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 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents involving the use of drone technology have been recorded at each type of prison facility in each of the last three years.

    Andrew Selous

    I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 20357.

    Incidents involving drones are rare, but we remain constantly vigilant to all new threats to prison security. This Government has made it a criminal offence to throw, or otherwise project, any article of substance into prison without authorisation. Anyone using drones in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years. We take a zero tolerance approach to illicit material in prisons and work closely with the police and CPS to ensure those responsible for a drone incident are caught and, if appropriate, prosecuted.

    There were no reported drone incidents in 2013; 2 reported incidents in 2014; and 33 reported incidents in 2015.

    These figures include drone finds and sightings of drones by prison staff in and around all types of public and private prisons in England and Wales.

    These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-05-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people (a) successfully made an application for Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and (b) were unsuccessful in an application for JSA following a Genuine Prospect of Work assessment in the last two years.

    Priti Patel

    The Department does not record statistics on applications for Jobseeker’s Allowance following a genuine prospect of work assessment.

    To collate the information requested would take the costs of responding to the question over the disproportionate cost threshold.

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

    Lord Mawhinney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawhinney on 2016-07-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much they estimate the deficit of NHS providers will have been reduced by the end of the 2016–17.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS Improvement continues to work with those providers who have not been able to agree control totals by the end of July. At present, 213 of 238 providers (89.5%) have an agreed a control total. Those providers who have been unable to agree a control total will not be able to access the sustainability and transformation fund.

    NHS Improvement is currently consulting on a new oversight regime, which details proposals on how providers will be monitored in future and this will set out how variance from financial plan or control total will be managed.

    NHS Improvement does not intend to replace the boards of those providers who do not achieve financial balance by the end of 2016/17. The organisation’s new oversight regime also sets out in detail how it proposes to monitor and support providers.

    The Government’s Mandate to the NHS 2016-17, a copy of which is attached, confirms that the National Health Service must ensure that it balances its budget, including commissioners and providers living within their budgets. To support this, £1.8 billion of NHS England’s budget for 2016-17 will be allocated through the Sustainability and Transformation Fund to support providers, in particular emergency services, payable through commissioning or as other support.

  • Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings have taken place between Ministers of his Department and Ministers of governments which support the current government of Yemen since January 2016; and in how many such meetings was the civil war in Yemen discussed.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    As set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2216, President Hadi and his government are the legitimate authority in Yemen, and the UK regularly discusses the situation in Yemen with international partners including at Ministerial level. Most recently during the UN General Assembly week in New York, I hosted two meetings on Yemen which involved Gulf Foreign Ministers, the US and the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. The UK remains committed to finding a political resolution to the current conflict and to foster peace and stability for all Yemenis.

  • Lord Black of Brentwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Black of Brentwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2015-11-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any assessment of the impact of the criminalisation of homosexuality by Commonwealth countries on economic development and business investment in those countries.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not carried out a specific assessment of the impact of the criminalisation of homosexuality on economic development and business investment in Commonwealth countries. However, we welcomed the reports of the Williams Institute of November 2014 and the recent report from the Human Dignity Trust of November 2015 which clearly set out the economic case for the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

    We are committed to combating discrimination and violence against Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGB&T) throughout the Commonwealth. We utilised every opportunity at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to highlight our belief that the Commonwealth must stand up for human rights, including LGB&T rights, around the world. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), made this clear during an intervention at the retreat and subsequently in his press statement. Additionally, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, the noble Baroness Verma, also spoke in favour of addressing LGB&T issues while chairing a session at the People’s Forum. We look forward to working with the new Commonwealth Secretary-General on this issue when she takes up her position in April 2016.

  • Damian Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Damian Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Damian Green on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the responses to her letter of 24 November 2015 to all local council leaders on the Dispersal of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    There have been a number of positive responses to the letter of 24 November, including concrete offers of support for Kent through the disperal of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. We are clear that local authorities with the capacity to support Kent should do so. The Immigration Minister and the Children’s Minister chaired a round table meeting on 15 December with council leaders and directors of children’s services to consider what more can be done , and longer-term options for the dispersal of unaccompanied asylum seeking children. We hope the arrangements will remain voluntary and more local authorities will come forward. However, we have taken a reserve power in the Immigration Bill to underpin the voluntary power and act as a backstop power to mandate dispersal if the voluntary arrangements do not work.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22263, what procedures, budgets and facilities are in place to compensate tax credit claimants for the cost and inconvenience of losing supporting documents confirming identity and finances lost by the Tax Credit Office.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) policy in respect of compensation payments is that they will consider refunding any reasonable costs that customers may have incurred due to their mistakes and/or unreasonable delays. If HMRC actions are judged to have affected a customer particularly badly, they may pay a small amount to acknowledge their mistake and for any worry or distress they may have caused. These payments are made out of the public purse and are not intended to put a monetary value on any worry and upset.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that proposed revisions to the sentencing guideline for guilty plea reductions do not lead to a culture of plea bargaining.

    Dominic Raab

    On 11 February the independent Sentencing Council launched a consultation on a new proposed guideline for reductions in sentence for a guilty plea. This is a consultation, and no decisions have been made. Accepting a plea is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service. All decisions by the prosecution are made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what scope there is for new claimants of universal credit to negotiate the terms of their claimant commitment.

    Priti Patel

    A personalised Claimant Commitment is drawn up by the Work Coach as part of a one to one discussion with the claimant. The work-related requirements detailed in the Claimant Commitment are tailored to an individual’s needs, experience and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable.

    It is reviewed with the claimant and revised where appropriate on an on-going basis.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 1.302 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what progress his Department has made on exploring the sale of the Government’s 49 per cent shareholding in the National Air Traffic Service.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department is in the early stages of developing its approach to exploring options on the potential sale of the Government’s shares. No decision has been made on how it will realise value from its stake in NATS.