Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many nationals of other EU members states have won appeals to prevent their deportation in each of the last 10 years.

    James Brokenshire

    The table below shows the number of EEA foreign national offenders who have won their appeal against deportation over the last 10 years.

    Calendar Year

    No of Appeals allowed

    2006

    69

    2007

    40

    2008

    35

    2009

    49

    2010

    110

    2011

    121

    2012

    152

    2013

    130

    2014

    83

    2015

    59

    Total

    852

    (1) All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

    (2) A foreign national offender (FNO) is someone who is not a British citizen and has been remanded in custody, convicted, and given a custodial sentence in the United Kingdom for any offence. An FNO can be convicted and have served their sentence while on remand, so may not have been sent to prison.

    (3) Figures relate to main applicants only and exclude dependants.

    (4) Figures relate to appeals lodged between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2015. Appeal outcomes may have been reached in the same or in subsequent years.

    (5) Appeal Allowed figures only show the final appeal outcome and do not include any previous appeal outcomes for that individual case. They include those determined in both the Lower and Upper Tiers.

    The table below shows the total number of EEA foreign national offenders removed over last the 10 years.

    Calendar Year

    EEA FNO Removals

    2006

    480

    2007

    523

    2008

    633

    2009

    748

    2010

    933

    2011

    1,147

    2012

    1,653

    2013

    2,121

    2014

    2,962

    2015

    3,310

    (1) The figures quoted have been derived from management information from the Home Office databases and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

    (2) A Foreign National Offender (FNO) is defined as an individual with a criminal case on the Home Office’s Case Information Database, and may include individuals with asylum cases.

    (3) Total EEA FNO removals figures relate to those cases that have been deported, administratively removed or voluntarily departed from UK.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what commitments on compensation and other matters the UK and other EU member-states agreed to implement under the provisions of the EU Political and Security note of December 2014, contingent on the EU Structured Dialogue with the State of Israel halting demolitions by 17 March 2016.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    There has been a significant increase in Israeli demolitions since the start of 2016. The EU is considering how to respond to the demolition and confiscation of EU-funded structures in Area C. The UK and the EU continue to raise concerns about demolitions with the Government of Israel and make it clear that demolitions are contrary to international humanitarian law in all but the most exceptional cases.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of proposed changes to the disabled students allowances on the number of disabled students accessing higher education.

    Joseph Johnson

    The reform of Disabled Students’ Allowances is intended to ensure higher education institutions are consistently meeting their duties to disabled students under the Equality Act, and is not expected to impact on the number of disabled students accessing higher education.

    The Government carried out an Equality Analysis as part of the recent consultation on reforms to Disabled Students’ Allowances. This is available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/481527/bis-15-658-disabled-students-allowances-equality-analysis.pdf

    “

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK’s policy on the Middle East of recent demolitions by Israel of Palestinian homes and other structures in the West Bank.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK position on demolitions is clear: demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are, in all but the most exceptional of cases, contrary to international humanitarian law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have raised our opposition to demolitions with the Israeli authorities repeatedly, most recently on 12 July, and urged them to provide a legal route for Palestinian construction. I also made our position clear at Oral Questions in the House on 12 July.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he plans to give effect to the provisions of the Scotland Act 2016 not yet in force.

    David Mundell

    We have made significant progress since the Scotland Act 2016 reached Royal Assent in March 2016 and a large number of provisions of the Act are already in force, giving the Scottish Parliament responsibilities in new policy areas. Most recently, new welfare powers came into force on 5 September 2016 and the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare continues to meet to discuss the implementation of welfare powers, as well as the commencement and implementation of remaining welfare provisions.

    Implementation dates for a number of the tax and fiscal responsibilities in the Scotland Act 2016 are set out in the Fiscal Framework for Scotland.

    We are working constructively with the Scottish Government on the commencement of sections of the Scotland Act 2016 and I will meet regularly with Derek Mackay MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution in the Scottish Government, to discuss progress. I will ensure the UK Parliament is kept informed about this important work.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what factors were considered by HM Revenue and Customs when making its decision to locate its regional hub in Leeds rather than Bradford.

