First elected: 15th November 2012
Left House: 30th March 2015 (Defeated)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
These initiatives were driven by Andy Sawford, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Andy Sawford has not been granted any Urgent Questions
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to extend the powers of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to enable it to regulate employment agencies in all sectors of the economy; and for connected purposes.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to prohibit the use of zero hours employment contracts.
Andy Sawford has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
UK Export Finance records spending on all activities associated with the promotion of UK Export Finance, including advertising, marketing, attendance at exhibitions etc, as Business Promotion or Marketing.
The table below shows the amount spent by UK Export Finance on these activities in each financial year since 2010/11. Spend has increased in recent years as UK Export Finance seeks to raise awareness of its services particularly amongst smaller businesses following the introduction of products targeted at the smaller exporter in 2011.
| 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 to date |
Spend (£) | 19,395 | 41,915 | 27,958 | 377,434 | 801,341 |
Discussions with Milton Keynes Council and the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership are ongoing on both a City Deal and a Local Growth Deal.
As part of our long-term economic plan this Government announced that we had saved an unprecedented £14.3 billion last year alone compared to the spending in the year before the last General Election. There's more to do and in the Autumn Statement the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury jointly laid out plans to save a further £10 billion by 2017-18 through efficiency and reform.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Livingston on 16 December 2013 (Official Report) Column Ref: 453W.
Information on government suppliers within a specific constituency or local authority area is not held centrally
UK Sport have confirmed that there is no record of they nor the relevant national governing bodies having spoken to the BOA or the IOC regarding the use of lead shot during the Olympic shooting events in Rio.
It should be noted that at both London 2012 and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, netting was used at the shooting venues to catch the shot and ensure that there was no wider environment impact.
The Department for Education has published two reports on IES Breckland Free School:
1. Impact assessment 2012, which is available at:
2. Ofsted pre-registration advice note 2012, which is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/191634/ies_breckland.pdf
In addition to the reports published by the Department, Ofsted published an inspection report on 13 March 2014, which is available at:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/138250
In February 2014 local authorities reported that around 103,000 two-year-olds were already accessing a funded early learning place. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that every eligible child, whose parents wish them to take a place, is able to.
In February 2014 local authorities reported that around 103,000 two-year-olds were already accessing a funded early learning place. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that every eligible child, whose parents wish them to take a place, is able to.
We have made it clear that, as schools implement the universal infant free school meals policy, they should ensure that pupils are routinely offered the option of a hot meal.
We will monitor the take-up of school meals through the Schools Census for children in reception, year one and year two beginning in the autumn term of the 2014/15 academic year.
No estimate has been made on the level of funding available for Northamptonshire Action with Communities in Rural England. That is a matter for discussion between ACRE, as the coordinating body for the Network, and Northamptonshire.
We support the valuable work the ACRE Network does to benefit rural communities. That is why we have confirmed that it will again receive over £2 million worth of funding in the coming year.
Landowners are free to run commercial shoots on their land, provided they are carried out appropriately and legally. We have no plans to introduce a licensing system for commercial shoots, or to consult on the matter.
The introduction of new legislation requires evidence that it will be effective. We are not yet aware of any successful prosecutions or of any compelling evidence that the introduction of the provisions of vicarious liability in Scotland has had a significant deterrent on those who commit wildlife crime.
We will continue to monitor the situation in Scotland and to consider whether this or a similar offence is necessary and proportionate to assist in tackling wildlife crime in England.
The following documents have been placed in the Library.
In October 2013, alongside the public consultation, Defra published an evidence paper which assessed the impact of the new Common Agricultural Policy and the costs and benefits of payments made to farmers.
https://consult.defra.gov.uk/agricultural-policy/cap-consultation.
Since then a number of more technical implementation decisions were announced and on 11 December 2014 the Common Agricultural Policy Basic Payment and Support Schemes (England) Regulations 2014 No. 3259 were laid in Parliament. Included in the explanatory memorandum to the legislation is a further evidence paper updating some of the analysis and providing further analysis of the impact of some of the more technical decisions.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/3259/memorandum/contents
In addition, an impact assessment of the new Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) was published in June 2014 setting out the evidence base on the costs, benefits and value for money.
