Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2014, Official Report, column 618W, on official visits, what domestic visits he has made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
Ministers undertake regular visits to a wide variety of local authority areas in England, whilst balancing their Parliamentary work, internal Ministerial meetings in London and meetings of Cabinet Committees. Ministers also regularly host delegations from local authorities for meetings in Westminster.
The list below provides a list of visits up to the end of January 2015. It would entail disproportionate cost to provide a detailed commentary on the purpose of each visit, but a brief summary is included. To assist the hon. Member, a selection of political visits is also included.
Such visits also need to be viewed alongside the visits that other members of the Ministerial team have made, and the published list of meetings with external organisations.
2013
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council area on 21 January 2013, growth policy
London Borough of Enfield area on 22 January 2013, political
Cheshire West and Chester Unitary authority area on 1-2 February 2013, political
Borough of Eastleigh area on 11 February 2013, political
Borough of Eastleigh area on 22 February 2013, political
Oxfordshire County Council area on 1 – 2 March 2013, political
Reading Borough Council area on 18 March 2013, growth policy
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council area on 15 April 2013, local government and growth policy
Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth area on 19 April 2013, political
Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees Council area on 25 April 2013, political
Ribble Valley Council area on 26 April 2013, political
Mid Devon Council area on 29 April 2013, political
Leicestershire County Council area on 13 May 2013, troubled families
Royal Borough of Greenwich area on 18 June 2013, faith and integration
Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council area on 4 July 2013, local government policy
Salford City Council area on 4 July 2013, community rights
London Borough of Hackney area on 30 July 2013, community rights
Thurrock Council area on 9 August 2013, Thames Gateway policy
Hastings Borough Council area on 15 August 2013, coastal communities’ policy
Medway Council area on 18 August 2013, faith and integration
London Borough of Southwark area on 23 September 2013, community rights
Telford and Wrekin Council area on 7 November 2013, growth and housing policy
Cheshire West and Chester Council area on 18 November 2013, local government policy
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council area on 28 November 2013, local Enterprise Zones
Waveney District Council area on 7 December 2013, high streets policy
2014
Portsmouth City Council area on 16 January 2014, political
Norfolk County Council area on 31 January 2014, growth and housing policy
London Borough of Croydon area on 10 February 2014, flood response and recovery
Cherwell District Council area on 11 February 2014, flood response and recovery
Oxford City Council area on 11 February 2014, flood response and recovery
Arun District Council area on 20 February 2014, coastal defences and flooding
Runnymede Borough Council on 20 February 2014, flood response and recovery
Fife Council area on 24 February 2014, coastal communities’ policy
Aberdeen Council area on 24 February 2014, Cabinet meeting
London Borough Council of Hounslow area on 3 April 2014, community rights and housing policy
Derbyshire County Council area on 22 April 2014, growth policy and local enterprise zones
London Borough of Havering area on 23 April 2014, housing policy
Cambridge City Council area on 23 April 2014, political
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley Council area on 24 April 2014, political
London Borough of Wandsworth area on 1 May 2014, troubled families
Stoke-on-Trent City Council area on 2 May 2014, political
Brent Council area on 5 May 2014, faith and integration
Newark-on-Trent City Council area on 19 May 2014, political
Newark-on-Trent City Council area on 1 June 2014, political
Bedfordshire County Council area on 12 June 2014, political
Manchester City Council area on 26 June 2014, housing policy
West Riding of Yorkshire Council area on 26 June 2014, political
Doncaster City Council area on 27 June 2014, housing policy
East Riding of Yorkshire Council area on 27 June 2014, political
Harrogate Borough Council area on 5 July 2014, Le Grand Départ
Salisbury City Council area on 10 July 2014, political
Staffordshire County Council area on 11 July 2014, commemorative event
West Sussex County Council area on 21 July 2014, commemorative event
Hampshire County Council area on 29 July 2014, political
London Borough Council of Hounslow area on 1 August 2014, faith and integration
North East Lincolnshire Council area on 1 August 2014, growth policy and local Enterprise Zones
Glasgow City Council area on 4 August 2014, commemorative event
Mid Sussex District Council area on 23 August 2014, commemorative event
Bedford Borough Council on 2 September 2014, housing policy
Essex County Council on 4 September 2014, coastal defences
Tendring District Council area on 4 September 2014, political
London Borough of Harrow area on 14 September 2014, political
Birmingham City Council area on 17 September 2014, Waste management
Birmingham City Council area on 30 September 2014, local enterprise zones
London Borough of Wandsworth area on 21 October 2014, growth and housing policy
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council area on 23 October 2014, housing policy
Pendle Borough Council area on 24 October 2014, regeneration and housing policy
Stroud District Council area on 27 October 2014, political
Royal Borough of Greenwich area on 29 October 2014, better care fund
Manchester City Council area on 30 October 2014, better care fund
Stroud District Council area, Cheltenham Borough Council area and Staffordshire County Council area on 6 November 2014, political
Westminster Council area on 9 November 2014, commemorative event
Stroud District Council area on 20 November 2014, political
Westminster City Council area on 25 November 2014, commemorative event
Flyde Borough Council area on 27 November 2014, political
Central Bedfordshire Council area on 28 November 2014, housing policy
Northampton Borough Council area on 28 November 2014, political
Essex County Council area on 11 December 2014, housing policy
2015
Cardiff City Council and Newport City Council area on 8 January 2015, political
Bath and North East Somerset Council area on 15 January 2015, political
Leicester City Council and Charnwood Borough Council area on 29 January 2015, local Enterprise Zones
The list reflects the fact that the Department’s responsibilities are broadly devolved outside England. All visits are conducted in line with the provisions of the Ministerial Code.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average proportion of pensioners' energy bills that was met by the winter fuel payment in winter (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2013-14.
