The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of working parents and carers receiving universal credit who will be required to work increased hours under in-work conditionality that (a) are unable to work full-time hours and (b) will require flexible working arrangements.
Damian Hinds
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-10.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to protect families paying debts over time from bailiff fees, court charges and interest rates; and if he will consider a statutory breathing space for families in debt.
Simon Kirby
The Government noted the report with interest and is grateful for the important work that The Children’s Society does. The Government is committed to supporting individuals in problem debt.
The Government is exploring whether some form of “breathing space” would be a useful and viable addition to the range of formal and informal debt solutions available to consumers and creditors. Officials in HM Treasury and the Insolvency Service have been asked to discuss this issue with stakeholders and the Government will report back this autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans his Department has for the £1.8 billion of uncommitted Green Investment Bank funds following privatisation of that bank.
Anna Soubry
The Government allocated up to £3.8 billion of funds to Green Investment Bank (GIB) for investment in the period to March 2016. To date, GIB has made commitments totalling £2.1billion. Government will fund these and any further commitments GIB enters into during the current year to March 2016.
GIB’s funding needs for the year 2016/17 are being considered as part of the current spending review and the outcome will be announced later in the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of animals that had been used in experiments and were classed as re-homed in government statistics in the last three years were sent for slaughter.
Mike Penning
The Home Office does not collect data regarding the number of animals, used in scientific procedures, which after release from the controls of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, are subsequently sent directly to slaughter. Establishments are required to keep information of the source, use and final disposal of protected animals, bred kept or used at the establishment for any regulated activities, which would include whether an animal used was sent directly to slaughter.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-01-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that communities and environmental mitigation is allocated sufficient funding in Phase 2 of High Speed 2.
Mr Robert Goodwill
In the 2015 Spending Review, the Government restated the long-term funding envelope for the HS2 programme at £55.7bn in 2015 prices. This envelope includes funding for Phase Two with contingency. We intend to deliver the most cost effective design for HS2 and ensure that the best value is achieved. We have a regime in place for delivering HS2 and managing costs which will ensure there is sufficient funding for community and environmental mitigation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents there have been of usage of illegal highs in prisons in each of the last five years.
Andrew Selous
We do not tolerate drugs in prison. Prisoners are tested for a range of controlled drugs through our mandatory drug testing (MDT) system, which randomly tests up to 10% of the population in each prison, each month. In addition, prisoners can be subject to testing in response to specific threats. Any prisoner found through MDT to have used controlled drugs will face an internal adjudication and could receive a range of sanctions including days added to their time in custody.
We have begun a pilot to expand this testing to include new psychoactive substances and in April we plan to introduce this across the prison estate. We have also introduced new legislation to counter the smuggling of NPS into prisons and are training 300 sniffer dogs to detect NPS.
The table below shows the number of positive MDT tests for illegal drugs over the past five financial years.
|
Year |
Number of positive MDT tests |
|
2010/11 |
10324 |
|
2011/12 |
10268 |
|
2012/13 |
9956 |
|
2013/14 |
8659 |
|
2014/15 |
6742 |
Notes:
Table shows instances where a prisoner has tested positive for a controlled drug, one of amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, opiates, methadone and buprenorphine.
Where a prisoner is found to have used more than one substance, a separate positive will be reported for each substance found to have been used.
Includes MDT tests arising from all prison MDT programmes including random, suspicion, at risk, frequent and reception testing
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s wellness strategy is.
Karen Bradley
The Home Office Health and Wellbeing Strategy was launched in February 2015. This sets out three key aims: that every member of staff understands that their health and wellbeing matters; that health and wellbeing is at the centre of change and learning and development programmes and that structural, cultural and demographic factors affecting attendance in the workplace are identified and addressed as appropriate. The strategy is underpinned by a range of modern HR policies and practical advice and services to enhance and promote health and wellbeing such as the employee assistance programme and occupational health services. We also support groups such as ‘Break the Stigma’ and other national mental health campaigns.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-03-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with response to his contribution of 16 March 2016, Official Report, column 963-64, whether the proposed exemption from the sugar levy for fruit juices will apply to (a) fruit juices with added sugar and (b) fruit juices with natural sugars only.
Mr David Gauke
The levy applies to drinks with added sugar, excluding milk-based drinks.
Therefore, the levy will apply to fruit juices with added sugar, but not to fruit juices containing only naturally occurring sugar.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his US counterpart on LGBT rights in North Carolina and Mississippi.
Mr Hugo Swire
Our Consul General in Atlanta raised our concerns with the North Carolina Commerce Secretary on 19 April. We have amended our Travel Advice for the United States to reflect legislative changes on LGBT rights in North Carolina and Mississippi . This Government is opposed to all forms of discrimination. We are committed to ensuring that all LGBT people are free to live their lives in a safe and just environment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2016 to Question 38441, what role he has asked the Chairman of the Parole Board, Professor Nick Hardwick, to undertake in relation to people serving sentences of imprisonment for public protection.
Andrew Selous
The Justice Secretary has asked the Chairman of the Parole Board to improve the efficiency of the parole system.