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 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times the Prison Service Gold Command opened in each month since May 2010; and what the nature was of each incident that caused it to be opened.

    Andrew Selous

    The safety of staff and prisoners is a priority. Gold Command is opened in order to deal with incidents as quickly and safely as possible. Not all incidents turn out to be serious, but all incidents are regarded as potentially serious at the point of Gold being opened up.

    Prisons are dealing with an increasingly violent population, and the effects of novel psychoactive substances. We take a zero tolerance approach to drugs in prisons, and have recently introduced tough new laws which will see those who smuggle packages over prison walls, including drugs, face up to two years in prison. There are already a range of robust measures in place to detect drugs, including the use of sniffer dogs, searches of cells, and mandatory drugs tests.

    Table 1: Gold Command Openings by Month and Incident Type May 2010 – December 2015

    Month

    Total

    Hostage

    Concerted Indiscipline

    Incident at Height

    Industrial Action

    Escape

    Barricade

    Fire

    Civil Unrest

    May-10

    2

    2

    Jun-10

    1

    1

    Jul-10

    3

    1

    2

    Aug-10

    1

    1

    Sep-10

    2

    2

    Oct-10

    4

    2

    1

    1

    Nov-10

    8

    2

    5

    1

    Dec-10

    3

    1

    2

    Jan-11

    4

    4

    Feb-11

    4

    2

    1

    1

    Mar-11

    1

    1

    Apr-11

    4

    2

    1

    1

    May-11

    2

    2

    Jun-11

    0

    Jul-11

    0

    Aug-11

    3

    1

    1

    1

    Month

    Total

    Hostage

    Concerted Indiscipline

    Incident at Height

    Industrial Action

    Escape

    Barricade

    Fire

    Civil Unrest

    Sep-11

    1

    1

    Oct-11

    2

    1

    1

    Nov-11

    7

    4

    1

    1

    1

    Dec-11

    2

    2

    Jan-12

    5

    5

    Feb-12

    3

    2

    1

    Mar-12

    5

    2

    1

    1

    1

    Apr-12

    2

    2

    May-12

    6

    5

    1

    Jun-12

    3

    1

    1

    1

    Jul-12

    6

    4

    2

    Aug-12

    3

    2

    1

    Sep-12

    3

    1

    2

    Oct-12

    2

    2

    Nov-12

    6

    4

    2

    Dec-12

    2

    2

    Jan-13

    2

    1

    1

    Feb-13

    1

    1

    Mar-13

    7

    4

    1

    1

    1

    Apr-13

    6

    4

    1

    1

    May-13

    6

    3

    1

    1

    1

    Jun-13

    13

    9

    3

    1

    Jul-13

    4

    4

    Aug-13

    4

    3

    1

    Sep-13

    12

    7

    1

    4

    Oct-13

    4

    2

    1

    1

    Nov-13

    6

    3

    2

    1

    Dec-13

    6

    5

    1

    Jan-14

    10

    8

    2

    Feb-14

    4

    3

    1

    Mar-14

    5

    3

    2

    Apr-14

    6

    5

    1

    May-14

    0

    Jun-14

    8

    7

    1

    Jul-14

    12

    7

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    Aug-14

    5

    3

    2

    Sep-14

    5

    3

    1

    1

    Oct-14

    5

    4

    1

    Nov-14

    10

    6

    4

    Dec-14

    8

    4

    3

    1

    Jan-15

    5

    4

    1

    Feb-15

    2

    2

    Month

    Total

    Hostage

    Concerted Indiscipline

    Incident at Height

    Industrial Action

    Escape

    Barricade

    Fire

    Civil Unrest

    Mar-15

    13

    9

    2

    2

    Apr-15

    5

    3

    1

    1

    May-15

    6

    4

    2

    Jun-15

    9

    5

    2

    1

    1

    Jul-15

    14

    7

    2

    5

    Aug-15

    3

    1

    2

    Sep-15

    9

    6

    2

    1

    Oct-15

    6

    3

    2

    1

    Nov-15

    5

    2

    3

    Dec-15

    5

    2

    1

    2

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to ensure (a) pregnant women and (b) other people intending to visit South America and the Caribbean are aware of the risks posed by Zika virus.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England (PHE) and the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) have been carefully monitoring the Zika virus outbreak in the Americas since it was first reported in Brazil during May 2015. When the Brazilian Ministry of Health announced a potential link between maternal Zika virus infection and microcephaly in December 2015, PHE and NaTHNaC published updated advice for travellers to South and Central America and the Caribbean, including specific advice for pregnant women. This advice continues to be updated regularly as more information becomes available.

