Tag: Nia Griffith

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Indonesian government on the treatment of people living with mental health conditions in that country.

Alok Sharma

The Deputy Head of Mission at our Embassy in Jakarta has raised this issue with the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection. The United Kingdom is committed to working with other states to ensure the rights of people with mental health conditions are upheld in full. It is important to recognise the inherent dignity and worth, and the equal and inalienable rights, of all people.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how the Government plans to monitor and enforce clause 2 of the draft Wales Bill.

Stephen Crabb

Clause 2 of the draft Wales Bill will place the existing convention that Parliament will not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters without the consent of the National Assembly for Wales on a statutory footing. The Government will continue to work with the Welsh Government to obtain the Assembly’s consent (via legislative consent motions) to legislation in devolved areas included in parliamentary Bills. Similarly,where Welsh Government is legislating in relation to the functions of reserved authorities, they should seek the consent of UK ministers, and the draft bill makes this clear.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of employers in Wales that will be affected by the apprenticeship levy.

Nick Boles

The apprenticeship levy will apply to employers across the UK. An allowance of £15,000 means only those with a paybill exceeding £3million will have to pay it. The Government is already working with the Welsh Government and the other devolved administrations to ensure they can get their fair share of the revenue and, as far as possible, to develop a system for administering the levy which complements the skills and apprenticeship policies of each of the devolved administrations, and which works for employers wherever they are in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote the abolition of the death penalty worldwide.

Alok Sharma

The UK strongly supports global abolition of the death penalty. It is part of the day-to-day work of all diplomatic missions to countries that retain the death penalty.

Under the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the Foreign Office has this year approved funding for anti death penalty projects worth over £500,000, covering more than 10 countries.

We continue to work closely with our international partners to promote the abolition of the death penalty, including supporting the UN resolution on a global moratorium on the death penalty.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for what reasons the draft Wales Bill would seek to change the criteria on which the Assembly could legislate outside its normal competence, as set out in section 108(5) of the Government of Wales Act 2006.

Stephen Crabb

The purpose of the reserved powers model in the draft Wales Bill is to define clearly the legislative competence reserved to the UK Parliament. At the same time, it enables the Assembly to modify the law in areas that would otherwise be reserved to enforce, or otherwise give effect to, its legislation.

It is right that this freedom should be balanced by a test to be applied when the Assembly seeks to modify the law in areas that are not devolved. For that reason the draft Bill defines the circumstances in which it can do so and the test to be applied – the test of necessity. This gives the Assembly flexibility to modify the law in areas outside devolved competence in order to enforce its legislation effectively, whilst ensuring the effect on these areas goes no further than necessary.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the apprenticeship levy on employers operating in Wales whose headquarters are in England.

Nick Boles

The apprenticeship levy will apply to employers across the UK. An allowance of £15,000 means only those with a paybill exceeding £3million will have to pay it. The Government is working with the Welsh Government and other devolved administrations to ensure fair and transparent funding and, as far as possible, to develop a system for administering the levy which complements the skills and apprenticeship policies of each of the devolved administrations. We are committed to doing all we can to make the system work for employers wherever they are in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with reference to the draft Wales Bill, for what reason it is his policy to remove the wording of the Government of Wales Act 2006 which states that an Act of the Assembly may make any provision that could be made by an Act of Parliament.

Stephen Crabb

The current conferred powers model of Welsh devolution sets out what an Assembly Act can do. In contrast, a reserved powers model need only set out what an Assembly Act cannot do. Under the draft Wales Bill an Assembly Act would be able to include any provision that is not outside the Assembly’s legislative competence. The wording is not therefore needed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-07.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the revenue that is likely to accrue from Welsh employers as a result of the apprenticeship levy in each of the next five years.

Greg Hands

The apprenticeship levy will apply across the UK and will be collected from employers on a UK wide basis. An allowance of £15,000 means only those with a paybill exceeding £3million will have to pay it.

We are already working with the Welsh Government and the other devolved administrations to ensure they can get their fair share of the revenue and, as far as possible, to develop a system for administering the levy which complements the skills and apprenticeship policies of each of the devolved administrations.

We are committed to doing all we can to make the system work for employers wherever they are in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with reference to the Written Statement by the Secretary of State for Scotland, HCWS282 whether he plans to bring forward proposals to amend the draft Wales Bill to include a requirement that the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government should not be abolished except on the basis of a decision of the people of Wales.

Stephen Crabb

Clause 1 of the draft Wales Bill reflected the equivalent clause in the Scotland Bill on the date of publication. The Government will consider carefully whether any changes to the wording of the Scotland Bill clause should be reflected for Wales in the Wales Bill

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with (a) his ministerial colleagues and (b) his counterpart in the Welsh Government on the operation of the apprenticeship levy in Wales.

Stephen Crabb

We are currently discussing the operation of the apprenticeship levy with the Welsh Government, and other devolved administrations, to ensure they can get their fair share of the revenue and, as far as possible, develop a system for administering the levy which complements the skills and apprenticeship policies of each of the devolved administrations.

We are committed to doing all we can to make the system work for employers wherever they are in the UK.