Tag: Justin Tomlinson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of allowing police and crime commissioners to commission witness and victim support services.

Dr Phillip Lee

The majority of support services for victims and witnesses of crime have, since April 2015, been commissioned and funded locally by Police and Crime Commissioners, who are generally best placed to provide services to victims of crime in their areas.

Some support services for victims and witnesses currently remain nationally commissioned, including support for families bereaved by murder and manslaughter and by road crime, female and male victims of rape, victims of terrorism and victims and witnesses at criminal courts.

My officials are currently taking the views of Police and Crime Commissioners and other stakeholders and will provide advice to me in due course for consideration of any potential for further devolution in this area.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if his Department will look at examples of best practice in attracting foreign direct investment (a) in Swindon and (b) across the UK.

Greg Hands

The Department is continuously seeking to identify and share best practice from across the UK.

The Department works in partnership with Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Swindon Borough Council to deliver foreign direct investment to Swindon. My officials will continue to work with them to look at further examples of best practice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of crime in (a) North Swindon, (b) Wiltshire and (c) England in each of the last six years.

Brandon Lewis

According to the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales, crime has fallen by 6% nationally in the last year and by well over a quarter since June 2010. Families, communities and property across the country are safer as a result.

The numbers of crimes recorded by the police in the Swindon Community Safety Partnership area (which includes the constituency of North Swindon), in Wiltshire and in England have all risen in the last year. The Office for National Statistics has been clear that recent rises in police recorded crime reflect both improvements in crime recording practice and a greater willingness of victims to come forward, particularly to report domestic abuse and sexual offences.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many public libraries were open in England in each year since 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson

I am responding as Minister with responsibility for Libraries policy.

Data relating to public libraries is collected and published annually in December by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The following table indicates the number of library service points within the statutory public library services of local authorities that are open ten or more hours per week, as at 31 March for each year.

The Libraries Taskforce recently commissioned from local authorities in England basic data regarding the numbers and types of public libraries available within each local authority. The data will assist the library sector and users to monitor the delivery of library services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of how many people are employed in the hospice care sector.

David Mowat

Data on the number of people employed in the hospice care sector is not collected centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with which other government departments and executive agencies her Department works to provide support for victims of terrorism; and what steps her Department is taking to improve co-ordination between those bodies and her Department.

Dr Phillip Lee

This Government is committed to ensuring that victims of terrorism can access effective and timely support to help them cope, and as far as possible, recover from the trauma they have experienced.

The Ministry of Justice works with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice, which administers both the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and Victim of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme, which provides compensation to victims of terrorist attacks in the UK and of designated terrorist attacks overseas respectively.

The Ministry of Justice continues to work pan Government to understand current support provision for victims of terrorism, to ensure that victims and their families are aware of the sources of MoJ funded support available in England and Wales and to identify potential gaps in support including guidance on gov.uk.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what savings the Efficiency and Reform Group has identified in each year since 2010.

Ben Gummer

Since 2010, the government has announced the following efficiency savings and benefits calculated against a 2009/10 baseline:

• For 2010/11 the Government reported savings of £3.75billion.

• In 2011/12 the Government reported operational savings of £4.8 billion, and prevention of wasteful spend by major projects and construction of £758million, totalling £5.5billion.

• In 2012/13 the Government reported operational savings totalling £8billion, and prevention of wasteful spend by major projects and construction of £2billion, totalling £10billion.

• In 2013/14 reported savings of £14.3billion. This consisted of operational savings of £10.6billion, reduction in low value spend by major projects, reduced revenue requirements and construction savings of £3.5billion and receipts from asset sales and new commercial models of £0.1billion.

• In 2014/15 reported savings of £18.6billion. This consists of operational savings of £12.4billion, reduction in low value spend by major projects, reduced revenue requirements and constructions savings of £5.1billion, receipts from asset sales and new commercial models of £0.4billion and benefits from tackling fraud, error and debt of £0.7billion.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made on the rehabilitation of offenders with Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences since 2012.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Offenders serving sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) continue to be detained beyond their tariff where the independent Parole Board determines that the level of risk of harm and re-offending which they pose is too great to be safely managed in the community.

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) continues to prioritise IPP offenders for courses and provides other interventions to help them reduce their risk.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, against what criteria she measures the compliance of local authorities with the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.

Mr Rob Wilson

The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires local authorities in England to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for their local communities. The 1964 Act requires the Secretary of State to superintend, and promote the improvement of, the public library service provided by local authorities in England, and to secure the proper discharge by local authorities of the duties conferred on local authorities under the Act.

The Secretary of State has the power to intervene by directing a local inquiry following a complaint that a local authority has failed to carry out its duties under the Act, or of her own motion. In taking that decision, the Secretary of State gives consideration to a number of factors, including:

• Whether there is any serious doubt or uncertainty as to whether the local authority is (or may cease to be) complying with its legal obligation to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service.
• Whether the local authority appears to be acting in a careless or unreasonable way.
• Whether the decision is or may be outside the proper bounds of the local authority’s discretion, such as a capricious decision to stop serving a particularly vulnerable group in the local community.
• Whether the local authority appears to have failed to consult affected individuals or to carry out significant research into the effects of its proposals.
• Whether the local authority has failed to explain, analyse or properly justify its proposals.
• Whether the local proposals are likely to lead to a breach of national library policy.
• The advantages of local decision making by expert and democratically accountable local representatives.
• Whether there is any further good reason why a local inquiry should be ordered.

Where a complaint is raised we will consider the available evidence in light of the above factors. If there is serious doubt that the library service provided by the local authority offers a comprehensive and efficient service, I will not hesitate to open an inquiry.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of levels of hospice care provision across the UK.

David Mowat

Levels of National Health Service funded hospice care provision are determined locally by clinical commissioning groups and they are responsible for ensuring that the services they commission meet the needs of their local population. Commissioners should identify any gaps in local provision and put in place service development plans to address this identified need.