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78077

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Abduction: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases of child abduction where no attempt has been made to take the child out of the UK have reached court in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	205826
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. Centrally held data does not indicate which defendants proceeded against under Section 2 of the Child Abduction Act 1984 were not taking the child out of the UK. This information may be held by the individual courts in England and Wales but as such it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Bermondsey and Old Southwark answering member printed Simon Hughes question first answered 21/07/2014 11:26:56 answering member 194 label Biography information for Simon Hughes
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

78081

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Custody
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 the number of times fathers have had access to their children restricted in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what the reasons were for the restrictions; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	205810
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>Details of the number of times fathers have had access to their children restricted in each of the last five years and the reasons for those restrictions are not held centrally and can only be obtained by manually checking every case file at disproportionate costs.</p> answering member constituency Bermondsey and Old Southwark answering member printed Simon Hughes question first answered 21/07/2014 10:53:55 answering member 194 label Biography information for Simon Hughes
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

78082

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether courts link maintenance and contact with respect to children following the separation of the parents; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	205811
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>The payment of child maintenance and the operation of children arrangements are two separate issues which are both vitally important for separated parents. Children have a right to care and support and parents have a responsibility to provide it, regardless of whether they are separated. There is also great benefit to most children of continued contact with both parents, regardless of the financial circumstances. A dispute about child maintenance should not therefore deprive a child of meaningful contact with the other parent and vice-versa.</p><p> </p><p>The purpose of the child maintenance scheme is to make sure that parents fulfil their financial obligations to make provision for children with whom they no longer live. The Government believes that this is something parents should be able to manage for themselves through a family-based arrangement (in the vast majority of cases). The Department for Work and Pensions provides support to help them do so through the Child Maintenance Options Service (contactable on 0800-988-0988 or via www.cmoptions.org).</p><p> </p><p>The family courts deal with arrangements for children where parents have been unable to come to an agreement themselves. Here again, parents are encouraged to resolve their differences themselves. The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced, from April 2014, a legislative requirement on those who seek to issue certain family proceedings to first attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) to find out about family mediation. The other party is also expected to engage in the process.</p> answering member constituency Bermondsey and Old Southwark answering member printed Simon Hughes question first answered 21/07/2014 10:49:56 answering member 194 label Biography information for Simon Hughes
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

78104

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Blue Badge Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether guidance issued to local authorities on the Blue Badge scheme is mandatory; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	205809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Blue Badge Scheme Local Authority Guidance (England) is not mandatory as it is non-statutory guidance. It is guidance for local authorities on best practice in administering the Blue Badge Scheme.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 21/07/2014 16:07:39 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

78214

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Contact Orders
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what restrictions are placed on fathers who visit their children in contact centres.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	205865
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>Contact centres are intended to be enabling and supportive environments for fathers and mothers, which have children as their focus. Beyond the limitations of opening times, their volunteer nature and the facilities available, there are no intrinsic limits on what a contact centre can offer. Courts may place limits on the type of contact through court orders in which case the contact centre will encourage compliance with the order.</p><p> </p><p>The National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC) operates separate Standards for supervised and supported contact and these are published on their website at <a href="http://www.naccc.org.uk/standards" target="_blank">http://www.naccc.org.uk/standards</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bermondsey and Old Southwark answering member printed Simon Hughes question first answered 21/07/2014 10:59:53 answering member 194 label Biography information for Simon Hughes
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

77211

registered interest
date	10/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Parole
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he last intervened in a decision taken by a parole board; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	204994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2014 answer text <p>The Parole Board is an independent body with the statutory power to direct the release of recalled prisoners, indeterminate sentence prisoners whose tariff has expired and those determinate sentence prisoners who are subject to discretionary release arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>Once the Parole Board has directed release, the Secretary of State must give effect to the direction. Exceptionally, the Secretary of State can apply to the High Court to have a Parole Board release direction quashed if he considered it to be irrational although to date he has not sought to do so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 01/09/2014 07:48:58 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

