Tag: Chris Stephens

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-04-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employees of HM Revenue and Customs are employed to investigate tax evasion; what the estimated amount was of tax evasion in 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) more than 26,000 (FTE) strong enforcement and compliance workforce of risk and intelligence analysts, compliance officers and fraud investigators tackle the full range of compliance risks ranging from hidden economy to the wealthy. Last year, they collected and protected a record £26 billion from compliance activities, contributing towards the UK’s highest-ever tax take of £518 billion.

The most recent year for which tax gap figures are available is 2013/14. HMRC estimates that £4.4 billion of it relates to tax evasion.

HMRC allocates resources in a flexible manner, so that it meets individual business needs.

The Government has made additional resourcing of up to £10 million a year available for the creation of a new taskforce. Its purpose will be to swiftly obtain and analyse the Panama papers, and take rapid action where there is evidence of any wrongdoing and regulatory breaches. The taskforce will look beyond tax into all potential areas of financial crime and other regulatory breaches. It will be jointly led by HMRC and the National Crime Agency.

Information on the structure and organisation of HMRC is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation and contact her Department has undertaken with local authorities on the suitability and conduct of landlords engaged by Serco and its subcontractors to provide accommodation to refugees and asylum seekers under the COMPASS contract.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Home Office works closely with COMPASS providers and local authorities through Strategic Migration Partnerships to plan for the most appropriate dispersal of asylum seekers.

These partnerships allow Providers to formally consult with local authorities and statutory bodies to ensure all new proposed property procurement and landlords meet the required contractual and statutory standards.

Any Local Authority that has concerns about the suitability or conduct of individual landlords can raise this with the Home Office and COMPASS providers either directly or through the Strategic Migration Partnerships.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to procure general purpose frigates, and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin

Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 set out the Ministry of Defence plans to replace the eight Type 23 frigates that are optimised for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) on a one for one basis with eight Type 26 Global Combat Ships, fitted with the full range of equipment required to fulfil the ASW role.

The Review also concluded that the remainder of the Royal Navy’s future frigate requirement would be better met by a new class of lighter, flexible, general purpose frigates (GPFF) than by the five general purpose Type 26 ships previously planned.The GPFF programme is currently in its pre-concept phase.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-11-27.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of employees in each Department are in receipt of tax credits; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Hinds

The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-01-29.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of functional areas of the existing HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) IT Aspire contract for which any HMRC plan to create a GoCo capability would not require TUPE transfers of staff.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has reviewed a number of options when considering the transition from Aspire. Due to commercial confidentiality, the Department is not in a position to give more details of its plans at this stage. HMRC’s ultimate aim is an operating model that has the right mix of technology, processes and skills, delivered in a multi-sourced model.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s current preferred bidder is for building complex warships.

Mr Philip Dunne

The term ‘preferred bidder’ is used in the context of the supplier down-selection process following a commercial competition. There is presently no commercial competition for the building of complex warships.