The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-09.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 6 May 2014, Official Report, columns 113-4W, on taxation, how much is owed in penalties and interest for failure to meet the deadline set for self assessment returns in the year ending 31 March 2014.
Mr David Gauke
This information is only available at a disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners in open prisons were returned to closed prisons in each of the last three years by (a) reason for their return and (b) type of offence originally committed.
Jeremy Wright
We do not centrally hold data on the individual reasons for determinate sentence prisoner transfers, including transfers following re-categorisation and when prisoners have been returned to closed conditions from open prisons. Where this is available, the information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as it would involve a manual trawl through the records of every prisoner to identify if they have ever been held in open conditions and subsequently returned to closed conditions.
However, the information, in part, is centrally available in respect of indeterminate sentence prisoners.
Table 1 provides the number of indeterminate sentence prisoners who have been returned from open conditions to closed conditions and where the transfer occurred between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2014, grouped by year and by reason for transfer. The data has been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
We are unable to provide a breakdown of this information by index offence as this information is not held centrally; to obtain it would require a manual trawl through every case and this would incur disproportionate cost.
|
REASON FOR RETURN TO CLOSED PRISON |
2011-12 |
2012-13 |
2013-14 |
Grand Total |
|
Abscond |
117 |
161 |
170 |
448 |
|
Antisocial Behaviour |
48 |
96 |
74 |
218 |
|
Breach of Licence Conditions |
30 |
33 |
56 |
120 |
|
Drink/Drugs |
139 |
171 |
256 |
568 |
|
FNP |
3 |
3 |
||
|
Healthcare issues |
5 |
5 |
||
|
New charges/offences |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Non compliance |
1 |
28 |
29 |
|
|
Other |
135 |
235 |
298 |
668 |
|
Prisoner request |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Psychology concerns/issues |
6 |
6 |
||
|
Serious breach of prison rules |
1 |
21 |
22 |
|
|
Grand Total |
469 |
698 |
921 |
2,087 |
The main purpose of open conditions is to test prisoners in conditions more similar to those that they will face in the community. Time spent in open prisons affords prisoners the opportunity to find work, re-establish family ties, reintegrate into the community and ensure housing needs are met. For many prisoners who have spent a considerable amount of time in custody; these can assist in their successful reintegration in the community and protecting the public.
We make no apologies for taking a firm approach in returning prisoners to closed conditions wherever we need to do so.
The number of temporary release failures remains very low; less that one failure in every 1,000 releases and about five in every 100,000 releases involving alleged offending, but we take each and every incident seriously. The Government has already ordered immediate changes to tighten up the system as a matter of urgency. With immediate effect, prisoners will no longer be transferred to open conditions if they have previously absconded from open prisons; or if they have failed to return or reoffended whilst released on temporary licence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) computers, (b) job-search stations and (c) telephones were available for jobseekers to use in Jobcentre Plus offices in the United Kingdom in each financial year since 2008-09; and whether these will be available in every Jobcentre Plus in 2015-16.
Esther McVey
We are changing the way we provide our service, moving from a telephone and Jobpoint based service to one which is making use of the latest technologies.From now until the end of October, we will be installing WIFI and new Web Access Devices across the Jobcentre network. This will enable claimants to access Universal Jobmatch and other job sites, as well as allowing them to apply directly for vacancies that they find.
Equipment Available for Jobseekers to use in Jobcentres in Great Britain* from 2008 to 2016
|
a) Computers |
b) Jobsearch stations (Jobpoints) |
c) telephones (Customer Access Phones) |
|
|
2008-09 |
0 |
6860 |
3790 |
|
2009-10 |
0 |
6967 |
3790 |
|
2010-11 |
0 |
6933 |
3790 |
|
2011-12 |
0 |
6647 |
3790 |
|
2012-13 |
2176 |
6079 |
3730 |
|
2013-14 |
2411 |
6079 |
2384 |
|
2014-15 |
8307 |
0 |
0** |
|
2015-16*** |
8307 |
0 |
0** |
All figures are as of financial year end
*Figures for Northern Ireland not available.
**Assisted service available to vulnerable claimants who are unable to access DWP services without our help. The Assisted Service is face-to-face and includes use of a telephone for claimants who need support to resolve their enquiry. Support is tailored to the individual’s needs.
***Estimated figures
The figures for 2013-14 were provided by Operations to the Digital Jobcentre Project as part of an audit undertaken at the start of the Project and have not been properly checked and verified.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the conclusions of the Orion Innovations report entitled Merits of UK Coal State Aid Application, submitted to his Department on 9 May 2014.