65703

registered interest
date	03/07/2014
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Neonicotinoids
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on implementing a ban on pesticide neonictinoids; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	203903
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Decisions on the approval of pesticide active substances are made at European level. Last year, the European Union (EU) withdrew approval for the use of three neonicotinoids on a number of crops. The UK Government has implemented these restrictions on neonicotinoids.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 08/07/2014 14:24:55 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

65704

registered interest
date	03/07/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Bahrain
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Bahrain about the treatment of the democracy movement in that country; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	203906
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p>I discussed the importance of political reform with the Bahraini authorities during my visit to Bahrain in June for the UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group. We continue to believe that the only way to promote peace and stability in Bahrain and address the legitimate aspirations of all Bahrainis is through dialogue leading to an inclusive political settlement.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Hugh Robertson question first answered 08/07/2014 09:57:00 answering member 1415 label Biography information for Sir Hugh Robertson
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

65778

registered interest
date	03/07/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of (a) staff morale, (b) sickness rates, (c) turnover and (d) training in prisons; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	203911
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2014 answer text <p>Management of the NOMS Agency reports to Ministers on these issues on a regular basis.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>(a) Staff Morale:</strong> Staff attitudes are measured in the annual Civil Service staff engagement survey, the most recent of which was run in October 2013. Action plans to improve engagement and morale are produced by every prison and headquarters group. The Highlight Report from the survey conducted in NOMS can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-results-2013" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-results-2013</a>. Information on staff engagement in contracted out prisons is not available.</p><p> </p><p><strong>(b) Staff Sickness Rates: </strong>Reducing levels of sickness in sustainable way is a high priority for NOMS and the agency is working through an improvement plan. Actions include improvements to policy, targeted management interventions and support for staff.</p><p>Sicknessrates in adult prisons have fallen over the last ten years and remain below the rate of 14.8 days lost, across public sector adult prisons, in 2002/03.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Figures on staff sickness absence in contracted out prisons can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225231/prs-data-12-13.xls" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225231/prs-data-12-13.xls</a>.</p><p> </p><p><strong>(c) Staff Turnover: </strong>Leaver numbers, other than through voluntary early departure schemes (VEDS), expressed as a proportion of average staff in post, have remained consistent and sustainable over the past five years.</p><p> </p><p>Information on staff turnover in contracted out prisons is not available.</p><p> </p><p><strong>(d) Staff Training: </strong>The Ministry provides training and education for all civil servants in line with the commitment set out in the Civil Service Reform Plan “to provide at least five days a year targeted at the skills most needed for their roles”. In light of the anticipated demand for detached duty staff over the summer months, some non-critical operational training has recently been curtailed to ensure that staff are used where they are most needed. This position is being reviewed on a regular basis.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kenilworth and Southam answering member printed Jeremy Wright question first answered 15/07/2014 08:55:10 answering member 1560 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Wright
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

65806

registered interest
date	03/07/2014
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	Employment and Support Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made in helping people with disabilities to access work through the employment and support allowance programme; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	203908
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Jobcentre Work Coaches offer Employment and Support Allowance claimants tailored support from day one of their claim, which includes work experience, skills provision, job search support and access to a range of opportunities available through the Flexible Support Fund.</p><p> </p><p>ESA claimants also have the option of accessing the Work Programme at any point after their Work Capability Assessment for help in getting tailored support provided by contracted providers.</p><p> </p><p>Key findings from the Jobcentre Plus Offer evaluation show that the implementation and delivery of the JCP Offer has been successful. The findings are being used to ensure that we continue to improve our services for all claimants.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore the DHES set out a vision for a more personalised offer with better integration of services at local level and making better use of high quality small-scale specialist provision. The Department is currently exploring the feasibility of trialling this approach. This includes looking at the role of specialist advisors.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 08/07/2014 16:15:58 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson