Category: Speeches

Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how he plans to assess the effectiveness of the implementation in the UK of the EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive.

Harriett Baldwin

The EU’s fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (‘the Directive’) was formally adopted in June 2015, and Member States now have until June 2017 to transpose its requirements into national law. The Government plans to publish a consultation on transposition of the Directive by early spring which will run for a full 12 weeks. We will consult on areas where the Directive gives us options or discretion on how we transpose its provisions as well as areas where we can improve the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.

Transposition of the Directive is just one element of the Government’s comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering regime. HM Treasury and Home Office are working closely on a forthcoming Action Plan to address the issues identified in the UK’s first National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, in order to increase the effectiveness of the AML/CFT regime. This work is overseen jointly by Home Office and Treasury Ministers.

Scrutinising all aspects of the UK’s AML/CFT regime, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Mutual Evaluation of the United Kingdom will be the ultimate test of effectiveness and will take place in the course of 2017 and 2018. The FATF Mutual Evaluation will judge both the technical compliance and effectiveness of the UK’s AML/CFT regime. But the implementation of the Directive will be key to achieving a successful evaluation, as the Directive will enact the FATF standards into UK domestic law.

By undertaking this work, we are further ensuring that our anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism regime is robust and sufficiently responsive to emerging threats.

01/01/2023
Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether (a) his Department and (b) another department has commissioned independent research on the economic effects of extending Sunday trading hours.

Anna Soubry

In 2006 Indepen were commissioned by the Department for Trade and Industry 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.

Neither my Department nor another Department has commissioned independent research since then on the economic effects of extending Sunday trading hours, although, we are aware of recent independent research from the London School of Economics that found evidence of positive impacts in retail on employment and expenditure.

01/01/2023
Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that companies with more than 250 employees pay their suppliers in a timely manner.

Anna Soubry

The Government recognises that late payment remains an important issue for small businesses in the UK and is taking significant steps to assist small businesses to recover late payment debts. This is part of a package of measures to tackle late payment. We have also legislated for new transparency measures in the private sector.

The Small Business Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 legislated for a new reporting requirement on the UK’s largest companies and Regulations which will be introduced this year. This will compel larger companies to report on payment practices and performance. This information will be published on a six-monthly basis and will be made publicly available.

Through the Enterprise Bill, currently before Parliament, we will legislate to establish a Small Business Commissioner to give general advice and to help small businesses resolve disputes relating to payment matters with larger businesses.

Tackling late payment is about creating a responsible payment culture where larger companies recognise the benefit of having a sustainable and robust supply chain, and smaller businesses feel able to challenge poor behaviour. Once implemented, the Government is confident that these measures will lead to significant changes in the UK’s payment culture.

01/01/2023

Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The information requested is in the table below.

TIMEFRAME	NUMBERS OF VOLUNTARY RESIGNATIONS	% PROPORTION OF OFFICIALS (based on headcount not Full Time Equivalent Data)
01/04/2015 – 31/03/2016	462	3.3
01/04/2014 – 31/03/2015	489	2.8
01/04/2013 – 31/03/2014	428	2.5
01/04/2012 – 31/03/2013	378	2.1
01/04/2011 – 31/03/2012	421	2.3
01/04/2010 – 31/03/2011	374	2.0

The Department for Transport data relates to the central department and its agencies during the timeframe indicated, Highways England are therefore excluded from the 15/16 figures.

01/01/2023

Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what rules govern the use of pupil premium funding (a) for capital projects and (b) in a different year to that for which the funding was allocated.

Mr Sam Gyimah

The conditions of grant for the pupil premium make clear that its purpose is to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. School leaders are best placed to decide how to spend the pupil premium in line with this policy and the needs of their pupils. Schools are not prevented from using the pupil premium to fund capital projects or from carrying over funding between years.

The Department for Education supports schools to make evidence-based decisions through the work of the Education Endowment Foundation, established to identify and promote effective practice in raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The Department does not monitor how Academies and maintained schools spend the pupil premium but instead holds them to account for the outcomes of eligible pupils through the publication of data in performance tables and Ofsted inspection.

