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Tag: 2014

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 31W, on the Environment Agency, whether the review of existing workloads against enforcement priorities and available budgets each area of the Environment Agency is conducting has a minimum percentage cut of workload and expenditure against which it is being assessed.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency was reviewing its baseline total enforcement and legal casework to match them to its budget. The planning assumption had been that baseline funding would reduce from £24m in 2013/14 to £20.5m in 2014/15. As part of this, the Environment Agency was reviewing the current portfolio of enforcement cases to understand the implications of a potential 25% reduction.

    However, the announcement in the budget statement of an additional £5m for tackling waste crime means that the Environment Agency is reviewing its planning assumption and associated workload.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many meetings the Minister of State for (a) Business and Enterprise, (b) Universities, Science and Skills and (c) Skills and Enterprise has had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser in the last 12 months.

    Mr David Willetts

    As was the case under previous administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish his Department’s equality impact assessment of its policy on uniforms for male and female prisoners.

    Jeremy Wright

    The requirement for prisoners to wear uniform is set out in the Incentives and Earned Privileges national policy framework, Prison Service Instruction 30/2013. During the review of this policy in 2013 an Equality Impact Assessment was completed and I have placed a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs has taken to to tackle the problem of employees being paid below the minimum wage in Northern Ireland.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the hon. Member to my answer provided previously to his question of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 725W

  • Ian Mearns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ian Mearns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which books are available to be bought from the shop in prisons in England.

    Jeremy Wright

    Prisoners are able to purchase any book through prison retail, other than where there are reasons to believe the book is not suitable. It is for Governors locally to determine when a particular book is not suitable, based on the prisoner’s risk profile and the nature of the book itself. There is no centrally approved list of books.

  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has been made of the likely effects of the Government’s proposed Deregulation Bill on jobs in tourism.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    At present, local authorities are required to set term and holiday dates for only about 30% of secondary schools and 70% of primary schools (around half of all registered pupils). The Deregulation Bill gives more schools the flexibility to make changes should they wish to, although the experience of the academies programme, foundation schools and voluntary aided (church) schools, suggests that only a small percentage of schools are likely to vary their term dates where there is a compelling benefit to pupils’ education.

    The Department for Education has assessed the impact of the changes. Whilst there will be greater flexibility for schools, we will continue to expect that sensible conversations between the local authority and schools on coordination will take place. Local authorities have told the Department for Education that they will continue to coordinate term dates for schools as they do now. Variations to term dates could also help businesses and employers, for example, in areas of high-seasonal employment where employees may welcome the chance to holiday outside of peak tourist periods. For example, Bishop Bronescombe School in St Austell, has a two-week half term in May/June to accommodate parents’ seasonal employment patterns.

    A separate assessment of the specific impact on tourism-related jobs has not been carried out. The Department for Education has discussed the changes to this policy with a variety of tourism industry bodies – including ABTA and BALPPA.

  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their announcement in July 2013 that the consultation on caste legislation was expected in February or March 2014, why it has not yet been issued.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is currently considering two issues which have developed and which have potential implications for the consultation.

    In February, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published helpful research designed to inform the introduction of new legislation on caste, as outlined in the July 2013 announcement. However, that announcement said: ‘…work will also be undertaken to determine information about the extent of caste discrimination in Britain that can be used as a comparative baseline for any future consideration of the effectiveness of caste legislation.’

    We had intended to reflect consideration of this work in the public consultation process. However, further discussions between Government and the EHRC about the research needed for it have revealed concerns that not only might this be difficult to commission successfully, but it could be seen as intrusive and might have an adverse effect on good relations in the relevant communities. We are therefore considering how best to proceed with the consultation in the light of this.

    Another recent development is the judgment in the Employment Tribunal case of Tirkey v Chandok which concluded that there is already legal protection against caste discrimination through the race provisions of the Equality Act 2010. We need to review recent case law to consider whether and how it may affect the way in which we implement the legislation.

    We would expect the public consultation document, including our conclusions on these matters, to issue in the Autumn.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of whether arrangements for defence nuclear co-operations which were agreed at the UK-France summit in January 2014 summit comply with the (a) Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, (b) Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and (c) other aspects of international law; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such assessments.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Arrangements agreed at the UK-France Summit in January 2014 are entirely consistent with all of our obligations under international law including the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. I am withholding release of any assessments under the principle of legal professional privilege.

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was total cost associated with the charges dropped against three Tottenham Hotspur supporters in March relating to the chant of yids”.”

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    The Home Office does not hold the information requested. The Crown Prosecution Service has no specific policy relating to the chanting of the word "yids" by Tottenham Hotspur supporters and incurred no legal advice costs on this specific issue. The case against the three Tottenham Hotspur supporters was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service prior to the adjourned date of the hearing, without parties having to attend court, and without the associated costs being incurred.

    The Crown Prosecution Service National Football lead has been consulted on a number of occasions regarding whether the use of the word "yid" could amount to a criminal act. The general advice given on each occasion was that each case depends on its specific facts. In relation to the case that was dropped against the three Tottenham Hotspur supporters, the police contacted the Crown Prosecution Service prior to charge. Advice was given that there was a realistic prospect of conviction. It subsequently transpired that the further evidence was not available and the case was therefore discontinued. Prior to the discontinuance a meeting took place between senior police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service officials.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings he has had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser in the last 12 months.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As was the case under previous administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.