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166067

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Universal Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when non-UK citizens in pathfinder areas will be able to claim universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds West
	tabling member printed	Rachel Reeves
	uin	215823
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Universal Credit Gateway Conditions will continue to include a criterion that the claimant must be a British citizen who has continuously lived in the UK for the last two years</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 02/12/2014 16:53:39 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey previous answer version 30742 answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
	tabling member	4031 label Biography information for Rachel Reeves

155546

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Open Prisons
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving what sentence length are being held in open prisons.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	214197
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The below table provides the number of prisoners serving sentences currently and residing in open prisons, by sentence length.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="8"><p><strong>Prisoners serving an immediate custodial sentence in open prisons, 30 September 2014, England and Wales</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sentence length</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>30-Sep-14</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Less than or equal to 6 months</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>More than 6 months to less than 12 months</p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12 months to less than 4 years</p></td><td><p>820</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>4 years or more (excluding indeterminate)</p></td><td><p>2,167</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Indeterminate sentences</p></td><td><p>1,038</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Recall</p></td><td><p>43</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>All sentenced prisoners</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>4,147</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4" rowspan="2"><p>The figures in these tables have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><p>This data does not include untried, convicted unsentenced, fine defaulter or non-criminal prisoners.</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>There are two means by which indeterminate sentenced prisoners (ISPs – both those serving life and indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs)) – are considered for transfer to open conditions. The principal means is by way of a positive recommendation from the independent Parole Board, which falls to officials either to accept or reject on behalf of the Secretary of State, under agreed delegated authority. However, ISPs may also apply to progress to open conditions without Parole Board involvement, where they can show exceptional progress in reducing their risk. Each application is determined on its merits under agreed delegated authority from the Secretary of State by officials in the Offender Management and Public Protection Group in the Ministry of Justice.</p><p> </p><p>Determinate sentenced prisoners are assessed for their suitability for open conditions by experienced prison staff with relevant input from offender managers and other professionals within the prison. The assessment will consider the extent to which the prisoner has reduced identified risks and any intelligence or other information that provides evidence of the prisoner’s trustworthiness for conditions of very low security. Determinate sentence prisoners should not generally be moved to open prison if they have more than two years to serve to their earliest release date, unless assessment of a prisoner’s individual risks and needs support earlier categorisation to open conditions. Such cases must have the reasons for their categorisation fully documented and confirmed in writing by the Governing Governor.</p><p> </p><p>All offenders located in open conditions have been rigorously risk assessed and their risks have been deemed manageable in open conditions.</p><p> </p><p>The public have understandable concerns about the failure of some prisoners to return from temporary release from open prison. Keeping the public safe is our priority and we will not allow the actions of a small minority of offenders to undermine public confidence in the prison system. 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. Prisoners are now no longer eligible for transfer 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, unless there are exceptional circumstances.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 10:35:36 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

166049

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Closures
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of savings to the public purse arising from the closure of prisons since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Wrexham
	tabling member printed	Ian Lucas
	uin	215917
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The capacity management has been a key element of the Ministry’s efficiency strategy over the past four years. This work ensures the most effective use of the prison estate and the closure of less efficient, uneconomic prison places where there is surplus capacity to do so.</p><p> </p><p>16 Prisons have been closed and two prisons have been re-roled as Immigration Removal Centres since 2010. Our strategy of replacing old, uneconomic prison places with new, modern ones has reduced unit costs and delivered savings of around £155m per annum.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 16:10:50 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

165960

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Marriage Guidance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to support husbands and wives with relationship problems to enable families to stay together.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	215885
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>This Government attaches a high priority to supporting couple relationships and committed a dedicated fund of £30 million for relationship support over the Spending Review period (2011-2015).</p><p> </p><p>We are funding a range of services through a number of expert providers to deliver relationship support provision, including preventative support targeted at couples at risk of family breakdown; activities to encourage the take-up of relationship support; and counselling for couples who may be experiencing difficulties.</p><p> </p><p>We have also introduced a Family Test which will mean that all new relevant domestic policies will need to be assessed for their impact on the family.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 02/12/2014 11:49:44 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

166048

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Closures
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of savings to the public purse which will accrue from the closure of prisons in the UK in the next three years.
	tabling member constituency	Wrexham
	tabling member printed	Ian Lucas
	uin	215918
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>We will always have enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts and will aim to deal with the prison population in a way that gives taxpayers the best possible value for money. Unless there is an unexpected and significant drop in the prison population there are no plans to close further prison capacity in England and Wales in the next 3 years.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 16:01:59 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

