The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of running events promoting local authority devolution deals in each of the last three years.
Mr Mark Francois
The Department has not paid for any events specifically promoting devolution deals over the past three years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Chairman of Committees what plans are there to support Fairtrade fortnight.
Lord Laming
Catering and Retail Services stock a range of Fairtrade products, including tea, coffee, cake, biscuits and bananas. Catering and Retail Services raised awareness of these lines during Fairtrade Fortnight this year and ran related promotions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the Government has to force Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies to establish public central registers of beneficial ownership.
Sir Alan Duncan
While the Overseas Territories (OTs) and Crown Dependencies (CDs) are separate jurisdictions, and are responsible for their own fiscal matters, we are working closely with them on their role on company transparency. Our priority has been for them to establish a central register of beneficial ownership information (or a similarly effective system) where they do not already have one, and for UK law enforcement and tax authorities to have full and automatic access to that information. Bilateral arrangements to this effect have now been concluded with all the relevant OTs and with the CDs, and these will enter into effect by June 2017. The registers will, with one exception, not be public, but these measures will place our Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories well ahead of other similar jurisdictions and represent a significant step forward in our ability to counter criminal activity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of prisoners released on licence to a bail hostel have been subsequently recalled to prison in 2016 to date.
Mr Sam Gyimah
Between January 2016 and March 2016 (the latest date for which figures are available), 715 offenders were recalled to prison whilst residing in an approved premises.
We are unable to give an accurate figure for the proportion of departures from an approved premises that were attributable to the offender being recalled to custody. This is because some residents of an approved premises are not offenders released from custody on licence; in terms of departures, these cannot be distinguished from other residents.
Approved premises provide for effective supervision of certain high risk of harm offenders, particularly on release from custody. It would not be possible to provide such effective supervision elsewhere in the community, which is the only alternative for offenders who have completed the custodial part of their sentence. Offenders who breach their licence conditions (including the rules of residence of an approved premises in which they are required to reside) are liable to be recalled to custody, in order to protect the public.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of staff employed in each young offender institution is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Andrew Selous
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate costs.
The Youth Justice Board is responsible for commissioning and oversight of the secure youth estate. The Youth Justice Board funds dedicated social workers at each under-18 Young Offender Institution (YOI). All young people undergo a health and education assessment upon arrival into custody, whilst all staff undergo training in child and adolescent development and safeguarding.
Under-18 YOI providers should ensure that they meet the needs of all detained persons including those with Special Education and Needs (SEN) requirements, and that all staff are suitably qualified to support young people and make referrals to other specialist support where this is appropriate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2016-02-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of planned changes to personal injury law and whiplash claims on access to justice.
Lord Faulks
The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course, including any necessary safeguards. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the percentage change in high street footfall figures was in each UK region in the last two years for which figures are available.
Mr Marcus Jones
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold figures for UK footfall, however there are external sources that do collect these statistics.
The British Retail Consortium/Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor publishes a monthly roundup of national changes in UK footfall.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to her Department was of providing information to the EU’s Education and Training Monitor in each of the last three years.
Nick Gibb
The Department for Education provides information to the EU’s Education and Training Monitor through the provision of data submitted as part of the UK’s joint UNESCO, OECD, and EUROSTAT (UOE) annual data return. This work is managed by the Department’s International Statistics Team and is a small part of wider work on the collection and use of international statistics. We estimate the annual staff cost to the Department of providing the UOE data at 0.5 of one full time equivalent post. We do not disaggregate the EU-specific element of this work as the data provided is common to all three international organisations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-05-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for International Development will support the Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis 2016–2021 at the forthcoming World Health Assembly.
Baroness Verma
The UK Government welcomes the development of this strategy for preventing, diagnosing and treating viral hepatitis. DFID works very closely with the Department of Health and we have a joint delegation to the World Health Assembly.
DFID supports improving the access to clean and safe water and hygiene promotion to reduce the risk of transmission of hepatitis A and E. We are the largest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which increases access to immunisation in low income countries. This includes protection against hepatitis B. The UK supports UNITAID, which is working to improve access to better diagnostics for Hepatits C and we are supporting the Clinton Health Access Initiative to reduce prices and increase access to new treatments. In addition DFID supports comprehensive harm reduction programmes and strategies through its support to the Global Fund, which help reduce transmission of both HIV and Hepatitis C.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will establish a 5G venture fund for 5G technology start-ups.
Matt Hancock
We are sponsoring the Future Communications Challenge Group (FCCG) of senior academics, industry experts and funders, chaired by the President of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, which is considering how we should drive forward our commitment to ensure that UK has a leading role in 5G development.
In parallel the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is conducting a study, launched in Budget 2016, into how UK can achieve early deployment of 5G networks.
Both of these will report by the end of the year and the results will feed into a comprehensive 5G strategy for the UK, to be published in 2017.