Where concerns are raised about the performance of an academy then they are addressed by the Regional School Commissioner with responsibility for that area. The Department also takes seriously any concerns about the financial management of a school. We are aware of the findings of the Ofsted report on Audenshaw School relating to its use of the pupil premium, following an inspection in February 2016. We are also aware that the Hon. Member, Andrew Gwynne, has met the Regional Schools Commissioner for Lancashire and West Yorkshire, Vicky Beer, on a number of occasions to discuss his concerns about Audenshaw School Academy Trust. The Department has carefully reviewed all the information provided on this matter and has identified no grounds to take further action.

01/01/2023
Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on regionalisation of the initial teacher training programme.

Nick Gibb

We are monitoring recruitment at a regional level in all subjects to ensure that the regional balance of initial teacher training (ITT) provision is maintained. We reserve the right to control recruitment in particular regions for all ITT routes and courses. It is important to maintain the regional balance of ITT provision and consequently we may use recruitment controls to prevent significant geographical variation in the distribution of provision compared to previous years. However, we will not operate with regional targets.

01/01/2023
Andrew Selous – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Selous on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department assesses whether benefit appointees should be appointed; what factors are taken into account in such cases by the assessor; and what the requirements relating to the mental capacity of adult benefit recipients are in such cases.

Penny Mordaunt

The Secretary of State confirms that a claimant requires an appointee if we receive unequivocal medical evidence as to the claimant’s capacity to manage their benefit claim or if, as in the vast majority of cases, the visiting officer, through a series of questions relating to the comprehension of claiming and managing a benefit award, will reach a conclusion as to their capacity to act for themselves. This is specifically a benefit-related capacity assessment and not a mental capacity assessment.

Once someone has been appointed, they will remain in that role until (a) they wish to relinquish it (b) they themselves lose capacity (c) the claimant regains capacity or (d) they abuse their position by not acting in the best interests of the claimant and the appointment is revoked. This latter requirement is stressed to the prospective appointee when the appointment is being considered and they are required to sign form BF56 to confirm that they understand their responsibilities. The Department also has a review system in place.

The vast majority of revocations of an appointeeship occur because of information received from a third party alleging financial abuse which is subsequently confirmed on investigation.

01/01/2023
Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to improve the provision of education for and support offered to dyslexic students in higher education outwith the provision of disabled students’ allowances.

Joseph Johnson

Higher education institutions are responsible for meeting their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, including for students with dyslexia.

The legal duty to provide reasonable adjustments applies to all disabled students. In addition Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs) are available where the needs of the student cannot be met by the institution by way of such a reasonable adjustment. A consultation on DSAs closed on 24 September and the Government response will be published in due course.

01/01/2023
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 19 November (HL3436), whether doctors registered as temporary and occasional under the revised Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive will be subject to revalidation like other doctors licensed to practise medicine in the UK.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The General Medical Council (Licence to Practise and Revalidation) Regulations Order of Council 2012 provide for a registered medical practitioner visiting the United Kingdom from a relevant European state to be exempt from revalidation if providing medical services in the UK on a temporary and occasional basis, as defined in schedule 2A of the Medical Act 1983.

Doctors registered to work in the UK on a temporary or occasional basis are expected to meet UK national standards of fitness to practise. To join the General Medical Council (GMC) register on a temporary or occasional basis, a European Economic Area doctor must provide proof that they are legally established in their home member state and evidence of their professional qualification as part of a declaration. To remain practising in the UK, this declaration must be renewed annually. The GMC has the power to challenge the individual if they do not consider that they are providing services on a temporary and occasional basis.

Individual National Health Service organisations are responsible for ensuring that all their staff are fully qualified and have the necessary knowledge and skills to perform their role.

01/01/2023
Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many disabled social housing residents have moved out of their property in each year since 2009-10.

Brandon Lewis

The number of disabled social housing tenants (including housing association tenants) who have moved out of their property in each year since 2005-6 is shown in the attached table.

These figures show that the number of social tenants who have moved has fluctuated over time, but the proportion of social renters who have moved has remained relatively constant.

The reasons for these moves are not known although we expect some disabled social tenants will have moved to better (e.g. adapted) accommodation. Some will have moved from a different tenure i.e.from owner occupation or the private rented sector), while others will have moved from another social housing property.

01/01/2023