Tag: Barry Sheerman

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Insolvency Service provides value for money for creditors of liquidated companies.

Jo Swinson

The Insolvency Service has recently undertaken reviews of its systems and processes to identify ways to reduce costs. It also regularly reviews its fees. In addition, measures contained in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will benefit creditors by saving an estimated £20m per year from the cost of all insolvency proceedings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to promote a sustainable approach to resourcing timber in the UK.

Rory Stewart

Defra implements the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which makes it an offence to place illegally logged timber on the EU market for the first time, and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation, which aims to combat illegal logging and improve the supply of legal timber to the EU. The EU FLEGT Regulation establishes Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and timber producing countries. Once VPAs have been agreed, timber producing countries will issue exports with a ‘FLEGT licence’ which verifies the timber’s legality.

Defra is also responsible for the Government’s Timber Procurement Policy, which requires central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to procure timber and timber products that are both legal and sustainable.

Domestic forests provide about 20% of the UK’s timber needs. They are managed in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard, the reference standard for sustainable forest management in the UK. Moreover, about 85% of UK timber production is independently certified, providing additional assurances of sustainability.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received from creditors of companies which go into insolvency about the Insolvency Act 1986.

Jo Swinson

I regularly receive representations from those who are owed monies by insolvent companies. Unfortunately it is the inevitable consequence of insolvency that some creditors will remain unpaid, but the Government is committed to making sure that we have the fairest possible insolvency regime for when things go wrong. Measures contained in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will benefit creditors by saving an estimated £20m per year from the cost of insolvency proceedings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent decisions she has had with (a) representatives of the EU and (b) her counterparts in other member states on EU timber regulations.

Rory Stewart

Defra officials regularly discuss the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) and the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation with both the European Commission and other EU Member States.

Most recently (September 2015) Defra officials participated in a FLEGT/EUTR Expert Group meeting in Brussels, covering a range of related issues including implementation of the two regulations across the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received from creditors of companies which have gone into liquidation about the priority of payments in cases of liquidation.

Jo Swinson

I occasionally receive representations from creditors of companies in liquidation about priority of payments in those cases. In broad terms, the principle applied in insolvency cases is that creditors are treated equally, and will receive any payment they are due after the fees, costs and expenses of the liquidation have been paid. This is not an area which the Government has any current plans to change.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to support exports of UK textile manufacturing.

Matthew Hancock

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) provides a wide range of help to businesses in all sectors – including textile manufacturers – that are seeking to export. UKTI will also continue to work with textile trade associations in organising trade missions and taking textile manufacturers to trade shows and other events around the world as it has done over the past year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the state of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We strongly supported US Secretary of State John Kerry’s tireless efforts to deliver a final status deal in 2014. We were disappointed that the parties proved unable to make more progress. Our priority remains the achievement of a two-state solution. We continue to believe that the best way to achieve this is through negotiations and hope that it will be possible to resume the process after the Israeli elections.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent conversations he has had with his international counterparts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymead and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with US Secretary of State John Kerry on 21 February. I spoke to Arab League Secretary General Nabil El Araby on 18 February about the need for swift disbursement of pledges made by donors at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference in Cairo.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance he gives to schools on steps they should take to inform students of their right to wear or not to wear religious clothing.

Mr David Laws

It is for the governing body of each school to set their own policies on school uniform and other matters of appearance. The Department for Education’s guidance to schools on school uniform recommends that, once this policy is decided, the governing body should describe its uniform or appearance policy clearly and ensure that parents are informed.

The uniform guidance reminds schools of their need to have full regard to their obligations under equalities law when setting and enforcing their school uniform policy. It also recommends that the governing body considers carefully any reasonable requests to vary their uniform policy to accommodate individual pupils’ beliefs.

The school uniform guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Israeli government on the construction of settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK’s position on Israeli settlements is clear: they are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and take us further away from a two state solution. I made a statement on 30 January, urging the Government of Israel to reverse its decision to publish new tenders for 450 settlement units in the West Bank. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv continue to lobby repeatedly against settlement activity with a range of Israeli contacts.