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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people were employed in his Department’s Cardiff office in each year since 2010.

    Joseph Johnson

    The number of people employed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills HQ in its Cardiff office in each year since 2010 is shown in the table below.

    Year

    Headcount

    2010

    2

    2011

    5.5

    2012

    9

    2013

    33.2

    2014

    47.1

    2015

    41.3

    2016

    48.9

    The headcount, which is shown in full time equivalent, is as at 31 March in each year.

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage small businesses to apply for government contracts.

    Matthew Hancock

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Stroud on 27 April UIN: 904721.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the Government’s housing policy on the ability of smaller housing applications in rural villages to succeed.

    Brandon Lewis

    We believe that meeting the housing needs of rural communities is vitally important.

    The National Planning Policy Framework rightly asks local planning authorities to identify and plan to meet the needs of their communities. It is for local planning authorities, in consultation with local people, to use their evidence base to ensure they plan to meet their housing need, shaping where development should and shouldn’t go, through an up to date Local Plan. Over 85,000 affordable homes have been provided in rural local authorities in England between April 2010 and March 2015.

    Budget 2016 announced a £60 million fund to help bring forward community-led housing developments in rural and coastal communities. This fund will target those areas which are particularly affected by the impact of second homes. We will be announcing further details on how the fund will be allocated shortly.

    The Homes and Communities Agency and my officials meet regularly with those working to deliver homes in rural communities to discuss the provision of affordable rural housing.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what meetings her officials have had with non-governmental organisations which receive funding from her Department since she took up office.

    Rory Stewart

    As a matter of course, DFID officials meet regularly in the UK and overseas with a wide range of non-governmental organisations who receive funding from DFID.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Prime Minister’s recent assertions at the CBI Annual Conference on 9 November that the UK’s security is provided through membership of the EU, what assessment they have made of the impact of NATO membership on the UK’s security and whether they will continue to oppose any proposals for an EU army or other EU armed forces.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is the cornerstone of our national security, and the ultimate guarantor of our defence. But the EU can play a useful complementary role, for example in missions in the Western Balkans and off the coast of Somalia. We always have, and always will, resist any proposal for an EU army.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent Inspectorate report of HM Prison Maghaberry.

    Andrew Selous

    Prisons are a devolved matter and responsibility for HMP Maghaberry lies with the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.

  • Richard Fuller – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Richard Fuller – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions have been brought under the Fraud Act 2006 in each year since 2009.

    Robert Buckland

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of prosecutions brought under the Fraud Act 2006. However, records are held showing the overall number of offences charged in which a prosecution commenced in the magistrates’ courts (the distinction being that some prosecutions involved multiple offences). These figures are detailed in the following table:

    Year

    Number of offences charged under the Fraud Act 2006 in which a prosecution commenced in the magistrates’ court*

    2009-10

    27,759

    2010-11

    29,592

    2011-12

    28,164

    2012-13

    26,581

    2013-14

    25,832

    2014-15

    26,113

    * Data Source: CPS management information system

    The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigates and, where appropriate, prosecutes the topmost tier of serious or complex fraud cases. The SFO charges offences under the most appropriate legislation in each investigation, and not only the Fraud Act.

    The number of individuals charged by the SFO for offences under the Fraud Act (2006) is shown in the table below.

    Year

    Number of individuals charged under the Fraud Act 2006*

    2009

    5

    2010

    7

    2011

    2

    2012

    2

    2013

    4

    2014

    1

    2015

    6

    * This type of casework information for the years prior to 2012 was not collated centrally in the same way and so the information for these years reflects the records from the time.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hepburn on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken was between a fatal accident in construction and a conviction on the latest date for which data is available.

    Justin Tomlinson

    For fatalities in construction (Standard Industrial Classification, section F) reported to HSE between 2006/07 and 2014/15, the average time between the date of the incident and the date of the first hearing where a conviction is recorded is 1208 days. The time between the incident and conviction dates by yearly time bands is as follows:

    Date of Conviction

    Average number of days between incident date and conviction date

    2006/2007

    985

    2007/2008

    1234

    2008/2009

    1153

    2009/2010

    1214

    2010/2011

    1251

    2011/2012

    1251

    2012/2013

    1336

    2013/2014

    1185

    2014/2015

    1267

    Within the overall time frame from fatal incident to conviction a number of discrete stages may be involved and these are performed by different agencies largely out of HSE’s control:

    • The police assume primacy initially and retain it until negligent homicide offences have been identified or eliminated.

    • Where negligent homicide is suspected, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will consider a file submitted to them by the Police.

    • HSE works closely with the police and CPS throughout this phase in accordance with the Work Related Deaths Protocol (WRDP) to which the Police, CPS, HSE and other regulators are signatories.

    • Before HSE brings a prosecution it is normal to await the outcome of an inquest held by HM Coroner.

    • If a defendant has been charged it can take some time for the case to come to trial particularly where if　it is defended and heard in the Crown Court.

    Recognising the importance to victims of ensuring all stages of the process are concluded as quickly as possible, the WRDP National Liaison Committee recently agreed that any decision to prosecute should be made within 3 years of the date of death other than in exceptional circumstances – currently approximately 85% of investigations are completed within this timescale.

    For its part HSE has an internal target of completing 95% of fatal accident investigations within 12 months of assuming primacy – attainment is now at 70% and the trend is improving.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made on behalf of the 12 Christian leaders tried in Zhejiang Province of China in February and what assessment they have made of (1) the impact of that trial and the sentences handed down on the right to freedom of religion or belief in China, and (2) how those events have been received in China.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We pay close attention to the human rights situation in China and regularly raise our concerns about freedom of religion and the restrictions placed on Christianity. We make representations on specific cases during the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue. The next Dialogue is scheduled for April 2016. We also raise our public concerns about freedom of religion and belief in China in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy.

    Regarding the recent trial of Christian leaders in Zhejiang, we remain concerned about the application of due legal process and transparency of justice in China. We are particularly concerned that people seeking to peacefully exercise their right to freedom of expression or belief are being prevented from doing so. We urge China to protect civil and political rights in line with its constitution and international human rights commitments.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip is paid in his capacity as a Minister attending Cabinet.

    Matthew Hancock

    The hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip is not a Minister attending Cabinet, but attends political cabinet meetings. He is not paid a Ministerial Salary.