Tag: Parliamentary Question

Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-06-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to establish social services and psychosocial support for unaccompanied minors brought to the UK from refugee camps in Europe.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

As announced by the Prime Minister on 4 May and now reflected in the Immigration Act 2016, we will work to admit unaccompanied refugee children to the UK from elsewhere in the EU, where this is considered to be in the child’s best interests.

The legislation is clear that consultation with local authorities is needed before any figure is set. We are working closely with local authorities and consulting NGOs, the UNHCR, UNICEF and relevant Member States to establish suitable processes to im-plement this initiative.

We are committed to act as quickly as we can but we must take the necessary time to ensure we have the capacity to resettle and support those who are resettled.

We must also ensure that we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK. We will be working closely with local authorities to find suitable placements within the UK. Statutory agencies at a local level are best placed to understand and meet the needs of all children and will continue to make decisions about the right accommodation and support services for those who are looked after. Unaccompanied children will be eligible for foster care if it is considered that that this placement type will provide appropriate support and best meet their individual needs.

The UK has well-established and effective safeguarding procedures to ensure the safety of children who come to the UK. All children brought to the UK will be given the care, support and education they require.

January 1, 2023
Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on maintaining that Department as a stand-alone government department and on strengthening its role; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Theresa May

This Government remains committed to continuing the UK’s leading role on international development, including through spending 0.7% of GNI on aid. The Department for International Development has a critical role to play not only in tackling poverty but helping the UK play a confident, engaged and ambitious role in the world.

January 1, 2023

George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital NHS Trust, (b) St Helens and Knowsley Hospital Services NHS Trust, (c) Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, (d) Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, (e) Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust and (f) Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spent on agency medical staff in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Department does not collect data on which specific area of employment provider expenditure was incurred under. Data is however collected in totality for employees under temporary or agency contracts. The total temporary and agency staff expenditure incurred by the six providers for 2014-15 and 2015-16 is shown in the table below.

Provider body	2014-15 £000	2015-16 £000
Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen	11,652	11,244
St Helens and Knowsley	8,403	12,251
Aintree	14,927	11,253
Wirral	6,181	12,849
Southport and Ormskirk	11,115	15.080
Warrington and Halton	11,562	15,957

In addition to payments made for medical staff, the figures in the above table include the costs of temporary and agency workers engaged in other activities, such as employees contracted for provision of other administration and support services.

January 1, 2023

Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent conversations he has had with his Nigerian counterpart on steps to eliminate Boko Haram.

James Duddridge

We regularly discuss Boko Haram with the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels. The Prime Minister discussed the issue with President Buhari in September and my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps), Minister of State at the Department for International Development, raised it with senior Nigerian officials, including the Nigerian National Security Adviser, during his visit to Abuja in October. We will continue to raise this issue with Ministers in the Nigerian Government, including with the Foreign Minister, once they have been appointed.

January 1, 2023
Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2015-11-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations he has received from (a) the Council of Europe, (b) the UN and (c) other international bodies on the UK’s membership of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Dominic Raab

We have received no such formal representation. Ministry of Justice Ministers have met the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Jagland, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence de Greiff.

January 1, 2023
Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Government will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing penalties levied on employers who do not pay staff at least the national minimum wage.

Nick Boles

From April 2016, we are increasing the calculation of penalties from 100% to 200% of the arrears owed. The penalty is reduced by half if employers pay within 14 days.

By increasing the penalties for underpayment of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) we intend to deter employers from breaking the law so that working people receive the money they are legally due.

This new calculation ensures a tougher penalty for employers found to have underpaid the NMW.

The fast track Impact Assessment for increasing the penalties has been validated by the Regulatory Policy Committee and published here – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2015/324

“

January 1, 2023
Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-28.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy that a lump sum paid by a public sector employer to an employee’s pension fund to compensate the scheme for having to pay a reduced pension earlier than expected should be used as part of the calculation for the public sector exit payment cap proposed in the Enterprise Bill.

Greg Hands

The Government consulted on implementing a public sector exit payment cap in July 2015. The Government response to this consultation was published on 16 September 2015. This response provides detail on which organisations and types of payments the Government intends to capture within the scope of the public sector exit payment cap. This accords with the Government’s manifesto commitment to end tax payer funded six figure payoffs for public sector workers.

The response document can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464367/Public_sector_exit_payments_response.pdf

The exit payment cap will apply to payments made as a result of an employee leaving their employment. It will not affect any pension a person has earned through their years of service or have any impact on accrued pension rights or pension lump sum entitlements on retirement. It will capture contributions, made by the employer, to fund early access to an unreduced or partially reduced pension. This is because such costs are ultimately funded by the tax payer.

The Government has been clear that early retirements relating to ill health are outside the scope of the cap and will not be affected. Additionally, any payments directed by a Court or Tribunal will not be included in the scope of the cap.

Exits on compassionate grounds are not such a clearly defined concept as exits related to ill health or redundancy. There will generally be a large degree of employer discretion on the terms of such exits, and on any payments. In these cases there will be discretion available to relax the cap in individual cases, subject to relevant Ministerial or local council approval, as will be set out in further detail in forthcoming Treasury guidance and directions.

January 1, 2023
Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to his Department of the Export Support Team was in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and whether those costs have been reimbursed by the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Export Support Team is part of the Defence and Security Organisation, part of UK Trade and Investment. The Minister for Trade and Investment is responsible for administrative and funding arrangements, including attached Service personnel’s capitation costs. Therefore, there is no cost to the Ministry of Defence.

January 1, 2023
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to review and propose simplification of household waste and recycling collection across the UK.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Defra and the Waste and Resource Action Programme are working with local authorities and other waste management stakeholders to develop a vision and business case for greater consistency in the way materials are collected for recycling. This will set out the benefits that could be achieved for householders, local authorities, reprocessors and others. The vision is to be published in the summer and will include proposed models for more consistent arrangements for collection of recyclable materials.

The broad aims for this work are to help local authorities to reduce costs; improve the quality and quantity of materials collected and to improve householder engagement and participation in recycling through reducing confusion and inconsistency and providing opportunities to improve communications.

January 1, 2023
Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-04-25.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government who was responsible for the maintenance of the access ramps to the mezzanine deck on the St Helen ferry at Fishbourne, Isle of Wight, which collapsed on 18 July 2014 causing several injuries; whether any prosecutions are planned; and who would be responsible for any resulting prosecutions.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Maintenance of all parts of a vessel is the responsibility of the ship owner or operator.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) examines significant breaches of safety and environmental aspects of Merchant Shipping legislation to determine what action is appropriate, which may include prosecution.

The MCA is considering the circumstances of this particular incident in light of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s report.

January 1, 2023