The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2016-02-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proportion of agency doctors and nurses on duty in hospitals (1) during the week, and (2) at the weekend.
Lord Prior of Brampton
This information is not collected centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2016-03-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Sudan on behalf of Telahoon Rata and Rev. Hassan Taour, arrested on 13 and 21 December 2015 respectively; and what information his Department holds on their (a) location and (b) physical and mental condition.
James Duddridge
Our Ambassador in Khartoum met the Minister of Guidance and Religious Endowments and the Sudanese Director of Church Affairs in February and raised the cases of Mr Talahon and Rev. Hassan. Officials from our Embassy in Khartoum are in close contact with their legal team. The legal team have informed us that both men are currently being held at a National Intelligence and Security Service’s facility in Khartoum. Mr Talahon’s family has been able to meet him once while Rev. Hassan has not been granted visitors. Rev. Hassan’s family is particularly concerned about his physical health given his history of stomach ulcers. We will continue to scrutinise these cases closely.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will put safeguards in place to ensure that (a) out of country entry clearance applications are rigorously checked, (b) all supporting documents for such applications are fairly considered and (c) applicants’ details are not confused with other cases.
James Brokenshire
All out of country entry clearance applications are subject to an extensive range of mandatory and discretionary checks. These include, but are not limited to, biographic and biometric identity checks against national and international police records and against previous immigration history, as well as document verification.
Applications are submitted at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) and are individually bundled. The bundles are sent to Decision Making Centres to be assessed by an Entry Clearance Officer, before being returned to the VAC. The application remains in individual bundles throughout the process to prevent applicants’ details being confused with other cases.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to move more UK officials to Calais and Northern France to work full-time on identifying, screening and processing potential transfers under the Dublin III regulations, and to make special provision for cases where further evidence of family links is needed.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Under the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August 2015, the UK and France have committed to ensuring that the provisions of the Dublin III Regulation are used efficiently and effectively. To assist the handling of such cases the two governments have established a permanent official contact group, agreed single points of contact within respective Dublin Units and the UK seconded an asylum expert to the French administration to facilitate the improvement of all stages of the process of identifying, protecting and transferring relevant cases to the UK. The Home Office will review the existing arrangements as part of the work to implement the relevant provisions of the Immigration Act 2016.
To assist with the identification of potential victims of trafficking and exploitation (including unaccompanied children) in Calais the UK has funded a project run by a French non-governmental organisation which aims to identify and direct these vulnerable people to the appropriate support services in France.
The UK and France are running regular joint communication campaigns in northern France which informs individuals (including unaccompanied children) of their rights to claim asylum in France and gives them information on family reunification. The frequency of these campaigns has been increased in line with the Joint Declaration signed in August 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to First Vice-President Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan to encourage their political dialogue.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Whilst we have not been able to be in direct contact with President Salva Kiir or First Vice President Riek Machar since the escalation in fighting on 10 July, we have in the past made repeated representations to both, urging them to abide by the terms of the peace agreement they signed up to in August 2015. The further fighting that has broken out is therefore deeply disappointing and we are working with regional and international partners to ensure a clear message on the necessity for a lasting ceasefire and condemnation of violence from all sides.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to address the humanitarian crisis in sub-Saharan Africa.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Her Majesty’s Government is committed to addressing humanitarian crises in Africa through a number of means, including working bilaterally with African countries and through supporting multilateral bodies such as the European Union, United Nations, the International Financial Institutions and the African Union. The UK is also a leading donor in responding to crisis in the region; last year the Department for International Development spent £522m on humanitarian assistance across Africa, including South Sudan, Nigeria and in response to El Nino effects in Ethiopia and Southern Africa.
We also remain an active partner of the African Union, supporting the organisation to deliver its responsibility for peace and security on the continent, and in its role as the first responder to crisis. In addition,
Ministerial colleagues and I undertake regular visits to the region where prevention and responses to humanitarian crises are frequently discussed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that contract staff in all government departments receive the Living Wage at the appropriate rate.
Lord Bridges of Headley
Every employer in the country will pay the National Living Wage, including all Government contractors, from April 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jenny Chapman on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders were given non-custodial sentences for (a) burglary, (b) rape and (c) sexual assault in each of the last 10 years.
Andrew Selous
Details of the number of offenders sentenced (with sentencing disposals, both custodial and non-custodial) at all courts for the above offences in each of the last 10 years can be found in the “outcomes by offence” table available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2014
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will takes steps to ban the practice in the retail and leisure sectors of sending employees home during their shift without notice.
Nick Boles
We encourage employers to be clear with their staff up front on how work will be structured. However, the way in which work is arranged, or how shifts are decided upon will depend on each situation and sector. A ‘one size fits all’ solution would not be appropriate.
Where appropriate, Government publishes guidance. For instance, we recently considered the issue of late notice cancellation of shifts for those on zero hours contracts and have published updated guidance on gov.uk.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wasserman on 2016-02-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 17 February (HL6083), how many of the 14 direct entry superintendents still employed in police forces in England and Wales are (1) female, and (2) members of black and minority ethnic communities.
Lord Bates
Of the 14 direct entry superintendents employed in police forces in England and Wales, six (43%) are female and three (21%) are from an ethnic minority background. This is significantly more representative than the current make up of the superintendent rank of which 19% are women and 4% are from an ethnic minority background.
Direct entrants take part in an 18 month training programme. During the course of this training they undertake a variety of roles, including frontline roles, at Constable, Sergeant, Inspector and Superintendent levels aimed at providing a policing context for their leader-ship skills
The eight direct entrants who began their training in 2014 will complete the programme in May 2016. Should they be successful, the force will decide the roles that they will undertake. The six direct entrants who started in 2015 will not complete the programme until April 2017.