation providers for the very first time.

    Operational assurance audits were completed by the Ministry of Justice on all Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) during the first year of operation. The reports of these audits are commercially sensitive and, as such, will not be released. It is normal Government practice not to release commercially sensitive information.

    We hold providers rigorously to account for their performance and take action wherever they are falling short. We are continuing to monitor the performance of CRCs closely.

    Following an audit by the Ministry of Justice last year, South Yorkshire CRC developed an action plan.

  • Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with GCHQ about the security of customers of UK financial institutions.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The government takes the resilience of the financial sector, and the protection of bank customers, very seriously. Making sure that everyone has access to basic banking and financial services is at the heart of the government’s long term economic plan. The government is working with the banking industry, the retail sector, and law enforcement agencies to put in place the right steps to tackle online fraud against the public.

    As the Chancellor announced in November, the government is creating a new National Cyber Security Centre, which will open in October. Its recently launched prospectus outlines the Centre’s proposed vision, goals and work. In February, the Home Secretary launched the Joint Fraud Taskforce, which aims to use the collective powers, systems and resources of banks, payment providers, police, wider law enforcement and regulators to tackle fraud, and raise awareness of the risk of fraud among consumers. Further details on both can be found on the GOV.UK website.