I wrote to the Noble Peer on this issue on 4th<\/sup> December 2014. I have placed a copy of this letter in the library of the House and have also attached it to this response.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3893", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Freud"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Freud"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167612/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "Letter to Lord McAvoy 4.12.14.PDF"}
, "title" : "Letter to Lord McAvoy 4th Dec 2014"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-08T15:43:27.97Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Poverty: Children"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the comments by Lord Freud in the Grand Committee debate on the Child Poverty Act 2010 (Persistent Poverty Targets) Regulations 2014, that the facts Lord McAvoy had quoted were \"simply not true\" (HL Deb, 25 November, col GC 263), how they were not true.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4158", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord McAvoy"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord McAvoy"}
], "uin" : "HL3387"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167614", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167614/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government set up a working group involving representatives from relevant organisations to look at existing and possible further initiatives to assist youth mobility in rural areas. I am pleased to say that this group is due to publish its conclusions and recommendation early in the new year.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1557", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Kramer"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Kramer"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-09T13:03:40.077Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transport: Rural Areas"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of existing transport initiatives with regard to facilitating youth mobility in rural areas.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4238", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Storey"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Storey"}
], "uin" : "HL3389"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167622", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167622/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Crime, and especially organised crime, does not respect borders. International co-operation is therefore essential. The relationship with the Republic of Ireland is particularly important given its land border with a part of the United Kingdom. The relationships between the law enforcement agencies in Northern Ireland, who are devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive, as well as bodies such as HM Revenue and Customs, Border Force and the National Crime Agency which are UK-wide bodies, and their counterparts in the Republic of Ireland, are very good. A North South cross border organised crime conference was held on 1-2 October involving all the major bodies. This is one example of the desire to develop that co-operation further. There are also plans for a cross border forum on human trafficking and forced labour in January of next year.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-09T14:57:42.15Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Crime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the level and effectiveness of the United Kingdom's co-operation with the Irish Republic in tackling cross-border serious and organised crime.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3801", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Browne of Belmont"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Browne of Belmont"}
], "uin" : "HL3396"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167673", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167673/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) continues to support the joint police/CPS Witness Care Units (WCUs) through the provision of staff and key case information that allows the unit to support victims and witnesses throughout the progress of their case. The CPS has also recently implemented Victim Liaison Units (VLUs) in every CPS Area. These dedicated units provide victims with clear explanations of CPS decisions about their cases, in line with our Victims\u2019 Code commitments.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robert Buckland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-10T11:31:36.263Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Administration of Justice"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what support his Department provides to victim and witness support units.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4105", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Tomlinson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Swindon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Justin Tomlinson"}
], "uin" : "217105"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167688", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167688/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The minimum requirements of the universal postal service \u2013 which include the 6 day a week letters service at a uniform price to urban and rural addresses up and down the country \u2013 are enshrined and protected in law. Only Parliament can change the minimum requirements of the universal postal service.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament has ensured that protection of the universal service is at the very heart of the regulatory regime by giving Ofcom, as an independent regulator, a primary duty to secure the provision of the universal service throughout the UK. Ofcom has the regulatory powers and tools it needs to intervene in the market if the universal service is ever at risk.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>