Tag: Jo Stevens

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on (a) IT systems and (b) cyber-security in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14, (v) 2014-15 and (vi) 2015-16 to date.

Justin Tomlinson

The available information is set out below:

(a) IT costs which can be found in the published DWP Annual Report and Accounts, are summarised as follows:

£ (to nearest 1,000)	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 to September
Total IT	960,572,000	926,912,000	1,111,308,000	802,134,000	732,352,000	327,006,000*

*Please note that the figure for 2015/16 to September has not yet been audited for accounts.

(b) DWP has tracked all core aspects of expenditure on cyber security, apart from in specific IT systems, since April 2015. The current estimate up to September 15/16 is £5.6m, with further significant investment planned for the second half of the year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) young offenders and (b) staff the Youth Justice Board recorded as injured in each young offender institute in each of the last eight years; how many such injuries to (i) young offenders and (ii) staff were recorded as serious injuries; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Penning

The number of (a) young offenders and (b) staff the Youth Justice Board recorded as injured in each young offender institute in each of the last eight years is set out in the attached table.

The table includes information on injuries, including severe injuries, relating to Restrictive Physical Intervention (RPI), self-harm and assaults. The number of staff and visitors severely injured as a result of an assault is not included as obtaining these figures would incur disproportionate costs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2016 to Question 23824, whether any staff in young offender institutions are (a) qualified speech and language therapists, (b) registered with the Mental Health and Care Professions Council and (c) qualified social workers.

Andrew Selous

The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

The Youth Justice Board is responsible for the commissioning and oversight of the secure youth estate. The Youth Justice Board funds dedicated social workers at each under-18 Young Offender Institution (YOI). All young people undergo a health and education assessment upon arrival into custody, whilst all staff undergo training in child and adolescent development and safeguarding.

Under-18 YOI providers should ensure that they meet the needs of all detained persons including those with Special Education and Needs (SEN) requirements, and that all staff are suitably qualified to support young people and make referrals to other specialist support where this is appropriate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33485, in what capacity those polygraph examinations have been conducted; and for what reasons polygraph examinations have been so used to examine sex offender behaviour.

Andrew Selous

The legal basis for the polygraph scheme is in the Offender Management Act 2007. Sections 28 to 30 enable a polygraph licence condition to be added to the release licence of certain sex offenders. In January 2014, following a successful pilot, the condition was introduced nationally.

Polygraph testing has proven to be a valuable additional tool for National Probation Service offender managers in the management of certain sex offenders in the community. It increases the chance that those sexual offenders will make critically significant disclosures relevant to their management, supervision, or risk assessment. Furthermore, it has increased the likelihood of preventative actions being taken by offender managers to protect the public from harm, such as warnings and recall to custody.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in (a) Cardiff Central constituency and (b) Cardiff County local authority area have had a tax credit claim stopped by Concentrix; and how many such claims were subsequently reinstated by HM Revenue and Customs.

Jane Ellison

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold data broken down specifically by constituency areas.

HMRC is currently focussed on resolving the outstanding cases but will be preparing regional analysis, which will be available in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2015-10-29.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HM Revenue and Customs spent on (a) IT systems and (b) cyber-security in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14, (v) 2014-15 and (vi) 2015-16 to date.

Mr David Gauke

Reference to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) spending on IT systems can be found within its Annual Report and Accounts, under the Chief Digital and Information Officer Group. For the 2014/15 Annual Report and Accounts, this is on page 145.

HMRC’s spending on cyber security work is incorporated within the headline IT expenditure figure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-01-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 22 June 2015 to Question HL324 from Baroness Masham of Ilton, when the additional four weeks of training for prison officers will be introduced; and whether training on suicide and self-injury prevention will be included in that training.

Andrew Selous

The new Prison Officer entry level training began on 25th January 2016. The training includes an additional 4 weeks of content relevant to the role. Reducing the risk of suicide and self-harm are included in the training.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken as a result of the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ report on HM Prison Rochester, published in September 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Selous

HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ (HMIP) report on HMP Rochester was published on 13 January this year.

Rochester prison faces a significant challenge from new psychoactive substances, which the Governor and his staff are determined to tackle. They have already put in place additional security measures, along with measures to increase awareness of substance misuse issues and extend support to overcome it. Progress has also been made since this inspection to improve safety and purposeful activity with more prisoners engaged in high quality work and training opportunities.

The Governor will use the recommendations in this report to drive further improvements over the coming months. An action plan responding to all the recommendations in the report will be published at the following link in due course: http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspections/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, against the Boards of which community rehabilitation companies he has exercised his powers of written consent since 1 February 2015; and against what proposals such powers have been used.

Andrew Selous

Thanks to these reforms, offenders in prison for less than 12 months are now receiving support from the probation providers for the very first time.

Since new owners began running Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) on 1 February 2015, the Secretary of State has not exercised his powers of written consent against any Boards of any CRC. The Secretary of State has also not used section 27 of the Amended and Restated Services Agreement against any CRC.

We closely monitor and robustly manage providers to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his announcement of 13 August 2016 on guaranteeing EU funding beyond the date the UK leaves the EU, whether funding for the National Offender Management European Social Fund Co-financing Programme is guaranteed.

Damian Hinds

In his announcement on 13 August the Chancellor guaranteed that structural and investment funds projects, including ESF, signed before the Autumn Statement, would be fully funded. The agreement with the National Offender Management Service is covered by this guarantee. The Chancellor extended the guarantee in his announcement on 3 October. The Chancellor confirmed that the government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU provided that these deliver good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.

The administration of the European Social Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. Where the devolved administrations sign up to structural and investment fund projects under their current EU budget allocation prior to leaving the EU, the government has confirmed that it will ensure they are funded to meet the announced commitments.