156479

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Health: Weather
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have taken place internally within the Department of Health regarding the impact of cold homes on the health of older people.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Greengross
	uin	HL2921
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p> </p><p /> <p>The impact of cold homes on the health of older people has been discussed internally within the Department (DH) during the development of policy initiatives to prevent major avoidable effects on health during periods of cold weather. These initiatives include the <em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/365756/CWP_2014.pdf" target="_blank">The Cold Weather Plan for England</a></em>, <em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-warm-keep-well-leaflet-gives-advice-on-staying-healthy-in-cold-weather" target="_blank">Keep Warm Keep Well</a> </em>leaflet and the <em><a href="http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/get-ready-for-winter" target="_blank">Get Ready For Winter</a></em> campaign hosted by the Met Office.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>Further discussions were held at the Annual Cold Weather Plan seminar<strong> – </strong>this stakeholder event brings together colleagues from the DH, Local Government Association, NHS England, Public Health England, academia and the voluntary and community sector to discuss issues around the cold weather plan and how to best support local action. In addition, discussions were held at the Health officials working group – this is a regular meeting attended by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, DH and Public Health England. The aim of this group is to share information on cold weather, fuel poverty and health impacts with a view to ensure the fuel poverty strategy is aligned with health policy.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 02/12/2014 14:11:48 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
	tabling member	2518 label Biography information for Baroness Greengross

166010

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Mental Health Services: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve counselling services in the NHS for people under the age of 25 who have a mental illness.
	tabling member constituency	Dudley North
	tabling member printed	Ian Austin
	uin	215904
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>Improving access to psychological therapies for adults, children and young people is fundamental to the success of our drive to improve mental health services.</p><p> </p><p>The Department 2014-15 Mandate to NHS England makes clear that ‘everyone who needs it should have timely access to evidence based services’.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Mandate sets a clear objective for NHS England to deliver the key objectives of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme, which is available for those aged 18+.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Over £400 million is being invested over the spending review period to make a choice of psychological therapies available for those who need them in all parts of England.</p><p> </p><p>For children and young people, the Department is investing £54 million into the Children and Young people’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (CYP IAPT) over 2011-15/16, which is designed to improve access to evidence-based psychological therapies and collaboration with children, young people and families.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The programme is working with 82 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) partnerships and currently covers 60% of the 0-19 population. The Government’s aim is that all of England will be involved by 2018 and this is reflected in the Mandate with NHS England.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The CYP IAPT programme trains service leaders, supervisors and therapists with a combination of outreach continuing professional development and Postgraduate certificate and Masters Qualifications.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Existing CAMHS therapists are trained to post graduate diploma level in one of four evidence based psychological treatments and approximately 73% of the budget spent to date supports backfill for existing staff to go on courses as well as training costs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Norfolk answering member printed Norman Lamb question first answered 02/12/2014 15:35:59 answering member 1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb
	tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

165994

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Mental Health Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the average waiting time for treatments for mental health conditions.
	tabling member constituency	Dudley North
	tabling member printed	Ian Austin
	uin	215970
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The Department’s most recent estimate of the average waiting times for some mental health services is contained in the impact assessment dated 25 September 2014 which accompanies the Government’s new five-year plan for mental health, <em>Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020</em> published on</p><p> </p><p>8 October 2014. <em>Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020</em> sets out the immediate actions we will take this year and next to achieve better access and waiting times.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>£40 million in additional funding has been identified to enable change in the current financial year, and a further £80 million will be freed up for 2015-16 to support implementation of waiting times standards in mental health services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department and NHS England will work together with mental health system partners to develop detailed proposals for the introduction of further access and waiting time standards from 2016 onwards.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information on mean and median waiting times for the Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) programme by clinical commissioning group in 2013-14 is attached.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The IAPT dataset did not exist before April 2012 and reliable data became available from April 2013 onwards.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Norfolk answering member printed Norman Lamb question first answered 02/12/2014 16:21:17 answering member 1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb attachment 1 file name Mean and median waiting times for IAPT services by CCG on 2013-14.xlsx title Mean/median waiting times: IAPT services by CCG
	tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

101347

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Bahrain
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent meetings he has had with Bahraini human rights advocates.
	tabling member constituency	Bishop Auckland
	tabling member printed	Helen Goodman
	uin	212170
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>A list of all Ministerial meetings with external organisations is published on a quarterly basis at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=ministry-of-defence&amp;publication_type=transparency-data</p> answering member constituency Ludlow answering member printed Mr Philip Dunne question first answered 02/12/2014 16:59:26 answering member 1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne previous answer version 29869 answering member constituency Ludlow answering member printed Mr Philip Dunne answering member 1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne
	tabling member	1484 label Biography information for Helen Goodman

164126

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Local Government Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the funding provided to local government by central government was ring-fenced in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Harrogate and Knaresborough
	tabling member printed	Andrew Jones
	uin	215612
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>A recent National Audit Office report on Local Government Funding stated that, adjusting for recent changes in local government duties as far as possible, due to changes made by DCLG since 2010 the share of ringfenced revenue funding fell from 7 per cent to less than 1 per cent. This figure has remained at less than one percent for the last three years.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 02/12/2014 16:38:29 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones