Tag: Douglas Carswell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on the location of imprisonment of transgender prisoners.

Caroline Dinenage

Prison Service Instruction 07/2011 sets out NOMS policy on the care and management of prisoners who live or propose to live in a gender other than the one assigned at birth. Prisoners are normally placed according to their legally recognised gender. However, the guidelines allow room for discretion and senior prison staff will review the circumstances of every case in consultation with medical and other experts in order to protect the physical and emotional wellbeing of the person concerned along with the safety and wellbeing of other prisoners.

A review of the current policy on transgender and transsexual prisoners began earlier this year and revised policy guidance will be issued to reflect NOMS’ responsibilities to transgender offenders in the community as well as in custody. The intention is to implement the guidance early in the New Year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what weight will be given to the security situation in Syria at such a time as Syrian refugees who have entered the UK due to the present crisis in that country become eligible for indefinite leave to remain of UK citizenship.

Richard Harrington

Syrians who are resettled under the Syrian Resettlement Scheme will be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain and UK citizenship at the expiration of their five year humanitarian protection visa. Each application will be assessed on a case by case basis in line with our guidance which considers the ongoing need for protection, including the security situation in Syria at the date of decision, as well as the individual’s behaviour.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-02.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department made of the merits of other potential methods of debt insurance before authorising use of government buildings in London as security for the sukuk bonds.

Harriett Baldwin

In the Sukuk structure, rental payments provide the income for investors. When the Sovereign Sukuk were issued in July 2014 the profit rate was set at 2.036% in line with the yield on gilts of similar maturity, making the investor return on the Sukuk broadly equivalent to that on conventional gilts of similar maturity.

Three central government properties form the underlying assets which underpin the Sukuk.

The Government was clear at the time of issuance that the Sukuk issuance was not for debt financing purposes. Instead, it was issued to deliver on the government’s commitment to become the western hub for Islamic finance. The issuance showed that the UK is open for business with all parts of the world and provided high quality capital to UK-based Islamic banks.

UK based institutions that offer Islamic finance services are contributing to jobs and growth with assets totalling $4.5bn at the end of 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Prime Minister’s Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether his Department is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.

Mr Robert Goodwill

At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Answer of 24 January 2013 to Question 139167, how many staff in her Department were in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15; and what the cost to her Department was of providing that allowance for staff based (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas in each such year.

Mr Nick Hurd

The amount spent on Education Allowance by DFID and the number of HCS staff who have benefited from education continuity payments is provided in the table below.

Year	2012/13	2013/14	2014/15
Total Number of Employees	43	41	46
Employees in UK	£32,165.55	£8,178.80	£9,337.45
Employees Overseas	£995,609.04	£995,852.61	£1,042,819.56
Cost	£1,027,774.59	£1,004,031.41	£1,052,157.01

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many staff in his Department were in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15; and what the cost to his Department was of providing that allowance for staff based (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas in each such year.

Joseph Johnson

Continuity of Education Allowances are not paid to any staff in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills at present or in the past.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release, Government response to public desire for EU facts, published on 6 April 2016, how much and in what areas the Government has spent on the production of its leaflet on the EU referendum; and from which departmental budget that funding has been obtained.

John Penrose

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 14 April 2016, to the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex.

All leaflets will be delivered in advance of the 28 day restricted period, beginning on 27 May 2016. The costs of the leaflet will be met from the Cabinet Office budget.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the cessation of downstream steel operations at Llanwern on further redundancies in that region.

Anna Soubry

The Government recognises the considerable impact that a closure of Tata Steel UK’s facilities at Llanwern would have on its employees, their families and the communities in which they live. That is why we are working closely with Tata to find a credible buyer for their entire UK operation. Our interests are to support Tata Steel and the wider industry, secure as many jobs as we can and deliver a sustainable future.

On 21 April, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills announced that a package of support worth hundreds of millions of pounds would be made available to potential buyers on commercial terms to support the ongoing operation and deliver long term investment in the future of the business. We will also consider support in other areas such as plant, pensions and power supply, and any other areas that potential buyers believe the Government can provide support.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to improve parliamentary oversight of the Security Service.

Mr John Hayes

The Justice and Security Act 2013 has already significantly strengthened the Parliamentary oversight of the Security Service and the other intelligence agencies. The Act expanded the powers of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) by enabling it to oversee operational activities of significant national interest retrospectively, and denying Agency heads the ability to withhold information from the Committee on the grounds of sensitivity. Significant additional resources have also been provided to the ISC.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11444, when the regeneration strategy for Jaywick will be fully implemented; and if his Department will (a) provide additional resources to improve the (i) standard of housing and (ii) quality of life and (b) liberalise planning rules for house building in Jaywick and Brooklands.

Brandon Lewis

The Jaywick Coastal Community Team are preparing their Economic Plan, to be completed by the end of January 2016. The Plan will outline the key economic issues facing Jaywick, setting out both the short term and longer term priorities for the Coastal Community Team.

The Chancellor confirmed at Autumn Statement last week that the Coastal Communities Fund will be extended from 2017-18 to 2020-21 with at least £90 million of new funding. Details of the next bidding round will be announced in the New Year. The focus of the Fund will remain on support for sustainable jobs and growth.

Tendring Council received £1.8 million in New Homes Bonus in 2015-16 and a total of £5.2 million since the scheme started in 2011-12. All new homes are constructed in accordance with Building Regulations, ensuring they meet minimum standards in respect of health, safety and sustainability.