Tag: Nicholas Brown

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will review the increase in the state pension age to mitigate the effects of that change on women born between April 1953 and April 1960.

Justin Tomlinson

The Government will not be revisiting the State Pension age timetable for women affected by the Pensions Act 2011.

Of the approximately five million individuals affected, two point four million are men. For women, the maximum increase in State Pension age relative to the previous timetable is 18 months and for men it is 12 months.

As analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has shown, the rise in women’s State Pension age since 2010 has been accompanied by increases in employment rates for the women affected. Those unable to work because of health problems may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance, whilst those who are unemployed may be able to receive Jobseeker’s Allowance.

All those affected by faster equalisation of pensionable ages for men and women will reach State Pension age after the introduction of the new State Pension. The new State Pension will be more generous for many women who have done poorly under the current system, largely as a result of lower average earnings and part-time working. Around 650,000 women reaching State Pension age in the first ten years will receive an average of £8 per week (in 2014/15 earnings terms) more due to the new State Pension valuation of their National Insurance record.

Regular consideration of State Pension age is necessary to ensure the pensions system remains sustainable as life expectancy grows. The 2014 Act provides for a 6-yearly review, to take into account up-to-date life expectancy data and the findings of an independently-led review. The first review will conclude by May 2017 and will consider, amongst a number of other factors, the impact of State Pension age change on women.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Deposit Protection Service; and what plans he has to strengthen protections for tenants’ damage deposits.

Brandon Lewis

The Department has a governance role in ensuring that all Tenancy Deposit Protection schemes perform to high standards.

The Deposit Protection Service is required to submit monthly key performance indicators and provide annual updates of their management and financial plans to the Department, in accordance with the Service Concession Agreement we have with them.In addition, the Department holds quarterly monitoring meetings with the scheme operators at which any performance issues can be discussed. Since the schemes began in 2007, the Deposit Protection Service’s performance against the benchmarks set by our key performance indicators has been consistently high.

Safeguards are already in place to ensure that tenants’ deposits are protected. All landlords and agents are required to protect a deposit and provide the tenant with certain prescribed information within 30 days of taking the deposit. At the end of the tenancy, the deposit should be returned to the tenant if they have honoured the terms of the tenancy agreement. If the landlord and tenant do not agree how the deposit should be apportioned, they can use the free Alternative Dispute Resolution service offered by the schemes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which organisations collect subscriptions through the employers’ payroll service in his Department and its agencies.

Mike Penning

The table below shows a Treasury Approved list of organisations to which employees can pay subscriptions and premiums through voluntary deductions to their salary.

The Department is unable to determine which of these are specifically subscriptions as per the question asked so for completeness this list details all potential voluntary deductions operated within the Department.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons he decided against change following his review into his Department’s check-off system for employees’ trade union subscriptions.

Jo Swinson

I have not reviewed, and have no plans to review, this Department’s check-off arrangements.

I have not reviewed these arrangements, as I believe that Trade Unions have an important role to play in creating a positive employment relations climate from which all organisations can benefit. I also believe that the check-off system does not create a distinguishable burden on the administration of the HR function in this Department.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been paid to converter academies towards pre-opening costs since 2010.

Mr Edward Timpson

The total pre-opening costs for converter academies from 2010 to the end of March 2014 are £102 million.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what value of land has been transferred from local authorities into the leasehold or freehold ownership of academy trusts since 2010.

Mr Edward Timpson

I refer the Rt hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stockton North on 23 June 2014, Official Report c75W.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) leaseholds and (b) freeholds have been transferred to academy trusts from local authorities since 2010.

Mr Edward Timpson

I refer the Rt hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stockton North on 23 June 2014, Official Report c75W.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, for what reasons he decided against change following his review into his Department’s check-off system for employees’ trade union subscriptions.

Gregory Barker

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State did not share the views of my rt. hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on this issue.

He also noted advice from the Department that the Department is charged a fixed cost for payroll services based on the number of employees, so there would be no immediate cost saving to the taxpayer in removing the check-off agreement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reasons he decided against change following his review into his Department’s check-off system for employees’ trade union subscriptions.

Jeremy Wright

Check-off arrangements are kept under review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the government of Indonesia on human rights in West Papua.

Mr Hugo Swire

In January 2014, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) raised the situation in Papua and West Papua with the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Marty Natalegewa who made clear the determination of the Indonesian government to improve the human rights situation there.

Most recently, in June 2014, our Ambassador to Jakarta raised Papua with Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Legal, Political and Security Affairs, who reconfirmed his government’s intention to increase autonomy for the region. Our Embassy staff also visit the provinces regularly, discussing our concerns with government officials, civil society leaders and human rights defenders. We remain concerned about reports of violence and human rights abuses, including limitations on free speech and limitations on access to the region by international non-governmental organisations, foreign journalists and diplomats.