Tag: Gareth Thomas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which devolution deals have been agreed between his Department and local authorities; when each such deal will come into force; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Percy

Devolution deals are a key part of our plan to support growth up and down the country as we build an economy that works for everyone.

The Government has agreed and announced nine ground-breaking devolution deals with areas all across the country: Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Midlands, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, West of England, Cornwall, Greater Lincolnshire & East Anglia, all of which need to provide local consent before final orders are laid.

The Government is working with local areas to bring forward the secondary legislation necessary to deliver devolution deal commitments by establishing and conferring powers on local institutions. This includes orders to create elected mayors, who will provide a single point of accountability for residents and a powerful voice for local areas, boosting their profile and helping to attract investment.

The Government will never impose a devolution deal on an area. Government is clear that this is a locally led process and will work with areas to negotiate and deliver deals which are right for them.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.

Margot James

Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is responsible for transposition of the following agreed Directives: 2013/30/EU, 2013/55/EU, 2013/53/EU, 2014/33/EU, 2014/34/EU, 2014/29/EU, 2014/30/EU, 2014/35/EU, 2014/31/EU, 2014/32/EU, 2015/13/EU, 2014/53/EU, 2014/68/EU, 2014/95/EU, 2014/104/EU, 2015/2302/EU, 2015/2436/EU, 2014/87/EU, 2013/59/EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of demographic changes in the last ten years on the demand for local authority services, and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Spending Review took account of the demographic pressures facing local authorities and set out a sustainable basis for local authorities to discharge their functions over this parliament.

The Department is also conducting the Fair Funding Review which is a thorough assessment of the relative needs and resources of local authorities. The treatment of demographic changes is a key part of this. The Review will determine the funding baselines for individual local authorities under 100% business rates retention.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department has allocated to each local authority in London per head of population in each year since 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

My Department does not hold the information in the format requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support the recruitment of examiners for Gujarati GCSE and A level examinations; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb

This is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and I have asked its Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey, to write to you. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House Library.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups in England have published recovery plans in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman

As part of NHS England’s financial management processes, it expects clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) with planned cumulative overspends to provide it with recovery plans. Financial recovery plans may also be requested where a CCG’s financial position deteriorates during a financial year. In the past three years the number of CCGs with planned cumulative overspends has been nine in 2013/14 (with 19 actual cumulative overspends at year end), 18 in 2014/15 (19 at year end) and 22 in 2015/16 (29 forecast full year overspends as at November 2015).

NHS England has requested CCGs submit final financial plans for 2016/17 by the beginning of April. As in previous years, those planning cumulative deficits will be required to submit or refresh recovery plans. NHS England will not be in a position to estimate the number of CCGs likely to submit recovery plans in 2016/17 until the planning process is further advanced.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether RAF personnel have been involved in the running and marketing of the civilian operation at RAF Northolt; how much in staff (a) time and (b) costs is spent on managing and marketing civilian flights; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

Our multi-activity contractor runs the Commercial Booking Cell on behalf of the Royal Air Force (RAF), to co-ordinate and book civilian aircraft slots at RAF Northolt. RAF operations and Air Traffic Control staffs are utilised for civilian aircraft movements within the irreducible spare capacity of these areas. From 2011 to 2015 one Executive Officer civil servant spent approximately 20% of their working week undertaking administrative business management functions of commercial bookings. From October 2015, this became a full-time Executive Officer post.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employers were successfully (a) prosecuted and (b) fined for employing an illegal immigrant in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The information requested is shown in the attached tables.

Table 1 sets out the number of defendants found guilty at all courts for offences related to employment of illegal immigrants in England and Wales between 2010 and 2014. Court proceedings data for 2015 is planned for publication in May 2016.

Table 2 sets out the number of civil penalties issued to individual employers during each of the last five complete financial years and the current financial year up to and including 29th February 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 21679, when her Department’s investigations into applications for family reunion from Kuwaiti Bidoon people were initiated; when she expects those investigations to be concluded; whether there is a maximum length of time for which a decision will not be taken on the outstanding applications in that cohort; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

In 2014, UK Visas & Immigration in Jordan became aware of potential abuse of the Family Reunion route by individuals claiming to be the dependants of someone granted refugee status in the UK as a Kuwaiti Bidoon. Investigations commenced at this time.

UK Visas & Immigration has concluded the majority of the applications referenced in the response to Question 21679 and continues to work through those applications that have not yet been concluded.

UK Visas & Immigration aims to resolve all applications for UK entry clearance within published customer service standards. Where there is a problem with an individual application or if it is complex, UK Visas & Immigration write to the affected applicant to explain why the application will not be decided within the normal standard. All outstanding applications for UK entry clearance from family members of individuals granted refugee status as a Kuwaiti Bidoon which have not been concluded within published customer service standards are currently being prioritised.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to her Department was of the van-based advertising campaign advising illegal immigrants to go home, launched in Autumn 2013; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The cost for this campaign (Operation Vaken) has previously been published. I refer the hon member to Parliamentary Question 215728 which I answered on 3 December 2014.