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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2015 to Question 9384, on Reoffenders, if he will list the offences committed by those people numbered in the violence against the person category.

    Andrew Selous

    A fixed-term recall is used only in respect of offenders who are assessed as not posing a risk of serious harm to the public at the point at which they would be re-released automatically. A fixed term recall will not be given in cases where an offender has been charged with a further serious offence, such as a sexual or violent offence or where an offender’s behaviour suggests that he presents a risk of serious harm to the public. Such offenders would receive a standard recall, which means they are liable to remain in prison until the end of their sentence

    In appropriate cases, a fixed-term recall allows preventative measures to be put in place to stop the offender breaching their licence again

    The table below provides a list of the offences committed by 546 offenders who received a fixed term recall in 2014 and who were serving a sentence for violence against the person.

    Violence against the person

    Murder

    Manslaughter

    Other and attempted homicide

    Wounding

    Assaults

    Other violence against the person
  • 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 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure that Syrian refugees who are resettled in the UK as part of the vulnerable persons programme do not lose contact with family who are not also resettled in the UK.

    Richard Harrington

    The Syrian refugees being resettled in the UK are, wherever possible, resettled with their immediate family members. It is up to the individuals concerned to decide how best to maintain contact with their family members who are not in the UK.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will publish an accountability structure of the responsibilities regarding sexual and reproductive health for each government department and arm’s length body.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department is responsible for overall policy on sexual health in England. We work collaboratively with all relevant arm’s length bodies on issues linked to sexual health and we also maintain good working relationships with other government departments on issues relating to sexual health. Accountability structures for each organisation are already in the public domain.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations on anti-Muslim violence in India to the government of that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Prime Minister, my right hon Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) discussed religious tolerance in India with Prime Minister Modi on 12 November. Mr Modi reassured the British government that he remained committed to diversity and fundamental freedoms. Mr Modi was clear in his commitment to and respect for India’s core values of tolerance and fundamental rights, as well as reaffirming the importance of social harmony and inclusive development. I also discussed concerns about religious tolerance with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh on 5 November.

  • Fiona Mactaggart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Fiona Mactaggart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the Government no longer funds the NSPCC helpline on modern slavery; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    Between 31 July 2014 and 31 July 2015, 849 contacts were made to the NSPCC-run modern slavery helpline including 57 contacts made by potential victims themselves. 403 referrals were made to the police during the same period. Many calls to the helpline are made by concerned members of the public rather than victims themselves and so the number of potential victims is based on the information provided by a third party. The helpline refers information to the police or social services if the operator believes someone to be in danger or at risk of modern slavery.

    From the 849 contacts the NSPCC was notified of a potential 1,163 victims. Of those potential victims, 340 were reported as female, 530 were male and 293 were recorded as both or unknown. The table below shows the breakdown of those potential victims by age group.

    Age group

    Total

    0-17

    83

    18-25

    152

    26-35

    114

    36-45

    46

    46-50

    17

    51-60

    37

    61-70

    10

    Unknown

    704

    Grand Total

    1163

    The Home Office does not maintain a record of how many potential victims were subsequently found or referred to the NRM as a result of these contacts. However, all potential adult victims who contact the helpline are signposted to The Salvation Army for support and referral into the National Referral Mechanism, if they consent. Potential child victims are referred to the NSPCC’s Child Trafficking Advice Centre for further action.

    No funding has been allocated for the NSPCC helpline for the financial year 2016-17. Polaris, a US-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), is establishing an enhanced UK helpline in collaboration with a UK-based NGO, which will supersede the current NSPCC helpline. The NSPCC helpline will remain in operation until the enhanced helpline is up and running. Start up funding of up to £1 million has been provided by Google.org. The new helpline is expected to be in operation later this year.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provision is made for people with learning disabilities and mental health problems in the system for testing applicants for UK citizenship.

    James Brokenshire

    The Secretary of State may waive the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK requirement for British citizenship on the basis of a person’s age, physical or mental condition.

    A person will normally be exempted from this requirement if they provide evidence from an appropriate medical practitioner that their condition is so severe that it prevents them from being able to learn English or prepare for or sit an English test or the Life in the UK test. Each application is considered on its own merits.

    Information cannot be obtained from UKVI data systems to show how many exemption requests were made and granted. This information could only be obtained from looking at individual records at disproportionate cost.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the progress of the programme to re-paint the red doors of properties used to house asylum seekers on Teesside.

    James Brokenshire

    The provision of accommodation for asylum seekers is provided under the COMPASS contracts. It is the responsibility of all of the suppliers to ensure that all accommodation used meets the required contractual standard and complies with the Decent Homes Standards. The accommodation should be safe, habitable and fit for purpose. The COMPASS providers are required to inspect properties each month and UKVI’s contract compliance teams reinforce this by visiting properties regularly.

    The Home Office expects the highest standards and where a contractor is found to be falling short of these standards we work with them to ensure that issues are quickly addressed.

    Earlier this year, we instructed our supplier (G4S) to repaint the doors of G4S and Jomast managed properties to ensure that no one colour is predominant. I have received confirmation from the Provider that this had been completed, UKVI staff have also confirmed that no one colour is predominant as they have visited properties as part of their inspection regime.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many companies that provide patient transport services within the NHS have gone bankrupt or into administration while providing that service in each of the last five years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department does not hold this information.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

    Mr David Jones

    Consistent with Managing Public Money principles, the Department for Exiting the European Union will ensure its purchasing policies represent value for money, are compliant with legal and international obligations, and follow Government policies and standards on public procurement.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what impact assessment his Department carried out on women directly affected by the Pension Act 2011 before those changes came into effect.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Estimates of the number (a) men and (b) women affected by the changes made to State Pension age are presented in Table 5 of the Pensions Act 2011 Impact Assessment, published in November 2011, available at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181462/pensions-bill-2011-ia-annexa.pdf

    This shows that an estimated 2.34 million men and 2.64 million women would have an increase in the State Pension age under the Pensions Act 2011 compared to the legislated position prior to the passing of the Pensions Act 2011.

    The Impact Assessment examines the fiscal costs and benefits of increasing women’s State Pension age from 63 to 65 between April 2016 to November 2018; and increasing men’s and women’s State Pension age from 65 to 66 between December 2018 and October 2020. A Gender Impact assessment is provided in the Annex of the Pensions Act 2011 Impact Assessment.

    Women born in 1952 were not affected by the changes to State Pension age in the Pensions Act 2011.

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