Tag: Parliamentary Question

Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many parents in Ashfield have been fined for a child’s unauthorised absence from school in each of the last three years.

Nick Gibb

We do not collect data on the number of penalty notices (fines) issued to parents for offences relating to Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996 by constituency. The numbers of penalty notices issued to parents by Nottinghamshire County Council can be found online here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/parental-responsibility-measures-academic-year-2012-to-2013

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01/01/2023
Khalid Mahmood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Khalid Mahmood on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle gang-related gun crime.

Mike Penning

The Government and police work nationally, and with international partners, to reduce the threat to the UK from the criminal use of firearms. In 2013/14, firearms were used in a small and diminishing proportion of total police recorded crime, 0.2%.

The Government keeps the firearms licensing system under review to safeguard against abuse by criminals and to preserve public safety. We have asked the Law Commission to conduct a scoping consultation on firearms law and we are considering the recommendations made by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary following their inspection on how the firearms system is working in practice. We also support local areas to take action against gang violence to reduce offending and protect vulnerable people. Under the Ending Gang and Youth Violence programme, Birmingham was subject to a peer review in 2012 and has implemented and integrated the recommendations from the review into their local strategic plans.

01/01/2023
Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the most recent Code of Social Conduct was issued for the armed forces; if he will place in the Library a copy of that code: what restrictions that code contains on sexual activity by service personnel; and whether adultery continues to be a ground for discharge from the armed forces.

Mark Lancaster

The Armed Forces Code of Social Conduct (AF CSC) is contained in Part 1 of Joint Service Publication (JSP) 887 entitled ‘Diversity Inclusion and Social Conduct’; this publication was most recently updated in December 2014. A copy of JSP 887 has been placed in the Library of the House.

Adultery, per se, does not constitute grounds for dismissal from the Armed Forces. However, if the actions or behaviour of an individual adversely impact, or are likely to impact, on the efficiency or operational effectiveness of the Service then a range of sanctions may be applied, up to and including dismissal.

The AF CSC does not provide a prescriptive list of restrictions on sexual activity; it provides examples of the kinds of conduct or relationship that may constitute social misbehaviour. This includes unwelcome sexual attention; over-familiarity with the spouses or partners of other Service personnel; behaviour which damages or hazards the marriage or personal relationships of Service personnel or civilian colleagues within the wider Defence community; and taking sexual advantage of subordinates.

The seriousness with which misconduct will be regarded by a Commanding Officer will depend on the individual circumstances that prevail at that time and the potential for adversely affecting operational effectiveness. Nevertheless, misconduct involving abuse of position, trust or rank, or taking advantage of an individual’s separation will be viewed as being particularly serious.

01/01/2023
Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-02-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice or guidance, if any, they propose to provide to schools, in particular to religiously selective schools, regarding compliance with the School Admissions Code, in the light of the findings of the report An Unholy Mess, published by the Fair Admissions Campaign and the British Humanist Association last year, that a significant number of schools are failing to comply with the Code in various ways.

Lord Nash

The Government will shortly consult on a package of changes to the School Admissions Code which will both respond to concerns from parents and to the findings in the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Report. That package will include measures to improve fairness and transparency.

Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.

When constructing faith-based oversubscription criteria, including deciding how membership or practice of the faith will be determined, admission authorities must have regard to the guidance of their relevant religious authority, and their arrangements must comply with the statutory School Admissions Code. They must consult with their religious authority when proposing any changes to their admission arrangements.

01/01/2023
Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the steps that would be needed to give effect to the legal agreement signed by the EU member states based on the revised terms of EU membership negotiated by the Prime Minister; and what the role of the Council of Ministers, the Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice will be in giving legal effect to that agreement.

Mr David Lidington

No further steps are needed to give legal effect to the Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, on 18 and 19 February 2016. The Decision will come into effect on the same date as the UK informs the Secretary-General of the Council of its decision in the referendum to remain in the EU. It will then be for the member States and the EU institutions to implement the Decision. The steps required of the institutions and the Member States to do so are set out in the Decision.

