Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    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:

    • HMP Birmingham
    • HMP Doncaster
    • HMP Dovegate
    • HMP Forest Bank
    • HMP Oakwood
    • HMP Thameside

    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.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    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.

  • David Anderson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Anderson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    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.

  • John Leech – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    John Leech – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    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.

  • Steve Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Steve Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    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.

  • James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    James Duddridge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    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.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    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.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    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.

  • Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of air rifles in the UK.

    Norman Baker

    Only air rifles which have a discharge velocity of 12ft lbs are held on a
    firearms certificate.

    The police National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS) shows that as
    of 12 May, 11,852 such air rifles were held on certificate in England and
    Wales.

    Low-powered air rifles (those below 12ft lbs discharge velocity) are not
    licensed in England and Wales. It is therefore not possible to provide an
    estimate of the number of air rifles which fall into this classification.

  • Angie Bray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Angie Bray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angie Bray on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W, on human trafficking: victim support schemes, how many of those referred were (a) men and (b) women; what steps are taken to ensure that after victims leave the shelter into which they have been placed by the Salvation Army they are not re-trafficked and do not contact their former traffickers; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The requested information on the gender of potential victims and the regions in
    which they were found (answer 30 April 2014 refers) was not withheld and is
    provided in a table below.

    The victim care contract does not require support providers to maintain any
    form of formal contact with victims after the recovery and reflection period.
    All support providers work with victims throughout their support period to help
    them move on from the service. Through the National Referral Mechanism review
    and the re-tender of the adult victims care contract, we are looking at what
    more we can do to help victims recover and reintegrate effectively.

    The table below contains the requested details of the 126 referrals in February
    2014.