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Tag: Dan Jarvis

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the Government Actuary’s Department will publish details of the valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

    Mr David Laws

    The Government Actuary provides advice to the Secretary of State for Education on the valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and his Department is currently finalising its work. The Secretary of State plans to publish the outcome of the valuation, including the Actuary’s full report, in June 2014.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent from the public purse on accommodating asylum seekers in (a) hotels and (b) bed and breakfasts, hostels and other establishments that provide lodging paid on a short-term basis in each year since May 2010; and how much was spent in each region.

    James Brokenshire

    Accommodation is provided to asylum applicants through contracts with third party suppliers. Providers are required to provide accommodation that is safe, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with the contractual Statement of Requirements agreed between themselves and the Home Office.

    There is no added expense to the Home Office when providers use B&B or hotel accommodation as short term contingency accommodation. Any and all additional costs are borne by the provider.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps he has taken to reduce child obesity in Barnsley.

    Jane Ellison

    In April 2013, local responsibility for the prevention and management of obesity transferred from primary care trusts to local authorities.

    Barnsley’s Health and Wellbeing board, run by Barnsley Council, is drafting a Health and Wellbeing strategy for the borough to support children and young people in avoiding the potential health problems related to child obesity, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases later in life.

    Our national approach to tackling obesity includes engaging with a wide range of partners including businesses, health professionals and individuals. We have set national ambition for a downward trend in excess weight in children and have a well-developed and wide-ranging programme of actions. Obesity rates in children are levelling off.

    Some of the key initiatives are Change4Life, Change4Life Sports Clubs, the National Child Measurement Programme and School Sports Funding.

    This is in addition to measures being taken by other Government departments such as the School Food Plan, published by the Department for Education last year.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-03-06.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what points he has identified from the recent flooding crisis to enable COBR to work more effectively.

    Francis Maude

    COBR has met regularly over the past 3 months to ensure that affected communities get the support they need quickly and effectively.

    As the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced in his written statement to House on 6 March, in future whenever there is a significant risk we will use COBR systems to ensure that all organisations at national and local level are adequately prepared and ready to respond.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the average change in the number of days people will spend claiming benefits as a result of the help-to-work scheme.

    Esther McVey

    We have a strong evidence base which shows that Help to Work has a positive impact in terms of reducing the number of days claimants spend on benefit.

    Over almost two years, claimants who took part in a trailblazer for Community Work Placement (CWP) and Mandatory Intervention Regime (MIR) spent on average 21 (CWP) and 26 (MIR) fewer days on benefits than an equivalent group of JSA claimants.

    They also spent more time in work than the control group: 9 days for CWP and 11 days for MIR participants.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure oversight and scrutiny of private contractors responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers.

    James Brokenshire

    The providers are contractually required to provide safe, habitable, fit for
    purpose and correctly equipped accommodation to comply with the Housing Act
    2004 and the Decent Homes Standard. The COMPASS contracts contain high
    standards and requirements to be met by providers in the services they provide
    to asylum applicants. The contracts also contain robust monitoring mechanism
    including regular meetings and inspection of services. Where standards are not
    met, Providers reimburse the department in the form of service credits.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the TecSOS system for high risk victims of domestic abuse; and what plans she has to rollout the programme to other areas of the country.

    Norman Baker

    The report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) on the police
    response to domestic abuse, published in March 2014, clearly set out the
    importance of using new technology to help protect victims of domestic abuse.
    Whilst it is an operational matter for chief constables on procuring
    technology, we are aware that the TecSOS system is used by 16 police
    forces across England and Wales.

    Through the National Oversight Group, set-up and chaired by the Home Secretary
    to drive delivery against the HMIC recommendations, the Government is ensuring
    that best practice on the use of new technology, like TecSOS, is identified and
    shared so that the policing of domestic abuse is robust.

    As part of its commitment to support high risk victims of domestic abuse, the
    Government part-funds 144 Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and 54
    Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference co-ordinator posts. This funding
    amounts to £3.4 million per year.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to help local authorities control the sale of legal highs.

    Norman Baker

    In December 2013 the Home Office published guidance for local authorities which sets out the range of legislative tools they can use to tackle the ‘head shops’
    where legal highs are often sold. This was developed in collaboration with the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Local Government Association and the Trading Standards Institute. The guidance covers offences head shops may be committing under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985, and various consumer protection regulations.

    The Home Office also provides local authorities and their trading standards officers with technical and financial support with drug testing through the Forensic Early Warning System. This supports local authorities in their action against the sale of legal highs by helping them to identify the contents of legal high products. To date, we have brought well over 250 substances under control through the use of ‘generic’ legislation and temporary class drug orders. We also work closely with law enforcement to tackle this reckless trade. Concerted action, started in November 2013, has so far resulted in over 40 arrests and seizures of new psychoactive substances, including 9 kilograms by Kent Police.

    Last summer we also ran a targeted communications campaign to raise awareness of the risks in taking new psychoactive substances amongst young people; providing information on these substances through our FRANK online service.

    However, we accept that more can be done, hence my announcement on 12 December 2013 of a review by an expert panel to look at how the UK’s response to new psychoactive substances can be enhanced beyond the existing measures. The expert panel includes a senior policy advisor from the Local Government Association to inform the work of the panel from a local government perspective. The panel is due to report its recommendations by the end of spring 2014.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his department’s policies of the findings of The Armed Forces & Society survey produced by Lord Ashcroft.

    Anna Soubry

    The Ministry of Defence was grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Ashcroft for conducting what proved to be a very useful survey of the attitudes of the public and the Armed Forces towards each other. While there were many positive findings, of particular concern was the perception amongst a majority of the public that veterans would have physical or mental problems as a result of service. Lord Ashcroft described this as ‘not only untrue, but damaging’.

    The 2012 survey provided valuable insight into the relationship between the Armed Forces and the nation they serve. This relationship is at the heart of the Armed Forces Covenant, which we published in May 2011. A great deal has been achieved through this mechanism in the last few years across a wide range of areas, including healthcare, accommodation, education, and welfare.

    We will go on looking at what more we can do for our Armed Forces, their families, and Veterans, to ensure that they continue to receive the recognition they deserve, and if necessary, whatever help they may require.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the differences are between the current design for the secure college in Leicestershire and the plans for a Young Offender Institute at Glen Parva drawn up in 2009 by HLM Architects.

    Jeremy Wright

    The Secure College will be a step change from the traditional custodial environment of bars on windows and the initial design draws on innovation and learning from developments of community based schools and colleges. Although the Secure College will be fundamentally different from a Young Offender’s Institution, we are making use of the previous work where relevant.

    The plans drawn up in 2009 were focused on delivering facilities specifically designed for young people, albeit a different cohort. It is therefore inevitable there will be similarities between the design solutions. However, present designs are fully reflective of the broader cohort a Secure College could take and the accommodation has been configured accordingly to ensure their safety and well being.