Tag: Toby Perkins

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-10-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the extent to which community rehabilitation companies (a) tailor their services to and (b) meet the needs of female offenders.

Caroline Dinenage

During the competition to award contracts to run CRCs, the department assessed plans regarding the provision of services to meet the needs of female offenders. I have also personally met with, and received assurances from, all the CRCs owners as to the specific provision of services for women.

CRCs are currently finalising their service provision models and we continue to closely monitor that all CRCs are meeting their contractual obligations in regard to women offenders.

These reforms also ensure that, for the first time in recent history, virtually all of the 77% of female offenders serving sentences of less than 12 months in custody will receive support on release.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government (a) has made or (b) plans to make any contribution to the cost of (i) the construction and (ii) the running of the National Tennis Centre at Roehampton.

Tracey Crouch

The National Tennis Centre (NTC) at Roehampton is a privately funded enterprise owned by the Lawn Tennis Association.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Sure Start centres are due to be closed over the current Parliament.

Mr Sam Gyimah

The Department does not routinely collect data on the number of anticipated children’s centre closures but expects local authorities to fulfil their duties under the Childcare Act 2006 to ensure sufficient children’s centres to meet the needs of local families. Local authorities must consult fully before any significant changes are made to children’s centre services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many (a) applicants and (b) accepted offers of places there were for nursing degrees at each institution in 2014-15 from (i) A-levels and (ii) Access students.

Joseph Johnson

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publishes data on applications and acceptances for full-time undergraduate courses.

In 2015 the number of applications to nursing courses was 186,260 and the number of acceptances was 21,450. Each person can make up to five applications.

UCAS does not publish data on applicants or acceptances for nursing degrees broken down by either institution or entry qualification.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance his Department is providing to the Iraqi armed forces to help reclaim the city of Fallujah from Daesh.

Penny Mordaunt

As part of Coalition forces, the RAF is conducting airstrikes against Daesh targets providing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance in support of Iraqi Security Forces operations in Fallujah.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-02.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to prevent British multinational companies avoiding tax in developing countries.

Mr David Gauke

The Government takes tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning extremely seriously, and has taken action both domestically and through working with other countries to prevent this.

The UK has led global efforts to tackle aggressive tax planning by multinational companies through the OECD-G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project. The project represents an unprecedented international effort that involved over 60 countries, including developing countries, working together to better align the taxation of profits with economic activity and value creation.

The Government is also committed to supporting developing countries to collect the tax they are due. Through the G20 Development Working Group, and with the supporting of international organisations, it is working to produce practical toolkits that will assist developing countries in implementing the BEPS recommendations.

In addition, the UK contributes considerable human and financial resources to help developing countries build robust tax administrations. Earlier this year, the Government committed to doubling our funding for tax projects in developing countries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what preparations the Government is making to provide food and shelter to refugees overseas during the winter.

Mr Desmond Swayne

For many internally displaced Syrians and refugees in the region this will be the fifth winter away from their homes in inadequate shelter. DFID is supporting implementing partners to prepare and respond to the onset of winter across Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. In the FY 2015/16 we have provided £221 million for their emergency programmes. Of this total £12.9 million has been committed for specific winter response activities such as the provision of warm clothing, thermal blankets, fuel and cash to support thousands of vulnerable families across the region. Inside Syria, UN agencies supported by the UK are providing assistance in the form of warm clothes, blankets, supplies to help weatherproof houses, and providing influenza vaccinations for those who are most susceptible. Elsewhere in the region, the UN are complementing the provision of goods with distributions of cash to vulnerable refugees and other vulnerable people, to allow them the choice on how to prioritise their winter needs.

In addition to our bilateral programming, the UK is providing £35m of unearmarked flexible funding in 2015/16 to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) which can be used to support winterisation across its global caseload.

The UK has also responded rapidly to the humanitarian needs of refugees in Europe. For example, the UK has provided in-kind assistance of blankets, sleeping bags and tents through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to ensure refugees and migrants are provided with warmth and comfort during the winter. The UK’s total support for refugees and migrants to address the Mediterranean migration crisis is nearly £25m, of which nearly £16 million is being spent in Europe.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to introduce (a) stricter regulations and (b) a ban on the use of snares.

Rory Stewart

In 2012 Defra published research on the extent of use and humaneness of snares in England and Wales. Following publication of the report, officials worked with stakeholders to explore options in light of the report’s findings. We are considering options and will make an announcement in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to refuse the applications to use neonicotinoid pesticides on British fields this year.

George Eustice

The Government has received two applications for emergency authorisation of neonicotinoid seed treatments for use on oilseed rape during 2016. These applications are currently being assessed according to the normal rules, which allow for limited and controlled use of a pesticide on an exceptional basis in emergency situations to control a danger which cannot be contained by any other reasonable means.

The decision on whether or not to grant the authorisations will be made on the basis of an examination, by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides, the Health and Safety Executive and Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser, of the technical and scientific information submitted by the applicant.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assurances she has received from Natural England that the system of wildlife licences provides adequate protection for red squirrel species.

Rory Stewart

The red squirrel is one of the UK’s most threatened native mammals, predominantly due to the threat posed by non-native grey squirrels, which out-compete red squirrels and spread the squirrel pox virus which is deadly to reds.

It is a priority for Natural England to prevent the release of any such non-native species that might have a negative impact on our native fauna and flora.

Natural England’s policy, therefore, is to not issue licences to release grey squirrels in counties or areas where red squirrels are, or may be, still present. Outside of those areas, licences are currently only issued for the re-release (within 1km of their point of capture) of rehabilitated animals that were originally taken from the wild for tending or treatment, or for immediate release of individuals at the same location from physical entrapment.

A list of species of Union concern, identified under the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulation 1143/2014, will be coming into force later this year and will impose restrictions on the keeping, breeding, sale, transporting and release of 37 listed plants and animals, including the grey squirrel. Once this happens there may be a need to consider changes to the way Natural England licenses the keeping and release of these species. As a consequence Natural England is limiting grey squirrel licences to one year only.