Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on (a) academic and (b) other research conducted in (i) the UK and (ii) other European countries that establishes a link between the funding of ISIL and the trade in contraband (A) cigarettes and (B) other goods.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The Home Office does not hold academic or other research of this sort.
A number of departments are involved in the Government’s efforts to degrade and defeat ISIL and experts from across government have spent considerable time analysing ISIL’s funding flows. Based on the information available, we believe
that a substantial share of ISIL’s revenue is derived from the sale of oil and commodities, taxation and extortion. It is likely that revenue generated from the smuggling of tobacco accounts for some of this, although the amount is
believed to be relatively small as a share of ISIL’s total revenue.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police forces in England have signed local protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.
Answered by Damian Green
I understand that, as of 13 May 2014, 36 of the 39 territorial police forces in
England - plus British Transport Police - are currently signed up to local
protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The other 3
forces report that they are in the process of agreeing such protocols with
local partner agencies.
The agreement of mental health protocols by local agencies is promoted at
national level, including through the Mental Health Act 1983 Codes of Practice
and the new national Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat, which states that:
‘Every area should have a local protocol in place, agreed by NHS commissioners,
the police force, the ambulance service, and social services. This should
describe the approach to be taken when a police officer uses powers under the
Mental Health Act'.
The Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/281242
/36353_Mental_Health_Crisis_accessible.pdf
The Department of Health, supported by the Home Office and Mind, is encouraging
local areas to sign-up to the principles of the Concordat, with the expectation
that all areas in England will have signed local declarations by December
2014. The Department of Health will publish details of the areas that have
signed such declarations.