Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) Red incidents and (b) Amber incidents have occurred at each Immigration Removal Centre in each of the last four years.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Incidents in the detention estate are reported in accordance with Detention
Services Order (DSO) 12/2008. Incidents are classified according to their
seriousness as red, amber or green.
Examples of the types of red or amber incidents are given in the DSO. Red
incidents are generally those relating to serious disturbances and/or fires
within a centre. Amber incidents may be those involving threats to the centre,
external demonstrations, or co-ordinated food or fluid refusal.
This data has been collected by different business areas in the Home Office
over the data period requested and has not been collated centrally.
Management information is only available for the period 01 July 2013 - 9 March
2014 in the following table and is in line with the data period for published
statistics.
This data is management information collected and collated from Immigration
Removal Centre suppliers. This information 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.
Table showing incidents in immigration removal centres for the period 01 July 2013 – 9 March 2014 by status.
IRC | Red Incidents | Amber Incidents | Total of Incidents |
Brook House | 2 | 59 | 61 |
Campsfield | 1 | 14 | 15 |
Colnbrook | 4 | 109 | 113 |
Dover | 1 | 39 | 40 |
Dungavel | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Harmondsworth | 0 | 145 | 145 |
Haslar | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Morton Hall | 6 | 29 | 35 |
Tinsley House | 0 | 17 | 17 |
Yarlswood | 1 | 109 | 110 |
Total | 15 | 528 | 541 |
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times an escaped person has been categorised as a high harm person and the senior management team believe there is a high risk of reputational damage to the Home Office as set out in the Home Office Guidance on Escaped Detainees at immigration removal centres in the last four years.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The Home Office does not routinely categorise immigration detainees against a
scale of harm. They are instead subject to individual risk assessment linked
to their suitability for placement in an immigration removal centre (IRC) which is
based on a number of different factors.
Where an escape or attempted escape from an IRC takes place, Criminal and
Financial Investigation (CFI) immigration specialist teams will assist in the
investigation where the individual is assessed to be a ‘high harm' person, or
where the senior management team believe there is a high risk of reputational
damage to the Home Office.
In the last four years the CFI team has conducted two investigations relating
to escapes of individuals from escort who were assessed to fit the
investigation criteria. There have not been any cases of escapes from an IRC
which have warranted the involvement of the CFI.
This data is management information and 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.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made 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.
Answered by Norman Lamb
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.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the availability of a range of housing and care options for people with physical disabilities and learning difficulties.
Answered by Norman Lamb
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.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the future of residential care for people with complex needs including physical impairments and learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Norman Lamb
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.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government is taking to address the problem of revenge pornography; and if he will meet representatives of the National Union of Students to discuss that matter.
Answered by Damian Green
The Government believes the posting of revenge porn is a despicable act and is one which can have devastating consequences for the victim.
The Government is looking seriously at this area of the law to ensure it is strong enough to deal with this behaviour.
I am happy to consider any representations that the National Union of Students wishes to submit.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many indeterminate sentence prisoners have been considered and (a) approved and (b) rejected for release on temporary licence; and how many of these had received approval from him for transfer to open conditions.
Answered by Jeremy Wright - Shadow Attorney General
Data on temporary release applications and the outcomes of such applications is not collected centrally and could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. Data on releases on temporary licence are published at the following links:
and
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statistical-notice-releases-on-temporary-licence-2012
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the localisation of council tax support on the operation and activities of parish and town councils.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 5 February 2014, Official Report, Column 19-21WS, which sets out clearly the Government's intention that the element of localised council tax support funding provided to local authorities which reflects reductions in town and parish tax bases should be passed down to those councils.
I additionally wrote to Leaders of billing authorities on this issue on 6 January and 21 February 2014.
The design and management of council tax support schemes is a local matter, and it is for local councils to work together to ensure that any relevant impacts are understood and taken into account.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that council tax support funding is passed on from billing authorities to parish and town councils in 2014-15.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 5 February 2014, Official Report, Column 19-21WS, which sets out clearly the Government's intention that the element of localised council tax support funding provided to local authorities which reflects reductions in town and parish tax bases should be passed down to those councils.
I additionally wrote to Leaders of billing authorities on this issue on 6 January and 21 February 2014.
The design and management of council tax support schemes is a local matter, and it is for local councils to work together to ensure that any relevant impacts are understood and taken into account.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the performance of Queen's Park Community Council since its establishment on 1 April 2014; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
We have not made an assessment of the performance of the new Queen's Park Community Council since its establishment on 1 April. The new council had its first elections on 22 May 2014 and it is therefore still very early in the life of the council. Unlike the last Labour Government, we do not micro-manage the performance of councils.