Category: Speeches

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the (a) highest bonus, (b) number of bonuses and (c) average bonus payments was that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority paid to employees in 2013.

    Michael Fallon

    As set out in the NDA’s Annual report and Accounts for 2013:

    · The highest bonus paid to an employee was £83,003;

    · The number of bonus payments made was 295;

    · The average bonus payment was £10,160.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential for greater use of Thames to move freight.

    Baroness Kramer

    Transport for London has assessed the potential use of the Thames and other waterways in their London Freight Plan.　 The Port of London Authority (PLA), the Mayor of London / Greater London Authority (GLA), Transport for London (TfL) and their partners in the public and private sectors have been working to encourage greater use of the Thames for the movement of freight, including that associatedwith infrastructure products in central Londonsuch as Crossrail, the Tideway Tunnel and Blackfriars Station.

    The Department for Transport’s Mode Shift Revenue Support Scheme provides grants to assist companies with the costs associated with running inland water freight transport instead of road, where inland waterway is more expensive. Grant support is being provided for a freight service on the Thames between Denton and Silvertown.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Barry Gardiner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings he has had with the Mayor of London on air quality.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Secretary of State meets the Mayor of London on a regular basis. They met on 1 May last year specifically to discuss air quality. There has also been correspondence between them on this issue.

    In addition, Defra air quality officials are in regular contact with officials at the Greater London Authority.

  • 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 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the target timescale is for resolving complaints regarding non-payment of the National Minimum Wage.

    Jenny Willott

    The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) enforces the National Minimum Wage (NMW) on behalf of BIS.

    HMRC investigates every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights helpline and deals with each NMW complaint on a case-by-case basis. The timescale for each case is dependent on a number of factors:

    • the complexity of the issues
    • the size of employer
    • the cooperation of the employer
    • the enforcement route required

    In 2013/14, HMRC investigated 1631 cases. Of these, 1084 cases were closed; 565 cases were closed within 120 days; 519 cases were closed outside of 120 days and 547 cases are still open and yet to be concluded.

    Please note that investigations may not commence and be completed in the same financial year.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who Dmitry Firtash met at his Department on 24 February 2014.

    Mr David Lidington

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials met Dmitry Firtash on 24 February to discuss developments in Ukraine and support for Ukraine from the international community. They did not discuss matters of national security. The meeting was part of a wider approach by the FCO to understand better the situation in Ukraine, by seeking information and views from a wide range of contacts, including senior business figures. The Government does not have plans to publish a note of the meeting at this time. According to our records, Dmitry Firtash has not attended any other meetings with the FCO in London.

  • Duncan Hames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Duncan Hames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Duncan Hames on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what revenues have been received under the bank levy in each year since its introduction.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The bank levy, a permanent tax on banks’ balance sheet equity and liabilities, was introduced by this Government from 1 January 2011.

    It raised £1.6bn in both 2011-12 and 2012-13.

    Following a number of increases to the headline rate, the OBR now forecast it to raise £2.3bn in 2013-14, £2.7bn in 2014-15 and £2.9bn a year from 2015-16.

  • Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will call for the immediate release of the seven Baha’i leaders imprisoned in Iran since 14 May 2008.

    Hugh Robertson

    We have repeatedly expressed concern at the sentencing of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran to 20 years imprisonment. We raised the treatment of Baha’is with the UN Special Rapporteur at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2014, and in our contacts with the Iranian authorities. We will continue to call on the Iranian government to ensure that all Iranian citizens are able to exercise their right to freedom of religion, free from persecution and harassment.

  • Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons his Department no longer publishes statistics for non-fire incidents with casualties attended by the Fire and Rescue Service in Great Britain.

    Brandon Lewis

    I refer the hon. Member to my answer of today, Official Report, PQs 200566, 200567 & 200568.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time spent in prison awaiting deportation for those foreign national prisoners beyond the end of their sentence was in the latest period for which figures are available.

    James Brokenshire

    The average length of time Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) were held in
    prison beyond the end of their sentence pending deportation, as of 31 December
    2013 is 234 calendar days. This is the mean average, calculated using the table
    shown below which was provided in response to PQ 195817.

    It should be noted that the small number of FNOs who fall in the 24-60 and 60+
    months categories (45 individuals out of 850) heavily skew the mean. By way of
    context, the modal average length of time in prison for the same cases is 32
    days.

    [INSERT PQ TABLE HERE]

    1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are
    therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been
    quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
    2. Figures relate to main applicants only.
    3. Figures relate to FNO cases who met the criteria for deportation only.
    4. Figures rounded to the nearest 5 ( – = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the
    totals shown because of independent rounding.
    5. Data is a snapshot of individuals detained in prison on 31 December 2013.

    We make every effort to ensure that a person’s removal by deportation
    coincides, as far as possible, with his/her release from prison on completion
    of sentence. Where a detainee refuses to cooperate with the removal or
    deportation process, detention may be prolonged.

    The Immigration Bill will have a significant impact on the ability of FNOs to
    delay removal by mounting legal challenges whilst in the UK. The current
    appeals system means that 17 different types of decision can be appealed. The
    Immigration Bill will simplify the appeals system and mean that appeals can
    only be brought where the Home Office has refused a protection (asylum or
    humanitarian protection) claim, a human rights claim or a claim based on EU
    free movement rights. It will also give us the power to certify that where
    deportation will not cause serious irreversible harm, the appeal will be heard
    after the FNO has left the country.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when Dominic Cummings’ security pass to the Department of Education was deactivated and withdrawn.

    Matthew Hancock

    In line with the practice of successive Administrations, Government does not comment on security matters.