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Tag: 2015

  • Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of changes to support for asylum seekers on local authority services.

    James Brokenshire

    The Immigration Bill reforms support for failed asylum seekers and other illegal migrants. It restricts the availability of support, consistent with our international and human rights obligations, and removes incentives to remain in the UK illegally. The measures have been subject to public consultation and will be subject to a new burdens assessment.

  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the effect on the UK economy of UK supply chain contracts being awarded to overseas bidders.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has worked jointly with Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) and UKTI to encourage investment in UK energy supply chains, in both UK-owned and UK-based companies, and to achieve higher levels of UK content in energy infrastructure. We have worked constructively with project developers to enhance the opportunities for UK-based companies to win contracts and with top tier suppliers to encourage them to invest in the UK.

    BIS continues to work with DECC and the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) to encourage investment in the UK Continental shelf (UKCS) and these arrangements include the formation of a Supply Chain Board to promote development of the oil and gas supply chain. Subsequent to the Oil & Gas Skills Analysis Report we maintain a regular dialogue with Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO), the oil and gas skills body, who advise on skills gaps.

    For large renewable energy projects, developers are required to have their Supply Chain Plans approved by Government, setting out how they will boost competition, innovation and skills, before they are eligible to apply for price support under the Contract for Difference regime. BIS has supported the GROW: Offshore Wind programme to help SMEs in England to compete in the offshore wind supply chain and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult to help companies bring new technologies to market.

    Open competition is important to bring down the costs of energy and, in open competition, UK bidders do not always win the contracts. We have made no specific assessment of the impact of UK contractors failing to win contracts on the UK economy, including the Scotland economy, and on the UK skills base.

    More widely, the Government is taking a number of steps to strengthen UK manufacturing supply chains and help these businesses compete in global markets.

    First and foremost, we are building a strong economy and a competitive business environment. We are backing manufacturers by cutting corporation tax, slashing red tape by a further £10billion and investing £6.9billion in the UK’s infrastructure. This is creating the right economic conditions to encourage the business investment crucial to UK manufacturing productivity growth and jobs.

    Through the sectors councils we are working closely with manufacturing companies to understand their needs and remove barriers in their path. The Government continues to invest in our world leading aerospace, automotive, defence and transport sectors and has reformed procurement rules so the supply chain can reap maximum benefit; whilst the High Value Manufacturing Catapult shows how companies can adapt to new technologies reduce their costs and boost productivity. One in six manufacturers have reshored production over the past three years and around one third of the 2,000 new Foreign Direct Investment projects landed in 2014/15 were in the areas of advanced manufacturing and life sciences. Business has the confidence to invest and make things in the UK again because the Government is getting the fundamentals of the economy right and creating a highly competitive, pro-business environment.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, during the UK’s Presidency of the UN Security Council this month, they will refer reports by Radio Dabanga of crimes against humanity in Darfur to the International Criminal Court for investigation.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The situation in Darfur has already been referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by the UN Security Council under UN Security Council Resolution 1593 (2005). As the prosecutor’s investigation is still ongoing, it could encompass any new allegations. However, such a decision would be for the Office of the Prosecutor of the Court to take. The UK remains a strong supporter of the ICC.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2015 to Question 16850, how many (a) Notices of Underpayment and (b) financial penalties were issued to employers by HM Revenue and Customs for non-compliance with minimum wage legislation in 2014-15.

    Mr David Gauke

    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. Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage not only have to pay back arrears of wages at current minimum wage rates but also face financial penalties of up to £20,000 per underpaid worker.

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) enforces the national minimum wage (NMW) legislation on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). It does so by investigating all complaints made about employers suspected of not paying the minimum wage, and carrying out targeted enforcement where it identifies a high risk of non-payment of NMW across the whole of the UK.

    I refer the honourable member to the answer provided at UIN 28587 for information on recovery of arrears and on the number of incidences of non-compliance on 26 November 2015.

    In 2014/15, HMRC issued financial penalties on 735 employers totalling £934,660 for non-compliance with NMW legislation.

    In 2014/15, HMRC completed 2,204 investigations as part of its duty to enforce minimum wage legislation.

    Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should contact Acas on 0300 123 1100. HMRC reviews every complaint that Acas refer to it but these may not always lead to an investigation. In 2014/15, HMRC received 2489 worker complaints via the helpline.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerning the destruction by Israeli forces of a water network in the northern Jordan Valley.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we have not raised this specific issue, the UK does raise the issue of water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities, including stressing the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve this unacceptable situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza. An official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue of water with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 26 October.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the amount of funding will be for the Starter Homes Local Authority Funding Programme in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    We announced, as part of the outcome of the Spending Review in November, a £2.3 billion Starter Homes funding package to support the delivery of our manifesto commitment to build 200,000 Starter Homes by 2020. This is part of the £8 billion we are investing to deliver 400,000 new affordable housing starts. Further details about this funding will be announced shortly.

  • Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the percentage of magistrates resigning since 1 April broken down by (1) age, (2) ethnicity, and (3) gender.

    Lord Faulks

    The information requested is provided in the tables below:

    Resignations

    1 Apr. – 1 Nov. 2015

    1 Apr. – 1 Nov. 2014

    584

    606

    Percentage breakdown of resignations since 1 April 2015

    Age

    Ethnicity

    Gender

    >30yrs

    31-40yrs

    41-50yrs

    51-60yrs

    61-70yrs

    White / BAME*

    Male / Female

    >1%

    4%

    11%

    21%

    63%

    91% / 9%

    52% / 48%

    * BAME = Black and Minority Ethnic

    “

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on establishment of a Northern Ireland University Air Squadron.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The two newly established staff posts in the Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron were filled in October and November 2015, and the first students were accepted on 25 November. Of the 24 student places, 11 have so far been filled.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Naseby on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which rebel groups in Syria are not supported by the UK.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We support several moderate opposition groups in Syria who we would want to see involved in a political process. We define these groups in terms of ideology and tactics: moderates are liberal, secular or Islamist in their political outlook, call for a wider pluralistic system that respects the rights of all Syrians and reject terrorism and terrorist tactics, for example by seeking to protect civilians from harm and to prevent abuses. Several moderate opposition groups refer to themselves as being part of the Free Syrian Army. The UK does not support designated terrorist organisations in Syria or groups who use terrorist tactics, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Jabhat al Nusra, which are designated terrorist organisations under the UN al Qaeda sanctions regime.

  • Clive Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Clive Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish a response to her Department’s consultation on changes to financial support for solar PV, published on 22 July 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government proposed changes to the Renewables Obligation, on which we consulted between 22 July and 2 September. We intend to publish a Government Response as soon as possible.