01/01/2023
Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-04-14.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many statutory instruments to vary fees charged by public bodies have been laid in Parliament under section 102 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1987 in each year since 2009-10; how many of those proposals have allowed public bodies to (a) increase fees, (b) levy fees to raise revenues in excess of the cost of the services that body provides and (c) levy fees to raise revenues below the cost of the services that body provides.

Greg Hands

The public record indicates that there was one statutory instrument authorised by parliament, laid under the authority of section 102 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1987, during the 2009-10 parliamentary session, and none in subsequent sessions.

This instrument allowed the former Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to take past deficits into account in setting fee levels under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, for the three years ending on 31 March 2013. Whether individual fee levels subsequently increased or decreased in any year would depend on the level of costs incurred by OFT in delivering the services for which fees were charged in those years.

A decision to levy fees below the costs of the service in any year would have been for the OFT to determine in proposing its fee levels for the subsequent years, and its sponsor department in agreeing how to fund any shortfalls.

01/01/2023
Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy towards the future of the European Youth Orchestra, and the role of the EU in its future.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

Last week the commission announced the continuation of the orchestra for a further year, until the end of 2016. British donors and foundations are prominent among its funders, reflecting the generosity of British philanthropy in the arts.

01/01/2023
Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people in (i) Leeds North West constituency, (ii) the Leeds City Region, (iii) West Yorkshire and (iv) Yorkshire are paid less than the Living Wage Foundation’s living wage.

Chris Skidmore

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

01/01/2023

Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the contractual agreement between her Department and G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Limited at HM Prison (a) Birmingham and (b) Oakwood, how many performance points have been incurred and for what reason those performance points have been incurred in each year from 2012-13 to date.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Well-run prisons are fundamental to the proper functioning of our justice system, and a vital part of our reform plans. Private providers play an important role in the prison estate. Performance of all providers is closely monitored and we will not hesitate to take action where standards fall short.

Prison Contracts set out a strict performance framework, consisting of prescriptive performance targets. Failure by the provider to meet performance targets results in performance points being applied.

Performance points are awarded according to the severity of failure. If the total number of points exceeds the agreed baseline for the performance quarter or year, financial remedies are applied against the Contractor in accordance with the Contract. In certain circumstances financial remedies can also be applied directly, without performance points being accrued. The amount of points awarded therefore cannot always be linked to the value of remedies imposed.

The number of performance points incurred at HMP Birmingham and HMP Oakwood for the reporting years 2012-2013 through to 2015-2016 are as follows.

Data for reporting year 2016-2017 is not yet available as it has not been finalised.

		2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-2016
		Points	Points	Points	Points
Birmingham	Failure to comply with procedures	0	248.9	25	103
Incidents	0	0	0	0
Failure to comply with prison regime	135	45.71	0	0
Oakwood	Failure to comply with procedures	7	1.5	0	0
	Incidents	0	0	0	0
	Failure to comply with prison regime	90	10	0	0

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01/01/2023

Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the economic effect of the England Coast Path on each area through which opened sections of that path pass.

Rory Stewart

Annex 4 of the impact assessment which was prepared for the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 included a summary of the estimated social and economic benefits and costs of the coastal access provisions.

The impact assessment noted that the average annual benefits to people who would make use of the improved access would be £12.35m. This figure would increase over time and from year 20 onwards was estimated at £25.8m per year. The benefits would include the improved health and wellbeing that access to the natural environment would bring. The impact assessment also noted that there would be a benefit to the coastal economy from increased spending in coastal areas where additional visitors were attracted to the area. The assessment suggested that the uplift from increased spending would be on average £6 – £9 per day visitor and £35 – £45 per overnight visitor.

A copy of the impact assessment is available on the National Archive website.

As the right of coastal access is implemented throughout England, Natural England will collect and evaluate national and local information about the social and economic benefits of new and improved access.

01/01/2023