Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to reduce the length of time it takes to charge a person after an offence has taken place within the constabulary area of South Yorkshire.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The effective management of investigations, including the prompt communication of their outcomes, is an operational matter for the police.
After an arrest, the police need to carry out further investigations before a charge is brought then the police may release a suspect on pre-charge bail or release them under investigation (RUI).
The National Police Chief’s Council has recently published guidance on the use of pre-charge bail and RUI. The guidance sets out the steps the police should take to make sure the prompt completion of their investigations, whether suspects are released with or without pre-charge bail. The Home Office will continue to support the police in their efforts to prevent and investigate crimes, including by providing the biggest increase in police funding since 2010.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) charged and (b) convicted for offences under section 46 of the Crime and Security Act 2010 in each year since 2011; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Office holds data on crimes recorded by the police that are covered by the notifiable offence list. Notifiable offences are those crimes that could possibly be tried by a jury plus a few additional closely related summary offences dealt with by magistrates, such as assault without injury.
Crimes covered under section 46 of the Crime and Security Act 2010 are non-notifiable and therefore for not held by the Home Office.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many project licence applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were (a) granted and (b) refused on the basis of the results of the harm-benefit analysis carried out on those applications by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.
Answered by Karen Bradley
I refer the Hon. Member to the response I previously provided to her question on 4 February 2016 (24508). The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected / refused or withdrawn at the concept or at the drafting stage.
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Advice Note: 05/2015, paragraph 9 of the Harm-Benefit Analysis Process, how many project licences applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were recommended by the Animals and Science Regulation Unit in each year since 2012.
Answered by John Hayes
The Harm-Benefit Analysis (HBA) is undertaken, on behalf of the Secretary of State, by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors, all of whom are veterinary or medically qualified and trained in assessing research proposals. The HBA is the process of considering a research proposal to make a judgement whether the likely harms that the animals will experience are justified by the likely benefits. Under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors advise the Secretary of State who decides whether and on what terms a project licence should be granted.
The number of project licences which were recommended for grant by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015 are shown in table 1, column (c).
The Secretary of State has not rejected any of the recommendations for granting project licences made by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015.
The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected or withdrawn at the concept or drafting stage [24507]. The Home Office does not keep records of which applications were withdrawn as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors.
The Home Office refers project licence applications to both the Animals in Science Committee and external independent assessors for critical review. The number of project licences referred to both is given in Table 1 columns (a) and (b) respectively for the years 2012-15.
Year | (a) Project licence applications referred to the Animals in Science Committee[1] | (b) Project licence applications referred to independent assessors | (c) Project licences granted |
2012 | 9 | 4 | 626 |
2013 | 3 | 0 | 604 |
2014 | 4 | 1 | 474 |
2015 | 3 | 0 | 577 |
[1] Prior to 2013 the independent advisory body was entitled the ‘Animals Procedures Committee’
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many project licence applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were (a) granted and (b) not granted on the basis of the harm-benefit analysis.
Answered by John Hayes
The Harm-Benefit Analysis (HBA) is undertaken, on behalf of the Secretary of State, by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors, all of whom are veterinary or medically qualified and trained in assessing research proposals. The HBA is the process of considering a research proposal to make a judgement whether the likely harms that the animals will experience are justified by the likely benefits. Under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors advise the Secretary of State who decides whether and on what terms a project licence should be granted.
The number of project licences which were recommended for grant by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015 are shown in table 1, column (c).
The Secretary of State has not rejected any of the recommendations for granting project licences made by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015.
The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected or withdrawn at the concept or drafting stage [24507]. The Home Office does not keep records of which applications were withdrawn as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors.
The Home Office refers project licence applications to both the Animals in Science Committee and external independent assessors for critical review. The number of project licences referred to both is given in Table 1 columns (a) and (b) respectively for the years 2012-15.
Year | (a) Project licence applications referred to the Animals in Science Committee[1] | (b) Project licence applications referred to independent assessors | (c) Project licences granted |
2012 | 9 | 4 | 626 |
2013 | 3 | 0 | 604 |
2014 | 4 | 1 | 474 |
2015 | 3 | 0 | 577 |
[1] Prior to 2013 the independent advisory body was entitled the ‘Animals Procedures Committee’
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times she rejected the recommendations of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit for project licences in each year since 2012.
Answered by John Hayes
The Harm-Benefit Analysis (HBA) is undertaken, on behalf of the Secretary of State, by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors, all of whom are veterinary or medically qualified and trained in assessing research proposals. The HBA is the process of considering a research proposal to make a judgement whether the likely harms that the animals will experience are justified by the likely benefits. Under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors advise the Secretary of State who decides whether and on what terms a project licence should be granted.
The number of project licences which were recommended for grant by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015 are shown in table 1, column (c).
The Secretary of State has not rejected any of the recommendations for granting project licences made by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015.
The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected or withdrawn at the concept or drafting stage [24507]. The Home Office does not keep records of which applications were withdrawn as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors.
