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Tag: 2015

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 92 of the consultation document entitled, Tackling Exploitation in the Labour Market, (a) how many prosecutions and (b) what penalties have been applied for each of the existing offences that are in the remit of the Director of Labour Market Enforcement.

    Karen Bradley

    The list of offences that will be in the remit of the Labour Market Enforcement Director are subject to public consultation. The following figures are available for prosecutions and penalties for offences that are being considered for inclusion in the Director’s remit.

    There have been nine prosecutions relating to National Minimum Wage underpayment since the first prosecution took place in 2007. Criminal prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. Penalties totalling over £3.9 million has been issued.

    There were three prosecutions (one failed) for suspected breaches of Employment Agencies Standards (EAS) Regulations in 2013-14. Fines totalling £5,200 were issued and total compensation and costs awarded to workers was £6,041. Information on prosecutions prior to 2013/14 can be found in EAS Annual Reports online.

    During 2013/14 and 2014/15, there were six and nine prosecutions respectively for offences contained within the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004. Penalties included fines and custodial sentences for these and other non labour market offences.

    The Modern Slavery Act offences, which could fall within the remit of the Director, came into force on 31st July 2015. Data is not yet available for those offences.

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specific steps they are taking to help SMEs to move online.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As part of our wider support for small businesses, Government has provided funding to Local Enterprise Partnerships to extend the reach of their digital support for small firms. We are also increasing the number of Digital Trade Advisors working around the country to help small businesses expand into new overseas markets.

    Government supports the extensive range of private sector-led activity to help small businesses improve their digital skills. We particularly welcome the work that Go ON UK does to encourage and join up this activity.

    In addition to this, Government’s Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme allowed businesses to apply for grants of up to £3,000 to help them move to a faster digital market and connect to superfast broadband. The initiative has now allocated all of the £40m available funding since April 2015, with more than 55,000 small businesses across the UK taking up the offer.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the spending per head on cycling will be in England (a) outside London and (b) outside London and the eight Cycling City Ambition Grant holder areas in each of the next five years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The current cycling ambition programme is fully committed and runs until 2017/18. Spend per head is currently over £10 in the eight cycling ambition cities, and in London (in line with the recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cycling). It is not possible to predict the geographical distribution of other funding for cycling at this stage.

  • Lord German – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord German – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord German on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current political situation in the Maldives.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    As the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), said in his press statement on 4 November, the British Government is deeply concerned by recent developments in the Maldives. We believe the State of Emergency declared on 4 November impinged on the basic human rights of the Maldivian people and further undermined confidence in the country’s democracy.

    On 10 November the Maldivian government lifted the State of Emergency. As Mr Swire said in his tweet on 10 November, we welcome the lifting of the State of Emergency and look forward to further positive progress in the Maldives.

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to publish statistics on sanctions imposed under the universal credit scheme during the course of its implementation.

    Priti Patel

    The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit in September 2013. As outlined in the strategy, officials are quality assuring data for Universal Credit and formulating a definitive list of what statistics will be provided in the future.

    These statistics will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support the implementation of transitional justice in South Sudan following the recent publication of the African Union Commission of Inquiry report on South Sudan.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We welcome the publication of the Commission of Inquiry report and are actively encouraging the African Union to establish the Hybrid Court as soon as possible. In October, the UN Security Council, with UK support, amended the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to be able to provide technical assistance to set up both the Hybrid Court and also the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing.

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2015 to Question 6371, when he plans that the reforms to the Electronic Communications Code will come into effect; if he will ensure that the new Code contains powers for mobile operators to more easily upgrade and share sites; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government remains committed to delivering a reformed Electronic Communications Code that is clear, fit for purpose, and supports improvements in network coverage which provides consumers with a choice of high quality telecommunications services. We will update Parliament on plans in due course.

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to promote the development of healthcare assistants in primary care by means of apprenticeships.

    Nick Boles

    Provisional 2014/15 data show that there were 105,800 apprenticeships starts in the healthcare sector.

    We are committed to delivering employer-led apprenticeship reforms, and will continue working with employers, developing more high quality apprenticeships that are responsive to the needs of business.

    The Healthcare Trailblazer, supported by Skills for Health, NHS Trusts and private organisations, has published two new healthcare apprenticeship standards, and more are in development.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she plans to issue revised nuclear safety and security regulations.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The framework for civil nuclear safety and security is kept under continuous review to ensure that it remains robust, effective and of an appropriate standard.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which regulations his Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date; which regulations his Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the hon Member to the answer given by Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) (Business and Enterprise) the rt hon Anna Soubry on 11 November 2015