Category: Speeches

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Royal Navy ships were newly commissioned in the financial year 2013–14.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    HMS DUNCAN was commissioned on 26 September 2013. In the same month, HMS PROTECTOR was purchased outright by the Royal Navy, having previously operated on a long lease.

    In November 2013, the Ministry of Defence announced its intention to purchase three new offshore patrol vessels.

    This demonstrates Her Majesty’s Government’s continuing commitment to investing in a strong and versatile Royal Navy capable of securing and protecting our national interests for the future.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on agency workers to cover clerical staff in each month since January 2014.

    Andrew Selous

    Since April 2010 we have cut our overall spend on temporary staff by £35.5m. We only use temporary staff to fill business-critical posts and essential frontline services where they can provide a fast, flexible and efficient way to obtain necessary skills that are not currently available in-house. We will continue to examine our use of contractors and look for further reductions.

    In responding to each question we have utilised data provided by our contracted supplier of temporary clerical staff and contracted supplier of temporary operational staff. As the data provided has been supplied by two different third parties there is a slight difference in the way that the answer to question 3 and 4 has been presented.

    Temporary operational staff relate to Operational Support Grades (OSGs) used within HM Prison Service. We have contracts in place to provide temporary OSGs to fill in gaps in requirements, for building projects or to fill vacancies short term. Temporary OSGs are a very small proportion of our staff complement.

    Uniform operational support staff are Operational Support Grades (OSGs).These are uniformed staff who undertake a wide range of duties in prisons, for example operating prison gates, working in security and managing stores areas. They also escort contractors and their vehicles.

    1) The following amounts (exclusive of VAT) have been spent on clerical agency staff across –

    January 2014 – £2,983,633.14 (5 week period)

    February 2014 – £2,613,023.10 (4 week period)

    March 2014 – £2,591,678.87 (4 week period)

    April 2014 – £2,900,742.70 (5 week period)

    May 2014 – £2,398,053.57 (4 week period)

    June 2014 – £658,700.28 (1 week period)

    2) The following amounts (exclusive of VAT) have been spent on uniform operational support staff –

    January 2014 – £1,082,247 (5 week period)

    February 2014 – £1,420,329 (4 week period)

    March 2014 – £1,137,834 (4 week period)

    April 2014 – £1,249,908 (4 week period)

    May 2014 – £2,282,468 (5 week period)

    The spend for May 2014 also includes the backdated annual pay rise for eligible workers from 1st April 2014.

    3) The following number of clerical agency staff have been utilised –

    January 2014 – 1571 (Average headcount)

    February 2014 – 1634 (Average headcount)

    March 2014 – 1624 (Average headcount)

    April 2014 – 1578 (Average headcount)

    May 2014 – 1644 (Average headcount)

    June 2014 – 1674 (Average headcount)

    4) The following number of uniform operational support staff have been utilised –

    January 2014 – 697 (Peak worker number)

    February 2014 – 845 (Peak worker number)

    March 2014 – 867 (Peak worker number)

    April 2014 – 853 (Peak worker number)

    May 2014 – 855 (Peak worker number)

    June 2014 – Peak worker number not available yet.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the voter registration rate was for 18 year olds in each of the last 30 years.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that it does not hold figures on the registration rates for 18 year olds in each of the last 30 years.

    However, it does hold estimates of registration rates for age groups from several studies conducted on the accuracy and completeness of the electoral registers in Great Britain.

    Register

    Age band

    Registration rate

    Study conducted by

    April 2011

    (Great Britain)

    17-18

    55%

    Electoral Commission (EC)

    19-24

    56%

    February 2001

    (England and Wales)

    18-24

    84%

    EC and Office for National Statistics

    February 1991

    (Great Britain)

    18-19

    88%

    Office of Population Census and Surveys – Social Survey Division

    February 1981

    (Great Britain)

    18-19

    87%

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what scope there is for amending an individual’s claimant commitment after it has first been drawn up.

    Esther McVey

    Once in place, both the claimant and Jobcentre Plus work coach can ask for the Claimant Commitment to be changed at any time.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications have been made for the personal independence payment to date, by parliamentary constituency.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Liverpool, West Derby and the hon Member for Airdrie and Shotts, official report, 5 March, column 850W.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that war memorials around the United Kingdom are kept in good condition.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    There is a wide range of support available for the repair, conservation and protection of war memorials from the Memorials Grant Scheme run by DCMS, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the War Memorials Trust, English Heritage and others. In addition, the Government has announced an additional £5 million to ensure that war memorials and significant burial sites are in a good condition for the centenary. Further details will be announced in due course.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 8W, on employee ownership, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to regulate the qualifications and independence of the independent advisers provided by companies to advise employees on their employee shareholder employment status.

    Jenny Willott

    In order for an individual to become an employee shareholder, the individual must obtain advice from a relevant independent adviser on the terms and effect of the proposed agreement. An employee shareholder employment contract is of no effect if an individual does not get independent advice before the agreement is made. It is in the interest of the individual to understand the employee shareholder contract and its implications before they accept a job.

    Advice must be given by a qualified lawyer, certified trade union member, certified worker at an advice centre or a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives who is employed in a solicitor’s practice. The law does not permit advice from a person employed by the employer to count towards fulfilling the legal advice requirement.

    The law is already clear in this area. Government has drawn on the same legal mechanism detailing the provision of advice which is set out in the Employment Rights Act 1996.

  • Lord Ashcroft – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Ashcroft – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ashcroft on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any civilian honours other than the George Cross can be awarded posthumously.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 16 June 2014, (Official Report) Column Ref WA126.

  • Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons local authorities are inspected by Ofsted separately from schools maintained by local authorities.

    Mr David Laws

    The Chief Inspector has powers to carry out an inspection of the performance of a particular local authority function as set out in Section 136(1)(b) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Specifically, he can use this power to inspect how well the local authority is fulfilling its general duty to promote high standards and fulfilment by every child of their educational potential as set out in Section 13A of the Education Act 1996.

    These powers are separate from his powers and duties in relation to the inspection of individual schools which are set out in Section 5 and Section 8 of the Education Act 2005. Section 5 requires Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector to inspect individual schools at prescribed intervals, and Section 8 Education Act 2005, contains a general power which enables the Chief Inspector to call for the inspection of a school in circumstances where he is not required to inspect.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail Group, Ofcom or officials or Ministers in other departments about invoking section 44(9) and section 44(10) of the Postal Services Act 2011 to ask Ofcom to report on the sustainability of the Universal Service Obligation.

    Jenny Willott

    None.

    Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament gave Ofcom the primary duty to secure the ongoing provision of the universal service and to this end Ofcom must also have regard for the provision of a universal service to be financially sustainable.

    Ofcom monitors market developments, including any impacts on Royal Mail’s performance and operational efficiency, and has the regulatory powers and tools to intervene if the sustainability of the universal service is ever at risk.

    As part of its monitoring regime, Ofcom publishes a report every year on Royal Mail’s performance and the postal market, and this includes an update on the financial sustainability of the universal service. More information about Ofcom’s regulatory regime can be found on its website (www.ofcom.org.uk).

    “