Tag: 2016

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2016 to Question 39322, on his Department’s vacancies, how many internal policy vacancies his Department has.

    Joseph Johnson

    The current number of internal policy vacancies being advertised in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills HQ is 21.

    The number of advertised vacancies can vary depending on recruitment timelines. All vacancies are advertised online via Civil Service Jobs.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of recent polling of the views of parents on religious selection in state-funded schools.

    Lord Nash

    We are consulting on proposals to enable more high quality providers of schools to establish new schools and we are keen to hear the views of parents as part of the consultation. Many faith schools are successful and popular with parents and we want to provide sufficient high quality places to meet demand. We will take account of all the responses received when considering the government’s response to the consultation.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of claims that Saudi Arabia has bombed several hospitals in Yemen, including Médecins Sans Frontières clinics.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of recent allegations regarding an attack on a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Sa’ada province on 10 January. We are also aware of reports of alleged attacks against a MSF hospital in Sa’ada on 26 October and on a MSF unit in Taiz on 2 December. We welcome the public announcement by Saudi Arabia to establish a fact finding committee into the alleged airstrike on the MSF mobile clinic in Taiz. It is important that Saudi Arabia conducts thorough and conclusive investigation into incidents that have raised concerns.

  • Baroness Byford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Byford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Byford on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the introduction of the National Living Wage on horticultural businesses that employ large numbers of seasonal workers.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government’s Impact Assessment for the introduction of the National Living Wage estimates that around 20,000 workers in the agriculture sector – including horticultural businesses – will be covered by the National Living Wage in its first year..

    To help businesses with the costs of implementing the National Living Wage Government is raising the Employer Allowance, cutting corporation tax, and setting the Annual Investment Allowance at a new permanent level of £200,000. The Government is also taking steps that will specifically help horticultural businesses with the introduction of the National Living Wage. The Government is enabling farmers to average their profits over five years rather than two for income tax purposes to provide greater financial security, and it is establishing Level 2/3 horticulture apprenticeships.

    The Government’s proposals to devolve the power to extend Sunday trading hours will benefit the horticultural sector. The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), which represents garden centres, many of which are rural SMEs, estimates that Sunday trading restrictions cost the industry £75 million per annum in lost sales.

  • Baroness Doocey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Doocey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cases of domestic servitude have been recorded where the victims have included more than one person from the same family.

    Lord Bates

    Data on the number of child cases of forced labour or domestic servitude recorded through the National Referral Mechanism is already publically available on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics.

    The National Referral Mechanism is designed to gather evidence in order to determine whether someone is considered to be a victim of ‘slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour’ or ‘human trafficking’ in line with the offences set out in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Whether an individual is considered to be a victim of either of these offences in the form of domestic servitude or forced labour will be determined on the indicators present and the facts of each case. Additional consideration is given to the particular vulnerabilities of children and their inability to consent.

    Information on how many cases of domestic servitude have been prosecuted where the victim was a child or how many cases of domestic servitude have been recorded which involved more than one person from the same family is not recorded centrally.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with which suppliers his Department has contracted to provide steel for construction of the Successor submarine.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    BAE Systems (BAES) is the prime contractor for the majority of the Successor programme. As prime contractor, BAES will sub-contract suppliers of steel and related services.

    Separately, Missile Tubes for the Common Missile Compartment are being produced jointly with the US and steel procurement will be carried out by US contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the safety of and access for horse riders on roads and bridlepaths.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department takes every opportunity to remind motorists of their responsibilities towards vulnerable road users – including horse riders – through publications such as the Highway Code and THINK! Road Safety campaigns. THINK! officials are currently working with the British Horse Society following their recently launched ‘Dead Slow’ campaign. Plans for the summer include publicity on TV, radio, online and social media advising motorists on how to pass horses safely.

    We do not provide advice on access to bridleways, as this falls within the remit of Natural England (a non-departmental public body).

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-07-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of a reduction in corporation tax to (a) 15 (b) 14 and (c) 10 per cent on (i) GDP, (ii) unemployment and (iii) investment in (A) 2016, (B) 2017, (C) 2017, (D) 2018, (E) 2019 and (F) 2010.

    Mr David Gauke

    The corporation tax reductions since 2010 have been designed to increase the competitiveness of the UK business tax system and to support investment and jobs in the UK. Their positive effect has been evidenced by strong growth in GDP, employment, and business investment since 2010.

    The Chancellor has now set out his ambition to reduce the corporation tax rate further, to 15 percent or below, to reinforce this strategy and send a clear message that the UK is open for business.

    Updated government economic modelling set out in the Business Tax Road Map suggests that corporation tax cuts delivered since 2010 could increase long-run GDP by over 1 percent. Details of this model can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-the-dynamic-effects-of-corporation-tax-reductions

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about unpaid wages for migrant workers, and about the return of passports being made conditional on foregoing arrears of wages.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    ​We are aware of reports of some third country migrant workers having employment issues, including not receiving payments. This is a matter for the parties involved in each situation to find a solution.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to protect women and girls from sexual violence when fleeing conflict zones.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is committed to protecting women and girls – as well as men and boys – from sexual violence in conflict. The Government’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative (PSVI), launched in 2012, has raised awareness, rallied global action and increased the political will and capacity of states to do more to: (i) address the culture of impunity that exists for these crimes, (ii) increase the number of perpetrators held to account, and (iii) ensure better support for survivors. Since its launch we have carried out 60 deployments by the UK Team of PSVI Experts to support survivors and strengthen investigations and increase prosecutions; supported around 50 projects with non-governmental organisations working to end sexual violence and help survivors in a range of conflict-affected countries; launched and provided training on the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict to improve evidence gathering and strengthen the prosecution of sexual violence; and provided training on sexual violence issues to African peacekeeping military and police personnel, to members of the Malian Army and Peshmerga troops in Iraq.