Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much the London Borough of Ealing receives annually in total government grant; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
In 2014-15, the London Borough of Ealing is forecast to receive £421 million in government grants, excluding mandatory housing benefits. Including mandatory housing benefits, the forecast is £701 million (source: Revenue Account Budget returns).
Total grants (excluding mandatory housing benefits) are forecast to be equivalent to £3,224 per dwelling, which is in the top twenty highest grants to any local authority in England. Ealing residents will also benefit from funding given to the Greater London Authority for its statutory functions (e.g. police, fire, transport, strategic housing and planning). The Greater London Authority is forecast to receive £4.5 billion in government grant, equivalent to a London average of £1,311 per dwelling in 2014-15. Taken together, this is equivalent to £4,535 per dwelling in Ealing.
Leaving aside school spending which has changed due to the funding shift from Local Education Authorities to Academies, in 2014-15, Ealing’s net current expenditure excluding education services is forecast to be £541 million (source: Revenue Account Budget returns). This compares with £450 million in 2009-10 (source: Revenue Outturn Summary returns). This represents a 20 per cent increase in cash terms.
I am aware that the local council leader is claiming that Ealing’s funding will be cut to £5 million in 2018. Not only is this manifestly untrue given no funding settlement has been determined beyond 2015-16, but the figures above illustrate how council services actually remain well funded. Of course, every bit of the public sector needs to do its bit to pay off the deficit left by the last Labour Government, including local government which accounts for a quarter of all public spending. Yet the claims in some parts of the local government sector about “cuts” are completely over-stated and actually mislead the public.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of the level of employment.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
There are more people in work than ever before with the latest figures showing the fastest increase in employment since records began in 1971. Since the Coalition came into power employment has increased by more than one and half million and unemployment has fallen by over 300,000, with over 2 million private sector jobs created since early 2010. Over this period for every public sector job lost over 5 have been created in the private sector.The female employment rate is at its highest since records began in 1971.
By tackling the economy's problems head on and getting people back into work we are helping to boost living standards for hard working families.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent progress has been made on enabling the continuation of money transfer abroad from UK financial institutions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
The UK Government is committed to supporting a healthy and legitimate remittance sector, and ensuring that UK citizens are able to continue to remit funds safely to family abroad. The progress of the Action Group on Cross Border Remittances is on track and the group is next due to meet on 27 June 2014. Further information on the Action Group, including future meeting dates can be found on the group's web page: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/helping-developing-countries-economies-to-grow/supporting-pages/enabling-the-continued-flow-of-remittances
A key output of the group is improved guidance, both for financial institutions which provide banking facilities for MSBs and for MSBs themselves on how to comply with their anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism obligations. These two key pieces of guidance were endorsed by the Action Group in its most recent meeting and are subject to normal approval processes.
The UK Government is liaising closely with the Somali Government on activity underway to ensure the continued flow of remittances from the UK to Somalia. The Ambassador of Somalia to the UK (or his representative) has attended all of the Advisory Group Meetings for the UK-Somali Safer Corridor. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and World Bank have also held bilateral meetings with the Ambassador.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has had with its Somali counterpart on ensuring that remittances can continue from UK financial institutions.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
The UK Government is committed to supporting a healthy and legitimate remittance sector, and ensuring that UK citizens are able to continue to remit funds safely to family abroad. The progress of the Action Group on Cross Border Remittances is on track and the group is next due to meet on 27 June 2014. Further information on the Action Group, including future meeting dates can be found on the group's web page: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/helping-developing-countries-economies-to-grow/supporting-pages/enabling-the-continued-flow-of-remittances
A key output of the group is improved guidance, both for financial institutions which provide banking facilities for MSBs and for MSBs themselves on how to comply with their anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism obligations. These two key pieces of guidance were endorsed by the Action Group in its most recent meeting and are subject to normal approval processes.
The UK Government is liaising closely with the Somali Government on activity underway to ensure the continued flow of remittances from the UK to Somalia. The Ambassador of Somalia to the UK (or his representative) has attended all of the Advisory Group Meetings for the UK-Somali Safer Corridor. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and World Bank have also held bilateral meetings with the Ambassador.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the action group on remittances will next meet to consider the issue of money transfer abroad.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
The UK Government is committed to supporting a healthy and legitimate remittance sector, and ensuring that UK citizens are able to continue to remit funds safely to family abroad. The progress of the Action Group on Cross Border Remittances is on track and the group is next due to meet on 27 June 2014. Further information on the Action Group, including future meeting dates can be found on the group's web page: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/helping-developing-countries-economies-to-grow/supporting-pages/enabling-the-continued-flow-of-remittances
A key output of the group is improved guidance, both for financial institutions which provide banking facilities for MSBs and for MSBs themselves on how to comply with their anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism obligations. These two key pieces of guidance were endorsed by the Action Group in its most recent meeting and are subject to normal approval processes.
