Tag: Paula Sherriff

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) direct NHS contracts, (b) contracts sub-contracted from direct NHS contractors and (c) patient transport service contracts VM Langfords held before entering into administration.

David Mowat

Patient Transport Services are normally commissioned at clinical commissioning group (CCG) level. CCGs control their own budgets and hold their own contracts. Information on individual CCG contracts is not collected centrally.

The contracts with Coperforma are held by the relevant CCG as is the value of the contract. There are no central records.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to encourage reporting of hate crime incidents; and whether she plans to introduce new ways of reporting.

Sarah Newton

The Government condemns all hate crimes and is committed to tackling these crimes in partnership with the communities affected.

We have in place some of the strongest legislation to tackle hate crime in the world – this includes specific offences for racially and religiously aggravated activity and offences of the stirring up of hatred on the grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation.

We also have stronger sentences for hate crime. We continue to carefully consider the recommendations from the Law Commission review into hate crime legislation. The Government has committed to taking action to improve our response to hate crime.

This includes joint training between the police and Crown Prosecution staff to improve the way the police identify and investigate hate crime; building on the improvements to police recording of hate crime by working with the police to break down religious-based hate crime by religion; and working with victims and advocacy groups to improve victims confidence to come forward and report such crimes.

The police are also improving their operational practices and recording. Last year, the College of Policing published Operational Guidance for officers responding to hate crime which comprehensively covers how to address all forms of hate crime.

Hate crime statistics show number of crimes recorded by the police by force area. The decision as to how hate crime is resourced in individual forces is an operational matter for the Police and Crime Commissioner for that area. The latest police funding settlement represents a fair deal for the police and reinforces this Government’s commitment to protect the public. No Police and Crime Commissioner who maximised precept income is facing a reduction in cash funding this year.

Police and Crime Commissioners are also responsible for commissioning local support services for victims of crime. The Ministry of Justice provides the Commissioner with a grant to enable services which best meet the needs of local victims of crime to be funded.

The Home Office published a new hate crime action plan on 26 July 2016, which sets out Government action over the next four years to tackle hate crime. It includes:

● new steps to boost reporting of hate crime and support victims;

● new CPS guidance to prosecutors on racially aggravated crime;

● a new £2.4 million fund for protective security measures at potentially vulnerable places of worship;

● and additional funding to community organisations tackling hate crime.

Nobody in this country should live in fear because of who they are and anyone who experiences hate crime should report it to the police, either in person at a police station, online through the True Vision website, or by phoning 101.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many British Transport Police officers he estimates will be deployed in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-19 and (e) 2019-20.

Claire Perry

The British Transport Police currently has 3,046 officers, which is the largest number of officers since the creation of the British Transport Police Authority in 2004. The number of officers in future years will vary in response to operational needs, including specific initiatives such as the introduction of the Night Tube in London.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the financial contribution of Transport for London to the British Transport Police budget is for (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17.

Claire Perry

Transport for London (TfL) is expected to make a total financial contribution of £63,833,000 to the British Transport Police budget in the year running to 31 March 2016, which is around 10% higher than the contribution made in 2010/11. TfL’s contribution for 2016-17 is to be confirmed in the near future.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what work Citigroup is conducting for Network Rail in relation to the ownership of railway stations; what fee has been paid to Citigroup for such work; and when the review into the ownership of railway stations is expected to report.

Claire Perry

Network Rail is exploring new models for the management and ownership of its 18 managed stations with the goal of bringing improvements for both passengers and the communities they serve. They have engaged Citigroup as advisors to consider a range of potential options. No decisions have yet been taken and no estimate of the potential value of these stations has been made as part of this work. Citigroup were appointed following a competitive tender process, and the details of their fee are commercially confidential.

Network Rail expect that this work will be presented to their Board by the end of 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect to renal services of discontinuing support for regional improvement programmes for kidney care in strategic clinical networks in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Jane Ellison

As this is a matter for NHS England, no assessment has been made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2016 to Question 35252, what the total amount paid to off-payroll staff was by (a) NHS trusts in 2014-15 and (b) NHS foundation trusts in 2013-14.

Alistair Burt

This information is not held centrally. Amounts paid to Board members engaged off-payroll are disclosed in individual annual reports of National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts but amounts paid to other off-payroll workers within the scope of the HM Treasury guidance cannot be separately identified.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications of VM Langfords entering administration for the provision of patient transport services in Sussex.

Mr Philip Dunne

This is a matter for local commissioners.

NHS England has confirmed that Coperforma, holder of the non-emergency Patient Transport Service (PTS) contract for Sussex, informed High Weald Lewes Havens Clinical Commissioning Group (HWLH CCG) on 16 June 2016 that a receiver had been appointed for VM Langfords – transport provider sub-contracted to deliver PTS in East and West Sussex. A number of South East Coast Ambulance Services (SECAmb) staff had been transferred to VM Langfords employment.

HWLH CCG met with Coperforma on 17 June 2016 and was assured that a plan was already in place for additional transport capacity to mitigate any loss of capacity that this situation may cause.

HWLH CCG is working closely with Coperforma and the unions (Unison and GMB) to work through the implications for ex SECAmb staff, to ensure the processes followed are in keeping with employment legislation and good practice and that the impacts on service delivery are kept to a minimum.

There have been no discussions between Ministers in the Department and Sussex CCGs about PTS provider VM Langfords going into administration.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish his response to the results of his Department’s consultation on tips, gratuities, service and cover charges that closed in June 2016.

Margot James

The Government launched its consultation on tips, gratuities, service and cover charges to gain views on proposed actions towards tipping abuse. We are analysing submissions to this exercise and will announce further action in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to protect spending on the British Transport Police in real terms over the Spending Review period.

Claire Perry

Funding for the British Transport Police is not derived directly from a specific Government grant but from holders of police service agreements. However, the Department has made clear to the British Transport Police Authority that it considers that any efficiencies it seeks to make should not materially impact on the operational policing capability of the British Transport Police, including in relation to counter-terrorist activity.