Tag: Andy Slaughter

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of the total spend by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) on projects to improve the employability of ex-offenders came from the European Social Fund via the NOMS Co-Financing Organisation in each year since January 2010.

Andrew Selous

We are committed to improving the employability of offenders. A range of services is available to help offenders improve their employability by helping them increase their knowledge, skills and employment experience. This can also include support to tackle substance misuse or to improve mental health. Providing meaningful work in prisons and vocational qualifications also helps increase employability. Funding comes from a variety of sources including through contracts to provide education and health services, and via Community Rehabilitation Companies. We do not, therefore, collate centrally all expenditure on projects to improve the employability of ex-offenders.

We do, however, carefully record and monitor the funding received from the European Social Fund and ensure there is no duplication of service provision. All funding received from the European Social Fund (ESF) is recorded in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts. In accordance with strict ESF rules, all funding is passed on to third-party providers who work with offenders to improve their employability. These providers are selected as part of a competitive process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2016 to Question 38441, what role he has asked the Chairman of the Parole Board, Professor Nick Hardwick, to undertake in relation to people serving sentences of imprisonment for public protection.

Andrew Selous

The Justice Secretary has asked the Chairman of the Parole Board to improve the efficiency of the parole system.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much (a) National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and (b) his Department spent on external consultancy fees related to NOMS in each of the last five years.

Mr Sam Gyimah

The information requested for the MoJ is published in the department’s annual accounts. These can be found on gov.uk.

Data for core NOMS spending on consultancy can be found in the table below.

As of 2015/16, NOMS consultancy spend is published in the annual report and accounts, which is available on gov.uk.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking in response to the outcome of the EU referendum to boost the UK’s inward investment promotion and delivery effort.

Greg Hands

DIT Ministers and I have been clear that Britain remains open for business. On 5^th September 2016, the Directorate General within DIT responsible for inward investment moved to a new, more focussed operating model to deliver inward investment. This focuses on attracting high-value FDI that maximises wealth creation within the UK in the sectors, places and markets that provide the greatest opportunity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which public organisations are currently holding discussions with Saudi Arabia on carrying out work for that government.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not collect data on all discussions between public organisations and Saudi Arabia. More broadly however, the British Government cooperates with Saudi Arabia in a large number of areas such as education, energy, security, defence, trade, culture and the challenges facing the Middle East.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to answer Question 13072, on Ministry of Justice: Departmental Responsibilities, tabled by the hon. Member for Hammersmith on 22 October 2015.

Dominic Raab

The answer to 13072 was given on 24 November 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of proposals to revise the costs capping scheme for environmental legal challenges on ease of access to redress through the courts.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The proposals to revise the costs capping scheme for environmental legal challenges in England and Wales do not seek to make environmental justice less accessible. The Ministry of Justice will continue to keep their impact under review as part of its consideration of the consultation responses. We will also carry out a full impact assessment and this will be published as part of the government’s response paper. The Ministry of Justice has due regard to its duties under the Equalities Act 2010, and has carried out an initial equality impact assessment prior to publishing the consultation document. This will be reviewed as part of the response paper.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of the National Offender Management Service budget in (a) staffing resources, (b) allocation of civil service time and (c) funding was set aside for the operation of Just Solutions International throughout its lifespan.

Andrew Selous

No funding was allocated within the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) budget for the operation of Just Solutions International (JSi), and exact calculations were not made to apportion staff time on JSi. Under the business model, services provided by JSi were to be provided on a cost recovery basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department’s Policy paper, UN Human Rights Council: United Kingdom 2017-2019 candidate, published on 9 December 2015, for what reason reference to the prevention of torture included in previous candidature policy papers was omitted from that policy paper.

Mr David Lidington

Our UN pledges reflect our enduring commitment to promoting universal human rights. Our work to prevent torture globally is intrinsic to this. Our pledges renew the UK’s commitment to encourage the ratification and implementation of core UN human rights instruments – this includes the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and its Optional Protocol. As the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the member for Witney (Mr Cameron) has said, “torture is always wrong”. We continue to call on all states to set up meaningful national preventative mechanisms to put an end to all use of torture and remain committed to torture prevention work globally as evidenced by the launch of the new edition of the Torture Reporting Handbook on 24 September.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times the National Tactical Response Group has been called out to (a) privately run prisons, (b) publicly run prisons and (c) the youth estate since May 2010; on what date each such callout occurred; and what the nature of the incident was on each of those occasions.

Andrew Selous

I refer the honourable member to my answer given to PQ 22415 on 1^st March 2016.