Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

227907

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to improve the efficiency of the asylum system.
tabling member constituency	Harrogate and Knaresborough
tabling member printed	Andrew Jones
uin	227768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2015 answer text <p>The Home Office have a number of Asylum Improvement projects underway. We are reviewing asylum processes to provide a better experience for our customers such as moving administrative tasks from the asylum interview into the screening process or revising decision letters to make them more user-friendly for customers. <br><br>We are also implementing a number of pilot initiatives to modernise our case working processes including exploring the use of Summary Notes within our asylum interviews. At the same time we are looking to invest in technology to automatically obtain a transcript of an asylum interview. This should improve the efficiency of our interviewing process and reduce the need for our customers to have lengthy interviews regarding their claim whilst we are also looking to expand on the use of video conferencing equipment to build greater flexibility into the asylum case working process and to realise potential savings. We are seeking to digitalise our work where possible, removing the need for paper-based files so our work can be moved around the country to meet service demands. <br><br>We have also made improvements to our decision making processing times. We aim to decide all straightforward asylum claims within six months. We recognise that asylum cases are often complex and require our full and thorough consideration, meaning that some decisions will take longer than six months. Those cases that do take longer than six months are actively managed to ensure they are concluded as promptly as possible. <br><br>We have significantly improved our suite of guidance on considering asylum claims, including key instructions on asylum interviews and assessing credibility. We have streamlined processes by reducing the volume of paperwork required and cutting duplication in the asylum process, including improvements to the way in which decisions are explained to applicants in correspondence to make it easier to understand. These changes are designed to support caseworkers to improve decision quality and efficiency to ensure we grant protection where it is needed whilst refusing unfounded claims more quickly, whilst also ensuring a more customer focused approach.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 19/03/2015 16:22:27 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones

227908

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Police: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the debate on police widows pensions of 25 February, Official Report, columns 126-133WH, what steps she is taking to ensure all police widowers receive life-long pensions.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	227749
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2015 answer text <p>The Chancellor announced in the Budget on 18 March that the Government will ensure that all widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers and firefighters who are killed on duty will no longer lose their survivor benefits if they remarry, cohabit, or form a civil partnership.</p><p>The Home Office and Department for Communities and Local Government will set out further details in due course.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 19/03/2015 15:56:33 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

227910

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which news applications staff in her Department are authorised to download and use on their work-provided phones and tablets.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	227828
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2015 answer text <p>Home Office information technology policy precludes the downloading of unauthorised applications to Home Office-issued equipment and in most cases, such equipment is modified to prevent the downloading of any applications at all. A limited number of approved communications staff (such as press office) have access to social media or news sites via downloaded applications on mobile devices and while this is subject to standard rules governing appropriate use of Home Office technology, there are no restrictions on which news sites may be accessed in this manner.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Staffordshire Moorlands answering member printed Karen Bradley question first answered 19/03/2015 15:54:51 answering member 4110 label Biography information for Dame Karen Bradley
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

227895

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Antisocial Behaviour
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the contribution by the Minister of State for Crime Prevention of 23 February 2015 in the Third Delegated Legislation Committee, Official Report, column 6, what estimate her Department has made in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice, of the costs of implementation and additional costs arising from commencement of injunctions to prevent nuisance or annoyance; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Croydon North
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Reed
uin	227922
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>The Part 1 civil injunction under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, previously called the Injunction to Prevent Nuisance and Annoyance, will come into force on 23 March. Estimated costs associated with the civil injunction are set out in the Government’s Impact Assessment which can be found at:</p><p><br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/197611/ReformingASBtools_and_powers__CBO-CPIandDispersal130509.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/197611/ReformingASBtools_and_powers__CBO-CPIandDispersal130509.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone question first answered 23/03/2015 16:02:41 answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone previous answer version 51610 answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone
tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed

