Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans the Government has for parliamentary scrutiny of the EU-Canada trade agreement; and whether the Government will bring that agreement to the House for a vote.

Anna Soubry

We expect that the EU–Canada Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) will be a “mixed” agreement, covering areas of both EU and Member State competence. In that case, it will be subject to agreement by each EU Member State, the EU Council and the European Parliament. As part of this process the agreement will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny before it is ratified by the UK. The complete draft text of the agreement would be laid before Parliament for at least 21 sitting days during which time MPs and Lords may debate the treaty in either or both Houses and vote against the proposed ratification. For the parts of the agreement within UK competence, the proposals for a Council decision on signature and, subsequently, conclusion will be subject to scrutiny in both Houses of the UK Parliament. In practice EU trade agreements which contain a mixture of EU and Member State competence are agreed by consensus, this means the UK must agree before the treaty can fully come into force.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding for children and young people with special educational needs was allocated to East Sussex local authority area through the dedicated schools grant in each of the last three years.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Funding for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) is allocated to local authorities through the dedicated schools grant (DSG), which includes both funding to be delegated to mainstream schools, and funding for the additional costs associated with educating children and young people with high needs.

The Department does not allocate specific amounts of funding for children and young people with SEN within the funding allocated to local authorities for their mainstream schools. Schools are funded through a formula set by their local authority, and local authorities are required to delegate funds to a level that enables schools to meet the additional costs of pupils with SEN, up to £6,000 per annum. For those pupils whose additional support costs more than £6,000 the local authority pays top-up funding to the schools from their high needs budget.

East Sussex County Council’s high needs allocation, within the dedicated schools grant, in each of the last three years was as follows:

2015-16: £44.06 million

2014-15: £42.82 million

2013-14: £40.94 million

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy that the Natura 2000 network of protected conservation areas in the UK will (a) continue to have the same level or stronger protection than they now have under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives and (b) remain part of the Emerald Network under the Bern Convention regardless of the outcome of the UK’s negotiations to leave the EU.

Rory Stewart

Until we leave the EU, current arrangements for our environment remain in place.

Defra will continue to ensure the right policies are in place for a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone.

The Government will wish to consider the Impacts of the decision to leave the EU, including for the UK’s Natura 2000 and other protected sites, We have a manifesto commitment to produce a 25 Year Plan for the Environment. We all now have an opportunity to consider our long-term vision for the environment following the referendum vote.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the combined total financial penalty was for non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage imposed on the 197 employers who were named and shamed by his Department for such non-compliance on 11 August 2016.

Margot James

The Government is committed to cracking down on employers who break National Minimum Wage law. In addition to the repayment of arrears to workers, named employers are subject to financial penalties.

The total financial penalties for employers named for non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage on 11 August 2016 was £254,953.04.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to lay draft regulations on the conduct of the regional mayoral elections planned for May 2017.

Andrew Percy

An Order for the conduct of combined authority mayoral elections will be laid before Parliament after the Conference Recess.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment he has made of the effect of the increase in business rates on (a) state and (b) privately funded schools with roof-top solar photovoltaic panels.

Mr Marcus Jones

Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have proposed a £3.4 billion transitional relief scheme to ensure that no ratepayer is unfairly penalised by the 2017 revaluation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential financial effect of proposals to deny refused asylum seekers access to financial support will have on (a) local authorities and (b) (i) homelessness, (ii) health and (iii) mental health service providers,

James Brokenshire

An assessment of the financial impact of the proposed changes to support for failed asylum seekers was published on 4 August and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforming-support-for-failed-asylum-seekers-and-other-illegal-migrants-impact-assessment

The government has consulted widely on the proposals, which are now contained in Schedule 6 to the Immigration Bill published on 17 September, and is discussing the detail of how they will be implemented with local authorities and others. The financial impact of the changes will be reviewed in light of these discussions and reflected in a revised impact assessment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to comments made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport at a meeting about rail services between London and the Sussex coast on 27 May 2015, whether his Department’s target of six months to stability for commuters between London and the Sussex coast has been met; whether rail services between Brighton and London are still flashing red at his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry

Performance of rail services between London and the Sussex coast is being closely monitored as it has not yet reached an acceptable level. Govia Thameslink Railway and Network Rail have developed a Joint Improvement Plan to improve services. My officials and I are meeting with both companies on a regular basis in order to monitor and support improvements. Performance has stabilised through London Bridge following timetable adjustments made in the spring and the timetable to be implemented in December is expected to further improve performance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on tackling fraud and money laundering of the findings by Kroll in a report prepared for the National Bank of Moldova in April 2015 on fraud and money laundering in that country, that all but one of the limited partnerships involved had a registered place of business in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry

We are aware of the findings of the Kroll report which makes general observations based on publically-available records. We have not corroborated the accuracy and completeness of the report, but it raises broad issues we were aware of and are currently considering.

The Government takes the misuse of all UK business entities extremely seriously. This is why under the UK Presidency in 2013, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister secured agreement from the G7 countries to sign-up to ambitious proposals to tackle the abuse of companies and legal arrangements. Increasing transparency about who owns and controls UK companies is a vital step in creating an environment of trust and accountability.

From April 2016, UK companies and other entities will be required to create a register containing information of the people with significant control, including their name, month and year of birth, and service address. From June 2016, this information will be provided to a central register at Companies House and will be publically available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the UNHCR about the de-registration of Syrian refugees in Lebanon; what assessment he has made of the effect of the Lebanese government programme to de-register refugees in Lebanon on the number of refugees reported to be in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have regular discussions with UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on the situation of refugees in Lebanon. Unregistered refugees do not have the official documentation required to get access to essential services. We continue to lobby the Government of Lebanon to allow refugees to register with UNHCR and have given UNHCR over £44 million towards their work in the region. This includes support for registering Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. The UK is also providing £1.9 million to the Norwegian Refugee Council for information, counselling and legal assistance to refugees in both countries. This aims to ensure refugees are aware of their rights and are able to access all relevant services available to them. Lebanon has shown remarkable generosity in hosting over 1.1 million refugees from the Syria crisis. The UK recognises the great strain that this is placing on the country and we remain committed to supporting Lebanese stability in the face of these pressures.