The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) services and (b) jobs within the Passport Office were transferred to the private sector in the last five years; and when those transfers took place.
James Brokenshire
No jobs have been transferred from Her Majesty’s Passport Office to the private
sector in the last five years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2014-06-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the World Society for the Protection of Animals’ report Cayman Turtle Farm: A Continued Case for Change”; and what measures they are taking to protect flora and fauna in all British Overseas Territories including the Cayman Islands.”
Lord De Mauley
The Cayman Islands Government has constitutional responsibility for a large measure of self-government, including for decisions relating to the Cayman Turtle Farm. The recommendations in the publication are therefore the responsibility of the Cayman Islands Government. However, we note that the report contains inaccuracies about UK engagement in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for the Overseas Territories, Mark Simmonds, is writing to the World Society for the Protection of Animals to bring these inaccuracies to its attention.
The UK Government’s ambition is for the natural environments of the Overseas Territories (OTs) to be protected and managed to the highest international standards, as set out in our 2012 White Paper, “The Overseas Territories Security, Success and Sustainability”. OT Governments are constitutionally responsible for the protection and conservation of their natural environments and the UK Government works in partnership with them to identify where our support can be most effective. On 12 May 2014, the Government published an update to the Overseas Territories Biodiversity Strategy, which provides detail of the Government’s activities on biodiversity in the OTs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Uddin on 2014-06-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people with autismspectrum disorder currently receive support under the Independent Living Fund.
Lord Freud
It is not possible to calculate this because the Independent Living Fund’s systems categorise its users by their main condition only; it is not known therefore how many users may have an autism spectrum disorder in addition to the main disability or health condition recorded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-06-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to enforce the National Minimum Wage, and in particular to protect the employees of agencies and those on zero-hours contracts from exploitation.
Viscount Younger of Leckie
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.
HMRC enforces the National Minimum Wage for all workers. This includes agency workers and those on zero hour contracts. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights helpline. In addition, HMRC conducts risk-based enforcement in sectors or areas where there is a higher risk of workers not getting paid the legal minimum wage.
The Government is taking a tougher approach on employers that break National Minimum Wage law and has already made it simpler to name and shame employers that break NMW law. The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Whitaker on 2014-06-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they have spent the 69 million euros, as reported in Appendix 5 of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Status Report of 2013, earmarked for the implementation of the Roma Strategy.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
The United Kingdom is advancing Roma integration within broader social inclusion and integration policies. This is fully in line with commitments we have made at European Union level, and is the best approach in a diverse and decentralised country like the UK.
On Page 32, the Status Report highlights that the Government is providing “approximately 72 million euros” for new and refurbished authorised traveller pitches in England, through the £60 million Traveller Pitch Funding programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2014-06-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy and effectiveness of sentencing in cases where football fans have been found guilty of racially or religiously aggravated public order offences; and whether they will consider providing advice to the magistracy in response to any evidence revealing that magistrates are reluctant to issue football banning orders in such cases.
Lord Faulks
Racially and religiously aggravated offences have no place in our society. Parliament has provided the courts with the necessary powers to deal effectively with those who are convicted of these serious offences. The court must make a football banning order where an offender has been convicted of a relevant offence and it is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that making a banning order would help prevent violence or disorder at, or in connection with, any regulated football matches. If the court is not so satisfied, it must state that fact and give reasons in open court. The prosecution has a right of appeal against a failure by the court to make a banning order.
Relevant offences for these purposes include chanting of an indecent or racialist nature at a designated football match, and specified offences under the Public Order Act 1986 committed during a period relevant to a football match, which covers the period beginning two hours before the match and ending one hour after the match, at any premises while the offender was at, or entering or leaving or trying to enter or leave, the premises.
We are not aware of any evidence to suggest that the magistracy are reluctant to make football banning orders, and decisions of the magistrates are made with the assistance of legal advisers who refer to current sentencing guidelines.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2014-06-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what efforts are being made to ensure that in South Sudan there is full co-operation with investigations into violations of human rights and humanitarian law.
Baroness Warsi
The UK remains deeply concerned by the scale of human rights violations and abuses in South Sudan since the start of the conflict in December. We have consistently stressed to all parties in the conflict the importance of thorough investigation into atrocities and the key role that accountability will play in the reconciliation and peace building process. We welcome the timely reporting of the South Sudan Human Rights Commission and the UN Human Rights division and support the African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan in their investigations into the events of the last six months. My Hon Friend, the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds MP), the Minister for Africa, along with senior officials, has emphasised to South Sudanese Ministers the importance of full cooperation with these investigations. We will also pursue, during the 26th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) this month, the creation of a formal HRC mandate to strengthen and enhance efforts in this area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-06-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with the government of Israel concerning thereported destruction of fruit trees belonging to the Tent of Nations farm outside Nahalin village on 4 May; and whether they intend to encourage the payment of compensation.
Baroness Warsi
We have not raised this specific issue, including compensation, with the Israeli authorities. However, we repeatedly make clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concerns about continued demolitions of Palestinian property and the need to abide by their other obligations under international law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of demolitions in general on 28 May with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Benyon on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what basic measures his Department takes in relation to (a) controls on abstraction and (b) prevent and control pollutants from diffuse sources in order to comply with Article 11.3 of the Water Framework Directive.
Dan Rogerson
Controls on water abstraction are applied through the licensing system operated by the Environment Agency, which sets out prior authorisation and control of water abstractions and impoundments.
Measures to prevent and control pollutants from diffuse sources include:
i. Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. These make it an offence to cause or knowingly permit a water discharge activity or groundwater activity, except under, and to the extent authorised by, an environmental permit. The Environment Agency regulates discharges under the environmental permitting regime. It can carry out works itself to rectify activities causing pollution, or issue anti-pollution works notices to require work to take place to prevent, remedy or prohibit pollution, as well as prosecuting offenders if pollution does take place;
ii. the Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2008, which aim to reduce agricultural nitrate pollution and the risk of further such pollution occurring. The regulations implement the Nitrates Directive, and apply within designated Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (57% of England);
iii. the Water Resources (Control of Pollution)(Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil)(England) Regulations 2010, which set standards for storing silage, livestock slurry and agricultural fuel oil to minimise the risk of water pollution. These are applicable nationally; and
iv. cross-compliance requirements for those farmers claiming direct payments and those participating in various rural development schemes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to research the use of non-slip surfaces for man-holes in order to reduce the number of accidents involving motor cycles.
Mr Robert Goodwill
There are various types of manhole covers on the market that have enhanced skid resistance. In addition, the Institute of Highways Engineers has produced guidance on locating manhole covers to reduce the risk to they pose to motorcyclists. As such, the Department currently has no plans to commission research on these issues.