Tag: Chris Law

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure cross-departmental coordination of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sir Desmond Swayne

The Global Goals were a historic global agreement to eradicate extreme poverty and achieve sustainable development. DFID is working closely with the Cabinet Office and other departments to ensure a joined-up approach to implementing the Goals. The Government will produce a report on the UK’s contribution to implementation this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce compensation for couples who both work in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in Dundee in the event that they are transferred to a HMRC regional office in another location.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.‎

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to relocate all 650 HM Revenue & Customs jobs at Sidlaw House, Dundee, to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mr David Gauke

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on December 7th. http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-01/18395/

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether lease contracts on buildings currently housing HM Passport Office interview offices that are facing closure would allow for the proposed timeframe of office closures to be extended.

James Brokenshire

Sites which host flexible interview teams are operated by Her Majesty’s Passport Office as managed office space. Rental agreements vary, but most require one month notice.

In Blackburn, Bristol, Crawley, Leicester and Sheffield HM Passport Office holds a licence to occupy the premises until September 2018, with an opportunity to break the licence in September 2016.

A date to cease interviewing in March 2016 has been set to enable staff to work with the Home Office career transition service and focus on finding alternative employment prior to the offices being decommissioned.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many times she has visited Scotland in an official capacity since the 2015 General Election; and what meetings were held on each such visit.

Nick Gibb

My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, visited Scotland in December 2015 for a number of engagements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals that had been held in UK prisons were removed on chartered deportation flights in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire

Home Office records indicate that there were at least 1999 foreign nationals who, having been detained in a UK prison, were removed on charter flights in the past 5 years; 367 in 2012, 424 in 2013, 498 in 2014, 486 in 2015 and 224 in 2016 to date.

This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.

Immigration Enforcement charter flights are regularly monitored by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) and the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the 130 HM Revenue and Customs staff at Caledonian House, Dundee will have a guaranteed job in the new regional HM Revenue and Customs centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.‎

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on jobs in Dundee of the policies outlined in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Greg Hands

The government has made no assessment of the effect on jobs in Dundee as result of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015. A number of economic policies which affect jobs are devolved to the Scottish Government.

The government has set out its commitment to have the highest employment rate in the G7 and the Autumn Statement set out further measures to support people into work, including extending Jobcentre Plus support to 1.3 million additional claimants on Universal Credit by 2020, and a real terms increase in funding to support people with disabilities and health conditions find, and remain in, work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional funding will be provided to HM Passport Office for the development of new technology for remote interview sites after the proposed closure of 15 HM Passport Office interview offices.

James Brokenshire

Her Majesty’s Passport office currently offers passport application interviews via secure link from 25 locations. From May 2016 there will be an additional five locations offering video interviews.

The cost of establishing video interview services at these additional five locations is estimated to be £15,000 per site. This cost will be met by our existing budget with no additional funding required.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many times she has visited Scotland in an official capacity since the 2015 General Election; and what meetings were held on each such visit.

Amber Rudd

I visited Scotland in May 2016 for the inauguration of the Shetland Gas Plant, and again in June 2016 to attend the Oil and Gas Industry Conference. Details of meetings with external organisations will be published in due course at www.gov.uk.

“