    PHE has been and continues to liaise with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Association of British Neurologists and the Association of British Travel Agents who have published updates on their respective websites. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also updated its country travel advice pages with information about Zika virus.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much (a) the Government and (b) each government department spent on (i) arrangements and (ii) hospitality for the Chinese state visit in October 2015.

    James Duddridge

    The full cost of inward State Visits is borne by a number of different Government Departments. We do not yet have the costs borne by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the 2015 State Visit by the President of China. These will be published on the gov.uk website once available.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of migrants expected to attempt to enter the EU from Syria and other conflict zones during the period May to September 2016.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have not made an independent estimate. The Government uses the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration data and analysis on migrant and refugee flows. The objective of the EU-Turkey deal is to stop irregular migration from Turkey and focus support on the majority of migrants and refugees who remain in the region near their homes. This is where we target a significant amount of UK support. We have pledged more than £2.3 billion in response to the Syrian conflict.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of running events promoting local authority devolution deals in each of the last three years.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Department has not paid for any events specifically promoting devolution deals over the past three years.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees what plans are there to support Fairtrade fortnight.

    Lord Laming

    Catering and Retail Services stock a range of Fairtrade products, including tea, coffee, cake, biscuits and bananas. Catering and Retail Services raised awareness of these lines during Fairtrade Fortnight this year and ran related promotions.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the Government has to force Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies to establish public central registers of beneficial ownership.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    While the Overseas Territories (OTs) and Crown Dependencies (CDs) are separate jurisdictions, and are responsible for their own fiscal matters, we are working closely with them on their role on company transparency. Our priority has been for them to establish a central register of beneficial ownership information (or a similarly effective system) where they do not already have one, and for UK law enforcement and tax authorities to have full and automatic access to that information. Bilateral arrangements to this effect have now been concluded with all the relevant OTs and with the CDs, and these will enter into effect by June 2017. The registers will, with one exception, not be public, but these measures will place our Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories well ahead of other similar jurisdictions and represent a significant step forward in our ability to counter criminal activity.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of prisoners released on licence to a bail hostel have been subsequently recalled to prison in 2016 to date.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Between January 2016 and March 2016 (the latest date for which figures are available), 715 offenders were recalled to prison whilst residing in an approved premises.

    We are unable to give an accurate figure for the proportion of departures from an approved premises that were attributable to the offender being recalled to custody. This is because some residents of an approved premises are not offenders released from custody on licence; in terms of departures, these cannot be distinguished from other residents.

    Approved premises provide for effective supervision of certain high risk of harm offenders, particularly on release from custody. It would not be possible to provide such effective supervision elsewhere in the community, which is the only alternative for offenders who have completed the custodial part of their sentence. Offenders who breach their licence conditions (including the rules of residence of an approved premises in which they are required to reside) are liable to be recalled to custody, in order to protect the public.

  • Angela Rayner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Angela Rayner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Rayner on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role he plans for Rail North in (a) assessing bids for the Northern and TransPennine Express rail franchises and (b) drafting the agreements for those franchises.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport (DfT) has been working with Rail North throughout the process to renew the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises. As well as their active involvement during the development of the franchise specifications and public consultation, Rail North staff have also been part of the DfT teams evaluating the bids and have commented on key parts of the draft Franchise Agreements.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to planned changes to the housing benefit cap announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what assessment he has made of the effect of that cap on (a) domestic violence refuges and (b) other supported accommodation.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The introduction of Local Housing Allowance limits to social sector tenants in receipt of Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit will only apply from April 2018 where new tenancies have been taken out or renewed after April 2016.

    The Department is working on the exact policy design details for tenants in supported accommodation which includes domestic violence refuges.