Answered by Steve Webb
This information is not available.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2015 to Question 221342, what the name is of the first of two evaluation partners who have been appointed by his Department to independently evaluate the 17 Innovation Fund pilots set up under the Help for Separated Families initiative.
Answered by Steve Webb
We have signed a contract with Adetiq to ensure the security of data during evaluation.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which of the 17 Help and Support for Separated Families Innovation Fund pilots will finish in March 2015 as originally planned; and which of those pilots will continue, and for how long.
Answered by Steve Webb
Officials are in discussion with all current projects about a possible extension beyond March 2014. I will make an announcement about this in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether an external evaluator has been appointed to provide an independent assessment of the 17 Innovation Fund projects set up under the Help for Separated Families initiative to establish what works in assisting separated parents to co-operate in the interests of their children; when it is planned that that evaluation process will take place; and when it is planned that that evaluation report will be published.
Answered by Steve Webb
One of two evaluation partners has been appointed and we are in the process of appointing the second.
Evaluation data continues to be collected by all of the live projects and this data will be analysed and interpreted by our independent evaluator throughout the duration of their contract into 2016.
Results will be published after all projects have ended delivery and the external evaluator has completed their follow up work and analysis.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent on professional interpretation services in each prison in England and Wales in 2012; and on how many occasions each such interpretation service was used.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
The percentage success rates for the Capita Translation and Interpreting contract are published and can be found using the below link:
Please find below a table showing the number of assignments and total spend in 2012 in each prison on professional interpretation through the MoJ Language Services Contract with Capita Translation and Interpreting.
Prison | Spend 2012 | Number of assignments |
HMP Nottingham | £317.77 | 3 |
HMP Nottingham | £162.76 | 2 |
HMP Ranby | £155.01 | 1 |
HMP Stocken | £94.24 | 1 |
HMP Sudbury | £668.23 | 4 |
HMP The Mount | £69.75 | 1 |
HMP Wellingborough | £223.50 | 2 |
HMPYOI Foston Hall | £72.32 | 1 |
IRC Morton Hall | £36.25 | 1 |
HMP Whatton | £37,893.56 | 135 |
MoJ Shared Services | £4,635.61 | 26 |
HMP Bure | £153.01 | 2 |
HMP Highpoint | £33.58 | 1 |
HMP Usk and Prescoed | £1,855.39 | 14 |
HMP North Sea Camp | £253.73 | 2 |
HMP Norwich | £38.67 | 1 |
HMPYOI Warren Hill | £62.00 | 1 |
HMYOI Chelmsford | £411.12 | 6 |
HMP Belmarsh | £144.99 | 1 |
HMP Brixton | £136.92 | 3 |
HMP Pentonville | £403.03 | 1 |
HMP Wandsworth | £33,777.91 | 103 |
HMYOI Feltham | £31.00 | 1 |
HMP Frankland | £62.00 | 1 |
HMP Holme House | £86.99 | 1 |
HMP Garth | £155.16 | 2 |
HMP Liverpool | £654.32 | 9 |
HMP Manchester | £1,177.93 | 6 |
HMP Manchester | £1,018.55 | 5 |
HMP Preston | £33.59 | 1 |
HMPYOI Hindley | £217.66 | 6 |
HMYOI Styal | £109.07 | 2 |
HMP Swaleside | £496.04 | 2 |
HMPYOI Downview | £130.49 | 1 |
HMPYOI Reading | £4,610.72 | 28 |
HMYOI Cookham Wood | £58.00 | 1 |
HMP Send | £129.17 | 2 |
HMP Channings Wood | £124.01 | 1 |
HMP Leyhill | £293.45 | 5 |
HMP Shepton Mallet | £158.99 | 1 |
HMP The Verne | £94.24 | 1 |
HMP Hewell | £114.17 | 3 |
HMP Long Lartin | £5,320.39 | 23 |
HMPYOI Brinsford | £493.54 | 3 |
HMYOI Werrington | £86.99 | 1 |
HMP Leeds | £607.58 | 2 |
HMP Lindholme | £485.88 | 5 |
HMP Wakefield | £38.75 | 1 |
HMPYOI Askham Grange | £48.33 | 1 |
HMPYOI Moorland | £1,363.14 | 9 |
HMPYOI New Hall | £3,182.58 | 16 |
Total | £102,982.08 | 452 |