The Government is committed to upgrading the A45 from Thrapston to Stanwick which is why the scheme is named in the new Road Investment Strategy. The previous administration failed adequately to improve Northamptonshire’s infrastructure when they had the opportunity, despite holding a number of parliamentary seats in the county for all or part of the 13 years from 1997.
The proposals to improve the A45 between Thrapston and Stanwick will be developed by Highways England during the first Road Period, which runs from 2015/16 to 2019/20, but may not enter construction until the next Road Period as the environmental sensitivities of the site are recognised by the Department for Transport. It is important that we get this right.
Evidence gathered as part of the Route Strategy process was used to inform the development of the Road Investment Strategy (RIS). The investment commitment in the RIS provides funding for the development of a scheme to upgrade the existing single carriageway section of the A45 between Thrapston and Stanwick so the A45 can provide a continuous Expressway between the A14 and the M1.
In committing to develop schemes for the next RIS period we have been clear that the design of the proposal may be complex, and in relation to the A45 scheme, it will be necessary to ensure that the proposal carefully manages the interaction of the road with the Stanwick Lakes SSSI and the wider Nene Valley. While it is too early to set out the detailed arrangements and a timetable for development of the proposal, we do know that delivery will require the successful completion of the necessary statutory planning processes, which include public consultation.
By naming the A45 in the first ever Road Investment Strategy this government has shown its commitment to Northamptonshire and will continue to press ahead with improvements to this important artery. This comes on top of the £20.5 million investment towards the cost of the the A43 Corby link road which opened in 2014 and up to £25 million that has been allocated for improvements to the Chowns Mill roundabout as part of the RIS.
By contrast the previous administration dropped several schemes in Northamptonshire from the national road building programme in 1998 including the A43 Moulton-Broughton improvement; the A43 Geddington bypass; as well as the A45 Weedon, Flore and Upper Heyford bypass.
At the time of the publication of the RIS the Department set out the expected cost category for each of the investment commitments, with the A45 Thrapston to Stanwick scheme falling in the £100 to £250m cost category.
A Road Period represents the duration of a Road Investment Strategy (RIS). The first Road Period covers the period 2015/16 to 2019/20. This RIS has set funding, on an indicative basis, out to 2020/21. It is anticipated that the second Road Period will run from 2020/21 to 2024/25.
The Local Authority Administration Grant for 2014/15 will not be reduced due to the implementation of the Single Fraud Investigation Service. The proposals for 2015/16 and 2016/17 onwards are currently out for consultation with our key stakeholders, including Local Government representative groups.
DWP has considered whether the creation of SFIS falls within the TUPE definitions. The regulations state “…the transfer of administrative functions between public administrative authorities is not a relevant transfer” (for the purpose of TUPE). After careful consideration, DWP has concluded that benefit fraud investigations fall within this category, and as such, TUPE would not apply.
DWP has however, made clear that the success of SFIS is a priority and we intend to transfer staff currently working on fraud investigations from Local Authorities. To effect those transfers, DWP will apply the approach set out in the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice for Staff Transfers in the Public Sector (COSOP) and staff will transfer under a Statutory Transfer Scheme (STS) as provided for under Section 38 of the Employment Relations Act 1999. In line with COSOP, the terms and conditions for transferring staff will be protected.
DWP has worked very closely with the Local Government Association, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Welsh Local Government Association throughout the life of the Project and continues to do so. All three organisations hold regular meetings with the Project and also have representatives on the key consultative and governance groups, for example the SFIS Project Steering Committee.
The subject of staff terms and conditions has been discussed and we have assured all our stakeholders that terms and conditions of employment will be protected. This protection will be documented in the transfer order and employees transferring will not be subject to less favourable terms and conditions when they join DWP. This is in line with the Cabinet Office Statement of Practise for Staff Transfers in the Public Sector.
Discretionary Housing Payments(DHP) are allocated by Local Authority not parliamentary constituency. The table below details the overall DHP allocation and the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS) element for Corby and East Northhamptonshire local authorities.
