Tag: Ian Lavery

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will put in place measures to ensure that future CSIIP providers do not offshore work, data and processes which are currently within the remit of Defence Business Services.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently examining options for the future of Defence Business Services (DBS) as part of the Future DBS Programme. No final decisions have been taken on whether any elements of DBS’ current operations will be outsourced. In the event of a decision to outsource, any proposals from suppliers to ‘offshore’ DBS work would need to satisfy relevant MOD, and wider Government, policy and requirements concerning security and data protection.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to limit the damage to local communities and economies from flooding.

Rory Stewart

We are investing an unprecedented £2.3 billion in 1,500 flood defence improvement schemes over the next six years. This will provide better protection to at least 300,000 households, up to 420,000 acres of agricultural land, over 200 miles of railway and 340 miles of roads.

In addition, flood maintenance spending will be protected in real terms over this Parliament.

Over the five years of the last Parliament, our flood defences schemes have better protected over 255,000 households.

This is on top of the £1.7 billion invested in the last Parliament and the £1.5 billion spent between 2006 and 2010.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department plans to publish the business case relating to the tender of the CSIIP contract within Defence Business Services; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence has no plans to publish the business case relating to the future arrangements for Defence Business Services (DBS). Details of the any proposals will be shared with staff and other key stakeholders once a final decision concerning the way forward for DBS is made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what arrangements have been made to ensure that fire cover remains available whilst fire crews are responding to major floods.

Mike Penning

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 requires that fire and rescue services have plans in place, working with local partners, to deal with emergencies such as flooding, and to ensure that the appropriate level of resource is available. Fire and rescue authorities are also required by the statutory Fire and Rescue National Framework for England to produce Integrated Risk Management Plans which identify the full range of risks to which an authority’s service is expected to respond, and to consult the local community on those plans.

In addition, fire and rescue authorities’ mutual aid arrangements are well established under Section 13 and Section 16 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. These arrangements ensure continuity of service provision across authority boundaries, through mutual assistance from supporting authorities and other agencies other than the host fire and rescue authorities. The National Coordination and Advisory Framework, a collaborative arrangement between the Government, the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser and Chief Fire Officers Association, is in place to both support and supplement these arrangements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to include a fully-resourced in-house option in value for money tests on potential outsourcing of Defence Business Services.

Mark Lancaster

In the event that the Ministry of Defence decided to outsource elements of Defence Business Services it would, in line with normal practice, ensure that a rigorous in-house benchmark was developed against which the value for money of any commercial bids could be judged.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on introducing a statutory duty on the fire and rescue service to respond to major flooding; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Penning

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

Both the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 detail the roles and powers of fire and rescue authorities, in respect of both emergency response and rescue in a wide range of situations, including from flooding. Fire and rescue authorities are expected to undertake integrated risk management planning, dovetailed with the community risk register overseen by the Local Resilience Forum (a multi-agency grouping of which fire and rescue authorities are key members). Integrated Risk Management Plans identify the full range of risks that an authority’s service is expected to respond to and are subject to consultation. The National Fire Framework published in July 2012 and given statutory effect in August 2012 makes this clear and I believe that fire and rescue authorities are fully competent to deliver on this.

The Government has had no recent representations on this arrangement and in light of how well fire services have responded to recent flooding suggests there is no need for review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civilian enforcement officers were employed by HM Courts and Tribunal Service in each year since 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Sir Oliver Heald

The number of civilian enforcement officers that were employed by HM Courts and Tribunals Service since 2013 are:-

Data prior to 2013 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

HMCTS takes recovery and enforcement of financial impositions very seriously and is working to ensure that clamping down on defaulters is a continued priority nationwide and remains committed to finding new ways to ensure impositions are paid and to trace those who do not pay. This is why there has been a year on year increase in the total amount of financial penalties collected over the last five years. The amount of money collected has risen from £310m at the end of 2014/115 to a record of £381 million at the end of 2015/16.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on civil contingencies of the policies announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Mr Oliver Letwin

My officials and I worked closely with departments and the Treasury in preparing for the spending review to ensure that crucial civil contingencies capabilities were maintained. The settlement outlined in the Autumn Statement strikes the right balance between protecting the public and communities and reducing the budget deficit.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2016-03-14.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what dates the National Flood Resilience Review met; what the dates are for future meetings of that review; and if he will publish the (a) agendas for and (b) minutes of meetings of that review.

Mr Oliver Letwin

The National Flood Resilience Review Group meets regularly to review progress of the review. We do not comment on specific date, nor do we publish agendas or minutes

The National Floods Resilience Review Group is chaired by Oliver Letwin and consists of Ministers and senior officials from relevant departments, including Defra, DECC, DfT, DCLG, HMT, DCMS, the Environment Agency and the Met Office.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he and his ministerial colleagues have had with the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the creation of a statutory duty on firefighters in England and Wales to respond to flooding.

Mike Penning

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

Both the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 detail the roles and powers of fire and rescue authorities, in respect of both emergency response and rescue in a wide range of situations, including from flooding. Fire and rescue authorities are expected to undertake integrated risk management planning, dovetailed with the community risk register overseen by the Local Resilience Forum (a multi-agency grouping of which fire and rescue authorities are key members). Integrated Risk Management Plans identify the full range of risks that an authority’s service is expected to respond to and are subject to consultation. The National Fire Framework published in July 2012 and given statutory effect in August 2012 makes this clear and I believe that fire and rescue authorities are fully competent to deliver on this.

The Government has had no recent representations on this arrangement and in light of how well fire services have responded to recent flooding suggests there is no need for review.