Tag: Paul Blomfield

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will implement the proposal set out on page 326 of the OECD Policy Roundtable on Competition in Road Fuel to introduce road signs displaying the price of petrol and diesel at motorway service stations in order to improve transparency and consumer choice.

Mr John Hayes

This Government knows the public is concerned about the price of petrol and diesel at Motorway Service Areas. Highways England is, on behalf of the Government, delivering an 18 month trial of four fuel comparison price signs on the M5 between Bristol and Exeter.

The trial consists of four new electronic signs displaying real-time price information of petrol and diesel for the next three service areas along the route and commenced in Spring 2016. Monitoring and evaluation of the trial will determine the effectiveness of the new fuel comparison price signs in providing useful information to road users and in understanding the impact of improving fuel price transparency on driver behaviour and fuel prices at Motorway Service Areas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-11-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2015 to Question 13786, what penalties have been issued to employers in relation to the 60 cases opened since February 2015.

Mr David Gauke

None of the investigations opened in February 2015 have yet concluded. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) cannot comment on on-going investigations.

HMRC’s role in these investigations is to ensure that the correct tax is paid and any employees who are entitled to the National Minimum Wage receive it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the Government’s response to the consultation on tackling exploitation in the labour market before the Immigration Bill completes its passage through Parliament.

James Brokenshire

The consultation on tackling exploitation in the labour market closed on Monday 7 December. The Government will publish its response shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-01-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the East Midlands Trains Franchise Extension document to March 2018.

Claire Perry

The Department negotiated a Direct Award with Stagecoach to provide services until March 2018. The new Franchise document is currently being prepared for publication and will be available soon on our website at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-register-of-rail-passenger-franchise-agreements.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the estimated difference in cost between locating the Sheffield High Speed 2 station in the city centre and locating it in Meadowhall.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Analysis of the Sheffield City Region station options was published in the ‘Engineering options report; West Midlands to Leeds’ dated March 2012. This included analysis of several station sites around the city centre.

The current estimated difference in cost between locating a High Speed station at Victoria and Meadowhall is £680m. Previous work on the cost of options at Victoria and other city centre sites are not comparable to the current estimate given above. With regards to the Meadowhall station, following the 2013 public consultation, no significant changes have been made to the original station design therefore there have not been any changes in cost.

When recommending a station location HS2 Ltd. uses a number of criteria, including;

1. engineering and construction feasibility;
2. sustainability;
3. demand considerations, including journey times;
4. cost; and
5. wider impacts

Potential options were sifted by HS2 Ltd. according to these criteria. To support and challenge this approach, external stakeholders and advisors from the Department’s Project Representative Team were involved in reviewing the process and outcomes where appropriate. Further information about the appraisal process can be found in the 2012 ‘Options for phase two of the high speed rail network’ report and 2013 ‘Appraisal of Sustainability’ report. Both of these documents are available on the government website.

Analysis undertaken by HS2 shows that the introduction of the Sheffield Meadowhall HS2 station could support up to 5,400 jobs and up to 300 residential units, while a HS2 station at Victoria could support an estimated 9,000 jobs and 900 housing units.

Finally, I can confirm that Department for Transport officials have received a copy of Sheffield City Region’s study into connectivity for a city centre High Speed 2 station at Victoria which Network Rail was involved in.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects all final decisions on his Department’s estate relating to the implementation of the BIS 2020 strategy to be concluded.

Joseph Johnson

The intention to close the BIS Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place is based on our strategy to simplify our delivery and focus expertise in specific areas over five years to 2020. Therefore, our policy function needs to be in one place, close to Ministers, and the Department made a decision to locate all our policy functions in the HQ in London. Other decisions around our estates will be taken in due course and will, of course, be subject to consultation. We therefore cannot give an estimate of when all decisions on the Department’s estate will be concluded.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-02.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2016 to Question 25631, over what time period the investigations into care sector employers took place; and how many of the employers found to be non-compliant following those investigations have been publicly named and shamed by the Government.

Mr David Gauke

If a worker believes they have not received at least the National Minimum Wage they should contact the Acas helpline in confidence on 0300 123 1100. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) currently fast track for investigation any care worker direct complaints received through the Acas helpline.

I refer the hon. member back to the answer provided to him to Question 25631 for HMRC’s position on discussing outcomes. I further refer the hon. member back to the answer provided to him by my hon. friend the Minister for Skills (Nick Boles) for detail on naming policy, Question 8685.

The most recent naming announcement from February is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-february-2016.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the rent review will take place on 1 Victoria Street; and what plans he has to publish the results of that review.

Joseph Johnson

The due date for the rent review is 1^st January 2016.

In line with standard commercial practice there are no specific plans to publish the results.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the report of the review of the South Yorkshire Community Rehabilitation Company that took place in November 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Selous

The information requested is commercially sensitive and, as such, will not be released. It is normal Government practice not to release commercially sensitive information.

We hold providers rigorously to account for their performance and take action wherever they are falling short.

Following an audit by the Ministry of Justice, South Yorkshire CRC developed an action plan. We are continuing to monitor the CRC’s performance closely.

Our probation reforms are designed to make sure almost all offenders receive support on release, including, for the first time, those sentenced to less than 12 months.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 18 April 2016, on immigration detention, HCWS679, how many pregnant women (a) are detained and (b) have been detained for immigration purposes at the border in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire

Management information for 19 April showed that two pregnant women were held at the border and there was one pregnant woman held in an IRC. Information on those held at the border and in IRCs in each of the last five years is not held centrally and providing it would incur disproportionate cost.