Government allocation of DHP by Local authority | 2013/14 |
| 2014/15 |
|
| RSRS | Total DHP | RSRS | Total DHP |
Corby | £25,669 | £92,250 | £92,809 | £134,854 |
East Northamptonshire | £24,304 | £85,490 | £59,253 | £99,565 |
The introduction of single fraud investigation service will ensure that all allegations of local authority welfare benefit fraud are investigated appropriately in accordance with a single policy. As such the SFIS project strengthens the approach to investigating and tackling welfare benefit fraud in local authorities.
In October 2012, the Food Standards Agency assessed the risk to human health from exposure to lead from lead bullets and shot used to shoot wild game animals.
The FSA concluded in its risk assessment that frequent consumption of game meat could increase exposure to lead. This increased exposure would be a concern in the case of toddlers, young children and pregnant women because of the neurotoxicity of lead to the developing brain.
This risk assessment is available on the FSA’s website:
The NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA), Care Quality Commission, clinical commissioning groups and the trust continue to work together to improve performance.
The TDA will continue to meet regularly with the trust’s leadership team to review and monitor progress, to ensure response times continue to improve.
As part of overall operational resilience planning for winter, we have provided an additional £50 million nationally to support ambulance trusts in managing extra demand.
Advertising of e-cigarettes is subject to controls overseen by the Advertising Standards Authority, who are the United Kingdom's regulator of advertising across all media, including marketing on websites. The Committee of Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, who are the bodies responsible for writing and maintaining the advertising codes, recently issued guidance to the advertisers of e-cigarettes to help them fully comply with the current rules.
The Revised Tobacco Products Directive will come into force in May 2016. From that time it will be illegal to advertise e-cigarettes, other than those licenced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, on television in the UK.
Data on waiting times to see a general practitioner (GP) is not collected.
The 48 hour waiting time target was removed because it was seen as too inflexible in meeting the needs of patients. The GP patient survey showed that the proportion of people who wanted to get an appointment within two days (and were able to) actually fell between 2008-09 and 2009-10 i.e. when the target was in place.
The Government remains committed to providing overweight and obese individuals with expert advice, through supporting local public health teams and health professionals with the evidence based tools they need to deliver early support and advice in adopting healthier behaviours and reducing excess weight. We are giving local authorities £8.2 billion ring fenced public health funding over 3 years.
Local authorities, NHS England and clinical commissioning groups are responsible for the commissioning of the obesity care pathway, providing services based on expert guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Public Health England (PHE) provides tools and support to local authorities to provide evidence based and effective pathways and interventions for overweight and obese individuals to lose weight.
The National Child Measurement Programme and NHS Health Check are national mandatory public health functions which are the responsibility of local authorities. These services enable identification of the overweight and obese; in school aged children at reception and year 6 and for adults aged 40-74 years; and provide access to services.
Ministers have had no such discussions.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and as such it would be inappropriate for Ministers to intervene. NICE is responsible for the methods used to develop and update its guidance and reviews its published clinical guidelines in order to take account of the latest available evidence.
NICE consulted on its draft updated clinical guideline on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obese adults and children in July and August. NICE will take the stakeholder comments from the consultation into account in developing the final guideline, which is currently planned for publication in November.
Ministers have had no such discussions.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and as such it would be inappropriate for Ministers to intervene. NICE is responsible for the methods used to develop and update its guidance and reviews its published clinical guidelines in order to take account of the latest available evidence.
NICE consulted on its draft updated clinical guideline on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obese adults and children in July and August. NICE will take the stakeholder comments from the consultation into account in developing the final guideline, which is currently planned for publication in November.
The Department has not made an assessment of the effect on people with physical impairments and learning disabilities of the proposals by third sector providers to close residential care homes available to them.
The Department is aware that some providers of residential care for disabled people are reviewing their services and consulting with people who use services and their families.
The Department appreciates that some people who use services and their families may be concerned and encourages them to engage fully with the consultation process to ensure their views are taken into account.
The Government believes that people who wish, and who are able to live in their communities should be given the support they need to do so. People who use services whose care is provided or arranged by their local council should be supported to exercise choice regarding where they receive services.
The Care Act 2014, which will come into force in 2015, will give local authorities a core duty to promote their local market in care provision, with a particular focus on ensuring diversity, quality and sustainability which, importantly, will mean there should be sufficient high quality services available to meet the needs of individuals in their local area.
