Tag: 2015

  • Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department will assess (a) the effect of drone strikes on civilian populations and (b) access to civilian compensation schemes as part of its humanitarian mission in Iraq and Syria.

    Justine Greening

    We are monitoring the impact of military operations on civilian populations in both Iraq and Syria and ensuring our humanitarian response is targeted to those most in need. To date, the UK has pledged £800 million in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region, and a further £39.5 million to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. Access to civilian compensation schemes is an MoD lead and therefore does not form part of our humanitarian mission.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons his Department and the Skills Funding Agency have not agreed a data sharing protocol with the Work Programme contractors delivering the Skills Support for Work Programme participants in employment project in partnership with Newham College of Further Education.

    Esther McVey

    The department has established an information sharing protocol enabling relevant data to be shared by Work Programme providers with all Skills Support for Work Programme providers. This involves providers first obtaining the participants’ consent, so their information can be shared.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the staff of the Ordnance Survey being transferred into a government company will have their terms and conditions protected by TUPE.

    Matthew Hancock

    All current employees will be covered by TUPE regulations, and will be transferred to the Government Company on their existing terms and conditions with their period of continuous employment preserved.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to comments by the Minister of State for Care and Support in the Daily Telegraph on 7 February 2015, on investigations into minimum wage payment in the social care sector, when HM Revenue and Customs will complete its investigations into the six companies; how the companies to be investigated were identified; and if he will take steps to ensure that workers are compensated when breaches of the minimum wage are found to have taken place.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage or is aware of an employer who does not meet NMW legislation should make a complaint to the Pay & Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) on 0800 917 2368.

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are unable to comment on ongoing investigations.

    I refer the honourable member to the answer provided to him at UIN 212652 on how HMRC identify sectors and employers for targeted investigation and enforcement.

    Any arrears of pay due to workers are uprated to the current rate of NMW. The majority of employers identified as paying below the NMW will pay arrears on receipt of a formal Notice of Underpayment. Where they do not, HMRC will pursue recovery through the civil courts on behalf of the workers.

  • Simon Hart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Simon Hart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Hart on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to publish a response to its consultation entitled Planning and travellers: proposed changes to planning policy and guidance, published on 14 September 2014.

    Brandon Lewis

    The consultation closed on 23 November 2014 and my Department received over 750 responses. We are currently considering the responses and will publish the Government’s response in due course.

  • stored for patients’ use or “stored for donation” – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    stored for patients’ use or “stored for donation” – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by stored for patients’ use or “stored for donation” on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 8 January 2013 (WA 24–6), 24 February 2014 (WA 174–5) and 5 February 2015 (HL4367), whether the total number of embryos allowed to perish as stated as 1,717,375 between 1991 and 2011 represents the same set of embryos recorded in the earlier answer as stored for research” or “discarded”

    Earl Howe

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that the number of embryos allowed to perish between 1991 and 2011 is 1,717,375, as stated in my written answer of 5 February 2015 (HL4367). In relation to the figures given in my written answer of 8 January 2013 (WA 24-6), the comparator would be the figures recorded as “Embryos reported on the Treatment form as being discarded” and “Embryos reported on the Gamete Movement form as being removed from storage and discarded”.

    The total figures differ from the later answer (HL4367) because the latter does not include embryos stored for research. Any further difference in the figures is due to reconciliation work performed on the data since my answer of 8 January 2013.

    The descriptive term “head of a pin” was intended to give the noble Lord an indication of the size of the embryo involved, in my written answers of 24 February 2014, HL5165 (WA 174-5), and 5 February 2015, HL4367.

    “

  • Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what regulatory actions were taken in the United Kingdom in connection with HSBC as a consequence of the fines imposed in the United States in response to its involvement in money laundering on behalf of Mexican drug cartels.

    Lord Deighton

    I can confirm to the Noble Lord that the information I provided him in response to his written question answered on 17th June 2013 remains accurate:

    US investigations and enforcement action on HSBC focused on their subsidiaries in the US. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has no direct supervisory remit over these HSBC entities.

    However, in conjunction with the action taken by the US, the (then) FSA, as lead regulator for the HSBC Group globally, made a number of requirements of HSBC Holdings plc, designed to ensure that all parts of the HSBC Group are compliant with the relevant legal and regulatory requirements across the Group to prevent similar failings occurring in future.

    This included requiring a committee of the HSBC Board to oversee matters relating to anti-money laundering, sanctions, terrorist financing and proliferation financing; requiring the Group to revise its policies and procedures to ensure that all parts of the HSBC Group are subject to standards equivalent to those required under UK requirements; HSBC employing an independent monitor to oversee the Group’s compliance with UK anti-money laundering, sanctions, terrorist financing and proliferation financing requirements and to provide independent reporting to the HSBC Board committee and regulators. HSBC Holdings was also required to appoint a Group Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), with responsibility for ensuring that systems and controls are in place across the Group.

    The FCA is closely monitoring the implementation of these requirements by HSBC.

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to his Department was of providing Phase two training for the Royal Marine Band Service at the Royal Marine School of Music in 2013-14.

    Anna Soubry

    The requested detail for Financial Year 2013-14 is provided below:

    Number of personnel who

    completed Phase Two training

    Cost of providing Phase

    Two training

    Royal Marines School

    of Music (Portsmouth)

    22

    Information is not held

    centrally and could be

    provided only at

    disproportionate cost

    Royal Military School of Music (Army, Kneller Hall)

    66

    £2.8 million (approx)

    No personnel undertook phase two training with the RAF Music Services. The RAF recruits are fully trained musicians who undertake a rigorous audition process and are only admitted once their playing ability is proven.

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to devolve greater responsibilities to democratically elected county councils and county unitary authorities.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Government has always believed that local decision-making plays an essential role in building stronger local economies and communities and is open to discussions over possible offers from areas that are interested in greater devolution of powers. This basic principle of localism underpins the Government’s approach and is why programmes such as Growth Deals and Growing Places Fund have been made available to all local areas in England through Local Enterprise Partnerships.

    I also refer my hon. Friend to the Government’s publication, "The implications of devolution for England” (CM 8969) which outlines the views of both Coalition parties on the scope for greater decentralisation in England.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implications-of-devolution-for-england

    “

  • Lord Smith of Finsbury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Smith of Finsbury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Finsbury on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with British-based banks and other major companies which have outsourced customer services to overseas countries about the way in which enquiries from United Kingdom citizens who have entered into a civil partnership or same-sex marriage are handled.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The Government has had no discussions with businesses on this specific issue. The Equality Act 2010 provides that service providers are not allowed to discriminate, harass or victimise service users because they have a ‘protected characteristic’ – which includes sex and sexual orientation, amongst others. The Act provides that, in some circumstances, employers can be liable for the acts of their employees or agents. Businesses are required to comply with the relevant provision of the Act applicable to them unless an exception in the Act applies.