Blog

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received from (a) the Tibetan government in exile and (b) human rights charities on human rights abuses in that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Officials regularly meet with human rights non govermental-organistions (NGOs) to discuss the situation in Tibet. They last did so in May, following the UK-China Human Rights dialogue. I will be meeting with representatives from a number of Tibet NGOs later this month.

    We also receive occasional updates from the Central Tibetan Administration, also known as the Tibetan government in exile. We believe that meaningful dialogue is the best way to address and resolve the underlying grievances of the Tibetan communities and we continue to urge all sides to restart talks.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions the Prime Minister has had with the US President and others on the release of the files held by Boston College relating to Northern Ireland.

    Damian Green

    Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of
    international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public
    and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
    Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations and individuals are
    passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and are subsequently
    published on the Cabinet Office website which is available here:
    www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-office-ministers-gifts-and-hospitality-j
    uly-to-september-2013.

  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of people on (a) temporary and (b) fixed-term contracts in each of the last four years.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to improve job security for people employed indefinitely on temporary or fixed-term contracts.

    Jenny Willott

    The Government is committed to achieving a labour market that is both fair and flexible, which gives employers the confidence to create jobs, and individuals the choice to find work that suits them and their circumstances.

    Temporary, agency and fixed term contracts are an important, but relatively small part of our labour market, as they give companies flexibility in how staff are hired and workers flexibility in how they work. In February to April 2014 there were 1.673 million temporary employees – 6.5% of all employees. Of these, ONS estimate that 35.9% were working temporarily because they could not find a permanent job – down from 39.7% a year ago.

    Under this Government employment growth continues to be exceptionally strong, with levels up by 345,000 in the past quarter, and 780,000 in the past year – a record. Overall, in the 12 months to April 2014:

    · Employment increased by 780,000.

    · The number of employees working full time increased by 441,000 and the number of people working part time increased by 17,000.

    · The amount of people in self-employment rose by 337,000

    · The amount of temporary employees was 1.67 million in the three months to April 2014, up 79,000 on the same period last year. The amount of employees working temporary jobs because they could not find permanent jobs fell by 33,000 over the past year.

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many workplace capability assessments have been submitted to Atos, processed and returned within 35 working days in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) West Lothian local authority area in each of the last three years.

    Mike Penning

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment referrals to Atos Healthcare in each of the last three years is as follows:

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 1,553,839

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,742,593

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 1,495,159

    For the period October 2008 to May 2014, there have been 3,431,528 Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment cases processed by Atos Healthcare within 35 days.

    The latest (April 2014) national Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment Actual Average Clearance Time (AACT) is 118.9 days.

    There are a range of financial remedies available within the Medical Services contract to address service level failure. However this is a matter of commercial in confidence between the Department of Work and Pensions and its supplier Atos Healthcare.

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Allowance cases that were referred to Atos Healthcare processed and returned within 35 days in each of the last three years is as follows:

    a). UK

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 767,674

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,073,987

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 249,305

    b). Scotland

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 97,951

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 133,923

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 58,326

    c). West Lothian Local Authority Area

    The information requested is not available

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what penalties his Department is able to levy on workplace capability assessment providers who miss targets.

    Mike Penning

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment referrals to Atos Healthcare in each of the last three years is as follows:

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 1,553,839

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,742,593

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 1,495,159

    For the period October 2008 to May 2014, there have been 3,431,528 Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment cases processed by Atos Healthcare within 35 days.

    The latest (April 2014) national Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment Actual Average Clearance Time (AACT) is 118.9 days.

    There are a range of financial remedies available within the Medical Services contract to address service level failure. However this is a matter of commercial in confidence between the Department of Work and Pensions and its supplier Atos Healthcare.

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Allowance cases that were referred to Atos Healthcare processed and returned within 35 days in each of the last three years is as follows:

    a). UK

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 767,674

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,073,987

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 249,305

    b). Scotland

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 97,951

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 133,923

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 58,326

    c). West Lothian Local Authority Area

    The information requested is not available

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the current actual average clearance time is for a workplace capability assessment.

    Mike Penning

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment referrals to Atos Healthcare in each of the last three years is as follows:

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 1,553,839

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,742,593

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 1,495,159

    For the period October 2008 to May 2014, there have been 3,431,528 Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment cases processed by Atos Healthcare within 35 days.

    The latest (April 2014) national Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment Actual Average Clearance Time (AACT) is 118.9 days.

    There are a range of financial remedies available within the Medical Services contract to address service level failure. However this is a matter of commercial in confidence between the Department of Work and Pensions and its supplier Atos Healthcare.

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Allowance cases that were referred to Atos Healthcare processed and returned within 35 days in each of the last three years is as follows:

    a). UK

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 767,674

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,073,987

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 249,305

    b). Scotland

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 97,951

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 133,923

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 58,326

    c). West Lothian Local Authority Area

    The information requested is not available

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many workplace capability assessments have been processed by Atos within 35 working days to date.

    Mike Penning

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment referrals to Atos Healthcare in each of the last three years is as follows:

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 1,553,839

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,742,593

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 1,495,159

    For the period October 2008 to May 2014, there have been 3,431,528 Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment cases processed by Atos Healthcare within 35 days.

    The latest (April 2014) national Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment Actual Average Clearance Time (AACT) is 118.9 days.

    There are a range of financial remedies available within the Medical Services contract to address service level failure. However this is a matter of commercial in confidence between the Department of Work and Pensions and its supplier Atos Healthcare.

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Allowance cases that were referred to Atos Healthcare processed and returned within 35 days in each of the last three years is as follows:

    a). UK

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 767,674

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,073,987

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 249,305

    b). Scotland

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 97,951

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 133,923

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 58,326

    c). West Lothian Local Authority Area

    The information requested is not available

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many workplace capability assessments have been passed from his Department to Atos for processing in each of the last three years.

    Mike Penning

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessment referrals to Atos Healthcare in each of the last three years is as follows:

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 1,553,839

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,742,593

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 1,495,159

    For the period October 2008 to May 2014, there have been 3,431,528 Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Reassessment cases processed by Atos Healthcare within 35 days.

    The latest (April 2014) national Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment Actual Average Clearance Time (AACT) is 118.9 days.

    There are a range of financial remedies available within the Medical Services contract to address service level failure. However this is a matter of commercial in confidence between the Department of Work and Pensions and its supplier Atos Healthcare.

    The number of Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit Allowance cases that were referred to Atos Healthcare processed and returned within 35 days in each of the last three years is as follows:

    a). UK

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 767,674

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 1,073,987

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 249,305

    b). Scotland

    01/06/2011 to 31/05/2012 – 97,951

    01/06/2012 to 31/05/2013 – 133,923

    01/06/2013 to 31/05/2014 – 58,326

    c). West Lothian Local Authority Area

    The information requested is not available

  • Andrew Love – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Love – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Love on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the killing of two Palestinian teenagers at Ofer on 15 May 2014; and if he will make a statement.

    Hugh Robertson

    Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the use of lethal force in this case with both the Israel Defence Force and the Israeli Border Police on 16 May.

    On 21 May, the local EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah issued a local statement expressing deep concern about the deaths of two Palestinian youths on 15 May in the West Bank and emphasising the importance of such incidents being investigated thoroughly. They reiterated the need for security forces, whether Israeli or Palestinian, to refrain from the use of lethal force, except in cases where there is a real and imminent threat to life.