Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-06-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2016 to Question 37088, which body is responsible for publishing information about funds collected through the Mutual Assistance Recovery Directive; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is required to submit information about funds they collect through the Mutual Assistance Recovery Directive (MARD) on an annual basis. HMRC does not publish this information. Under the MARD, the EU Commission is required to produce a regular report summarising the use of the mutual assistance arrangements.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to incorporate in domestic law the objectives of the (a) EU Habitats Directive and (b) EU Birds Directive.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government is considering the impacts of the decision to leave the EU, including future arrangements for existing legislation.

    The Government remains committed to conserving our natural environment, building on the UK’s long history of wildlife protection. This includes a manifesto commitment to produce a 25 Year Plan for the Environment.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to put the National Referral Mechanism on a statutory footing after it is reformed; and whether such plans would require primary or secondary legislation.

    Sarah Newton

    We are committed to doing all we can to identify and support UK-based victims of modern slavery. Following a review of the NRM, and in consultation with law enforcement and NGOs, we are piloting ways of improving the efficacy and efficiency of existing arrangements in two regions. The pilot will be evaluated and the findings will inform any reforms that we decide to roll out. Putting the NRM on a statutory footing would require secondary legislation and we will consider whether there is a need do so at the end of the pilot.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the finalised route phase two of the High Speed 2 rail line; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We have committed to setting out the Government’s plan for the HS2 Phase Two route in an update to the House before the end of this year.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, on how many occasions a special adviser in his Department accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.

    David Mundell

    I have not been accompanied by a Special Adviser on an overseas trip since May 2015.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20564, how many people were charged with jury (a) intimidation and (b) tampering in each of the last five years.

    Robert Buckland

    Section 51 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 creates two offences:

    S.51(1) creates an offence directed at acts against a person who assists in an investigation of an offence or who is a witness or potential witness or juror or potential juror whilst an investigation or trial is in progress

    S.51(2) creates an offence directed at acts against a person who assisted in an investigation of an offence or who was a witness or juror after an investigation or trial has been concluded.

    The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in the magistrates’ courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted. A single defendant may be prosecuted for multiple offences.

    The number of offences charged under s.51(1) and s.51(2) are as follows:

    2010-2011

    2011-2012

    2012-2013

    2013-2014

    2014-2015

    Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 51(1)

    Intimidate a witness / juror

    3,275

    2,630

    2,148

    2,066

    2,202

    Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 51(2)

    Do an act which harmed a witness / juror

    102

    166

    99

    72

    109

    Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 51(2)

    Threaten a witness / juror

    240

    172

    118

    122

    129

    The proportion of CPS cases that result in a guilty plea has increased from 67.2% in 10/11 to 74.5% in 14/15 which means that there are fewer cases that are likely to be subject to the sorts of acts covered by s.51(1) during the course of the prosecution.

    Also, s.51(1) covers intimidation of juror or potential jurors. The number of crown court trials have also been reducing over the period in question by 9.5%, again resulting in fewer cases where S.51(1) offences are likely to apply.

  • Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Graham Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on income tax assignment to local government in England; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Clark

    The Government is committed to giving local areas more control over their own resources. By 2020, local government will retain 100 per cent of business rates revenue, up from 50 per cent now.

  • Lord Grocott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Grocott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Grocott on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which countries have expressed an interest in applying for membership of the EU.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) states that any European State which respects its values and is committed to promoting them may apply to become a member of the Union. The Council currently recognises five candidates for EU membership: Turkey, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia. Turkey, Montenegro and Serbia have started accession negotiations. Albania and Macedonia have Candidate Status but have not started accession negotiations. Bosnia and Herzegovina submitted its membership application on 15 February 2016. The General Affairs Council will revert to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s application once it deems that sufficient progress in the implementation of the Reform Agenda has been achieved. Kosovo is recognised as a potential candidate and has signed and concluded a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU. Iceland started negotiations in 2013, but last year requested that it no longer be considered a candidate country.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications to the Disclosure and Barring Service from people in Clacton constituency have taken more than 60 days to process in the last 12 months.

    Karen Bradley

    In the vast majority of cases, disclosure certificates are issued in a timely manner. Performance data relating to February 2016 indicates that average processing time for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) applications was 15 days. It is important that checks undertaken are thorough and a proportion of the applications received by the DBS need to be referred to one or more police forces as part of the enhanced disclosure process.

    The DBS is reliant on police forces completing their checks in a timely manner. A small number of forces have experienced difficulties in meeting the service level agreements in place between the DBS and each force. Whilst no assessment has been made of the impact of timeliness on unemployed customers, it is recognised that delays may create problems for some people. The DBS is working closely with those forces whose performance does not meet turnaround time targets. We will not compromise when it comes to the safety of children and vulnerable adults.

    The number of applications to the DBS from people living in the Clacton constituency that have taken more than 60 days to process in the last 12 months is listed in the table below.

    Month

    Number of certificates issued by DBS to applicants in Clacton constituency

    Applications that took longer than 60 days

    March 2015– February 2016

    5,707

    322
  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 33817, what the Joint Intelligence Committee’s current estimate is of the number of non-extremist opposition fighters in Syria.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on 21 April 2016 to UIN 33817.