The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Clegg on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the resources required by his Department to manage the process of leaving the EU over the next 12 months.
Sir Alan Duncan
None.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what records her Department holds of (a) children currently in Europe who potentially qualify for resettlement to the UK under the Dublin III convention and (b) children currently in Europe who potentially qualify for resettlement to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 who do not have a family member in the UK; and what the (i) dates are and (ii) source is from which such records were received since 1 January 2016.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Dublin Regulation is the mechanism to transfer individuals to other Member States for consideration of their asylum claim, rather than a mechanism for resettlement. The number of unaccompanied children in the process of seeking asylum in other Member States is a matter for individual Member States. However, our secondees in France, Greece and Italy are working to identify and assess eligible cases, and transfers are underway.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his contribution of 28 October 2015, Official Report, column 429, on junior doctors hours, if he will publish the evidential basis for the proposition that hospitals are not rostering enough junior doctors at weekends.
Ben Gummer
NHS Employers’ evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration – “Reform of national contracts for consultant doctors and doctors and dentists in training” [1]– published in December 2014, included a profile of how the hours worked by doctors in training were spread across the week.
We have evidence that hospital leaders consider the junior doctors’ contract to be a significant barrier to delivering more seven-day services. NHS Providers’ written evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) on contract reform for consultants and doctors and dentists in training[2] stated that the junior doctor contract is still a significant source of barriers to seven day working and reform of the junior doctor contract is also required to support trusts to deliver more seven-day services. In particular, the pay banding system for junior doctors needs to be reviewed. There were concerns from employers that the banding system is too complicated, can create “perverse incentives” for junior doctors, and means that providing more seven-day services is unaffordable, since more junior doctors would be working outside core hours and receive premiums under the current banding system. NHS Providers also believe that more hours in a day and more days of the week need to be defined as core hours, as the current arrangement does not support the delivery of more seven-day services or reflect the needs and expectations of today’s patients. Professor Sir Bruce Keogh has also said that premium pay rates are hindering efforts to put services on a seven-day footing.
[2] http://www.nhsproviders.org/resource-library/written-evidence-ddrb-special-remit/
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-25.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations were carried out by HM Revenue and Customs National Minimum Wage compliance officers in each of the last six years.
Mr David Gauke
The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been underpaid NMW should contact the confidential Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) review all complaints that are referred to them. However, some complaints may not lead to the commencement of an investigation. This might be due to incomplete information being provided, or the worker subsequently wishing to withdraw their complaint. Similarly, multiple complaints about the same employer would only be recorded under one investigation.
In 2014/15, 2489 worker complaints and 691 pieces of third party information were referred to HMRC. However, I reiterate that not all complaints will lead to an investigation. In previous years, HMRC did not record statistics by complaints received, but by investigations completed. In 2014/15, HMRC completed 2204 investigations. I refer the honourable member to the answer provided to her on 6 May 2014 at Hansard Column 110W for information on prior years.
Staff across HMRC contribute to enforcing NMW, including people who work in legal advice, debt management, technical support and criminal investigation amongst others, but HMRC does not record the specific numbers of those staff involved beyond this. The budget allocated to HMRC by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is provided as an overall amount. I therefore refer the honourable member to the answers provided to her at UIN 16853 for budget details & UIN 16938 for information on staffing.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what initial assessment she has made of the implications of the incident at Porter Ranch, California, for safety and engineering procedures and standards in the UK onshore unconventional gas extraction sector.
Andrea Leadsom
In the UK, we have an entirely different regulatory system to the US.
We have over 50 years of experience in safely conducting surface activities and constructing onshore gas wells, regulated by the Health & Safety Executive and Environment Agency.
Our tough regulations ensure on-site safety, prevent water contamination, mitigate seismic activity and air pollution. To reinforce our already robust regulations, the Infrastructure Act 2015 introduced a range of further requirements that must be met before an operator can carry out hydraulic fracturing in a responsible, sustainable and safe manner. These include the assessment of environmental impacts, groundwater monitoring, community benefits and prohibiting hydraulic fracturing in specified protected areas.
The UK has one of the best track records in the world when it comes to protecting our environment while also developing our industries – and we’ve brought that experience to bear on the shale gas protections.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many officials in his Department have undertaken Foreign and Commonwealth Office language classes in each year from 2006.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
In 2014 there were 255 officers in full time language training with an additional 332 officers and/ or spouses attending part time language classes. In 2015 there were 332 officers in full time language training and 767 officers/spouses following part time language classes. To provide statistics for the years 2006-2013 would incur disproportionate costs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the completion of projects funded in Wales by EU structural funds in the event of the UK leaving the EU.
Stephen Crabb
The Government’s view is that the whole of the UK – including Wales – will be stronger, safer and better off in a reformed EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-03-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 15 March (HL6859), how many take-charge notices issued by French authorities have been accepted by British authorities.
Lord Keen of Elie
Data on cases progressed under the Dublin III Regulation is recorded on the main immigration database. However, this data is not held in a way that allows it to be reported on automatically and is not currently available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the Farnborough International Airshow due to take place in July 2016.
Mr Philip Dunne
Farnborough International Air Show is an important event which supports UK defence industry seeking to trade internationally and offers valuable defence engagement opportunities with our allies and partners. The support to the Farnborough International Air Show 2016 will be delivered through the course of normal departmental business and in-line with existing budgetary provisions. Any additional costs will be recouped in line with standard practices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2016-06-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s (a) operational and (b) crew costs were in each year from 2008-09 to 2015-16.
Penny Mordaunt
The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.