Tag: Dan Jarvis

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the contribution of the UK’s membership of the EU to the Government’s aims of tackling terrorist and criminal networks.

James Brokenshire

Terrorism and serious organised crime are global threats that cross national borders. Our unique relationship with the EU gives UK law enforcement access to EU tools and instruments that help keep people safe and tackle serious and organised crime, but also mean we are not obliged to participate in new measures when we do not judge them to be in the national interest.

The tools and instruments that the UK participates in include Europol, an EU agency which supports cross-border police operations and intelligence sharing, and can assist in the identification of terrorist threats; the European Arrest Warrant, which allows swift extradition between EU countries of individuals accused or convicted of a criminal offence; and the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II), which enables law enforcement agencies around the EU to share live alerts, for example, for missing people and stolen vehicles. The UK is also in the process of implementing Prum, which will give us access to fingerprint and DNA data from other member states.

Since 2004, using the European Arrest Warrant, over 1,000 individuals accused or convicted of a criminal offence have faced justice in UK courts and over 7,000 have been extradited from the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to commemorate the First World War in 2016.

David Evennett

Since the Prime Minister set out plans for the Centenary in October 2012 the Government has delivered highly successful commemorative events for the start of the First World War and the Gallipoli Campaign.

In May 2016, commemorative events will be held for the Battle of Jutland, and in July 2016, we will mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme by holding national events at the Thiepval Memorial in France, at Manchester Cathedral, and at Heaton Park. In addition, a national vigil will be held in June at Westminster Abbey, and there will also be vigils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Season Two of the 14-18 NOW culture programme has been announced and this – together with Centenary Partnership events, Heritage Lottery funded projects and local commemorative activity – will ensure people right across the UK have the opportunity to participate in commemorative events.

Other centenary activities such as the UK Tour of the “poppies” and the national repair and conservation of War memorials also continue, more details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/first-world-war-centenary

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to develop a national cross-departmental strategy for reducing and eliminating excess winter deaths.

Jane Ellison

Excess winter deaths occur due to a range of complex issues, including circulating infections such as influenza.

Public Health England (PHE) oversees the implementation of the national flu immunisation programme working closely with the Department and the National Health Service. PHE publishes an annual Flu Plan ahead of the flu season each year which sets out a coordinated and evidence-based approach to planning for, and responding to, the demands of influenza across England.

PHE publishes the Cold Weather Plan for England (CWP), in collaboration with the Department, NHS England and the Local Government Association. This aims to avoid preventable illness and deaths in winter by setting out a series of actions for organisations, communities and individuals, to take throughout the year. The CWP is underpinned by a Cold Weather Alert Service provided by the Met Office. The plan is fully aligned with additional guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on reducing excess winter mortality and morbidity and the health risks associated with cold homes.

PHE also co-ordinates the cross-government Keep Warm Keep Well booklet which provides information for older people, those on low incomes and those with disabilities about keeping healthy in the winter and the financial help and benefits available.

The Cabinet office-led ‘Winter Resilience Network’ has regular cross-government meetings throughout the winter months. Key guidance is provided on the ‘Get Ready for Winter’ website, which is hosted by the Met Office.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much progress her Department expects to make towards eliminating fuel poverty by the end of this Parliament.

Andrea Leadsom

The 2030 target, now enshrined in law, requires Government to improve as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable to Band C energy efficiency standard by 2030.

We have also set an interim fuel poverty milestone for 2020, to get as many fuel poor households as reasonably practicable into Band E.

The Government will be guided by the fuel poverty strategy published in March 2015 which sets out a clear policy of working towards improving energy efficiency standards in the homes of the fuel poor.

We intend to focus the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and the Warm Home Discount more effectively on the fuel poor, and will consult on our future approach. Between them they will provide around £1billion of support each year.

The latest available statistics indicate that, in 2013, 2.35 million households were in fuel poverty in England of which 2.04 million were Band E or above. The next fuel poverty statistical release is due on 30th June 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on funding for dementia research.

Joseph Johnson

The Government is committed to maintain and enhance the strength of our research base. This is why we have protected the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion for the rest of the parliament, as well as committing to invest in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale – £6.9 billion over the period 2015-2021, including £150 million for the Dementia Research Institute.

The Treasury decision to underwrite the grants of competitively bid for EU research funding will give British participants and their EU partners the assurance and certainty needed to plan ahead for projects that can run over many years. We are committed to ensure that the UK continues to be a world leader in international science, including research on dementia.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what account his Department plans to take of the closure of steel plants in 2015 in the strategic defence and security review process.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Strategic Defence and Security Review will be a comprehensive review of our defence and security capabilities.

Separately, the Cabinet Office are leading a cross-Government Steel Procurement Working Group on which the Ministry of Defence is represented. The Government has published new guidelines for Departments to apply to major projects when sourcing and buying steel directly. Departments will be encouraged to take into account social impacts of competing suppliers when placing contracts directly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to improve the environment as part of the Northern Powerhouse initiative.

James Wharton

The Northern Powerhouse is about bringing together northern cities and regions to maximise the potential of the North and help drive UK economic growth.

We will do this by investing in science and technology, transport, digital and innovation, culture and tourism across the region, alongside devolving power to give the North a powerful new voice, investment and decision-making powers to meet these ambitions. Improving the environment could be a consideration in how we take forward these investments and activities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether contractors have housed asylum seekers in properties with doors that are all uniform or nearly uniform in colour in regions other than the North East.

James Brokenshire

Home Office officials are working closely with our housing providers to ensure that asylum seeker accommodation is not easily identifiable. I am not aware of a uniform door colour being the practice in any other region. My officials have also spoken to our housing providers to tell them that such a practice is not acceptable.

I was first made aware of this issue when The Times contacted the Home Office in mid-January. G4S has investigated correspondence and discussions on the issue of external door colour in the North East and has confirmed that it was raised in 2012 by a Middlesbrough local councillor and was considered by the G4S audit and assurance team, no complaints from asylum seekers relating to this matter were found and a response was issued.

As I said to the House on 20 January, I instructed officials to look into this issue as a matter of urgency and I expect that the audit will be concluded on the Home Office side very shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-28.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the Government’s timetable is for introducing measures to place a duty on larger employers to publish information about bonuses paid to men and women as part of their gender pay gap reporting.

Caroline Dinenage

Eliminating the gender pay gap is a key priority for this government. We will shortly seek views on the draft regulations requiring large private and voluntary sector employers in Great Britain to publish information about differences in the pay and bonuses paid to male and female employees. The government wants to commence these regulations at the earliest opportunity. We have also pledged to extend these requirements to the public sector. Public bodies will be covered by different regulations, following a further consultation that we will issue soon.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to respond to the Law Commission’s recommendations for change to UK electoral law published on 4 February 2016.

John Penrose

The Government is currently considering the recommendations made by the Law Commissions in their interim report of 4 February. This is a wide-ranging report that covers a number of complex issues and it is important that the Government give the report due consideration before a formal response is made.