Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which community rehabilitation companies have informed his Department of plans to reduce staff in the last 12 months.

    Andrew Selous

    All Community Rehabilitation Companies informed the MoJ of their plans to restructure as part of the bidding process, which was robustly evaluated. They are contractually required to maintain a professional and appropriately skilled workforce to deliver the services set out in their contracts. We are robustly managing the contracts to make sure the providers deliver services which reduce reoffending, protect the public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.

  • Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Vernon Coaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the application of section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 on the payment of compensation relating to terrorism cases in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or, in relation to most criminal offences in Northern Ireland, the Department of Justice, to pay compensation where a person’s conviction for a criminal offence has been reversed or he has been pardoned on the grounds that a new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice. The amount of compensation awarded in these cases is assessed by an independent assessor.

    Section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 inserted subsection (1ZA) into section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, providing a statutory definition of “miscarriage of justice”. In accordance with this new provision, the Secretary of State will only pay compensation for a “miscarriage of justice” where the new or newly discovered fact (on the basis of which the conviction was reversed) shows beyond reasonable doubt that the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted. In Northern Ireland this new definition applies in relation to applications for compensation in cases involving sensitive national security information, which applications are determined by the Secretary of State rather than the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.

    I believe that this clear definition enshrined in statute makes decisions on eligibility more transparent and less likely to be the subject of legal challenge and ensures (in those cases in Northern Ireland to which it applies) that compensation will only be paid where it is clear the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to provide more information to people potentially affected by floods to enable them to access grant schemes from local authorities.

    James Wharton

    Our immediate priority remains doing everything we can to help local communities repair and recover from floods. This means ensuring all those affected can benefit from the £200 million grant schemes offered by the Government and know that they can do so.

    We have provided information on the Gov.uk website and have worked with local authorities to ensure their websites are up to date. We have also developed a simple fact sheet for individual property owners explaining the Property Level Resilience grant scheme and how to apply for it.

    We are in regular contact with local areas and are continuing to look at ways to help support their residents and businesses take full advantage of the grants available.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 33821, how many unauthorised entries were recorded in relation to each of the bases listed in that Answer; what form of unauthorised entries were recorded in each case; which cases were investigated by (a) the Ministry of Defence Police, (b) a military police force and (c) a local civilian police force; and which such investigations led to a prosecution.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) treats all unauthorised entries to military bases very seriously. They are investigated to a level commensurate with their complexity and impact by Military Police, MOD Police or local constabulary.

    A breakdown of unauthorised entries to military bases recorded within the MOD for 2014 is set out in the attached table. None of these incidents resulted in any significant ramifications for Defence security.

    In drafting the answer to this question, it has become apparent that the answers to Questions 24141 and 33821 were incorrect, understating the number of unauthorised entries to military bases in 2014 by one, the correct number is 25, and in the list of the locations of such security incidents, RAF Leeming was omitted. The information has been corrected in this answer.

  • Steve Brine – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve Brine – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Brine on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidelines her Department issues on inset days at schools in England.

    Nick Gibb

    This is a matter for schools to decide. We have empowered schools to lead the delivery of high-quality professional development for their teachers through the creation of the national network of teaching schools, and we are supporting this through the development of a new Standard for Teachers’ Professional Development. Decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rightly rest with schools, head teachers, and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge their own requirements.

    The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document specifies that teachers must be available for work for 195 days each year and that they may only be required to perform duties other than teaching pupils on five of those days. It is for schools to decide for themselves how best to make use of those five days, including whether they should be used for in-service training.

  • Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Clive Efford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Efford on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost is to the NHS of each patient visit to a (a) GP, (b) GP surgery-based practice nurse and (c) practitioner led service at The Source, Greenwich; and if he will make a statement.

    David Mowat

    The information requested is not centrally held.

  • Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grant Shapps – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate has been made of changes in property prices in and around (a) all major High Speed 2 terminals and (b) Birmingham High Speed 2 terminal.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport has not produced estimates of the expected impact on property prices in the areas surrounding HS2 terminals.

  • Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the recommendations of the Cole Commission on UK exports they have implemented.

    Lord Maude of Horsham

    As ministers take forward plans to reform and improve the UK’s export and investment effort, they will take into consideration recommendations in the Cole report, as well as advice and suggestions from a broad range of stakeholders.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in Mid Dorset and North Poole has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department does not hold information centrally on the amount or type of land held by community land trusts.

    The Department’s annual Green Belt statistics monitor the amount of land designated as Green Belt in England and any changes to the designated area since the previous year. The statistics record the change by local planning authority.

    Of the local planning authorities for which information was requested, the following have made changes to the Green Belt in the last five years:

    East Dorset reduced the area of designated Green Belt in 2014-15 by 160 hectares to 16,720 hectares, a reduction of 1 per cent; and

    Purbeck increased the area of designated Green Belt in 2012-13 by 460 hectares to 8,200 hectares, an increase of 6 per cent.

  • Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees how many Peers have taken the Oath of Allegiance in the current Session.

    Lord Laming

    826 Members have taken the oath of allegiance or made the solemn affirmation in the current session. This includes 799 Peers and 27 Lords Spiritual. The figure includes Members who have subsequently died, taken leave of absence or retired during the session.