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  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many inspections were carried out by the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) inspectorate into possible breaches of employment agency regulations in each of the last five years; how many breaches of regulations were identified in those inspections; how many people the EAS barred from operating employment agencies following those inspections; and how many of each of those cases related to employment agencies for supply teachers.

    Nick Boles

    The table below sets out the total number of cases completed by the EAS in the last five years. These figures relate to both complaints and inspections as we do not differentiate between cases which arise as a result of a complaint or an inspection.

    Year

    Total number of cases (both complaints and inspections)

    2010/11

    1,201

    2011/12

    1,050

    2012/13

    1,057

    2013/14

    760

    2014/15

    626

    The table below sets out the total number of breaches of regulations identified by EAS in the past five years, both as a result of complaints and inspections.

    Year

    Total number of breaches (found as a result of complaints or inspections)

    2010/11

    2,065

    2011/12

    2,146

    2012/13

    1,479

    2013/14

    320

    2014/15

    186

    The Employment Agencies Act 1973, as amended in 1994, makes provision for the Secretary of State, on application to an Employment Tribunal, to be able to seek to prohibit persons from carrying on, or being concerned with carrying on of any employment agency or employment business. The current list of prohibited persons can be found on www.gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/403653/employment-agency-standards-inspectorate_prohibited_people_list__4_.pdf

    The table below sets out the number of people the EAS prohibited following inspections in the past five years:

    Year

    Total number of prohibitions

    2010/11

    8

    2011/12

    0

    2012/13

    2

    2013/14

    0

    2014/15

    1

    One of the prohibitions above relates to a person who operated a supply teachers agency.

    “

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many complaints the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate has heard since the establishment of the inspectorate.

    Nick Boles

    The Employment Agency Standards inspectorate was established in 1995, following the abolition of licensing for employment agencies and employment businesses. It was previously known as the Employment Agency Licensing Office, which was established in 1981/82.

    The table attached sets out the number of complaints in relation to employment agencies in Great Britain from 1985 onwards. Figures are not available prior to 1985/6.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) cases of national minimum wage compliance HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) National Minimum Wage Risk Unit has investigated, (b) Notices of Underpayment have been issued to employers for non-compliance, (c) employers have been fined the maximum amount for non-compliance and (d) employers have been taken to civil court or an employment tribunal by HMRC for failing to comply with the terms of a Notice of Underpayment in each of the last five years.

    Mr David Gauke

    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. Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage not only have to pay back arrears of wages at current minimum wage rates but also face financial penalties of up to £20,000 per underpaid worker.

    I refer the honourable member to the answer provided at UIN 17623 for information on the number of investigations undertaken.

    I refer the honourable member to the answer provided at UIN 16851 for information on Notices of Underpayment.

    Information on the number of maximum penalties issued is provided in the table below.

    Year

    10/11

    11/12

    12/13

    13/14

    14/15

    No. of employers fined the maximum amount

    13

    27

    52

    53

    59

    I refer the honourable member to the answer provided at UIN 225468 for information on civil court and employment tribunals.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many complaints were heard by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline regarding employment issues; and how many of these complaints were from (a) interns and (b) apprentices in each of the last five years.

    Nick Boles

    Table 1 shows the total number of complaints made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) and then referred to the relevant enforcement agency. It also includes a breakdown of the number of complaints from interns and apprentices for 2013/14 and 2014/15; the only years for which this data is available. Data for 2014/15 is the latest year for which full year data are available

    Table 1: Complaints made to the PWRH by caller type, 2009/10 to 2014/15

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Total Complaints

    4,420

    2,820

    3,110

    3,300

    4,290

    4,160

    Of which

    Apprentices

    –

    –

    –

    –

    170

    140

    Interns

    –

    –

    –

    –

    70

    20

    Source: Pay and Works Rights Helpline

    Notes

    1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten.
    2. A breakdown of complaints from Apprentice and Interns is not available prior to 2013/14 as these callers types were not considered a prioritised group and were therefore not recorded separately.
    3. The PWRH ‘soft launched’ in May 2009, all other years are on a full financial year basis (April to March).
    4. Enforcement agencies who investigate complaints include HM Revenue and Customs, Employment Agencies Standards Inspectorate, Health and Safety Executive, Gangmasters Licensing Authority and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (until Oct 2013).

  • Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has (a) made and (b) plans to make any payment to Shaker Aamer (i) in return for an undertaking that he will not pursue legal action against the Government and (ii) for any other reason.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The settlement of the Guantanamo civil claims announced by Her Majesty’s Government in November 2010 was subject to a legally binding confidentiality agreement. We will not comment further about the terms of the settlement or about who is party to it.

  • Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions representatives of the Government have had with Shaker Aamer (a) prior to and (b) following his release from Guantánamo Bay on the terms and conditions of his release.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government has been in contact with Mr Aamer’s legal representatives throughout the process of securing his release and thereafter. It has been a long-standing policy of successive British Governments that we would seek the release and return of those UK nationals and former legal residents who have been held at Guantanamo Bay.

  • Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Harriet Harman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contacts (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with Shaker Aamer since his release from Guantánamo Bay; and what information he holds on whether Ministers or officials in other departments have had such contacts.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    There has been no FCO Ministerial contact with Mr Aamer. Representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Metropolitan police accompanied Mr Aamer on his way back to the UK. The Government has been in contact with Mr Aamer’s legal representatives throughout the process of securing his release and thereafter.

  • Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2015 to Question 18122, (a) how many times and (b) on what grounds Palestinian academics have not been given permission to attend academic conferences in the UK in the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    Acquiring information on the number of times academics of Syrian nationality have been refused entry to attend an academic conference would involve examining each individual case record held by UK Visas and Immigration for the category. To do so would incur a disproportionate cost.

    In order to safeguard an individual’s personal information and comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 the Home Office is limited in what information it can provide when the request is made by someone who is not the applicant. The Home Office is therefore unable to provide information on the reasons for refusing entry to the UK.

    All applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with the Immigration Rules.

  • Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the NICE Quality Standard for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment is implemented in all NHS bodies.

    Jane Ellison

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a quality standard for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2015. This sets out the markers of high quality in the care of people with IPF and is designed to drive up standards and to reduce inequalities and variation.

    NHS England commissions some services for patients with IPF as part of its specialised services remit. Its respiratory interstitial lung disease (adult) service specification, which includes IPF, sets out what it expects to be in place so that providers can offer evidence based, safe and effective services. This specification is currently being reviewed to ensure it includes the most up to date guidance on IPF including the recently published NICE quality standard. Commissioning of rehabilitation, oxygen services and acute admissions for exacerbations are covered by local commissioning arrangements.

  • Greg Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the criteria are for authorising an average speed monitored stretch of non-motorway highway; what measures are in place to prevent an artificially low speed limit being implemented and then being made subject to an average speed limit camera check; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    It is up to the Highways Authority and the Police to decide whether to use cameras and how they wish to operate them. Guidance was issued in 2007 entitled “Use of speed and red-light camera for traffic enforcement: guidance on deployment, visibility and signing”.This can be viewed on GOV.UK. This guidance is not mandatory but on 20 October 2015 we wrote to local authorities drawing it to their attention.

    The Department issued revised guidance entitled “Setting local speed limits” in January 2013 aimed mainly at local traffic authorities who are responsible for setting speed limits on local roads. It has been designed to help explain to everyone why and how local speed limits are determined. This guidance was revised following full public consultation in Summer 2012 and is available online on GOV.UK.