Tag: Clive Lewis

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what processes her Department has in place to ensure that determinations issued by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator are acted on by schools.

Nick Gibb

Where the Schools Adjudicator determines that a school’s admission arrangements do not comply with the School Admissions Code, the admission authority has a statutory duty to revise its admission arrangements to give effect to the Adjudicator’s decision within two months of the decision or by 28 February following the decision, whichever is sooner, unless an alternative timescale is specified by the Adjudicator.

An Adjudicator’s decision is binding and enforceable by the Secretary of State.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate her Department has made of potential levels of UK coal exports in each of the next five years.

Andrea Leadsom

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential levels of UK coal exports in each of the next five years.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many reports of disturbances to military wrecks designated as protected sites under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 were received by the Ministry of Defence Police in each of the last six years.

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, whether the contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Concentrix on compliance checks for tax credits includes payments by results.

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 Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the levels of awareness among parents of the (a) School Admissions Code and (b) ability to object to a school’s admission arrangement through the Office of the Schools Adjudicator; and what steps she plans to take to increase that awareness.

Nick Gibb

The School Admissions Code imposes requirements on local authorities and school admission authorities. Local authorities are responsible for providing parents with the information they require about the admissions process. It is available at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-admissions-code–2

Information about how to object to the Schools Adjudicator is available here: www.gov.uk/guidance/schools-adjudicator-make-an-objection-appeal-or-referral#objections-to-and-referrals-about-determined-school-admission-arrangements

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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, pursuant to the Answer of 8th June 2016 to Question 39232, how many agency workers were employed by her Department in each of the last five financial years.

Andrea Leadsom

The response to Question 39232 provided the financial spend for contingent workers over the last five financial years. This includes temporary workers, contractors and interims.

The number of temporary workers, contractors and interims engaged as at 31 March in each of the last five financial years is set out in the table . This is historical point in time data which was extracted from our legacy HR database at the first of April each year and cannot be retrospectively validated for accuracy.

As at 1 May 2016 there were 39 temporary workers, contractors and interims in DECC.

Number of temporary workers, contractors and interims.

• 31 March 2011 – 86
• 31 March 2012 – 137
• 31 March 2013 – 157
• 31 March 2014 – 145
• 31 March 2015 – 104
• 31 March 2016 – 58
• 1 May 2016 – 39

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many investigations were carried out by the Ministry of Defence Police into alleged offences under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 in each of the last six years.

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, whether the contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Concentrix on compliance checks for tax credits includes (a) the number of checks to be carried out, (b) the number of staff and (c) types of enforcement action.

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 Education, what estimate she has made of the number of parents who falsely claim religious beliefs or church attendance in order to get their children into their local school.

Nick Gibb

All school admission authorities must comply with the School Admissions Code. If an admission authority identifies a fraudulent application they can withdraw the offer of a school place.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2016 to Question 39039, how many of the 193 off-payroll contingent staff employed by her Department since May 2015 were paid through limited companies; and what the total amount paid through limited companies was in that period.

Andrea Leadsom

Contingent workers include contractors, agency workers and interims. Our contingent workers are engaged via approved provider frameworks and not directly through limited companies.

The response to Question 39039 has been revised and reissued. There were 152 contingent workers in core DECC during the period 1 May 2015 to 30 April 2016 (source: legacy HR system).

As at 1 May 2016 core DECC had 39 off-payroll (contingent) workers. All of these are engaged via an approved provider framework and not directly through limited companies.