Tag: Alex Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review the adequacy of the maximum sentences available to the courts for offences of cruelty to animals under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

George Eustice

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause an animal unnecessary suffering. Anyone found guilty of an offence under the Act can be subject to an unlimited fine and/or six months’ imprisonment.

It is for the courts to decide on an appropriate penalty based on the individual circumstances of each case. To help magistrates to impose appropriate sentences and penalties they are provided with guidance in the form of the Magistrates’ Courts Sentencing Guidelines issued by the Sentencing Council. The guidelines give examples of offences, aggravating and mitigating factors, as well as the range of suggested sentences and penalties for various types of offences. The sentences currently imposed for such offences are not regularly set towards the upper end of the range. This suggests that courts are not finding their current sentencing powers inadequate.

Nevertheless, Defra understands the concern that existing levels of punishment may be insufficient in some cases. Overall policy on sentencing is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Defra Ministers have made sure that the MoJ is aware of these concerns.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations her Department made to the recent meeting of the EU Fisheries and Agriculture Council; and for which species support was given at that meeting for quotas exceeding those recommended by scientific advice.

George Eustice

At the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in December 2015 the UK Government supported quota setting in accordance with three high level objectives: to increase the number of stocks fished at sustainable levels, in particular the number fished at maximum sustainable yield (MSY) in 2016; to follow the available science, notably that from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES); and to minimise discards in line with the landing obligation.

With respect to stocks with full MSY assessments, the UK supported total allowable catches (TACs) higher than the ICES advice for Farn Deeps Nephrops and Eastern Channel sole, because new management measures had been developed which, when implemented, should deliver MSY by 2017 and 2019 respectively.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Private Sponsorship Scheme for Syrian refugees; and what estimate she has made of the number of people likely to participate in that scheme.

Richard Harrington

The Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme is based on need and prioritises those who cannot be supported effectively in the region. As the refugees that are being resettled may have medical, social care or other needs, all of the arrivals to date have been placed with local authorities which are being provided with funding to ensure these needs can be addressed.

We will build on offers of support to develop a community sponsorship scheme to allow individuals, charities, faith groups, churches and businesses to support refugees directly. This is why we are now working with the individuals and groups who have made offers on developing a sustainable model for helping vulnerable people settle and integrate in the UK and, where they are able, find employment.

We are consulting international partners to understand how their schemes work, and with partners in the UK to make sure we design a scheme which works well here.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects to have body scanners to help detect illicit substances installed in prisons.

Andrew Selous

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) deploys a comprehensive range of robust searching and security measures to detect items of contraband both at the point of entry to the prison and concealed within the prison. NOMS continues to explore new methods of preventing drugs coming into prisons and body scanners are seen as a valuable part of this strategy.

An independent expert panel is assessing the use of a body scanner at HMP Wandsworth, as required by the Justification of Practices Involving lionising Radiation Regulations 2004.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many £5,000 flood protection grants have been paid to (a) households and (b) businesses by local authorities.

James Wharton

To date, local authorities have received 1,285 applications for Property Level Resilience grant funding and have so far approved 162.

Property Level Resilience grants are dependent on works which require properties to dry out and are usually claimed retrospectively. The current rate of payments is similar to equivalent previous schemes where the profile of spend shows payments accelerate in the third and fourth quarters after damage.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the amount paid out by local authorities to households in flood compensation payments.

James Wharton

To date over £48 million has been paid out to local authorities through the Community and Business Recovery Fund and Council Tax and Business Rates discounts to assist households and businesses affected by the floods caused by Storms Desmond and Eva.

Local authorities have not notified the Department of any allowable costs not covered by the sums transferred. It is expected that further payments will be made shortly as flooded property numbers are confirmed and further funds requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the total cost of damage caused by floods in winter 2015-16.

James Wharton

The Government submitted an initial EU Solidarity Fund application on Friday 26 February. We are in the process of refining our cost estimates and figures.

The United Kingdom’s Permanent Representation to the European Union submitted the initial application to the European Commission on the UK Government’s behalf and will continue to engage with them and the Department on the development of the application.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to page one of the UK/France joint non-paper on the Implementation of Tiered Free Allocation in Phase IV of the EU Emissions Trading System, what the evidential basis is for the assumption that the UK cement industry can pass on additional costs to customers of purchasing carbon dioxide allowances without risking carbon leakage.

Anna Soubry

The UK wants to see continued support for British industry as they decarbonise. In the context of a declining EU Emissions Trading System cap it is essential that free allowances should be focussed on those sectors at greatest risk of carbon leakage. Sectors at greatest risk of carbon leakage have high carbon costs and are highly exposed to international trade.

The proposed tiering scenarios set out in the UKs position paper are indicative and do not represent a confirmed UK Government position. We recognise the concerns of the cement sector and will continue to work with them to clarify data issues and consider further scenarios to those set out in the UKs proposal.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what consideration she has given to the retention of Article 10(a) paragraph 16(a) of the EU Emissions Trading System, Directive 2003/87/EC, to take account of the carbon leakage vulnerability of activities with a high proportion of raw material-related process emissions under the next phase of the EU Emissions Trading System; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government supports reform to strengthen the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) while continuing to support the competitiveness of British businesses in the transition to a low-carbon economy. We recognise the barriers to decarbonisation in certain sectors with a high proportion of raw material-related process emissions. The Government has engaged with industry and industrial sector bodies to understand the enablers and barriers to deep decarbonisation, including through the joint industry-Government decarbonisation and energy efficiency roadmaps. We will continue to work closely with UK industry to consider ways to account for process emissions in the next phase of the EU ETS, starting in 2021.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Immigration of 20 January 2016, Official Report, columns 1425-30, whether there is no predominant colour for the front doors of properties used to house asylum seekers in Teesside.

James Brokenshire

The provision of accommodation for asylum seekers is provided under the COMPASS contracts. It is the responsibility of all of the suppliers to ensure that all accommodation used meets the required contractual standard and complies with the Decent Homes Standards. The accommodation should be safe, habitable and fit for purpose. The COMPASS providers are required to inspect properties each month and UKVI’s contract compliance teams reinforce this by visiting properties regularly.

The Home Office expects the highest standards and where a contractor is found to be falling short of these standards we work with them to ensure that issues are quickly addressed.

Earlier this year, we instructed our supplier (G4S) to repaint the doors of G4S and Jomast managed properties to ensure that no one colour is predominant. I have received confirmation from the Provider that this had been completed, UKVI staff have also confirmed that no one colour is predominant as they have visited properties as part of their inspection regime.