Tag: Phil Boswell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-10-13.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the level of financial protection available to investors in mini-bonds not covered under the financial services compensation scheme.

Simon Kirby

The government is committed to regulating only where there is a clear case for doing so, in order to avoid putting additional costs on lenders that would ultimately lead to higher costs for businesses and consumers.

The marketing and promotion of mini-bonds is subject to financial promotion restrictions set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA). Firms that fail to meet any of these requirements may be subject to enforcement action by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedures his Department has in place to correct errors when benefits are paid into the wrong bank account.

Priti Patel

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a clear policy on correcting errors where payments have been made to an incorrect bank account. This ensures that, where an error has been made, the intended recipient still receives the payments that they are entitled to. The Department also has clear procedures to recover funds paid to wrong accounts.

The procedures include establishing if the customer provided incorrect account details to the Department. If so, the account details are updated to protect further payments, but the claimant is asked to contact their bank for advice, as DWP had acted in accordance with their instructions.

Where official error led to an incorrect account being used then the missing payment is re-issued to the claimant using the correct account details. DWP then seeks recovery of the funds from the unintended recipient, either directly, where contact details are held on DWP’s systems or indirectly through a letter forwarded by the receiving bank, building society, or other institution, as appropriate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps the Government (a) has taken and (b) plans to take in response to the finding in the Institute for Public Policy Research’s report, Why Interns Need a Fair Wage, published in July 2010, that the system of unpaid internships excludes young people who come from less well-off families and ensures that certain industries and professions continue to be dominated from particular backgrounds, perpetuating inequality and dampening opportunities for social mobility.

Nick Boles

The Government believes in fair wages for fair work and opportunity for all. When an intern meets the legal definition of a worker they must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. We actively promote fair and open access to paid internships through the BIS-funded Graduate Talent Pool, and our Social Mobility Business Compact and Common Best Practice Code for High Quality Internships ask employers to ensure that any internships they offer are advertised openly and transparently and are paid fairly. We have also made it simpler to name and shame employers that do not comply with national minimum wage regulations and, in addition, complaints from interns are now fast-tracked by HMRC.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps the Government has taken in response to the recommendation in the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission’s report, State of the Nation 2014: Social Mobility and Child Poverty in Great Britain, published in October 2014, that unpaid internships should be eliminated by 2020.

Nick Boles

The Government believes in fair wages for fair work and opportunity for all. When an intern meets the legal definition of a worker they must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. We actively promote fair and open access to paid internships through the BIS-funded Graduate Talent Pool, and our Social Mobility Business Compact and Common Best Practice Code for High Quality Internships ask employers to ensure that any internships they offer are advertised openly and transparently and are paid fairly. We have also made it simpler to name and shame employers that do not comply with national minimum wage regulations and, in addition, complaints from interns are now fast-tracked by HMRC.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the report by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, Downward mobility, opportunity hoarding and the glass floor, published in June 2015, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of that report’s findings that children from better-off families are hoarding opportunities in the education system in the labour market.

Nick Boles

This report by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission raised some important issues around social mobility in the UK. As you will be aware the Government is concerned with this issue and plan to tackle this problem, as highlighted by the Prime Ministers’ Conference speech earlier this month.

I would like to highlight however, that this report was largely focused on a cohort of British children born in 1970. So while it is important in illustrating that social mobility in the UK has been poor for a long period of time it bears no reflection on the Government’s current policies.

Concerning current policies and their implications on social mobility it is clear that the achievement of over 2 million apprenticeships in the last parliament and the target of 3 million in this is helping to increase social mobility by providing young people with the skills they need in order to acquire professional careers. This policy alongside an increase in participation in higher education, helped by policies such as the removal of the student cap, has helped start to bridge the skills and educational gaps which were previously detrimental to social mobility.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, Downward mobility, opportunity hoarding and the glass floor, published in June 2015, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of that report’s findings that relatively high levels of income inequality are a contributing factor to why social mobility in the UK is relatively low by international standards and has not increased in the past 40 years.

Priti Patel

This Government is committed to tackling poverty, extending opportunity and ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, can fulfil their potential. We know that having parents in work, and educational attainment are the strongest determinants of future life chances.

Our approach to improving life chances is based on high levels of employment, a welfare and tax system that supports work and allows people to keep more of what they earn, and raising educational attainment for all children.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps the Government (a) has taken and (b) plans to take in response to the finding on page 99 of the Final Report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions that internships operate as part of an informal economy where opportunities depend on personal contacts rather than ability.

Nick Boles

The Government believes in fair wages for fair work and opportunity for all. When an intern meets the legal definition of a worker they must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. We actively promote fair and open access to paid internships through the BIS-funded Graduate Talent Pool, and our Social Mobility Business Compact and Common Best Practice Code for High Quality Internships ask employers to ensure that any internships they offer are advertised openly and transparently and are paid fairly. We have also made it simpler to name and shame employers that do not comply with national minimum wage regulations and, in addition, complaints from interns are now fast-tracked by HMRC.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to ensure that core UKCS Oil and Gas infrastructure is identified, supported and rendered fit-for-purpose for the long-term development of marginal fields and future significant fields off the west coast of Scotland, and for transportation and distribution around the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

The Oil and Gas Authority’s Call to Action report highlighted the risk that low profitability in producing fields could lead to premature decommissioning of critical infrastructure. It is important to avoid decommissioning for as long as possible and the OGA is as a priority working with companies to facilitate discussions, remove barriers to cooperation and encourage investment. In addition it is conducting rigorous economic assessments of key production hubs to explore the drivers of continued investment, including fiscal levers. Work is also taking place to facilitate the preparation of Regional Development Plans for critical regions of the North Sea, building on data provided by operators.