227896

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Animal Experiments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 12 March 2015, HCWS385, on testing of household products on animals, what proportion of tests on animals for ingredients predominantly used in household products are not carried out for regulatory purposes; and what estimate she has made of the annual number of animals who will not now be used to test household product ingredients as a result of measures in that announcement.
tabling member constituency	Livingston
tabling member printed	Graeme Morrice
uin	227880
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>The ban on testing animals on household products includes any chemical where more than half of it is expected to be used as an ingredient in household products. The only exceptions are tests legally required to protect humans, animals or the environment, or a small number of cases where a &quot;strong justification&quot; can be made for which we will apply a robust harm-benefit analysis. We will monitor the application of these exceptions closely. <br><br>The Annual Statistical Returns on the use of animals in Scientific Procedures do not specify the purpose of use of chemical ingredients. One of the reasons we want to have a notification system is to get better understanding of what, why and for what purposes ingredients primarily used in household products are tested. We estimate that on average, Contract Research Organisations in the UK test a small number of ingredients per year (around 8 or fewer) for which the testing is required by regulation and which are primarily for use in household products. From 1st October 2015 businesses will be required to report the testing within 30 days of having it carried out.<br><br>The UK has one of the most comprehensive animal welfare systems in the world to ensure animal testing is carried out humanely and only when necessary. This ban is a big step forwards that significantly raises the bar on the use of animals in testing and goes beyond that of other European countries. It demonstrates a continuing commitment to safeguard animal welfare and advance the use of the 3Rs principles (replacement, refinement and reduction) in research and development. The UK remains at the forefront of global work to develop alternatives to animal testing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone question first answered 23/03/2015 17:52:56 answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone
tabling member	4012 label Biography information for Graeme Morrice

227904

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Drugs: Misuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce legislative proposals to ban the sale of legal highs in March 2015.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	227899
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>The Government is developing proposals for a general ban on the supply of new psychoactive substances across the UK, with a view to introducing legislation at the earliest opportunity. There is no appropriate legislative vehicle to do so in this Parliament.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone question first answered 23/03/2015 16:05:38 answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

227905

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of employees in her Department identify as (a) white or white British, (b) Asian or Asian British, (c) Black or Black British, (d) mixed or multiple ethnic group and (e) another ethnicity.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
uin	227962
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>The 2014 Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ACSES) provided employment data for all Civil Service departments, although this does not break down to all the categories requested. The data revealed that in the Home Department:<br><br>• 18,720 (68.59%) of employees identified as White <br>• 5,760 (21.10%) of employees identified as Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) <br><br>This data is based on a total of 27,290 permanent Home Department employees on payroll. Of these, 2,800 (10.26%) staff had not declared their ethnicity.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Staffordshire Moorlands answering member printed Karen Bradley question first answered 23/03/2015 16:18:34 answering member 4110 label Biography information for Dame Karen Bradley
tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

227906

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Animal Experiments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce, refine and replace the use of animals in research.
tabling member constituency	Harrogate and Knaresborough
tabling member printed	Andrew Jones
uin	227767
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>In 2010, the coalition government made a commitment to work to reduce the use of animals in scientific research and a delivery plan has been published. The plan shows how alternative methods can deliver fast, high-quality research that <br>also boosts economic growth. <br><br>Since the Plan was published, a wealth of significant new research and knowledge dissemination on the 3Rs - Replacement, Refinement and Reduction - has been completed. It includes the launch of the first products from the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) open innovation programme CRACK IT, a £4 million<br>competition run by Innovate UK and the NC3Rs to fund the commercialisation of non-animal technologies.<br><br>There is also the publication of important new studies on veterinary and human vaccine testing by Defra and Public Health England which have identified scope to reduce the numbers of animals used in developing vaccines. New joint working by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Home Office has additionally produced refined testing models to reduce animal <br>suffering.<br><br>We have taken major steps to encourage greater international adoption of 3Rs techniques, including a ground-breaking programme of knowledge-sharing with regulators and life science associations in China led by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit. In addition, we have published collaborative research across the global life sciences sector led by the NC3Rs and the UK’s Medicines and <br>Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to minimise the use of recovery animals in pharmaceutical development.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone question first answered 23/03/2015 16:01:25 answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone
tabling member	3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones

228604

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Police: ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to police forces on the effective use of ICT.
tabling member constituency	Hereford and South Herefordshire
tabling member printed	Jesse Norman
uin	908228
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>The Home Office works closely with police-led governance groups that guide the use of national police ICT. In addition, together with Police and Crime Commissioners, the department has supported the creation of the Police ICT Company, which will lead on the design, purchase and delivery of local, regional and national ICT. PCCs have now committed to making the Company operational.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 23/03/2015 15:54:51 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman

228939

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Marriage Certificates: Mothers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress she has made on bringing forward legislative proposals to allow the mothers of brides and grooms to be recorded on marriage certificates.
tabling member constituency	Colchester
tabling member printed	Sir Bob Russell
uin	908246
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>There is support across Government for marriage registers to be updated and my Rt.Hon. Friend the Prime Minister stated publically in August 2014 that it was “high time” that a change was made. This is a complex task due to the large numbers of registers in use and the associated costs of replacing them. We are, therefore, investigating options on how this can be achieved as soon as possible.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 23/03/2015 18:57:24 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	35 label Biography information for Sir Bob Russell