Michael Fallon
I asked officials to review the report and discuss it with the author. This included a discussion on the background to the report and an explanation from Orion of the methodology and conclusions made in the report. Furthermore, they questioned the detail of the analysis, the robustness of the assumptions and areas for further development. Their conclusions are that the report is a high level analysis of the key issues and that it would require significant further work, diligence and validation of assumptions and contingency. It also requires enhancements to methodology, for example, to model the phasing of cash flows and include time value of money considerations and appropriate returns to capital. Orion has noted that the work was completed on a short timeframe and that they would be open to carrying out further work if a mandate could be agreed. On this basis, it is not possible to draw conclusions sufficient to inform any investment decision.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the costs of treatment of UK nationals in each other European Economic Area country in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Ellison
The following information is not held by the Department:
– income health trusts in each region or nation of the United Kingdom received for the cost of treating European Economic Area (EEA) nationals;
– income each NHS trust in each region of England claimed back for the cost of treating EEA nationals;
– the number of EEA nationals who received NHS treatment;
– the cost of treating EEA nationals who received NHS treatment in each region of the UK.
Claims to and from EEA countries are managed centrally by the Department on behalf of the whole of the UK. Income claimed from EEA countries is based on both data collected from trusts and arrangements in place with other EEA countries under bilateral agreements.
The Department does hold information on claims to the UK from other EEA countries for healthcare costs. However, claims to the UK from other EEA countries are not based on nationality – they are based on whether the UK is judged to be responsible for someone’s healthcare costs, for example due to residency in the UK or, for state pensioners, someone with a UK state pension who has retired to a different EEA country. It is therefore not possible to provide a breakdown of costs based on UK nationality.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Murphy on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to support the adoption of a target to achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, with particular attention to the most marginalised and people in vulnerable situations in the Open Working Group negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Justine Greening
The UK supports the inclusion of ensuring universal health coverage as a target under an outcome-focused health goal. By definition, universal health coverage includes financial risk protection. This language is included in the most recent draft goals and targets list released by the co-chairs of the Open Working Group (OWG) on 2 June.
The final targets in the post-2015 development framework will however be subject to international negotiations in the United Nations, in which the UK will play an active role.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Sheridan on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with (a) UK-based companies and (b) companies selling products in the UK about the effect of their sourcing practices on small-scale farmers in developing countries.
Lynne Featherstone
We regularly have discussions with UK based companies about a range of issues including supply chains and how they can improve development impacts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons NHS England has refused to proceed with the proposed new health centre for Burntwood in Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement.
Dr Daniel Poulter
NHS England is responsible for deciding on the funding given to general practitioner (GP) practices to reimburse them for their premises costs.
We are advised that capital development schemes that had not been formally approved by former primary care trust boards by 1 October 2012 have been reviewed by NHS England. This includes the Burntwood Leisure Centre development. NHS England concluded, following assessment, that the scheme did not meet the requirements for prioritisation, and it was therefore not approved. These requirements include, but not exhaustively, service continuity, affordability and value for money.It was noted that the project had not received an unequivocally clear commitment from a number of the potential occupiers of the Centre.
We understand from NHS England that discussions are ongoing regarding alternative schemes to replace the Burntwood Leisure Centre development. NHS England continues to work with the GPs and other partners.
My hon. Friend may wish to approach the NHS England Shropshire and Staffordshire Area Team for further information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Alexander on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the remaining states who have not yet ratified the Arms Trade Treaty do so.
Mr William Hague
We will work to encourage states to sign and to ratify, in order to reach the 50 ratifications that are required to bring the Treaty into force. Like the negotiations on the Treaty itself, this will take time and require the considerable efforts and persistence of a broad coalition of supporters.
The UK has allocated £350,000 to support projects that will help countries to sign, ratify and implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). We are working through the UN and EU with countries that require technical assistance and advice on how to implement certain aspects of the Treaty e.g. enforcement training and framing legislation correctly. Other activities include raising awareness with key partners in regions such as West Africa, where communities are seriously affected by the illicit trade in Small Arms.
This year, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s counter-proliferation programme, we will be funding a series of ATT-related projects specifically focused on ATT signature, ratification, implementation and early entry into force.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many current suitably qualified and experienced personnel positions are (a) required and (b) vacant in (i) Type 23 and (ii) Type 45 ship crews.
Anna Soubry
The information requested, as at 1 May 2014, is shown in the table:
| Required Positions | Vacant Positions | |
| Type 23 | 2,060 | 180 |
| Type 45 | 1.010 | 80 |
Note: All figures are rounded in accordance with the Defence Statistics rounding policy. All numbers over 100 are rounded to the nearest 10 with numbers ending in 5 rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to avoid bias. Numbers under 100 are rounded to the nearest 5.
None of the existing vacancies is in a post categorised as safety critical and no ship would go to sea without the minimum required complement of suitably qualified and experienced personnel.