Tag: Helen Jones

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average debt level per capita is of local authorities in (a) England and (b) the North West; and what the level of debt per capita is in Warrington Borough Council.

Kris Hopkins

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the rt.hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East (Mr Nicholas Brown) on 14 July 2014, Official Report, Column 532W.

My Department does not publish regional statistics.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last discussed violence against women and girls with representatives of the Indian government; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire

We are committed to working with the Indian government and international partners to address the problems of gender-based violence, human trafficking and child exploitation and regularly discuss these issues with the Indian authorities. Our High Commissioner Sir James Bevan recently met India’s Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi on 17 June to discuss a range of issues, including gender-based violence and the UK’s plans to host the 2014 Girls Summit aimed at tackling female genital mutilation (FGM) and early and forced marriage. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has also discussed the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and its efforts to prevent violence against women and girls, with India’s new Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj.

Through the Department for International Development (DFID) the UK supports measures in India’s 120 poorest districts to promote the empowerment and access to benefits and services of excluded groups. DFID India also provides support to national and state governments in India, which includes helping girls to complete basic education and further tackling violence against women and girls.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to encourage more rape victims to report that crime to the police and to ensure that they are treated appropriately when they do so.

Norman Baker

Rape and sexual violence are devastating and unacceptable crimes. The
Coalition Government’s continued approach to tackling such violence and abuse
is set out in our Violence against Women and Girls Action Plan, updated in
March 2014. Supporting victims is at the heart of this approach, which
includes giving victims more confidence to report crimes, and it is encouraging
that police recorded crime figures show more victims are having the confidence
to come forward.

We want every report of rape to be treated seriously from the point of
disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and
every prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.

We have ring-fenced funding for 87 Independent Sexual Violence Advisers to
provide appropriate and independent support for victims.

We have supported the publication of data on rape for every police force in the
country as a basis for improving recording and investigations of rape and
ensure that guidance on investigating and prosecuting rape is implemented in
every police force area. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary is
inspecting the recording of rape as part of a wider crime recording audit, and
the police and Crown Prosecution Service have published a joint action plan to
improve how these cases are handled within the criminal justice system.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which arts organisations and events in the North West he has visited since his appointment.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has visited the following organisations and attended following events in the North West since his appointment:

• Mellor Mill, Stockport

• Lady Lever Art Gallery, the Wirral

• Tate Liverpool

• Merseyside Maritime Museum

• International Festival of Business, Liverpool

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the fall in the percentage rate of convictions in rape cases between 2012-13 and 2013-14; and if he will make a statement.

Oliver Heald

The Rape National Scrutiny Panel led by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the National Policing lead for rape, considered the investigation and prosecution of rape cases including their referral from the police to the CPS. A range of issues have been identified that may have contributed to the drop in conviction rates. The joint Crown Prosecution Service / police Rape Action Plan published on 6 June 2014 aims to address these.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-25.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will hold discussions with Lloyds Bank on (a) the proposed closure of its contact centre in Warrington and (b) the possibility of other jobs being based there.

Andrea Leadsom

Lloyds Banking Group, is run on a commercial basis. The bank retains its own independent board and management team with responsibility for determining its own strategies and commercial policies including those which may relate to the location of business functions.

The Government’s shareholding in Lloyds is managed on an arm’s length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI). As an engaged shareholder, UKFI works closely with the bank’s management to hold management rigorously to account for performance. UKFI’s role is to manage the investment and ensure that the bank’s strategy maximises value for money for the taxpayer. The Government does not get involved in any of the day to day decisions of Lloyds Bank.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-25.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will hold discussions with Lloyds Bank on the effect of the proposed closure of its contact centre in Warrington on women workers who cannot re-locate because of (a) childcare or other caring responsibilities and (b) a lack of adequate public transport provision.

Andrea Leadsom

Lloyds Banking Group, is run on a commercial basis. The bank retains its own independent board and management team with responsibility for determining its own strategies and commercial policies including those which may relate to the location of business functions.

The Government’s shareholding in Lloyds is managed on an arm’s length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI). As an engaged shareholder, UKFI works closely with the bank’s management to hold management rigorously to account for performance. UKFI’s role is to manage the investment and ensure that the bank’s strategy maximises value for money for the taxpayer. The Government does not get involved in any of the day to day decisions of Lloyds Bank.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to lay regulations before the House to make the provision of smoke alarms in private rented property compulsory; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis

The Department of Communities and Local Government published a discussion document in 2014, which invited views on regulating for the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. We will publish our response along with a summary of the views shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the National Review of Asthma Deaths, published on 6 May 2014.

Jane Ellison

We welcome the report of the UK National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) which provides a wealth of information about the causes of mortality from asthma.

While deaths rates from asthma have fallen steadily over the past three decades, and the number of deaths are small compared with those from cancer and heart disease, we are concerned about the proportion of deaths in children and young people that, in theory, could be preventable.

Patients (including children and young people) should be reviewed regularly and have personal action plans in place. They and their families or carers should know the right medications to use at the right times and how to use them, and to understand the importance of monitoring their condition and how to do this. NHS England has a programme of work in place through a "house of care" model to help ensure that patients with long term conditions such as asthma, can largely self-manage their condition with appropriate support from healthcare professionals.