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  • Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of social housing tenants affected by the implementation of the under-occupancy penalty have been given exempt status in each (a) constituency and (b) local authority area.

    Esther McVey

    The only group exempt from the removal of the spare room subsidy and therefore unaffected by the policy are those housing benefit social sector tenants who have reached state pension credit age.

    Registered foster carers are allowed an additional bedroom if they have fostered a child during the last 52 weeks and parents of armed forces personnel who have been deployed on operations are allowed to retain that adult childs bedroom.

  • John Hemming – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    John Hemming – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Hemming on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to implement a universal credit sanctions scheme to replace the current jobseeker’s allowance and other sanctions scheme.

    Esther McVey

    In 2012 revised sanctions regimes introduced into Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance moved us towards the Universal Credit system, with the same value of sanction across all benefits and the same duration of sanctions at medium and high levels.

    We continue to monitor sanctions closely and consider opportunities for continuous improvement.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total (a) number and (b) value was of financial penalties imposed on bus operators by each of the eight regional traffic commissioners from 2010-11 to date.

    Stephen Hammond

    The information requested is in the table below:

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to publish the Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Guidance on bus reliability and punctuality.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Document on Local Bus Services has been published for a further period of consultation on 07 April 2014, for six weeks. The document has been revised following responses received during the first consultation. The Senior Traffic Commissioner is aware that the industry is keen for the final document to be introduced. She will review the responses to the second consultation after it closes on 19 May but at this stage can not confirm the planned date of publication.

  • David Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent reports he has received on the removal of the Carnforth station platforms from the mainline; what steps he is taking towards their reinstatement; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Government has no plans to reinstate platforms on the West Coast Main Line and has not asked for or received any official reports on their reinstatement or removal in the 1960s. It would be for Lancashire County Council to determine whether such a scheme is a local priority and this is not the case at the present time.

  • Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new drivers had their licences revoked as a result of insurance offences in each year since 2010.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 requires that drivers who accumulate six or more penalty points during their probationary period will have their licences revoked. The accumulation of offences can be for any reason. The table shows the number of drivers whose licences were revoked under the New Drivers Act who committed at least one insurance offence:

    Year Number of licences revoked
    2010 4,372
    2011 5,921
    2012 5,897
    2013 5,606
    2014 (up to 29 March) 1,118
    Total 22,914
  • Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Curran on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when the next Joint Ministerial Council (a) Plenary, (b) Domestic and (c) Europe meeting will take place; and what will be discussed at each such meeting.

    Mr Alistair Carmichael

    The Joint Ministerial Committees take place in their Plenary, Domestic and European forms on a regular basis. Dates for future meetings are subject to agreement with the devolved administrations, as are the agendas which are agreed in advance via the JMC joint secretariat.

  • David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    David Winnick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his contribution of 2 April 2014, Official Report, column 877, what the evidential basis was of his statement that the sale of the Royal Mail was in the manifesto of the last Government.

    Mr David Cameron

    I was referring to the previous government’s policy of seeking to part-privatise the Royal Mail.

  • Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Curran on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many employment tribunals in Scotland have been processed by HM Courts and Tribunals Service in each year since 2010.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government is committed to working across the employment law (including the employment dispute resolution) system to help to make it easier for companies to hire and manage staff, while protecting workers’ rights. This encourages employers to create new jobs, supporting enterprise and growth.

    Workload before the employment tribunals is affected by several factors, including underlying economic performance trends, the impacts of reforms of employment legislation and tribunals process, and the number of collective disputes (for example involving insolvencies, and equal pay complaints) that lead to large-scale multiple claims.

    The number of claims accepted by employment tribunals and processed by HMCTS in each calendar year, since 2010, is set out in the table below.

    Employment tribunal claims accepted in Scotland for Calendar years 2010 to 2013, inclusive

    Calendar Year

    No. Claims Accepted

    2010

    18,795

    2011

    16,670

    2012

    12,533

    2013

    7,506

    Source: ET Database

  • David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he next plans to review the number of magistrates’ courts operating in England.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    HM Courts and Tribunals Service continues to keep the number of magistrates courts under review, as with the wider estate, to ensure it meets operational requirements.