Tag: Gareth Thomas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employers were successfully (a) prosecuted and (b) fined for employing an illegal immigrant in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The information requested is shown in the attached tables.

Table 1 sets out the number of defendants found guilty at all courts for offences related to employment of illegal immigrants in England and Wales between 2010 and 2014. Court proceedings data for 2015 is planned for publication in May 2016.

Table 2 sets out the number of civil penalties issued to individual employers during each of the last five complete financial years and the current financial year up to and including 29th February 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 21679, when her Department’s investigations into applications for family reunion from Kuwaiti Bidoon people were initiated; when she expects those investigations to be concluded; whether there is a maximum length of time for which a decision will not be taken on the outstanding applications in that cohort; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

In 2014, UK Visas & Immigration in Jordan became aware of potential abuse of the Family Reunion route by individuals claiming to be the dependants of someone granted refugee status in the UK as a Kuwaiti Bidoon. Investigations commenced at this time.

UK Visas & Immigration has concluded the majority of the applications referenced in the response to Question 21679 and continues to work through those applications that have not yet been concluded.

UK Visas & Immigration aims to resolve all applications for UK entry clearance within published customer service standards. Where there is a problem with an individual application or if it is complex, UK Visas & Immigration write to the affected applicant to explain why the application will not be decided within the normal standard. All outstanding applications for UK entry clearance from family members of individuals granted refugee status as a Kuwaiti Bidoon which have not been concluded within published customer service standards are currently being prioritised.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to her Department was of the van-based advertising campaign advising illegal immigrants to go home, launched in Autumn 2013; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The cost for this campaign (Operation Vaken) has previously been published. I refer the hon member to Parliamentary Question 215728 which I answered on 3 December 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when Ministers or senior officials of his Department last met with credit ratings agencies to discuss the accuracy of the credit record histories of UK nationals; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin

Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of companies and organisations to discuss relevant issues.

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Parish Councils in which areas have been established since 2010; and how many new expressions of interest for creating new Parish Councils are under consideration; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

The decision to create, modify or abolish a parish council was devolved to principal councils through the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The process for creating new town or parish councils does not require an expression of interest to be submitted to government as such the Department for Communities and Local Government does not maintain a definitive list of new Parish councils.

A local community may petition their local authority to carry out a community governance review to consider the creation of a new parish council; we do not record or receive details of these petitions.

Principal councils have responsibility for undertaking community governance reviews and deciding whether to give effect to recommendations made in those reviews. In making that decision, they are expected to take account of the views of local people.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has (a) made and (b) received from outside sources of the increase in demand for social care services from local councils over the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

I recognise that demand for social care is growing and this was a consideration in last year’s Spending Review.

The Spending Review settlement provides up to £3.5 billion of new support for adult social care by 2019/20 – greater than the £2.9 billion that the Local Government Association estimated was needed for adult social care in their Spending Review submission. The vast majority of councils have already taken advantage of the opportunity to introduce a new Social Care Precept, which allows them in increase council tax by 2% above the existing threshold. By the end of the Parliament, this will raise up to £2 billion that must be spent exclusively on adult social care. In addition, by 2019/20 an extra £1.5 billion per year will be available for inclusion in the Better Care Fund.

Taken together, the Social Care Precept and the Better Care Fund will mean local government has access to the funding needed to increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many responses his Department has received to the consultation on local government retention of business rates.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Government’s recent consultation on Business Rates Retention received 454 responses from a range of local authorities, those with business interests and other organisations. The Government will publish its response to the outcome of this consultation in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands

Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will devolve (a) tax raising powers, (b) business and skills funding, (c) housing and planning, (d) transport, (e) health and (f) policing and criminal justice to the Mayor of London and London Assembly; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Percy

Our devolution agenda is making huge strides in putting decision making powers in the hands of local people. London has been the trailblazer for that and already has significant powers across a range of policy areas including housing, transport and policing. We remain open to exploring opportunities to devolve further powers to local areas that may approach with such proposals, including London.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Lithuanian government against plans for a convention centre to be built in the Jewish Cemetery in Piramont, Vilnius; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington

The Government is aware of plans announced by the Lithuanian Government to renovate the Soviet-era Vilnius Palace of Concerts and Sports, located in the Šnipiškės Jewish cemetery. The existing building on the site has been left derelict for some time. The Chairperson of the Jewish Community in Lithuania has been clear in her public support for the renovation, stressing that the current site is run-down and at risk otherwise of further deterioration. It is our understanding that there will be no significant structural changes and that only the interior will be renovated for use as a centre for conferences and cultural events. The surrounding area will be maintained as a memorial park. The Lithuanian Prime Minister has said that all Jewish cemeteries in Lithuania would be memorialised and marked by the end of 2017. We welcome his commitment to working alongside the Jewish Community of Lithuania and the international Jewish community on this renovation. The Lithuanian government has also said it will discuss the renovation with the Israeli government.