Tag: Dan Jarvis

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to maintain the level of regional news provision after the BBC Charter review.

Mr Edward Vaizey

We welcome the BBC’s commitment to work in partnership with local news providers, as it set out in its proposals published in September, and look forward to seeing these proposals developed further in discussion with industry to make sure they have a positive impact.

The overall scale and scope of the BBC, including the provision regional news, is part of the Charter Review discussion.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has on (a) raising awareness of severe and complex disabilities suspected of having a genetic syndrome for which it is not currently possible to confirm a diagnosis and (b) helping to ensure that patients and their families that are affected by such disabilities have access to appropriate care and support.

George Freeman

The Department is committed to improving the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases, including those severe and complex conditions caused by genetic disorders, through implementation of the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases, published in November 2013. The UK strategy includes specific recommendations to improve awareness amongst service providers and others of the effects that rare diseases can have on a person’s education, family, social relationships and ability to work. There is also a specific recommendation to improve education and awareness across the healthcare professions and to improve the co-ordination of care, recognising that some patients have complex needs and require expertise from a number of specialists and carers.

The UK Rare Disease Forum will monitor progress against the recommendations in the strategy and is due to produce its first report in early 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the National Security Council has discussed the implications for national security of the recently announced closures of steel plants.

Mr Oliver Letwin

Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion. However we are committed to supporting a strong and viable steel industry, and that means taking action across all the areas.

We are tackling unfair trade practices in a number of ways. We have already supported and voted for the renewal of anti-dumping measures at an EU level, and lobbied successfully for an investigation into cheap imports of Reinforcing Steel Bar. We have addressed the impact of climate change policies, with over £50 million of support given to the steel industry to mitigate increasing electricity costs. We are working with the Commission to quickly gain approval for proposals to provide additional relief for the impact of indirect low-carbon energy policy costs.

Once in place, this will save energy intensive industries, like the steel industry hundreds of millions of pounds over the next five years.

We are driving up the number of public contracts won by UK steel manufacturers and their partners through fair and open competition. The National Infrastructure Plan contains projects which will use British steel, including: Crossrail– with 4 UK based companies providing over 50,000 tonnes of steel; and HS2- where Government has already given noticeof the thousands of tonnes of steel that will be needed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total annual economic contribution of the Scotch whisky industry to the economy.

Priti Patel

A report produced by the Scotch Whiskey Association in January 2015 outlines that the industry contributes £5bn to total UK GDP and directly and indirectly supports 43,000 jobs in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many remote sites for giving evidence in court are open in each region of England and Wales.

Mr Shailesh Vara

We must do everything we can to support vulnerable witnesses and help them give their best possible evidence to bring offenders to justice. That’s why we are trialling pre recorded cross-examination to allow young and vulnerable witnesses to give evidence away from what can be an aggressive court room atmosphere. This is on top of a range of measures to help reduce the anxiety of attending court, including giving evidence behind a screen. We will continue to explore ways we can use remote links and new technology to help witnesses give evidence from outside the court building.

The list below sets out the number of courthouses in each of the seven HMCTS Regions in England & Wales. These facilities enable any victim or witness to appear by video link from a different court location to that of the trial court; it is also possible for third party users to access the court system through a secure bridge.

HMCTS Region	Number of courthouses enabled for remote video link.
Wales	22
London	32
South East	52
South West	35
Midlands	40
North West	31
North East	37
Total	249

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the average number of hours children spent exercising in schools each week in (a) the UK and (b) each region of the UK in each year since May 2010.

Mr Edward Timpson

The Department for Education does not hold information on the average number of hours children have spent exercising in schools each week since May 2010.

Following the recent review of the national curriculum, PE continues to be compulsory at all 4 key stages.

Through the primary PE and sport premium we are also providing over £450 million of ring-fenced funding across three academic years until 2016. The funding goes directly to primary schools, to be spent on the improvement of PE and sport, so that all pupils develop a healthy lifestyle. We published a research brief into the use of the primary PE and sport premium in September 2014. Our findings show that the mean amount of time spent on curricular PE in primary schools has increased by 13 minutes from 109 to 122 minutes a week from 2012/13 to 2013/14. 84 per cent of schools reported an increase in pupil engagement with PE during school time and 83 per cent saw an increase in participation in after school clubs.

Our research was based on a survey of 586 primary schools between April and July 2014. Our full report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pe-and-sport-premium-an-investigation-in-primary-schools

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking in response to the Ugandan anti-homosexuality act; and what steps she plans to take to encourage its repeal.

Lynne Featherstone

We have consistently raised concerns about the legislation with the Ugandan Government at the most senior levels, and sought assurances on the protection of individuals. Most recently, the Secretary of State for International Development and the Minister for Africa raised the issue with the Ugandan President on 6 May. We will continue to press the Ugandan Government at the highest levels to defend human rights for all.

The UK suspended all Budget Support to the Government of Uganda in 2013 following the misappropriation of donor funds. After the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Act we assessed our programme to ensure that UK aid was not being provided to organisations that proactively and publically promoted the legislation. Following this, the UK and other donors suspended funding to one organisation. We will continue to monitor this situation. We are also stepping up our support to human rights organisations that protect minority rights in Uganda.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made in implementing each of the recommendations of the review into the needs of families bereaved by homicide, published by his Department in July 2011.

Mike Penning

In July 2011 we published the Review into the Needs of Families Bereaved by Homicide by Louise Casey (then Victims’ Commissioner). She made a wide range of recommendations. Since then we have worked closely with victims and victims’ organisations and the report’s findings have played a critical role in informing our approach to ensuring that families get the help they need.

This includes plans to implement a victims law to put into statute the right of the victim to tell a court how a crime has affected them, providing families of homicide victims with a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks following the trial, and funding a dedicated national Homicide Service with more than £2million a year to support those affected by homicide at home and abroad.

Further information requested is in the table attached.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, under what criteria a decision will be made to place a child into a secure college.

Jeremy Wright

The Youth Justice Board, with proper consideration of the individual needs of young people and advice from Youth Offending Teams, currently decides the most appropriate establishment in which to place individual young people remanded or sentenced to custody. This will remain the case when there is the option of placement in a Secure College.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the average number of days taken by coroners to release the body of a homicide victim back to the family for burial in each year since 2010.

Simon Hughes

Information on the average number of days taken by coroners to release the body of a homicide victim is not held centrally. This information could only be obtained by inspection of individual case files at each coroner’s office before collating the information, and this could only be done at disproportionate cost.

In July 2013 we implemented reforms in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 together with new coroner regulations and rules aimed at improving standards and achieving greater consistency in coroner services. Regulation 20 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013 requires a coroner to release the body for burial or cremation as soon as is reasonably practicable. Where this cannot be done within 28 days, the coroner must notify the next of kin or personal representative of the reason for the delay.

In February 2014 we also published the statutory “Guide to Coroner Services” which explains the standards of service that can be expected during a coroner’s investigation and what action can be taken if these are not met.