Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2016 to Question 40385, whether he has had discussions with Govia Thameslink Railway on (a) for what reasons the selected routes offering flexible products do not include services on the Brighton Main Line (BML) and (b) what the timeline is for provision of part-time season tickets for passengers using the BML; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry

We have regular discussions with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) on a range of issues. GTR is currently developing proposals in respect of flexible ticketing throughout their franchise area (including the Brighton Mainline).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the (a) mechanisms and (b) timescales are for securing input into his Department’s work on negotiations for withdrawal from the EU from (i) non-governmental organisations and civil society, (ii) opposition political parties and (iii) other interest groups; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Davis

The Government is committed to listening to all those with a view on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union; Parliament, the devolved administrations, NGOs, and other groups will all have important ideas to contribute. The new Department for Exiting the European Union will lead this engagement.

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, how many financial penalties have been imposed to date on respondent employers under section 150 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 for failure to pay an employment tribunal award; and how many such penalties (a) have been paid and (b) remain unpaid.

Margot James

Section 150 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 came into force on 6th April 2016. Since then 62 warning notices have been issued in relation to complaints for failure to pay an employment tribunal award. Warning notices are issued in response to complaints and can only be issue 42 days after the original award was made. Penalty notices are issued 28 days after that if payment is not made in the interim. This means there has been no requirement to issue a penalty notice to date. However, 14 penalty notices are due to be issued imminently.

The issue of warning notices has led to ten claims being settled equating to over £50,000 of previously unpaid tribunal awards.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Correction of 8 September 2016 to the Answer of 1 June 2016 to Question 38139, how much of the £10.3 million of minimum wage arrears recovered in 2015-16 was recovered from the 814 employers who were issued with both a Notice of Underpayment and a financial penalty; and how many workers were identified as having been underpaid by those 814 employers.

Margot James

Further to the response to PQ 38139, HM Revenue & Custom’s updated enforcement data for 2015/16 shows that 815 employers were issued a Notice of Underpayment and paid a financial penalty for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage. These employers collectively owed £8,157,919 in arrears to 43,995 workers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will increase spending on overseas aid to compensate for the loss of value of that aid resulting from the fall in the value of the pound since 23 June 2016.

Rory Stewart

The government is committed to spending 0.7% of our national income on aid.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information her Department holds on the date when EDF ordered the pressure vessel heads for Hinkley Point C; and how many pressure vessel heads for Hinkley Point C have already been manufactured.

Andrea Leadsom

Supply of components for Hinkley Point C are a matter for EDF. The construction of Hinkley Point C, including the safety of pressure vessel heads, will be subject to regulation by the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Prime Minister, what the evidential basis is for his estimate that there are about 70,000 Syrian opposition fighters on the ground who do not belong to extremist groups; whether he has shared that estimate with all coalition partners; whether that estimate is congruent with those supplied by other partner countries in the coalition; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Cameron

We estimate that there are around 70,000 Syrian opposition fighters on the ground who do not belong to extremist groups, many of whom are linked to the Free Syrian Army. In addition to these 70,000, there are around 20,000 Kurdish fighters in Syria, who are also playing an important role in combating ISIL. The information we have on individual groups which forms the basis of this estimate is drawn in large part from intelligence. It would not be to the benefit of these non-extremist opposition fighters if we were to make it public to ISIL and the Syrian regime. We have very close intelligence relationships with a range of allies and partners, and share assessments with them as a matter of course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information she holds on the number of countries calling for a commitment to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees; what the Government’s policy is on limiting the long-term global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

A number of countries are calling for a commitment to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, most notably through a new group called the Climate Vulnerables Forum. The Government supports the ‘below 2 degrees’ objective, and recognises the need to keep the temperature rise as low as possible below 2C, including the possibility of staying below 1.5 degrees. We are pushing for the highest possible mitigation ambition in the new agreement.

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

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2015 to Question 223992, how many applications were made to the Access to Elected Office Fund in each year following its establishment; how many of those applications were (a) granted and (b) refused; and what the total amount paid to successful applicants was.

Caroline Dinenage

The number of people who have applied to the Access to Elected Office for Disabled People Fund is in the table below:

Financial Year	Number of applicants (some applicants made more than one application)
2012/13	27
2013/14	34
2014/15	48

The total amount claimed by successful applicants was £271,260 (out of awards totalling £418,733)

An evaluation of the pilot fund is currently being undertaken and will be published in due course. An announcement regarding the future of the fund is anticipated early in 2016.

The information on regional breakdown of expenditure and the diversity of candidates can be found in the tables below:

Region (location of election seat)	Amount claimed and paid (£)
East Midlands	1,099
East of England	480
Greater London	89,399
North East England	4,382
North West England	20,567
South East England	69,474
South West England	21,260
West Midlands	20,281
Yorkshire and Humberside	17,882
Total (rounded)	271,260

Political Party	Amount claimed and paid (£)
Conservative	32,361
Democracy 2015	350
Green	5,791
Labour	120,846
Liberal Democrat	32,601
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	276
UKIP	53,236
Independent	25,798
Total (rounded)	271,260

Gender	Amount claimed and paid (£)
Male	139,524
Female	131,736
Total	271,260

Ethnic Group	Amount claimed and paid (£)
White; all backgrounds	218,117
Mixed ethnic origin	1,348
Asian; all backgrounds	26,680
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British	22,977
Other ethnic group	350
Prefer not to say	1,788
Total	271,260

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Brimstone missiles have been used in Syria since 2 December 2015.

Penny Mordaunt

Between 2 December 2015 and 12 January 2016 there have been four Brimstone missiles used against Daesh targets by the RAF in Syria.