The Home Office refers project licence applications to both the Animals in Science Committee and external independent assessors for critical review. The number of project licences referred to both is given in Table 1 columns (a) and (b) respectively for the years 2012-15.
Year | (a) Project licence applications referred to the Animals in Science Committee[1] | (b) Project licence applications referred to independent assessors | (c) Project licences granted |
2012 | 9 | 4 | 626 |
2013 | 3 | 0 | 604 |
2014 | 4 | 1 | 474 |
2015 | 3 | 0 | 577 |
[1] Prior to 2013 the independent advisory body was entitled the ‘Animals Procedures Committee’
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 12 of Advice Note: 05/2015 on the Harm-Benefit Analysis Process, how many project licence applications were withdrawn at the (a) concept and (b) draft stage as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit that the application would clearly fail the harm-benefit analysis in each year since 2012.
Answered by John Hayes
The Harm-Benefit Analysis (HBA) is undertaken, on behalf of the Secretary of State, by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors, all of whom are veterinary or medically qualified and trained in assessing research proposals. The HBA is the process of considering a research proposal to make a judgement whether the likely harms that the animals will experience are justified by the likely benefits. Under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors advise the Secretary of State who decides whether and on what terms a project licence should be granted.
The number of project licences which were recommended for grant by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015 are shown in table 1, column (c).
The Secretary of State has not rejected any of the recommendations for granting project licences made by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015.
The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected or withdrawn at the concept or drafting stage [24507]. The Home Office does not keep records of which applications were withdrawn as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors.
The Home Office refers project licence applications to both the Animals in Science Committee and external independent assessors for critical review. The number of project licences referred to both is given in Table 1 columns (a) and (b) respectively for the years 2012-15.
Year | (a) Project licence applications referred to the Animals in Science Committee[1] | (b) Project licence applications referred to independent assessors | (c) Project licences granted |
2012 | 9 | 4 | 626 |
2013 | 3 | 0 | 604 |
2014 | 4 | 1 | 474 |
2015 | 3 | 0 | 577 |
[1] Prior to 2013 the independent advisory body was entitled the ‘Animals Procedures Committee’
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times project licence applications were referred to an independent assessor in each year since 2012.
Answered by John Hayes
The Harm-Benefit Analysis (HBA) is undertaken, on behalf of the Secretary of State, by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors, all of whom are veterinary or medically qualified and trained in assessing research proposals. The HBA is the process of considering a research proposal to make a judgement whether the likely harms that the animals will experience are justified by the likely benefits. Under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors advise the Secretary of State who decides whether and on what terms a project licence should be granted.
The number of project licences which were recommended for grant by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015 are shown in table 1, column (c).
The Secretary of State has not rejected any of the recommendations for granting project licences made by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors between 2012 and 2015.
The Home Office does not keep records of applications that have been rejected or withdrawn at the concept or drafting stage [24507]. The Home Office does not keep records of which applications were withdrawn as a result of advice from the Animals in Science Regulation Unit inspectors.
The Home Office refers project licence applications to both the Animals in Science Committee and external independent assessors for critical review. The number of project licences referred to both is given in Table 1 columns (a) and (b) respectively for the years 2012-15.
Year | (a) Project licence applications referred to the Animals in Science Committee[1] | (b) Project licence applications referred to independent assessors | (c) Project licences granted |
2012 | 9 | 4 | 626 |
2013 | 3 | 0 | 604 |
2014 | 4 | 1 | 474 |
2015 | 3 | 0 | 577 |
[1] Prior to 2013 the independent advisory body was entitled the ‘Animals Procedures Committee’
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many seizures of reptiles there were by the Border Force under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014; how many individual animals were so seized in each such year; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The data requested on the seizures of reptiles by Border Force can be found in the below table:
| Seizure Year | Number of Seizures | Quantity Seized |
| 2013 | 9 | 477 |
| 2014 | 16 | 1232 |
Asked by: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the outcome of the recent Illegal Wildlife Trade conference and the resulting London Declaration; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that animal welfare is a key element of her Department's response to that declaration.
Answered by Norman Baker
The Home Office recognises that the illegal wildlife trade is not only a serious threat to our environment, but is also a transnational criminal industry worth billions of pounds every year, and one which drives corruption and insecurity and undermines efforts to cut poverty and develop sustainable economic opportunities.
I was therefore pleased that world leaders from over forty nations, including key states such as Botswana, Chad, China, Gabon, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Tanzania, and Vietnam, alongside the United States and Russia, gathered in London on 13 February 2014 and made a political commitment to take actions to eradicate the demand for illegal wildlife products, strengthen law enforcement, ensure effective legal frameworks, and to reduce the incentive for communities in source countries to get involved in the trade by supporting the development of alternative, sustainable livelihoods. I co-chaired part of the proceedings to underline the Home Office's commitment to this issue.
The Home Office will continue to work with other departments to ensure that the Government delivers on the UK Commitment to Action on the Illegal Wildlife Trade.