The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of whether the level of tribunal fees acts as a disincentive to women pursuing a sex discrimination claim.
Sir Oliver Heald
We will publish the outcome of our review into Employment Tribunal Fees in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of the expenditure of each Government department in the last 12 months has related to the payment of trades union officials for facility time; and if he will make a statement.
Matthew Hancock
The Cabinet Office publishes data relating to Civil Service facility time on a quarterly basis. The latest data is available
at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trade-union-facility-time.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff employed by his Department (a) receive working tax credits and (b) work part-time; and what proportion of each such group are women.
Justin Tomlinson
The information requested in part (a) is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
On 31 December 2015 in the Department for Work and Pensions 35,834 employees work part-time and 88% of this group are women.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-02-08.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assurances HM Revenue and Customs seeks from its contractors and suppliers that they are fully compliant with their UK tax obligations.
Mr David Gauke
Prior to engagement, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) require a new contractor or supplier to provide their tax details, and to agree to HMRC performing revenue compliance checks throughout the procurement process, using information from its own records and taking appropriate action where required in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
Contracts for such engagements include clauses requiring that at all times the contractor or supplier shall comply with all statutes and regulations relating to direct or indirect taxes, and that failure to comply may constitute a material breach of the contract.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department has taken to prevent the importation to the UK of illegally-mined gold and other mineral products from Brazil.
Anna Soubry
My Department does not have any restrictions in place on the import of alleged illegally-mined gold and mineral products from Brazil.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the suitability and adequacy of conduct of landlords engaged by Serco and its subcontractors to provide accommodation to refugees and asylum seekers under the COMPASS contract.
Mr Robert Goodwill
COMPASS accommodation providers, including Serco, are contractually required to provide safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped accommodation to comply with the standards outlined in the relevant housing legislation and the Decent Homes Standard.
The Government expects the highest standards from our contractors and providers are monitored closely to ensure asylum accommodation providers meet these standards. Where a contractor is found to be falling short of these standards, we work with them to ensure issues are quickly addressed. When they are not we can and do impose sanctions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2016 to Question 42791, if she will publish the list her Department holds of the registered social landlords being used as at 30 August 2016 for the provision of compass accommodation to asylum seekers.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Since 2012 UKVI has discharged their statutory duty to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and transportation via a suite of contracts known as COMPASS Contracts.
There are six COMPASS Contracts delivered by three providers: G4S deliver services in the North East, Yorkshire & Humberside Region and the Midlands and East of England Region; Serco deliver services in the North West Region and Scotland and Northern Ireland. Clearsprings Ready Homes (formerly known as Clearel Ltd) deliver services in London and the South of England Region and Wales.
Whilst none of the COMPASS accommodation providers are registered social landlords, all are contractually required to provide safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped accommodation to comply with the standards outlined within Housing legislation (regardless of whether the provider is registered as a social landlord).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what percentage pay award was made to employees of each Government department in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
Matthew Hancock
In line with Public Sector Pay Policy, Civil Service departments and agencies made average consolidated pay awards of 1 per cent in 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16. Departments and agencies are responsible for determining how to allocate the award to their staff, but the Government expects pay increases to be applied in a targeted manner within workforces to support high performance and the delivery of public services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is provided to new Ingeus advisers in advising clients with mental health issues; and what plans are in place to ensure all Ingeus advisers are given such training.
Priti Patel
The Department does not prescribe how providers delivering welfare to work provision train their staff.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, further to the oral contribution of the Minister for Skills of 2 February 2016, Official Report, column 776, whether his Department intends to bring forward amendments relating to check-off and facilities time before the Trade Union Bill reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords.
Nick Boles
Government amendments to Clause 12 (Facility Time Reporting) and Clause 13 (Facility Time cap) of the Trade Union Bill were included in the Bill at Lords Committee.
The remaining stages in the Lords are amending stages and the Government will table amendments as necessary.