The Department has not made any assessments of the availability of a range of housing and care options for people with physical disabilities and learning difficulties.
The new Care Act, which will come into force in 2015, will give local authorities a core duty to promote their local market, with a particular focus on ensuring diversity, quality and sustainability which, importantly, will mean there should be sufficient high quality services available to meet the needs of individuals in their local area.
The Department has worked with stakeholders, including provider organisations, to develop draft statutory guidance to support the implementation of the Care Act. The guidance will describe how local authorities must meet these new duties, including encouraging sustainability through appropriate fee levels. The draft guidance was published as part of a 10-week public consultation on the full package of regulations and guidance under part 1 of the Care Act on 6 June.
The Government believes that people who wish and who are able to live in their communities, rather than in an institutional care setting, should be given the support they need to do so.
The Department has made no assessment of the future of residential care for people with complex needs.
Local authorities are responsible for assessing the needs of their populations and for providing or arranging social care services, including residential care, to meet eligible needs.
Local authorities have a responsibility, through good commissioning strategies, to ensure a healthy local care home sector. The new Care Act, which will come into force in 2015, will give local authorities a core duty to promote their local care market, with a particular focus on ensuring diversity, quality and sustainability. This will mean that there should be sufficient high quality services available to meet the needs of individuals in their areas.
The Care Act provides a new legislative focus on personalisation, increasing opportunities for greater choice, control and independence, so that people can choose the services best suited to meet their care and support needs.
The annual National Health Service workforce census, published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, shows the numbers of chiropodists/podiatrists working in the National Health Service in England as at 30 September each year. The number of full-time equivalent chiropodists/podiatrists employed by the NHS in each of the last 10 years is shown in the following table. It is not possible to separate out the podiatrists from the chiropodists/podiatrists figure.
The most recent annual workforce census, which includes data as at 30 September 2013 and was published on 25 March 2014, has been placed in the Library.
NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified Chiropody/Podiatry staff in England as at 30 September each year
full time equivalent | |||||||||||
2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
England | 3,027 | 3,117 | 3,103 | 3,056 | 3,095 | 3,146 | 3,207 | 3,190 | 3,106 | 3,067 | 3,028 |
Notes:
It is impossible to isolate the numbers of podiatry staff from the Chiropody/Podiatry staff workforce census data.
These statistics relate to the contracted positions within English NHS organisations and may include those where the person assigned to the position is temporarily absent, for example on maternity leave.
Source:
Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census
There has been no assessment made by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) of the prevalence of grade down-banding of podiatrists employed within the National Health Service.
NHS Employers are responsible for their workforce structure. Grade down-banding or changing the pay structure of the role to a lower grade, is a measure undertaken by some NHS organisations due to re-organisation and restructure.
The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not personally received representations on the relationship between the availability of podiatry services and rate of lower limb amputations.
I regularly meet with the Allied Health Professions Federation. At the last meeting held in February 2014, representatives from the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists attended and a wide range of issues were discussed, including prevention of lower limb amputations.
We are not currently able to correlate the relationship between the availability of podiatry services and rate of lower limb amputation in those with diabetes. However, on 14 July 2014, NHS England will be launching the National Diabetes Footcare Audit (a new module to be incorporated into the National Diabetes Audit) which will allow this relationship to be explored.
There has been no assessment made by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), on the standard of podiatry services in the National Health Service. Podiatrists are professionally regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and are accountable for their practice via the fitness to practise process. Registered podiatrists are required to maintain ongoing continued professional development to ensure that their clinical skills are maintained. This is a mandatory requirement by the HCPC.
Health organisations are expected to follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard on diabetes requires that people with diabetes that have foot ulcers, or are at risk of developing them, have regular check-ups from a team specialising in foot protection. It also requires that people are seen and treated by a specialist healthcare team within 24 hours if they have foot problems needing urgent medical attention.
NICE guidelines recommend annual foot checks. This is included in the Quality and Outcomes Framework which incentivises general practitioners to perform and record a foot examination in people with diabetes.
