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Tag: 2014

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kilclooney – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the state of freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia; whether they have raised with the government of Saudi Arabia the sentence of 1,000 lashes against Raif Badawi; and whether the European Commission has made any representations in the case of Raif Badawi.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to freely discuss and debate issues, peacefully challenge their governments, exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur. We have raised a range of human rights issues with the Saudi authorities including the right to freedom of expression. We are seriously concerned by Raif Badawi’s case. The UK condemns the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment in all circumstances. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon.Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has raised the matter with the Saudi Ambassador. We have previously raised the case at a senior level with the Saudi authorities. Our embassy in Riyadh has supported two EU demarches on the Saudi government about this case.

  • Lord Sharkey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Sharkey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sharkey on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they use for assessing the effectiveness of the Prevent and Channel counter-terrorism programmes; what targets have been set for any aspects of these programmes; and what key performance indicators are in place.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office assess the effectiveness of the Prevent and Channel programmes through a range of performance mechanisms.

    We have publically reported on a number of performance indicators such as internet removals and projects delivered. For example, since December 2013 over 53,000 pieces of unlawful terrorist-related content which encourages or glorifies acts of terrorism have been removed from the internet. And since 2011, 180 local projects have been delivered in Prevent priority areas, including projects in education, internet safety, and families.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any representations to the government of India regarding the Governor’s Rule currently in place in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not made any representations to the Government of India on this matter.

  • Lord Moonie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Moonie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to issue an operational medal for service in Operation Kipion.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    There are no plans to issue an operational medal for Operation Kipion. All operational activity undertaken by UK personnel is subject to regular review by Commander Joint Operations in the Permanent Joint Headquarters. Amongst other things, this routine review considers whether deployments might warrant medallic recognition.

    Operation Kipion has been kept under review, but it has been consistently assessed that, whilst conditions are challenging, personnel are not exposed to levels of risk and rigour that are in excess of what Service personnel might reasonably be expected to face on operational service.

  • 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 2015-01-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any occasions on which an operational Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier will leave home waters without a fixed-wing air group embarked; and what will be the minimum viable size of that air group.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    The composition and size of the embarked air group in a deploying Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier will be tailored to meet the required task.

  • Paul Burstow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Burstow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Burstow on 2015-01-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the contribution of 13 January 2015 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Official Report, columns 218-22WH, on care sector, if he will make it his policy to enable third parties to make formal complaints about breaches of national minimum wage rules and for them to be kept informed of the progress and outcome of investigations; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously and has increased the financial penalty percentage from 50% to 100% of the unpaid wages owed to workers, and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. These new limits are now in force where arrears are identified in pay reference periods on or after 7 March 2014. The Government is in the process of introducing primary legislation so that the maximum £20,000 penalty will apply to each underpaid worker.

    In response to the questions arising from the contribution of 13 January 2015 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Official Report, columns 218- 222WH, on the care sector:

    Investigations into the 94 cases have been underway since 29 December 2011 – largely stemming from the particular period of enforcement referred to by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business.

    HMRC already accept third party complaints and review all information received. All information received from third parties is handled sensitively. HMRC are unable to give feedback to third parties on any action taken or progress made, as all worker information is strictly confidential.

    HMRC’s proactive work informing the ‘National Minimum Wage: Compliance in the social care sector’ report, commenced in April 2011 and evaluated enforcement in the social care sector over the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013. We are continuing to evaluate this work, and HMRC are undertaking new targeted enforcement work in the care sector as set out by the BIS Minister on 15 January 2015.

  • Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to publish figures for pre-slaughter mortality of animals in the food industry.

    George Eustice

    Defra does not hold this information centrally. Mortality data is recorded at an individual farm level. The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 requires all farmed animals to be inspected at least once a day. The number of mortalities found at each inspection has to be recorded and that information must be made available to an inspector on request.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to recommendation 11 of the Government’s response to the Independent review of the operation of jobseeker’s allowance sanctions, published in July 2014, what potential warnings and non-financial sanctions options his Department has considered in response to that recommendation.

    Esther McVey

    We have published our response to the Oakley Report and a copy can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/332137/jsa-sanctions-independent-review-government-response.pdf

    We have accepted all recommendations made by the Oakley Report and we have already implemented a number of improvements. Our response sets out a number of target completion dates for recommendations made by the Oakley Report.

    “

  • 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 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to pilot the application of universal credit in work conditionality by staff other than Jobcentre Plus advisers; and if he will make a statement.

    Esther McVey

    The in-work progression trials, due to begin in April 2015, will be delivered by Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches.

  • David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Simpson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government plans to take to support newly-qualified teachers in seeking employment.

    Mr David Laws

    The Department for Education has reformed initial teacher training so that schools can now play a much greater part in selecting and training new teachers, ensuring that they are well prepared for life in the classroom.

    Newly qualified teachers working in the maintained school sector are entitled to a period of statutory induction, which helps to build a bridge between their initial training and a career in teaching. In 2014, the annual newly qualified teachers survey reported that 94% of both primary and secondary trainees rated their induction experience as helpful.

    Overall, teacher vacancy rates remain very low (vacancy rate of 0.2% as of November 2013). The Government provides access, through the gov.uk portal, to the ‘Universal Jobmatch’ website, which helps teachers (amongst others) to identify appropriate vacancies. Schools and local authorities (in the maintained sector) are responsible for recruiting their staff and it is their responsibility to select the teacher they consider is best for the post available.