Tag: Chi Onwurah

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-02.

To ask the Attorney General, what recent assessment he has made of the cyber security crime skills of staff of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Dominic Grieve

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has mandatory training for all prosecutors on cybercrime and specific training for prosecutors on offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. This supports guidance for prosecutors on the range of offences which can be committed through the use of cyber technology.

In addition, the CPS will soon be introducing new consolidated guidance for prosecutors on cyber-offending and a new package of e-learning for prosecutors in relation to cybercrime which will cover: digital evidence gathering; online grooming; online fraud; and, social media.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-02.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many local authorities have adopted the Government’s public service network to date.

Mr Nick Hurd

570 local authorities have completed compliance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of line of business and desktop applications in local government.

Brandon Lewis

My Department has not made any estimates in this area but I do encourage local authorities to take full advantage of the efficiencies that electronic ways of working can bring.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2014, Official Report, column 469W, on public sector: fraud, if he will publish the independent project review of the Counter Fraud Checking Service when it is completed.

Mr Francis Maude

As is usually the case, such a decision would be taken after the review is completed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effects of the National Renewable Energy Centre on its local economy.

Michael Fallon

BIS has not made an assessment of the impact of the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) on its local economy. Narec has created a world leading suite of testing facilities for the offshore renewable energy sector. The recently announced merger with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult will accelerate the design, deployment and commercialisation of offshore renewable energy technology and help the UK capture the economic opportunity presented by this sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-07.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on how building regulations can contribute to his Department’s Building Information Modelling Smart City project.

Mr Francis Maude

As was the case under previous administrations details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to promote the commercialisation of scientific and technological research by his Department and its agencies.

Mr Philip Dunne

The National Security through Technology White Paper(Cm 8278) lays out our commitment to open procurement, and that the Department and its agencies will conduct research and development only where it is essential for our national security.

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), a Ministry of Defence (MOD) Trading Fund, delivers the majority of the MOD’s Science and Technology Programme. Any ideas generated within Dstl can be commercialised through Ploughshare Innovations Ltd, a technology transfer company owned by Dstl.

Where external suppliers are contracted, the MOD leaves the intellectual property rights of any discovery or technology with those suppliers to commercialise. The MOD retains rights to disclose and use the intellectual property for UK Government purposes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-04-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote the commercialisation of scientific and technical research undertaken by GCHQ.

Hugh Robertson

GCHQ works closely with business to release Intellectual Properties (IP) which are suitable for more general use in the outside world. For example through its information assurance arm, Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG), it operates a number of schemes which enable individuals and companies to gain CESG endorsement of products and services via technical assessment.

GCHQ is additionally running a number of pilot cases looking at ways of improving its coordination with SMEs and larger industry partners including on Open Source publishing and licencing to SMEs and larger industry partners. GCHQ is also sponsoring research institutes in Cyber Security and running innovation calls aimed at SMEs. The latter initiative in partnership with organisations such as the Centre for Defence Enterprise and the technology Strategy Board.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-03-11.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish the report of the independent project review of the Counter Fraud Checking Service once it is completed.

Francis Maude

Prior to the last General Election, there was no-cross Government work to tackle the billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money lost to fraud.

We are currently reviewing the business case for a Counter Fraud Checking Service.