The UK Government is liaising closely with the Somali Government on activity underway to ensure the continued flow of remittances from the UK to Somalia. The Ambassador of Somalia to the UK (or his representative) has attended all of the Advisory Group Meetings for the UK-Somali Safer Corridor. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and World Bank have also held bilateral meetings with the Ambassador.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will call on the Iranian authorities to halt the destruction of an historically important Bahá'i cemetary in Shiraz; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
I was deeply concerned to learn of the destruction of a Baha'i cemetery in Shiraz. On 14 May 2014, I made a statement on this issue, calling for Iran to abide by its international commitments to ensure all Iranians are free to practice their religion without fear of persecution. This includes protection of religious sites.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W and of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 481W, on human trafficking: victim support schemes, for what reason the gender and location of each individual is not included in the information for February 2014; and if she will provide this information for future questions on the subject.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The requested information on the gender of potential victims and the regions in
which they were found (answer 30 April 2014 refers) was not withheld and is
provided in a table below.
The victim care contract does not require support providers to maintain any
form of formal contact with victims after the recovery and reflection period.
All support providers work with victims throughout their support period to help
them move on from the service. Through the National Referral Mechanism review
and the re-tender of the adult victims care contract, we are looking at what
more we can do to help victims recover and reintegrate effectively.
The table below contains the requested details of the 126 referrals in February
2014.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W, on human trafficking: victim support schemes, how many of those referred were (a) men and (b) women; what steps are taken to ensure that after victims leave the shelter into which they have been placed by the Salvation Army they are not re-trafficked and do not contact their former traffickers; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The requested information on the gender of potential victims and the regions in
which they were found (answer 30 April 2014 refers) was not withheld and is
provided in a table below.
The victim care contract does not require support providers to maintain any
form of formal contact with victims after the recovery and reflection period.
All support providers work with victims throughout their support period to help
them move on from the service. Through the National Referral Mechanism review
and the re-tender of the adult victims care contract, we are looking at what
more we can do to help victims recover and reintegrate effectively.
The table below contains the requested details of the 126 referrals in February
2014.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria were used to select organisations or local authorities to pilot the advocacy scheme for trafficked children; how that scheme was commissioned; when such schemes will start in which location and for what duration; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The Modern Slavery Bill will enable us to strengthen our response to human trafficking and modern slavery for both adults and children. We announced in January our intention to trial specialist independent advocates for victims of child trafficking.
23 local authorities have agreed to participate in the trial: Greater Manchester including Manchester City, Stockport, Tameside, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, Wigan, Salford, Trafford; West Midlands including, Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton; Croydon; Derbyshire; Kent; Lancashire; Oxfordshire; and West Sussex.
These local authorities represent a wide demographic range as well as major transport hubs and asylum screening units. These areas also have the highest rates of trafficking referrals to the National Referral Mechanism or are areas where we are aware of a high number of trafficking investigations by law enforcement agencies.
We remain committed to trialing this approach. We are currently considering bids from a number of voluntary and community services organisations that were identified as potential providers of the advocacy service because of the particular expertise they hold. We will announce the outcome of the process in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the nationality and gender was of each suspected victim of trafficking referred to the Trafficking Victim Support Scheme operated by the Salvation Army in February 2014; in which (a) region and (b) county each of the suspected victims was found; which agency referred each person to the scheme; in which town the shelter in which they were placed was for the relevant period; and what contact has been made with each victim to ensure they are not re-trafficked.
Answered by Karen Bradley
In February 2014, there were 126 referrals to the Government-funded support
service for adult victims of human trafficking in England and Wales
administered by the Salvation Army. In the interests of victim safety, only the
region in which the victim was encountered is provided, and not which town they
were placed in. Once an individual receives a Conclusive Grounds decision they
will be given tailored support to safely return home or integrate in the UK.
Once they exit the service, no formal mechanisms exist to maintain contact.