NHS England also plans to launch a National Diabetes Footcare Audit in July 2014, which aims to establish the extent to which national guidelines on the management of diabetic foot disease are being met. This will provide local teams with the evidence needed to tackle any identified differences in practice which will lead in turn to an overall improvement in management and outcomes for patients.
Some elements of podiatry services are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and has a key responsibility in the overall assurance of safety and quality of health and adult social care services. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, all providers of regulated activities, including NHS and independent providers, have to register with CQC and meet a set of requirements of safety and quality.
The Mandate from the Government to NHS England holds NHS England to account for improving patient care. Within NHS England, the National Clinical Director for Rehabilitation and Recovery in the Community and the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer are leading on work to improve adult rehabilitation services including collection and dissemination of best practice, which will serve to enhance the care of those with foot diseases.
NHS England is taking a number of actions to improve footcare services for people with diabetic foot disease. Some of these actions are in line with Diabetes UK's foot campaign “Putting Feet First” while others go beyond the suggestions included in the campaign.
The actions include the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set which contains an indicator on “Complications associated with diabetes including emergency admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis and lower limb amputation”; the launch of a National Diabetes Footcare Audit scheduled for July of this year; and an NHS Improving Quality pilot project to reduce the premature mortality associated with diabetic foot disease.
A search of the Department's Ministerial correspondence database has identified four items of correspondence about reductions in the number of podiatrists employed in England, three were received in 2012 and one was received in 2014. This is a minimum figure which represents correspondence received by the Department's Ministerial correspondence unit only.
Following the Westminster Hall debate on 4 December 2013 about Podiatry services, secured by the hon. Member for Corby (Andy Sawford); the Chief Executive of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, wrote to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health (Jane Ellison) who responded to the debate, expressing concern about the reduction of podiatrists staffing levels in some areas.
In that debate the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health explained that “in situations in which services need to be changed, the NHS commitment is to make sure decisions are made in a clear and transparent way, so that patients and the public can understand how services are planned and delivered. Through the mandate, NHS England is responsible for services and for working with local clinical commissioning groups to ensure that their services are based on the needs of the local population within the resources available and there has to be evidenced-based best practice”.
The Health and Social Care Information Centre annual National Health Service workforce census shows the number of chiropodists/podiatrists by Agenda for Change (AfC) pay band working in the National Health Service as at 30 September each year from 2010 to 2013. It is not possible to separate podiatrists from the chiropodists/podiatrists figures. An AfC breakdown is not available for 2009 census data but is available in the provisional monthly workforce statistics.
The number of employees at AfC bands 5, 6, 7 and 8 employed as podiatrists in the NHS from 2009 to 2013 is shown in the following table.
NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified Chiropody/Podiatry staff in England by agenda for change pay band as at 30 September each year
Full Time Equivalent | |||||
20091 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
All Pay bands | 3,215 | 3,190 | 3,106 | 3,067 | 3,028 |
of which | |||||
Band 5 | 281 | 284 | 265 | 313 | 383 |
Band 6 | 1,568 | 1,574 | 1,560 | 1,494 | 1,444 |
subtotal | 1,849 | 1,858 | 1,825 | 1,808 | 1,827 |
Band 7 | 904 | 877 | 854 | 837 | 808 |
Band 8a | 225 | 232 | 228 | 218 | 203 |
Band 8b | 88 | 81 | 70 | 64 | 59 |
Band 8c | 37 | 32 | 26 | 21 | 20 |
Band 8d | 25 | 26 | 30 | 31 | 28 |
subtotal | 1,278 | 1,248 | 1,207 | 1,171 | 1,119 |
Notes:
12009 figures will differ from the published Annual Workforce Census figure for qualified Chiropody/Podiatry staff (3,207) because this data is taken from the September 2009 Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics. AfC band data for 2009 is not available from the Annual Workforce Census.
2010-2013 figures are from the September Workforce Census each year.
It is impossible to isolate the numbers of podiatry staff from the Chiropody/Podiatry staff workforce census data.
