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  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 22 February (HL5864), whether the term UK troops includes members of 13 Squadron, based at RAF Waddington, and of 39 Squadron, based at Creech Air Force Base in the US.

    Earl Howe

    This Government has demonstrated its commitment to the war powers convention by its willingness to hold Parliamentary debates in relation to air strikes in Iraq and Syria in 2013, 2014 and 2015. However, we have no intention of defining the precise circumstances, including the identity of specific military units, capabilities or types of operation, under which we might be obliged to act first and to notify Parliament afterwards, in order to avoid presenting our adversaries with opportunities to exploit that definition against the UK or our interests.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 19 January (HL4885), whether the dates given in fact show that the time from laying down to operational handover for HMS Astute was nine years and seven months, and that for HMS Artful it will be 11 years.

    Earl Howe

    The build time of a submarine is measured between the start of manufacture and operational handover to the Royal Navy. Using this metric, the build time of HMS Astute was 170 months and for Artful was 137 months.

    Keel laying and commissioning have no bearing on the build programme. These are ceremonial milestones only: commissioning can happen before or after operational handover. Using these milestones, however, the time taken from keel laying to commissioning was nine years and seven months for HMS Astute and 11 years for Artful.

  • – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 25 February (HL6124), what is their definition of political campaigning and lobbying”

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Cabinet Office’s interim guidance on applying the new clause in government grant agreements can be found online at:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/interim-guidance-on-applying-a-new-clause-in-government-grant-agreements

    Grant agreements are routinely subject to conditions, as well as a monitoring/audit process. The new grant clause builds on those existing processes

    The new clause has successfully been trialled by the Department for Communities and Local Government over the last 12 months.

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Attorney General, what steps the CPS has taken to ensure that administrative errors do not prevent victims from giving evidence at trial.

    Robert Buckland

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does all that it can to make sure that administrative errors do not prevent victims from giving evidence at trial.

    The CPS introduced a national standard operating practice for magistrates’ court activity in May 2015. The process is digital and task-based and is designed to ensure consistency of approach and timing of activity in managing casework which will further reduce the risk of administrative errors being made. Testing of Crown Court standard operating practice commenced at the beginning of February 2016.

    Joint police/CPS Witness Care Units (WCUs) provide a single point of contact for victims and witnesses and ensure they have access to tailored support to make sure they are able to attend court and give their best evidence. Most WCUs use the Witness Management System (WMS) to record the contact they have with victims and witnesses. WMS is a bespoke IT system designed to support WCUs in managing their cases, thereby reducing the risk of administrative errors.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to reply to the letter of 18 January 2016 from the hon. Member for North East Fife on the Royal Mail’s dismissal of David Mitchell.

    Nick Boles

    I replied to the hon. Member on 4 March.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many successful prosecutions there have been against employers who have taken action against workers who have refused to work on Sundays under Section 45 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

    Anna Soubry

    Section 45 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 gives certain shop workers and betting workers the right not to be subjected to detriment by their employers on the ground that the employee refused (or proposed to refuse) to do shop work, or betting work, on Sundays. This right can be enforced by bringing a complaint to the employment tribunal. There is no relevant criminal offence, so there have been no prosecutions.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on businesses of the decision in Loch v British Gas has on, including payments of bonus and commission in the calculation of holiday pay.

    Nick Boles

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is continuing to monitor the impact of Lock v British Gas and other court decisions relating to holiday pay. We are undertaking a formal assessment of the financial impact and will make that available as and when there is a quality assured estimate.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the working time regulations; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills keeps the working time regulations under continuous review. We will continue to engage with interested parties to determine the best way forward in this area.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will place in the Library the most recent submissions made by the parties involved in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.

    Anna Soubry

    The European Commission has published a large number of documents relating to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on its website, including EU proposals for legal text, position papers and factsheets.

    The Commission and the US have agreed that national parliamentarians should have access to classified TTIP documents, including consolidated texts, via reading rooms in national ministries. Restrictions placed on these rooms include that they are only accessible to officials of Member State central governments and Members of Member State national Parliaments.

    The UK intends to establish such a reading room in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). This will give equivalent access to documents for Members of both Houses to that afforded to Members of the European Parliament. Members of both Houses will be informed of the process and details of how to access the room shortly, once these have been finalised.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what research has been commissioned by his Department into the effects of the extension of Sunday opening hours in each year for which data is available.

    Anna Soubry

    In 2006 Indepen were commissioned by the DTI to evaluate the economic costs and benefits of extending Sunday Trading hours, a copy of the report can be found on the GOV.UK website.

    My Department has not commissioned any research since then into the effects of the extension of Sunday opening hours.