Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Wilson Doctrine has been consistently applied to the parliamentary communications of the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross; and whether that hon. Member has been subject to surveillance.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government’s position on the Wilson Doctrine was set out by the Prime Minister in a written ministerial statement made on 4 November 2015.

    As the Prime Minister made clear, the Wilson Doctrine has never been an absolute bar to the targeted interception of the communications of Members of Parliament or an exemption from the legal regime governing interception. The Doctrine recognised that there could be instances where interception might be necessary.

    The Prime Minister announced that as matter of policy the PM will be consulted should there ever be a proposal to target any UK Parliamentarian’s communications under a warrant issued by a Secretary of State. This applies to Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Assembly and UK members of the European Parliament. It applies to all activity authorised by a warrant issued by a Secretary of State: any instance of targeted interception and electronic surveillance and equipment interference when undertaken by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. This is in addition to the rigorous safeguards already in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Code of Practice issued under it which set out a series of robust safeguards for any instance of interception.

    It is long standing policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny any specific activity by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 it is an offence for anyone to identify an individual interception warrant or an individual interception that takes place.

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Attorney General, what steps the CPS has recently taken to improve its support for (a) child witnesses and (b) people with learning disabilities who give evidence in criminal proceedings.

    Robert Buckland

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to improving the ‘at court’ experience for all witnesses. The CPS works closely with the police and the voluntary sector to ensure that vulnerable witnesses such as children and people with learning disabilities are well supported through the Criminal Justice System.

    Special measures such as the use of intermediaries, using screens at court and video live links help vulnerable witnesses, including children and people with learning difficulties, to give their best evidence. Recently, the CPS assisted the MoJ in recruiting an additional 105 intermediaries, who play a vital role in facilitating coherent conversations during police interviews and at court. The use of pre-recorded cross-examination has also been successfully piloted and the Lord Chancellor has committed publically to a national roll-out.

    In September, following public consultation, the Director of Public Prosecutions announced the launch of new guidance for prosecutors entitled ‘Speaking to Witnesses at Court’. The aim of this guidance is to set out the role played by prosecutors at or before court in ensuring that witnesses give their best evidence. This will benefit all prosecution witnesses and will help them understand what to expect. These enhanced arrangements will be piloted over the coming months and will be rolled out nationally during 2016.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the British Transport Police budget was in each year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

    Claire Perry

    The British Transport Police’s budget for each year from 2009-10 to 2014-15 is set out in the table below.

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    £000s

    £000s

    £000s

    £000s

    £000s

    £000s

    269,336

    277,014

    264,728

    267,947

    285,724

    292,791
  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with Rolls-Royce on the future direction of its nuclear submarine power plant business; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Ministry of Defence officials regularly meet with suppliers, including Rolls-Royce. Discussions naturally cover both existing contracts and the future landscape of Rolls-Royce’s business interests.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on how many occasions mental health trusts in London have paid for private beds since 2010; and on each such occasion (a) from which organisation the bed was purchased and (b) what the cost of that purchase was to the public purse.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not held centrally.

  • Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ben Bradshaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-03-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) homes and (b) affordable homes have been completed under the Get Britain Building scheme to date; and what estimate he has made of the number of new jobs created by that scheme.

    Brandon Lewis

    The total number of homes completed under the Get Britain Building programme from its launch in November 2011 to September 2015 is 9,761. Of these, 1400 are affordable homes.

    Government does not collect data concerning the number of jobs created by the Get Britain Building programme.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the post-treatment recovery package is adapted to meet the specific needs of blood cancer patients.

    Jane Ellison

    The independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020, in July 2015, and recognised the need to improve care and support for people living with and beyond all types of cancer, including blood cancers. In September 2015, we announced that by 2020, the 280,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year will benefit from a tailored recovery package. The packages will be individually designed to help each person, including those with blood cancer, live well beyond cancer. In April 2016, we also published guidance for commissioners on commissioning and implementing the recovery package effectively. Support for patients living with and beyond cancer should be tailored specifically to the needs of every patient.

    In addition the strategy called for every person with cancer to have access to a clinical nurse specialist or other key worker from diagnosis onwards. NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations of the Cancer Taskforce, and has appointed Cally Palmer CBE as National Cancer Director. A National Cancer Transformation Board is overseeing the implementation of the strategy, and an implementation plan will be published shortly. An independent Cancer Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Harpal Kumar, the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK and Chair of the independent Cancer Taskforce, is advising and scrutinising the work of the Transformation Board.

  • Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jonathan Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether patients on assessment and treatment units have access to independent mental health advocates.

    Alistair Burt

    Access to an independent mental health advocacy (IMHA) is a statutory right for people detained under most sections of the Mental Health Act, subject to Guardianship or on a community treatment order. We would expect Assessment and Treatment Units to follow their statutory obligations to ensure patients have access to an IMHA where appropriate.

    The Learning Disability Assuring Transformation statistics data shows that of the 2,565 inpatients at the end of April 2016, 600 patients had a main diagnostic category of mental illness on admission.

    Data on the numbers of formal complaints made about patient care; the management of assessment and treatment units; access to autism-specialist services and access to occupational and speech and language therapy are not held centrally. However, NHS England, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Local Government Association, published in October 2015, a Service Model for commissioners of health and social care services. This model sets out that when people are admitted to inpatient settings services should seek to minimise their length of stay and any admissions should be supported by a clear rationale of planned assessment and treatment with measurable outcomes. We would therefore expect all patients, irrespective of inpatient setting, to have access to the treatment and therapeutic interventions they require.

  • Lord Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sheikh on 2016-07-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the agreement between the governments of Sudan and South Sudan and the World Food Programme to transport humanitarian assistance to South Sudan via Sudan, in the light of that agreement’s extension.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    On the basis of an agreement between the World Food Programme (WFP) and the governments of Sudan and South Sudan, the WFP have been working with relevant government authorities in both countries and the region to ensure that their planes are able to deliver much needed humanitarian supplies into South Sudan. For instance, from January to June 2016 alone WFP managed to deliver close to 21,300 metric tons of cereals, pulses and vegetable oil to Upper Nile state. With the six-month extension to this agreement, WFP plans to deliver another 10,000 metric tons of food from Sudan to South Sudan. This represents a pragmatic approach to delivering vital humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict in South Sudan, and we welcome the support of the Government of Sudan in facilitating the delivery of food assistance across the border.

    DFID Sudan and DFID South Sudan are monitoring the situation in relation to the ongoing crisis in South Sudan, and will keep working closely with WFP to help maintain essential transport corridors for humanitarian assistance.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with Eurotunnel on providing incentives through its access charges for increased long distance transportation of passengers and freight by rail.

    Paul Maynard

    Since the 15th June 2016 responsibility for Economic regulation of the Channel Tunnel rests with the independent regulators, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in the UK and Autorité de regulation des activities ferroviaires et routières (ARAFER) in France.