The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people were employed in the construction sector in (a) the UK, (b) the East Midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency in each of the last five years.
Mr Nick Hurd
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of urgent repairs to roads managed by the Highways Agency in (a) Huddersfield constituency, (b) Kirklees and (c) Yorkshire.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Highways Agency does not separately identify the cost of urgent repairs on its roads by constituency area. This type of expenditure forms part of a wider contracted service, which includes a number of other general maintenance activities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what financial penalties have been levied against those running private prisons in each year since 2010-11.
Jeremy Wright
On the question of what financial penalties have been levied against those running private prisons in each year since 2010-11, I refer the Rt. Honourable Member to the response sent to him in November of 2013, under PQ 165769, which can be found on Hansard under the reference 4 Dec 2013 Column 705W.
The data presented in table 1 below is based on total number of performance points accrued for the relevant periods. This does not take into account credit points awarded to Contractors and offset against total performance points for the period. Financial remedies are only applicable when performance point baseline targets are exceeded for the period.
Please note, data relating to the 4th quarter of 2013/14 is pending approval and not available for release at this time. Data for the following prisons are also not available and awaiting verification and validation by the parties:
This information will be available later in the year.
It is important to note that performance points are essentially about operational efficiency, and at no point has public safety been at risk. There are no significant historical trends in the attached figures and it is fair to say that privately managed prisons achieve the majority of their contractual targets with proportionately low levels of performance points and financial remedies applied as a result. The data for each contract is closely monitored by MoJ staff and any emerging or sustained performance failures are discussed in detail with the relevant Contractor in order to rectify performance shortfalls as quickly as possible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2014-04-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to bring forward proposals to expand the boundaries of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Simon Hughes
The Government has already legislated to extend the Freedom of Information Act and brought more than 100 additional organisations within scope. We are currently considering ways in which the Act can be extended further to enhance transparency.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2014-04-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Islington of 2 September 2013, Official Report, columns 294-5W, on Israel, what recent steps he has taken to raise allegations of corporate complicity in human rights abuses and international law violations by G4S in Israeli prisons with G4S.
Hugh Robertson
International law does not impose direct obligations on corporations. However, the British Government encourages British companies to show respect for human rights in their operations in the UK and internationally. This is why in September 2013, we launched the UK Action Plan based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Through the Overseas Business Risk Service we provide online advice to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which British businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Leech on 2014-05-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed to work on cancer policy in his Department in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14.
Jane Ellison
The number of full-time equivalent staff (FTE) in the Department working on cancer policy for each of the past three years has been presented in the following table:
|
Year |
FTE staff |
|
2010-11 |
18.3 |
|
2011-12 |
17.1 |
|
2012-13 |
16.7 |
|
2013-14 |
3.5 |
Other Departmental staff work on related issues, such as cancer prevention, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance and the Cancer Drugs Fund. From 1 April 2013, NHS England (rather than the Department) has been responsible for delivering improvements in all cancer services, with Public Health England (PHE) responsible for aspects of cancer screening, immunisation, prevention and symptom awareness.
To reflect new structures, a number of posts were created in NHS England and PHE, taking on some of the responsibilities of the previous Departmental Cancer Policy team.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2014-05-08.
To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, what steps he is taking to advance equal rights for LGBT citizens in the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Jenny Willott
The International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) continue to recognise the UK as the highest ranking country for human rights protection of LGBT people in Europe.
The UK Government is a member of the European Network of Governmental LGBT Focal Points which enables us to disseminate good practice and insight from the UK. Other members include European Union member states.
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 will recognise legally valid marriages of same sex couples formed in other European countries as legal marriages in England and Wales. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in liaison with the Government Equalities Office, is also carrying out an exercise to gain recognition of marriages of same sex couples formed in England and Wales overseas, including in other European Union member states.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Duddridge on 2014-05-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the arrest of Mario Masuku in Swaziland.
Mark Simmonds
We are concerned by the arrests of Mario Masuku and Maxwell Dlamini at a Workers’ Event in Swaziland on 1 May. They have been charged under the Sedition and Subversive Activities and Suppression of Terrorism Acts and continue to be held in custody pending trial proceedings. We are also concerned by the situation of Thulani Maseko, a lawyer, and Bheki Makhubu, a journalist, who remain in custody in Swaziland following their re-arrest on 9 April 2014. We encourage the Swazi Government to respect the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in Swaziland, as set out in the Swazi Constitution, and their international human rights obligations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2014-05-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Randerson on 26 March (WA 124) and 3 April (WA 226), and by Lord Bates on 6 May (WA 410–11), in the light of the scope of Lady Justice Hallett’s inquiry into on the runs, what role they envisage for the Northern Ireland Office, the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Police Service of Northern Ireland in that inquiry.
Baroness Randerson
As noted in earlier written answers, the inquiry will have full access to files held by the Government; government officials who are requested to appear will be expected to do so. The inquiry may also interview key individuals from the Northern Ireland Civil Service, the police and any others where those individuals are willing. The Northern Ireland Office is providing appropriate support to the inquiry team, as its’ sponsoring department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the UK plans to give to the Global Partnership for Education at its next funding round.
Lynne Featherstone
The UK is by far the largest donor to Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the largest bilateral donor to basic education. We are currently considering the level of future UK support to GPE based on their case for investment and the results to be delivered under their new funding model.