Sources:
Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census
Health and Social Care Information Centre Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics
The Government attaches great importance to the support of human rights and democracy around the world. The human rights situation in Honduras is undoubtedly of concern, particularly in regard to human rights defenders and journalists, who have been known to face particular threats. The limited investigative capacity of judicial institutions in Honduras means it is often difficult to determine who is responsible for such crimes. However, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Honduras set out in a recent statement to mark Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the British Government is working to support the efforts of the Honduran Attorney General's Office and other institutions to tackle impunity human rights abuses, including crimes perpetrated against journalists and human rights defenders.
The Government has consistantly engaged with Honduran authorities on the issue of human rights. Soon after the new President of Honduras took office in January this year, representatives from the British Embassy met senior Honduran officials, including the Attorney General and the Commissioner for Human Rights. Our Embassy has since continued this dialogue with the appropriate Honduran authorities, including raising specific cases highlighted by a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Most recently, Her Majesty's Ambassador wrote to the newly appointed Human Rights Ombudsman and the Attorney General to highlight our ongoing human rights concerns. An official from the Crown Prosecution Service also travelled to Honduras in February to assess whether UK expertise can be used in support of EU work, to develop capacity in tackling impunity for human rights violations and abuses.
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative,
with all strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating
model, taken by the Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime
Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small
working group of PCCs to define a more equitable future funding model for all
force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that
will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean
that every air base supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling
indicates that Northamptonshire will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1
Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new operating model will include an
enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a
non-voting capacity.
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative,
with all strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating
model, taken by the Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime
Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small
working group of PCCs to define a more equitable future funding model for all
force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that
will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean
that every air base supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling
indicates that Northamptonshire will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1
Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new operating model will include an
enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a
non-voting capacity.
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative,
with all strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating
model, taken by the Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime
Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small
working group of PCCs to define a more equitable future funding model for all
force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that
will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean
that every air base supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling
indicates that Northamptonshire will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1
Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new operating model will include an
enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a
non-voting capacity.
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative,
with all strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating
model, taken by the Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime
Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small
working group of PCCs to define a more equitable future funding model for all
force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that
will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean
that every air base supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling
indicates that Northamptonshire will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1
Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new operating model will include an
enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a
non-voting capacity.
The Home Office command suite structure for the management of serious
incidents is based on the model operated by the Prison Service. Silver Command
Suites are opened in the establishment where the incident occurred.
A Gold Command Suite is opened in Prison Service Headquarters for incidents
where the Home Office requests mutual assistance from the Prison Service and is
attended by a Home Office senior manager.
Any other serious incident, which does not require mutual assistance but
requires ongoing management, is dealt with by opening a Gold Command Suite at
Detention Operations headquarters.
The number of times Silver Suites have been opened in the past year in
immigration removal centres is detailed in the table below for January 2013
to March 2014 and is provided in line with the data periods for published statistics.
Escapes from immigration removal centres and while under escort are a subset of
published statistics. The following table shows absconds for the financial
years 2010/11-2013/14.
Information on attempted escapes is not held centrally and could only be
provided by examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
Eleven of those individuals recorded as escaped 2010/11-2013/14 have not been
located.
The police are informed immediately when a detainee has escaped and the
individual's details are recorded on the Police National Computer should the
individual be apprehended at a later date.
People leaving detention by place of last detention, absconded 2010/11-2013/14 (financial year) (1)(2).
Year | Absconded |
2010/2011 | |
Absconded from centre | 5 |
Absconded from escorts | 3 |
Total | 8 |
2011/2012 | |
Absconded from centre | 3 |
Absconded from escorts | 3 |
Total | 6 |
2012/2013 | |
Absconded from centre | 4 |
Absconded from escorts | 1 |
Total | 5 |
2013/2014 | |
Absconded from centre | 0 |
Absconded from escorts | 0 |
Total | 0 |
(1) Data from 2011/12 onwards are provisional.
(2) Total detainees are those detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers and exclude those in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants.
The proportion of detainees who have escaped from detention or from escort in each of the last four years who have been returned to detention is 37% (7) of 19 detainees. One detainee was not returned to detention but located overseas. Major changes to the estate since 2010 have included the closure of the lower security site at Oakington Reception Centre in November 2010 and increased capacity at the higher security centre at Harmondsworth in July 2010. The management information above has been reached by the examination of individual records. It does not form part of published statistics and is not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. It is provisional and subject to change.