Interpreters used by the Prison Service are self employed, freelance booked and sourced via the Capita-TI contract. Each assignment constitutes a separate individual booking which can range from one hour to a few days dependent upon the requirement. The value of spend and number of assignments for HMP Wandsworth and HMP Whatton are due to the requirement for a British Sign Language interpreter for a 6 month period in each facility to aid a member of prison service staff with access to work. This requirement, whilst initially paid for by HMPS, was reimbursed by the Department of Work and Pensions.
The interpreting contract was introduced to tackle the inefficiencies and inconsistencies in the previous system. The contract has delivered significant improvements so far and we now have a system that is robust, sustainable and able to deliver a quality service at an affordable level. As a result of the contract, we have spent £27m less in the first two years it has been running, and it continues to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the success rate in supplying interpreters was under the Capita TI interpreting contract in each month from January 2012 to March 2014.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
The percentage success rates for the Capita Translation and Interpreting contract are published and can be found using the below link:
The interpreting contract was introduced to tackle the inefficiencies and inconsistencies in the previous system. The contract has delivered significant improvements so far and we now have a system that is robust, sustainable and able to deliver a quality service at an affordable level. As a result of the contract, we have spent £27m less in the first two years it has been running, and it continues to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many calls were received by the Child Maintenance Options Service from parents who had been in contact with the Options Service during the period covered by his Department's most recent survey of effective family-based arrangements.
Answered by Steve Webb
The number of inbound calls received by the Child Maintenance Options Service in each month from Apr-13 to March 14 is available in the table below.
Month | Number of calls received by the Child Maintenance Options Service |
Apr-13 | 8,024 |
May-13 | 7,845 |
Jun-13 | 8,915 |
Jul-13 | 10,360 1 |
Aug-13 | 11,990 |
Sep-13 | 13,835 |
Oct-13 | 14,835 |
Nov-13 | 21,375 2 |
Dec-13 | 22,760 |
Jan-14 | 26,515 |
Feb-14 | 25,875 |
Mar-14 | 26,865 |
Notes:
- Data Sourced from CMO Monthly MI Service Pack
- Data rounded to nearest 5
1 Child Maintenance Options started providing a ‘soft gateway’ to the 2012 statutory child maintenance scheme, offering parents applying to the 2012 Scheme the opportunity to explore the full range of options before making an application, including considering making their own arrangements.
2 Child Maintenance Options became the automatic ‘gateway’ to the statutory 2012 child maintenance scheme, ensuring all parents who wish to access the 2012 Scheme are making a fully informed decision and have considered making their own arrangements first.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of parents in the survey conducted by his Department of parents' contact with the Child Maintenance Options Service between February 2013 and March 2014 had no maintenance arrangement following contact with the Service.
Answered by Steve Webb
Information around different arrangement types (including where parents have no arrangement) is under development and while not included in this publication, once assured, it will be included in future releases of this publication.
Asked by: Sheila Gilmore (Labour - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of parents in the survey conducted by his Department of parents' contact with the Child Maintenance Options Service between February 2013 and March 2014 chose to make a statutory maintenance arrangement following contact with the Service; and how many children such statutory arrangements covered.
Answered by Steve Webb
Information around different arrangement types is under development and while not included in this publication, once assured, it will be included in future releases of this publication.