The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-25.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he visited the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2016, in his official capacity.
Harriett Baldwin
Details of ministerial overseas travel are published quarterly and are available on the gov.uk website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Lopresti on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to protect the armed forces from persistent legal claims.
Penny Mordaunt
As we promised in our manifesto, I am examining with colleagues across Government a range of measures which will reduce litigation against our Armed Forces. This litigation makes it harder for them to do their jobs, causes them great stress and undermines international humanitarian law. The Prime Minister has already set in hand work to discourage opportunistic legal action. I will announce my proposals in the near future.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tommy Sheppard on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of immigration cases were designated as complex in (a) 2015, (b) 2014 and (c) 2013.
James Brokenshire
Following feedback from customers and partners UKV&I introduced new service standards in January 2014. As such statistical information for 2013 is not available.
The table below shows the number and proportion of immigration cases designated as complex in 2014 and 2015
|
Complex Case |
Total Apps Received |
% of Complex Cases |
|
|
2014 (01/04/2014 – 31/12/2014) |
87,219 |
412,337 |
21% |
|
2015 |
84,435 |
513,475 |
16% |
Following feedback from customers and partners UKV&I introduced new service standards in January 2014. As such statistical information for 2013 is not available. Our records indicate the average waiting time (days) for immigration cases that are designated as complex is as follows.
|
Average Waiting Time |
|
|
2014 (01/04/2014 – 31/12/2014) |
122 |
|
2015 |
163 |
|
Overall Average |
147 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what meetings (a) he and (b) his predecessor had with Ministers of the Welsh Government (i) wholly and (ii) primarily about Tata Steel’s intentions for the Welsh steel industry.
Alun Cairns
My predecessor, the Rt hon Stephen Crabb MP, and I have, and continue to conduct regular meetings to discuss Tata Steel, and the Welsh Steel Industry with Cabinet colleagues, UK Government Ministers and Welsh Government Ministers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects his Department’s Propriety and Ethics team’s investigation into the activity of civil servants to report.
Mike Penning
As I said to the House on 14 March, the rules around former civil servants taking up employment in the private sector are made very clear when they leave the Department. Under no circumstance should they exploit privileged access to government contracts or sensitive information which could be used to influence the outcome of commercial competitions. The investigation has now reported and found that it was unlikely any intellectual property belonging to, or confidential information relating to, the MoJ or NOMS was compromised as a result of former staff gaining employment with TDPi. Nevertheless, we have strengthened internal procedures and increased awareness of the Business Appointment Rules within the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) so as to make departing civil servants and their new employers aware of their obligations under the Rules. My officials have written to TDPi reminding them of their obligations under the Civil Service Code.
Over the last six months, we have improved our commercial capability, more than doubling the senior commercial experts monitoring work with the private sector. The investigation found no evidence of improper culture or general lack of professionalism in relation to how NOMS staff interact with suppliers or contractors.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that suitable brownfield sites are prioritised for development over greenbelt sites under the proposed Housing Delivery Test.
Brandon Lewis
We are still considering responses to the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, including on the housing delivery test.
The Government has put in place the strongest protections for the Green Belt. The Framework is clear that inappropriate development will not be allowed unless there are very special circumstances, and that Green Belt boundaries should be adjusted only in exceptional circumstances, through the Local Plan process. The Framework also encourages development of brownfield land, and we have undertaken to ensure that 90 per cent of brownfield land suitable for housing will have planning permissions for new homes in place by the end of this Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of employer enquiries to the Employer Checking Service resulted in a response confirming that the subject of the enquiry had the right to work in each of the last five years.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The proportion of checks to the Employer Checking Service resulting in a response confirming that the subject of the enquiry had the right to work, by calendar year are as below:
2011 41.2%
2012 43.8%
2013 51.1%
2014 56.6% 56.0%
2015 61.4% 58.2%
2016 (to date) 67.3%
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian police are involved in guarding HM Naval Base Clyde.
Mark Lancaster
I am withholding the number of Ministry of Defence Police officers deployed at HM Naval Base Clyde for the purpose of safeguarding national security.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-02-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, prior to the change of terms and conditions attached to all grant agreement letters issued by public-sector grant providers to recipients of grant funding being announced by the Cabinet Office on 6 February, due diligence was undertaken to ensure that that policy complies with Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Lord Bridges of Headley
Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control requires governments to protect public health policy from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry. The grant funding clause announced on 6 February 2016 helps protect the taxpayer by ensuring that grants are only used for the purposes for which they are intended. It is therefore entirely consistent with the aforementioned Article.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mc Nally on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement the installation and use of audio-visual displays on public transport vehicles.
Andrew Jones
I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 3rd March 2016, UIN 28574,
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