Tag: Clive Lewis

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what specific steps he is taking to protect the site of HMS Warrior from illegal salvage activity.

Harriett Baldwin

The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) has carried out the following investigations (taking “disturbances” to mean thefts or alleged thefts and not limited to shipwrecks) under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986:

YEAR
2010	1
2011	6
2012	1
2013	0
2014	0
2015	1

The MDP has not received any information related to the illegal salvage of material from HMS Warrior.

By invoking the principle of Sovereign Immunity, and by designating specific vessels under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986, we endeavour to protect these important sites where we are able. Where we have definitive evidence of desecration of these sites, we will take appropriate action. However, it should be appreciated that, given the large number of Royal Navy wrecks around the world and the vast area they cover, there are limitations on what can be achieved with regard to protection.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2015-12-16.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what grounds it was decided that compliance checks for tax credit applications would be outsourced to Concentrix.

Mr David Gauke

Reducing tax credits fraud and error is a top priority for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The contract with Concentrix offers additional capacity to help build on HMRC’s own work, which has reduced tax credits fraud and error to the lowest ever level. Using a private company provides a cost-effective way to reach additional claims that need checking.

The checks are to ensure that people are paid the correct amount of money to prevent them from getting into debt which they may find difficult to repay and protect losses to taxpayers.

Concentrix operate under the same powers and processes as HMRC. Concentrix select cases to be checked using information provided by HMRC. Concentrix decide how best to achieve the expected benefits, including the number and type of cases and number of staff employed. HMRC closely monitors their performance.

The contract uses a payment by results model, which means Concentrix is only paid based on the money it saves the Exchequer as a result of correcting claims that are incorrect. They will not be paid if the decisions they make about claimants’ awards are incorrect.

The contract was signed on 6 May 2014. The contract was awarded to Synnex-Concentrix UK Ltd in April 2014, following a procurement exercise advertised under the open procedure. Information about the contract value and contract award is already in the public domain.

https://www.deltaesourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=97910033

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 27 April 2016 to Question 35137, what estimate she has made of the proportion of fuel poor households needed to reach the interim energy efficiency target of EPC band E by 2020 using the fuel poverty efficiency rating methodology that will be households in receipt of the Warm Homes Discount Scheme.

Andrea Leadsom

The number of F and G-rated fuel poor households [1] in England that will be in receipt of Warm Home Discount to 2020 will depend on changes in the energy efficiency of the housing stock and reforms to the welfare system over time.

Based on current scheme eligibility, we estimate that around 25% of F and G-rated fuel poor households in England are eligible for Warm Home Discount.

The Warm Home Discount has an important role in supporting households with their energy bills but is not the primary way we are addressing fuel poverty in the long term. We are reforming the Energy Company Obligation to improve the energy efficiency of homes that need it most, tackling the root cause of fuel poverty.

[1] As measured by the Fuel Poverty Energy Efficiency Rating. More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/332236/fpeer_methodology.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the date and title is of all reports and assessments produced by her Department relating to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary in each of the last three years; and if she will place those reports in the Library.

Andrea Leadsom

The CNC produces its own Annual Reports and periodic Business Strategies, along with other publications, which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-nuclear-police-authority.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the value of artefacts illegally salvaged from the site of HMS Warrior since the discovery of the wreck in September 2016.

Harriett Baldwin

The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) has carried out the following investigations (taking “disturbances” to mean thefts or alleged thefts and not limited to shipwrecks) under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986:

YEAR
2010	1
2011	6
2012	1
2013	0
2014	0
2015	1

The MDP has not received any information related to the illegal salvage of material from HMS Warrior.

By invoking the principle of Sovereign Immunity, and by designating specific vessels under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986, we endeavour to protect these important sites where we are able. Where we have definitive evidence of desecration of these sites, we will take appropriate action. However, it should be appreciated that, given the large number of Royal Navy wrecks around the world and the vast area they cover, there are limitations on what can be achieved with regard to protection.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2015-12-16.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Concentrix was agreed.

Mr David Gauke

Reducing tax credits fraud and error is a top priority for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The contract with Concentrix offers additional capacity to help build on HMRC’s own work, which has reduced tax credits fraud and error to the lowest ever level. Using a private company provides a cost-effective way to reach additional claims that need checking.

The checks are to ensure that people are paid the correct amount of money to prevent them from getting into debt which they may find difficult to repay and protect losses to taxpayers.

Concentrix operate under the same powers and processes as HMRC. Concentrix select cases to be checked using information provided by HMRC. Concentrix decide how best to achieve the expected benefits, including the number and type of cases and number of staff employed. HMRC closely monitors their performance.

The contract uses a payment by results model, which means Concentrix is only paid based on the money it saves the Exchequer as a result of correcting claims that are incorrect. They will not be paid if the decisions they make about claimants’ awards are incorrect.

The contract was signed on 6 May 2014. The contract was awarded to Synnex-Concentrix UK Ltd in April 2014, following a procurement exercise advertised under the open procedure. Information about the contract value and contract award is already in the public domain.

https://www.deltaesourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=97910033

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy that parents will retain the right to remain anonymous from the school in question when they object to a schools admission arrangements under the School Admissions Code after the forthcoming review of that code.

Nick Gibb

Regulations allow the Schools Adjudicator to withhold the name and address of a person making an objection to a school’s admission arrangements from the other parties to that objection. We have no plans to change this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what fitness testing is carried out for Civil Nuclear Constabulary officers on active service; how many officers were tested in each of the last two years; and what the results of those tests were.

Andrea Leadsom

All operationally deployed Civil Nuclear Constabulary officers are required to meet the fitness standards of their role profile and those required by the College of Policing.

Between 15 June 2014 and 14 June 2015, 608 officers were tested and 99% achieved the required level. Between 15 June 2015 and 14 June 2016, 827 officers were tested and 98% achieved the required level.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will bring forward proposals to regulate the energy market to allow residents to take their energy tariffs with them when they move property.

Andrea Leadsom

In many cases it is already possible for consumers to stay with the same supplier and tariff when they move property. Consumers should contact their supplier to check that the tariff is available for the property they are moving to as there are exceptions, for example if the new property has a different meter type.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect on the solar industry of the Valuation Office Agency’s proposals to increase business rates for solar PV FIT and RO installations dating back to 2010.

Andrea Leadsom

Business rates are calculated based on a property’s ‘rateable value’. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for determining the rateable values in line with existing legislation and case law.

The VOA is currently consulting with the solar industry over how those rateable values will apply to solar installations from 1st April 2017.