Tag: 2016

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 24 of the Joint Ministerial Declaration on UK/French co-operation on managing migratory flows in Calais, published in August 2015, what progress has been made on the commitment to take stock of the operational effectiveness of the Dublin III Regulations.

    Karen Bradley

    The UK government supports the Dublin III principles and welcomes the swift processing of asylum claims made in Calais. For migrants to be processed under Dublin III they must first claim asylum in France. The UK government will consider any request made by the French asylum authorities under the Dublin Regulation to take responsibility for an asylum applicant in France because they have close family in the UK.

    To ensure that the provisions of the Dublin Regulation are used efficiently and effectively in both countries, a joint contact group has been established in line with the commitment in the Joint Declaration. The UK has held regular discussions with French Interior Ministry colleagues, including visits to Calais and Dunkirk to examine the processes and the information made available to migrants.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to reduce dangerous drunkenness of passengers on commercial flights.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    I and my officials have met and corresponded with industry representatives to discuss the issue of disruptive passengers on a number of occasions over the last year. In particular we have been working closely with airlines, airports, the police and duty free retailers to understand the challenges posed by disruptive behaviour on aircraft and to explore practical steps that can be taken to both reduce the frequency of these instances and to ensure that they are dealt with appropriately when they do occur. We are very supportive of industry’s efforts, including to collating and disseminating best practice and guidance; we will continue to provide assistance where appropriate.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the gateway reviews undertaken during the work on the Uniting Care Partnership Contract in the light of the review by David Stout into the causes of the termination of the Contract.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England advises that following its initial independent review into the termination of the contract between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and Uniting Care Partnership LLP, it is commissioning a second review to investigate specific areas in further detail. This will include an investigation into the effectiveness of the gateway review process.

    NHS England advises that the scope and timescale for this has yet to be agreed and it will consider publication as part of this review.

  • 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 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff are employed in the Higher Education Audit Team; and what plans she has to change that number.

    James Brokenshire

    There are currently five staff working in the Higher Education Assurance Team (HEAT). The team is part of the Home Office’s wider Sponsor Compliance Network which is currently under review. Until that review is complete it is not possible to confirm the team’s eventual size and structure but its role and responsibilities will continue to be delivered within the Compliance Network’s operating structure.

  • Paul Farrelly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paul Farrelly – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Farrelly on 2016-07-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to include reduced-harm products in the Government’s tobacco control plan on account of their potential health benefits to smokers.

    Jane Ellison

    For the first time, from May 2016, cessation information to signpost consumers to quitting support has become mandatory on tobacco products. The Government’s advice remains that the best thing a smoker can do is to quit and quit for good. Any smokers wanting to quit, with or without the help of products available on the market, are four times more likely to stop smoking and quit for good with the personalised support offered by local stop smoking services.

    The National Centre for Stop Smoking Services has issued guidance on offering advice to those wanting to use e-cigarettes as part of their quit attempts and encouraged local stop smoking services to be open to their use.

    The Government recognises that some people have found e-cigarettes helpful in quitting smoking and that they are considerably less harmful than continuing to smoke. The forthcoming tobacco control plan will consider the role of e-cigarettes and other harm reduction products in further reducing the prevalence of smoking in England.

    The Department has no current plans to review the restrictions on advertising for tobacco products.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans continued participation in Frontex after the UK leaves the EU.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The European Border and Coast Guard was launched on 6 October, building on and replacing Frontex. The new Agency builds on provisions of the Schengen agreement in which the UK does not participate. The UK is not therefore bound by the new regulation although we are supportive of steps to increase the security of the external Schengen border and currently participate in Frontex operations on a voluntary basis, agreed by the Management Board.

    Our future cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency will be considered as part of wider negotiations for the UK’s exit from the EU. The Prime Minister has made clear that the Government will not be giving a running commentary on negotiations.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-01-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessments he has made of the effect of the level of the current account deficit on the future strength of the pound sterling.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The widening in the UK current account deficit in recent years has been driven by a deterioration in the UK’s net investment income from abroad, while the trade deficit has continued to improve. The Office for Budget Responsibility expect factors that have depressed the returns on the UK’s net assets, such as the relative weakness in economic activity in the UK’s trading partners, to recede. The current account deficit is forecast to narrow to -2.1 per cent by 2020, limiting any impact on the exchange rate. Furthermore, the government’s plan to complete the repair of the public finances will support a gradual narrowing of the current account deficit.

  • Ann Coffey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ann Coffey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Coffey on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time between (a) offence commission and charge, (b) charge and first court appearance and (c) first court appearance to sentencing or acquittal was for all completed sexual offence cases in (i) 2013, (ii) 2014 and (iii) 2015.

    Mike Penning

    Our courts system is in need of urgent reform, which is why we have committed to building a justice system that is swifter and more certain.

    We are investing £700 million over the next five years to create a more effective service. We will utilise modern technology to meet the needs of everyone who uses our services.

    MOJ do not hold figures on dates of sentencing or acquittals and have instead provided the time from first listing to completion.

    The age of a victim is only known where specified as part of the wording of an offence in statute. Figures for sexual offences cases where the victim was a minor are based on cases where the victim was known to be a minor, and figures where the victim was an adult include cases where the age of the victim was not known.

    Data included in the attached tables.

    Table 1 – the average duration from offence to charge, from charge to first listing, and from first listing to completion for sexual offences cases in Greater Manchester LCJB and in England and Wales, for cases completing in 2013, 2014 and January to September 2015.

    Table 2 – the average duration (days) between offence to charge, charge to first listing, and first listing to completion for sexual offence cases completed in England and Wales where the victim was a minor or an adult, 2013 to Q1-Q3 2015.

    Table 3 – the average durations for sexual offences cases in England and Wales. These are an update of Tables 5.1 and 5.2 in the ‘Overview of Sexual Offending in England and Wales’ publication. Figures are for the last 12 months available, from October 2014 to September 2015.

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2016-03-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of those individuals who previously claimed a motability allowance under the Disability Living Allowance and have lost that allowance after being reassessed for Personal Independence Payments, have (1) appealed that decision, and (2) succeeded at appeal.

    Lord Faulks

    The First-tier Tribunal – Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service­­ hears appeals against decisions by the Department for Work and Pensions­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ on a range of benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

    Information about the number and success rates of SSCS appeals by benefit type, including PIP, is published in the Tribunal and Gender Recognition Certificate Statistics Quarterly. The most recent report can be located on the government website.

    The specific information requested is not held centrally.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-04-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what tools are available to the Inland Revenue to ensure that local employees at foreign embassies in London pay their tax, apart from individuals voluntarily registering for Self Assessment.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue and Customs have a specialist team to deal with the tax affairs of locally engaged staff employed at foreign embassies and International organisations in the UK. The team is tasked with ensuring that these employees pay the appropriate tax and National Insurance.