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Tag: 2015

  • Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a scheme for naming and shaming employers who fail to pay an employment tribunal award.

    Nick Boles

    The Government believes that naming schemes can be a useful tool for encouraging compliance with legislation. For example, a naming scheme for non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage has been in place since October 2013 and has named 285 employers to date.

    The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 introduced a new financial penalty for non-payment of employment tribunal awards to encourage the full and prompt payment of awards. The Government is considering what other levers could be used to support the effectiveness of this measure, including the potential of a naming scheme.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the schedule of comparable programme objects in his Department’s publication, Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly: Statement of Funding Policy, published in October 2010, what projects were funded by the PFI Special Grant; and what the total capital cost was of each of those projects.

    Greg Hands

    The information requested is not held centrally by HM Treasury and the cost of providing it would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Financial Conduct Authority acts to prevent companies from fraudulently using capital raised from selling ring-fenced bonds to bail out poorly-performing parent companies.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government has legislated to ensure that the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), are fully empowered to maintain the integrity of the ring-fence, and to take action in preventing this type of misconduct.

    The ring fencing regime includes requirements that directors of the ring-fenced body (RFB) be able to take decisions independently of group entities; that transactions with group entities be on arm’s length terms; and that arrangements with other group entities should be managed as with third parties.

    The PRA and the Bank of England have powers to take action if such a transaction were to have a potential impact on the prudential resilience or resolvability of the RFB. The FCA can also take enforcement action for breaches of its rules or for these types of market abuse, which includes the imposition of substantial financial penalties.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2015 to Question 10535, what steps he is taking specifically to encourage the deployment of fibre to the premises in new build housing developments.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government is looking at ways to ensure that newly built premises get at least superfast broadband connectivity, including legislation if necessary. We are discussing this with telecoms infrastructure providers and developers. But it is for the market to determine the most appropriate technology that should be used.

  • 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 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of UK manufacturing jobs likely to be (a) created and (b) safeguarded by the commencement of the Protector programme.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the written statement released by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon) on 12 October 2015,titledFuture Unmanned Air Systems Capability.

    The Government has taken an early decision in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to commit to the Protector programme. The programme is currently in its assessment phase, so detailed work is continuing to confirm a contract for the airframe and associated details, including date for the capability’s entry into service and acquisition and life support cost profile, following which the Ministry of Defence will be better placed to understand the implications for the UK workforce and supply chain.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to increase the number of former Armed Forces personnel who retrain as teachers through the Troops to Teachers programme.

    Nick Gibb

    The government recognises that service leavers have a wealth of skills and experiences that have been proven to be transferable to the classroom, including teamwork, leadership and the ability to inspire and engage. Former armed forces personnel model attributes such as self-discipline and resilience.

    The University of Brighton, who are contracted to run the programme, continue to promote Troops to Teachers through a range of methods including service leaver employment fairs.

  • Calum Kerr – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Calum Kerr – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the amount spent each year by (a) Seafish and (b) other bodies funded by fishing levies on promoting the fishing industries of other countries.

    George Eustice

    Seafish does not use levies raised on fish caught by the UK catching sector to promote the fishing industries of other countries. Levy is raised at the first point of sale in the UK, including on imported fish, and is used to support the UK seafood industry.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Japanese counterparts on security reforms in that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We welcome Japan’s recent security reforms, which will allow Japan to play a greater role in international peace and security. During his visit in August, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed with the Japanese Foreign Minister the opportunities these reforms will create for even closer bilateral cooperation.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2015 to Question 6862 on Yemen: armed conflict, whether it remains the case that the UK Government has seen no credible evidence that the Saudi-led coalition has breached international humanitarian law in its campaign in Yemen.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware of reports on alleged violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) by all sides to the conflict in Yemen, and take them very seriously. We have raised our concerns over alleged IHL violations with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the Coalition, and in return have received repeated assurances of their compliance. We have also raised our concerns over alleged IHL and international human rights law violations by the Houthis, and again stressed the importance of compliance.

  • Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2015-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) NHS England is taking to ensure that autism diagnosis waiting times for (i) children and (ii) adults in St Helens North constituency meet NICE guidance.

    Alistair Burt

    The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to gather information that can be shared between areas that have arrangements in place to meet National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism: support for commissioning and those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. These NICE guidelines already recommend that there should be a maximum of three months between a referral and a first appointment for a diagnostic assessment for autism. We expect the National Health Service to be working towards meeting the recommendations.

    St Helens CCG is undertaking a review of current processes as part of the neuro-developmental pathway project, which includes autism spectrum conditions diagnosis provision and the associated waiting times for children. It is envisaged that the revised service model will be operational from September 2016, and will be in line with NICE Guidance. St Helens also co-commissions an Autism Diagnostic service in partnership with other neighbouring CCGs for adult services. Due to recent increases in demand the CCG is also working with the local NHS provider to help find solutions in regard to how waiting times can be effectively managed in order to meet NICE Guidance.