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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving a mandatory life sentence have been released early from prison in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    A life sentence is mandatory for murder. A life sentence must also be imposed for a second, very serious, specified violent or sexual offence – for example, manslaughter, GBH with intent, rape, and sexual assault on a child under 13 – unless the court finds that there are particular circumstances relating to the offence or the offender which would make it unjust to do so.

    Under a life sentence, the offender must serve the full minimum term imposed by the court before being considered for release on life licence by the Parole Board, which will only release an offender if and when it considers it safe to do so. Where a whole life order is imposed the offender is not eligible for parole.

    The number of life sentences imposed in each of the last ten years can be found on gov.uk.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to establish an enhanced Modern Slavery Helpline following the Home Secretary’s announcement on 9 December 2015.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    In December 2015, the Government welcomed an announcement by Google and Polaris that they intend to establish an enhanced modern slavery helpline in the UK. Partnerships between business and civil society are vital if we are to eradicate modern slavery, and this project has the potential to make it easier for people to report suspected cases of modern slavery.

    Over the past two years, the Government’s modern slavery reforms have resulted in record high numbers of victim referrals and of prosecutions and convictions for slavery-related offences. But there is more to do and projects such as this will help to ensure that even more victims are helped and even more slave- drivers are brought to justice.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to promote British business in (a) Australia, (b) Canada and (c) New Zealand.

    Anna Soubry

    We are taking forward our manifesto commitment to strengthen relationships with Australia and New Zealand and bilateral trade plays an important part of this. Our trade campaigns are focussed on the strongest growing sectors that match UK business strengths. Australia continues to offer particularly good opportunities for UK firms in transport infrastructure witha Laing O’Rourke led consortium winning a £2.1bn highway upgrade project earlier in the year. Other sectors of opportunity include: defence, urban regeneration & construction, airports, rail, ICT & software, food & beverage. The changing dynamics in the world economy have reduced demand for UK oil & gas expertise but we are continuing to explore opportunities in renewable energy.

    We are also using the GREAT Campaign to provide platforms for UK firms to network through business events around Rugby World Cup, Bond, the Clipper Yacht Race, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Melbourne and a broader Culture is GREAT campaign in Victoria. Trade missions from London, Northern Ireland and a sports infrastructure themed mission organised by Major Events International have all visited Australia in 2015. We are also supporting the launching of EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement talks and we maintain a strong flow of ministerial and high-level official contacts in support of the bilateral relationship including on trade and investment.

    In New Zealand particularly good opportunities continue for UK firms in transport infrastructure, defence,construction, airports, rail, and food & beverage. Our campaigns have exposed senior New Zealand infrastructure leaders to UK infrastructure best practice which has helped eight UK companies win contracts totalling over £28m this financial year.

    We are using the GREAT Campaign here to provide platforms for UK firms to network through business events around Rugby World Cup, Bond and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Wellington. Trade missions from London and companies from Northern Ireland visited in 2015. We also strongly support the launch of negotiations on an EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and we will continue to use ministerial engagement in 2016 to further trade and business objectives.

    In Canada, our efforts are focussed on those sectors with the highest potential for British business and where the UK has competitive advantage. These include: energy, infrastructure, transport, financial services, creative industries and defence and security. Activities in the past three months to deliver this include: a Northern Ireland Minister led trade mission to Montreal & Toronto; securing business for UK film producers at the Toronto International Film Festival; deliver a 12 day programme of GREAT activity in Toronto and supporting low carbon technology at the opening of Shell’s Carbon Capture and Storage facility in Alberta.

    In 2016 we will promote the Canada EU comprehensive economic and trade agreement which will deliver substantial benefit for UK business. This will include publication of a report to highlight specific opportunities for UK business afforded by CETA and a roadshow of profile raising UK events targeted at businesses.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether adult children will be included in the vulnerable persons relocation scheme along with their younger siblings and parents.

    Richard Harrington

    We work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to identify cases that they deem in need of resettlement according to agreed vulnerability criteria for the Syrian Resettlement Scheme. This can include families where adult children form part of the family unit where the UNHCR deem resettlement is appropriate for the entire family group.

  • 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 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding was allocated to the (a) gold command and (b) Tornado Team in (i) 2010, (ii) 2014 and (iii) 2015; and what he expects such budgets to be in 2016.

    Andrew Selous

    The requested data is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to implement the recommendation of the National Screening Committee, made in January 2016, on making non-invasive prenatal testing for Down’s syndrome available to expectant mothers.

    Ben Gummer

    The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has recommended that non-invasive prenatal testing for Down’s syndrome should be introduced as an additional test into the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme as part of an evaluation. Ministers are currently considering this important recommendation from the UK NSC which has the potential to transform antenatal care.

  • Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mrs Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Madeleine Moon on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the contract for the new Predator ER is predicated on aviation authorities giving clearance for that aircraft to fly in UK and European air space; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department is currently working towards a main investment decision on the PROTECTOR remotely-piloted aircraft announced in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, rather than contracting for a new Predator Extended Range (ER) programme. As part of this work, the Department is considering the issues and options relating to clearance to fly in UK and European airspace.

  • Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much funding the Department for International Development transferred to the EU over and above their fixed aid related contribution.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK makes fixed ODA contributions to the EU budget and the European Development Fund (EDF) each year. In addition to this funding, where DFID doesn’t have the expertise or resources to deliver a major programme itself, it will work locally with partners who can do this including the EU.

    As set out in DFID’s 2015 Statistics on International Development publication, in addition to these fixed ODA contributions, DFID provided £20,378,000 to the EU in 2014 for two infrastructure programmes in Africa. These are both helping to promote trade within Africa and boost local economies, building markets that Britain can trade with which is firmly in our national interest.

    In both cases the EU is the best partner with the necessary capacity and technical expertise to carry out these large infrastructure programmes. Details of all such bilateral programmes are published on devtracker.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much was spent on non-payroll staff in her Department in 2015-16.

    Nick Gibb

    The total spent on non-payroll Contingent Labour staff (ie, Agency Staff (Clerical and Admin); Interim Managers; and Specialist Contractors) in the Department for Education and its Executive Agencies is published by the Department for Education on a monthly basis at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfe-monthly-workforce-management-information which also includes Non Departmental Public Bodies (Equality & Human Rights Commission and Office of the Children’s Commissioner).

    “

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the UK to leave the EU since 23 June 2016; and what further such steps his Department plans to take in the remainder of 2016.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Department for Exiting the European Union has responsibility for overseeing preparations for the withdrawal of the UK from the EU and conducting these withdrawal negotiations in support of the Prime Minister.

    In doing this it is working very closely with other government departments, including the Northern Ireland Office, and a wide range of other interested parties.