Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Wendy Morton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Wendy Morton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wendy Morton on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many unauthorised encampments were recorded in each county and metropolitan borough in 2015 in England.

    Brandon Lewis

    The biannual Traveller Caravan Count includes figures for the number of traveller caravans on unauthorised encampments in each local authority area in England.

    The figures for the January and July 2015 counts can be found via the following links:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/traveller-caravan-count-january-2015

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/traveller-caravan-count-july-2015

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fully-trained coastguard staff working at the National Maritime Operations Centre in Fareham were on the daytime watch covering the south coast from Plymouth to Selsey Bill on (a) 2 May 2015, (b) 9 July 2015, (c) 24 May 2016, (d) 29 May 2016 and (e) 4 June 2016.

    Mr John Hayes

    The operational concepts and procedures that underpin Her Majesty’s Coastguard’s national network mean that the Coastguard Centres within it no longer have fixed geographic boundaries. This enables Coastguards at either the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) or any of the 9 Coastguard Operations Centres (CGOC) to coordinate any incident anywhere around the UK coast irrespective of their location. As a result workload is now managed on a national basis rather than Centre by Centre as was previously the case. National capability and Coastguard staff from any Centre are now available to provide additional support to any individual Centre within the network when it is considered necessary by senior operational managers.

    Therefore the national network had the following fully trained coastguard staff on daytime watch for the following dates:

    • 2 May 2015 – Total network staff 25 (national network in transition: Network Centres – NMOC, Falmouth, Holyhead, Milford Haven, Humber. Centres still to transition – Belfast, Stornoway, Shetland, Aberdeen, London and Dover)

    • 9 July 2015 – Total network staff 37 (national network in transition: Network Centres – NMOC, Falmouth, Holyhead, Milford Haven, Humber. Centres still to transition – Belfast, Stornoway, Shetland, Aberdeen, London and Dover)

    • 24 May 2016 – Total network staff 46 (Full national network)
    • 29 May 2016 – Total network staff 41 (Full national network)
    • 4 June 2016 – Total network staff 45 (Full national network)

  • Lord Birt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Birt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2016-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to respond to the Care Quality Commission’s finding that the adult social care sector is approaching tipping point”.”

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We welcome The state of health and adult social care in England in 2015/16 report from the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator was set up to give a single authoritative account to the Department on issues such as this.

    The report shows that 70 per cent of adult social care services are rated good or better and that improvement is taking place all over the country.

    Social care is critical in enabling older people to retain their independence and dignity. This is why, against the context of tough public sector finances, the Government has taken steps to protect social care services. The Government is giving local authorities access to up to £3.5 billion of new support for social care by 2019/20. This will increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament.

    Through the Care Act, we have a reformed care system that means local authorities are in a better position to meet the care needs of people who need them most. Councils now have greater flexibility to arrange care, as well as give greater choice and control to individuals.

    The Department will continue to work with providers and their trade bodies, who have come together as a taskforce to understand financial challenges in the sector. The Department is also working to support local authorities meet their Care Act duties to improve commissioning and encourage an effective care market.

  • Karen Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Karen Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Buck on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of households in receipt of tax credits in each of the last five tax years for which data are available did not make a claim in the following tax year.

    Damian Hinds

    The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are being taken in the UK to safeguard moderate Muslims from Islamophobic crime, in the light of the recent terrorist attacks around the world.

    Lord Bates

    The Government takes the safety of the Muslim and all other communities extremely seriously, and deplores all forms of hate crime. We are concerned by reports of increased attacks against Muslims in recent weeks, and we are working with the police and community groups on monitoring the situation and taking appropriate action where required.

    The police constantly review events and potential threats to ensure everything is being done to protect our communities from terrorism, hate crime and the impact of public protest.

    After the attacks in Paris the police have increased their presence on some streets and at some locations, and they will be intensifying their approach at events in big cities. Officers are working closely with London’s communities and businesses to provide advice and reassurance. Government officials are also speaking to community organisations such as Tell MAMA to ensure that we are aware of the current issues around anti-Muslim hatred and to ensure that we increase reporting of it.

    The Government is committed to tackling hate crime. That is why we have announced a new cross-Government Hate Crime Action Plan. This will be taken forward in partnership with the communities that it seeks to protect, and will include a range of actions across Government. We have also announced that from 2016, police forces will be expected to record data on hate crimes against Muslims and members of other religious groups, to allow us to properly assess the scale of the problem we are facing.

    Our Counter-Extremism Strategy, published in October, outlines how we will further protect British Muslims, including communities worried about Neo-Nazi groups who may be planning crimes such as attacks on Muslims.

  • Angela Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Angela Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2015 to Question 11893, when her Department plans to publish an assessment of the effectiveness of the Soil Protection Review and cross-compliance inspection regime in reducing soil erosion; and what penalties there are for landowners who do not take steps to reduce soil erosion.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra published the report ‘An Assessment of the implementation of the Soil Protection Review (SPR) 2010 and soil management practices in England’ in 2012. The report considered the overall impact of the SPR on soil management practices in England including on erosion.

    Defra introduced new national standards for agricultural soils under cross compliance in January 2015 which apply to recipients of Common Agricultural Policy funding. The Government is monitoring the implementation of the new rules.

    The penalty regime for cross compliance is set out in the Cross Compliance Guidance 2016 at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guide-to-cross-compliance-in-england-2016

    “

  • George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department’s press release of 28 December 2015, Insurers vow to pass on whiplash reform saving, what the evidential basis is for the Government’s statement that whiplash claims cost the country £2 billion a year.

    Dominic Raab

    As noted in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, the figure of £2 billion a year is an insurance industry estimate of the cost of dealing with road traffic related personal injury claims.

    The Government will be publishing an impact assessment alongside its consultation on the whiplash reforms announced in the Autumn Statement in due course.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in his Department.

    Mike Penning

    The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the role of special advisers and describes the range of activities they may undertake. Copies of the Code of Conduct are available in the Library of the House and online at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/468340/CODE_OF_CONDUCT_FOR_SPECIAL_ADVISERS_-_15_OCTOBER_2015_FINAL.pdf

    “

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the guidance note on public sector pay and terms published by his Department on 5 February 2016, whether he plans to place that guidance on a statutory footing; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    There are no current plans to place the guidance note on public sector pay and terms on a statutory footing.

    The note is a reminder of the rules that are in place and the Government’s expectations on public sector employers.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many vehicles were acquired under the 2009-10 vehicle scrappage scheme; and how many of those vehicles had not been disposed of on the latest date for which figures are available.

    Anna Soubry

    Under the 2009 Vehicle Scrappage Scheme (VSS) claims were made for 392227 vehicles. A breakdown of that figure by make and model is available on our website, gov.uk. In order for a claim to be made under the VSS, a Certificate of Destruction (CoD), issued by an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) for the old vehicle had to be provided by the car dealer to the manufacturer. Beyond the CoD, the arrangements covering disposal of the old vehicle, and any associated costs, sat outside the scheme. The physical treatment chain was not a condition of the Scheme and therefore the Department does not hold any information relating to this. The Environment Agency is the responsible authority for compliance with the permit requirements for Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATF).