Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2016 to Question 26319 on the national minimum wage, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the arrears identified between April 2015 and November 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage very seriously. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should make a complaint to the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) respond to every complaint that is referred to them by the Acas helpline. Additionally, HMRC collate and analyse data from various sources in order to identify those employers who are potentially more likely to be underpaying National Minimum Wage, so that they can undertake targeted enforcement against those employers.

The Government has increased annual funding of National Minimum Wage enforcement by nearly 60% since 2013/14, providing a budget of £13.2m in 2015/16. This has enabled a significant expansion of resources dedicated to enforcing the minimum wage; there are currently 237 staff in HMRC’s National Minimum Wage teams, up from 151 at the start of 2013/14. HMRC have also reviewed their ways of working to ensure a more efficient and effective service for workers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-18.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on how many occasions between 2006 and 2011 HM Revenue and Customs officials (a) met and (b) communicated with Peter Twiddy, a consultant who worked at Bircham Dyson Bell.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs officials meet with and receive representations from a wide variety of organisations as part of the policy formulation and delivery process. As has been the practice of successive administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to give details of any such discussion.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33551, when he expects the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to report; what information he holds on the number of reported mass arrests, beatings and killing of protesters, journalists and opposition party leaders and members in (a) the Oromia region and (b) Ethiopia in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge

The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the handling of demonstrations in Oromia and the reported deaths of a number of protestors, and has repeatedly made representations to the Ethiopian Government over the ongoing situation in Oromia. Justine Greening, the Secretary of State for International Development, raised our concerns with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on 21 January, as did I, with the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Dr Tedros, at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on 27 January. Our Ambassador did the same in a meeting with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on 26 April.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been appointed to look into the handling of the protests in Oromia, and we await the publication of its report. We will continue to urge the EHRC and the Government of Ethiopia to ensure that their report is credible, transparent and leads to concrete action.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is on target to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the current Parliament.

Richard Harrington

We are continuing to work productively with local authorities and International Partners to deliver the Government’s commitment to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees by the end of this Parliament. We are on track to do this.

The number resettled in a particular period will depend on a range of factors. This includes the number of referrals we have received from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the number of confirmed places we have received from local authorities that are suitable for the specific needs of those who have been accepted for resettlement. Progress on resettlement will be indicated in quarterly immigration statistics.

The last set of statistics, published on 26 May 2016 showed that 1,602 Syrians were relocated to the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme between October 2015 and March 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will wait until the Committee on Climate Change report on the compatibility of UK onshore petroleum with meeting UK carbon budgets and the Government’s response is published before taking any decision to reverse (a) the planning decision against fracking made by Lancashire County Council and (b) any other planning decisions that are made by local authorities concerning the extraction of shale gas.

James Wharton

Secretary of State planning casework decisions are taken on the basis of the material considerations before the Secretary of State.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s costings for nuclear power of the findings of the National Audit Office in its report published in July 2016 on Nuclear power in the UK, HC 511, paragraph 2.11, on the effect on running costs of nuclear power facilities of increased terrorist threats.

Jesse Norman

The Government considers safety and security at nuclear power plants to be of paramount importance. The operator bears most of the security costs for nuclear power plants. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy seeks independent costs estimates for new nuclear power, which incorporate security costs – the Department’s most recent cost estimates are available in the Electricity Generation Costs report, available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269888/131217_Electricity_Generation_costs_report_December_2013_Final.pdf

“

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2016 to Question 42908, for what reasons he does not plan to release the Planning Inspector’s report before issuing his decision on those appeals; and if he will make it his policy to publish that report in advance of the decision being issued.

Gavin Barwell

As is normal practice, the Inspector’s report on the Cuadrilla Appeals for sites around Preston and Roseacre and Wharles in Lancashire, will be published alongside the decision.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what his policy is on the use of citizens’ juries to define the UK’s future relationship with the EU.

Mr David Jones

There are currently no plans to use citizens’ juries to define the UK’s future relationship with the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess whether (a) Govia Thameslink Railway and (b) his Department have met their public sector equality duty in relation to the extension of Driver Only Operation.

Paul Maynard

The Government is determined for everyone to have the same access to public transport and all train companies must comply with their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and their Disabled People’s Protection Policy (which is a Passenger Operator Licence Condition) in respect of all aspects of their operation, including where Driver Only Operation is in effect. The Disabled People’s Protection Policy is approved and monitored by the ORR.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how the Green Investment Bank has been classified in the Government accounts since its creation.

Anna Soubry

UK Green Investment Bank plc has been treated as a central Government body since its establishment in 2012.