    Mr David Gauke

    On 12 November, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the next stage of its ten-year modernisation programme. As part of that, the department demonstrated its long-term commitment to Yorkshire and the Humber by setting out that it would establish a Regional Centre in Leeds.

    A number of factors were considered by HMRC when deciding where to locate its new Regional Centres. In addition to cost, it considered local and national transport links, the local labour market, supply of future workforce and the retention of current staff and skills.

    HMRC modelled the impact of locating the Regional Centre for Yorkshire and the Humber in both Bradford and Leeds. For both scenarios, it took into account the potential loss of jobs for staff expected to be outside of reasonable daily travel (defined as approximately 1 hour from home to work, though dependent on individual circumstances).

    HMRC first shared its transformation plans with its employees 18 months ago. Since then has held more than 2,000 events across the UK, setting out how and why it is changing. The department is committed to continuing to support all of its employees who are affected by these changes.

    Staff in Yorkshire attended a number of face-to-face events, providing feedback on the potential location of the regional centre. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances in one-to-one meetings with their manager.

    This transformation programme will ultimately enable HMRC to deliver better public services at lower cost to the taxpayer. It will generate estate savings of £100 million a year by 2025.

  • Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger on 2015-12-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any two-way secondment programmes in place in the Department for International Development to foster a comprehensive understanding of small business development.

    Baroness Verma

    DFID does not have any secondments in place with small business. Its two-way secondment arrangements with the private sector have been with larger firms, including a current inward secondment from Glaxo Smith Kline and a previous outward secondment to John Lewis.

    Aside from secondments, DFID recruits from the private sector, contracts in private sector expertise, benefits from pro bono arrangments with a number of firms, and maintains close partnerships and dialogue with the private sector.

  • Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-01-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the support from a range of health organisations, including the World Health Organization, they plan to reconsider a sugar tax as a part of the forthcoming childhood obesity strategy.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    As part of its review to identify possible actions to reduce sugar intakes and inform the Government’s thinking on sugar, Public Health England considered the current evidence around fiscal measures such as a tax on sugary foods and drinks. We are considering this alongside other evidence as we develop our childhood obesity strategy which will be launched shortly. It will look at everything, including sugar, that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese. It will also set out what more can be done by all sides.

  • Caroline Flint – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Caroline Flint – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of her Department’s invoices for goods and services supplied by (a) private companies and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are completed on time; and what proportion of the (i) number and (ii) value of contracts between her Department and private companies are held by SMEs.

    Karen Bradley

    a) The Home Office is not required to compile prompt payment data in respect of private companies. To calculate such a figure would incur disproportionate costs.

    b) In the financial year 2014-15, 88% of the total numbers of all invoices to every type of supplier were paid within five working days of receipt. The total number of invoices paid within 30 working days of receipt of invoice was 97%.

    For small and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the Home Office paid 80% of invoices within five working days of receipt of invoice. And 96% of invoices from SMEs were paid within 30 working days of receipt of invoice.

    i) The proportion of the number of contracts between the Home Office and SMEs is not readily available, except at disproportionate costs.

    ii) In 2014-15, the Home Office have reported 19.6% spend with SMEs. This figure is made up of 7.7% (£200 million) direct spend with SMEs and 11.9% (£310 miliion) indirect spend.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average travel time is for customers attending a first-time passport application interview; and what she estimates the average travel times will be after the proposed closure of interview offices in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England.

    James Brokenshire

    HM Passport Office does not collate any information on average travel times for applicants.

    In 2015, HM Passport Office interviewed 222,264 adult customers applying for their first passport. Under the planned changes to HM Passport Offices the vast majority of passport application interviewees will see no change to their travel time. In a small number of cases passport application interviewees will have to travel further but this should not be more than 65 miles or one and a half hours from their previous closest office.