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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons restrictions are placed on people aged over 65 seeking to lease a car through the Motability scheme.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Motability scheme is not restricted to those under 65. Around one third of Motability customers are aged 65 or older.

    The Motability scheme is available to those in receipt of a qualifying benefit, regardless of their age. These benefits are the enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment, the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment or War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many prosecutions have been brought against companies which have failed to pay the national minimum wage in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    The majority of employers identified as paying below National Minimum Wage pay arrears on receipt of a formal Notice of Underpayment. Employers are charged penalties of up to 200% of the arrears due and‎ considered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for naming. This provides the most effective resolution for those who have been underpaid and helps ensure the arrears due to them are paid. In line with the prosecution policy set out by BEIS, criminal investigations are reserved for the most serious cases. The number of cases brought for prosecution for non-compliance in each of the last five years is set out below:

    Year

    Cases brought for prosecution

    2015/16

    1

    2014/15

    0

    2013/14

    0

    2012/13

    1

    2011/12

    0

    Each case resulted in conviction. There has been one further successful prosecution to date in 2016/17. During the last year, HM Revenue and Customs have also set up a specialist enforcement team to investigate serious non-compliance and identify the worst offenders for possible criminal investigation. The team works closely with other agencies to tackle labour market abuse and serious worker exploitation.

  • Heidi Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Heidi Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Allen on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the European Commission on the timing of the publication of the updated controllers of trade in endangered species regulations on wildlife trade; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure sentencing guidelines for wildlife trade offences are put in place.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The updated and consolidated Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations (COTES) that the Department is taking forward concern the domestic implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species controls. As such we have not discussed the timing of their publication with the European Commission.

    As part of the review of COTES legislation Defra has held discussions on guidelines for prosecutors with the Crown Prosecution Service, and sentencing guidelines with the Sentencing Council.

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has published on the use of plastic bags to contain liquids as passengers pass through aviation security.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport has published guidance for passengers and industry on the GOV.UK website on the use of plastic bags to carry liquids through UK airport security. This includes advice on the nature of the plastic bag required. Many UK airports also provide guidance on their websites.

    The Civil Aviation Authority provides advice and guidance for airports on the definition of a liquid. The main regulation covering liquids, aerosols and gels, EU Regulation 185/2010 also sets out the rules and requirements.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which bodies are responsible for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

    George Eustice

    We have received several representations enquiring about various aspects of the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 over the last 12 months. They include representations on local authority powers under the 2006 Act and the ability of the RSPCA to bring forward prosecutions.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the NHS Identity Team monitors and enforces (a) direct marketing mail from and (b) other activities of a company which has been ordered to stop using the NHS logo on its stationery.

    George Freeman

    Where new cases of misuse of the National Health Service logo are either uncovered by the NHS Identity team or brought to their attention by the public or NHS staff, the NHS Identity team contact the company concerned, setting out the corrective action needed, progressing it through to completion. Where the NHS Identity team has informed a company to stop using the NHS logo, they request a revised copy of any materials in question and review resources, such as websites, to ensure that the logo has been removed.

  • Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeff Smith on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of implications for her policies of the finding in the Fair Admissions Campaign’s report, An unholy mess, published in October 2015, that schools which are their own admission authorities are consistently failing to comply with the School Admissions Code.

    Nick Gibb

    Many of the findings of the report echo those reported by the Chief Schools Adjudicator in her Annual Report for the 2013/14 school year. The Government will shortly consult on a package of changes to the School Admissions Code which will both respond to concerns from parents and to the findings in the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Report. That package will include measures to improve fairness and transparency.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs supported by the Scotch whisky industry in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK.

    Damian Hinds

    There is no alcohol duty payable on exported Scotch Whisky.

    The government is committed to supporting the Scotch Whisky industry. The duty on spirits was cut at March Budget 2015 and, to continue this support, Budget 2016 announced a duty freeze for spirits this year.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department has prepared contingency plans relating to interconnection with the continental electricity grid in the event of the UK voting to leave the EU.

    Amber Rudd

    At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

    We currently expect our electricity interconnector capacity with Europe to double by the early 2020s with studies showing they could deliver benefits to British consumers of almost £12 billion over 25 years. As the White Paper that the Government published in February on the process for withdrawing from the European Union makes clear, a vote to leave the EU would lead to a prolonged period of uncertainty, including on the nature of our access to the EU’s single energy market.

  • Lord Bowness – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Bowness – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bowness on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of leaving the EU on businesses that trade with the EU, and what guidance they have given to affected businesses about how they might communicate that impact.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Her Majesty’s Treasury published a comprehensive analysis of benefits and costs of membership of a reformed EU and the alternatives on 18 April. This included boxes detailing the impact of EU membership on key business sectors such as financial services, aerospace and pharmaceuticals.

    According to this analysis, key sectors would be worse off due to reduced access to the Single Market. For example, losing customs-free movement of goods could cause customs delays. In time-sensitive industries, each hour of customs delay can reduce trade by 5%. Treasury analysis also provides a sectoral breakdown of the 3.3 million jobs which are linked to trade with the EU.

    The Prime Minister has spoken about the benefits of EU membership at a number of businesses throughout the UK. The transcripts of these are available on the gov.uk website.