Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of the flexibility of the scheme of the CBI’s proposal to delay implementation of the apprenticeship levy.

Robert Halfon

We understand that some organisations want to delay or scrap the levy, but any delay would mean holding back opportunities for people and businesses to gain the skills they need. We are working with the CBI, employers and training providers to make sure the new system works for them. In August we published proposals for how apprenticeships will be paid for in England in the future and invited feedback on these. Following thorough analysis we will publish final details at the end of October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there have been relating to forced marriage under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Karen Bradley

We made forced marriage a criminal offence last year to better protect victims and send a clear message that this abhorrent practice is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the UK.

Data on convictions is not collated centrally. However, the first successful prosecution under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 was secured in June 2015, and the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) most recent violence against women and girls report shows that the volume of forced marriage prosecutions completed in 2014-15 rose to 46 from 45 in 2013-14, the highest volume ever. 63% of those prosecutions were successful.

In addition, to date, over 800 civil Forced Marriage Protection Orders have been made to prevent people from being forced into a marriage and to assist in repatriating victims.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects manufacturing output to exceed the level of quarter one in 2008.

Mr David Gauke

The Office for Budget Responsibility, which provides independent forecast for the Government, does not produce a forecast for manufacturing output.

Manufacturing has grown 4.1% from the start of 2010, following a 12.5% fall in the financial crisis. The headline manufacturing PMI accelerated to 55.5 in October, recording its fastest expansion rate in two and a half years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of people in prison (a) as a result of and (b) with a gambling addiction.

Ben Gummer

This information is not available centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of (a) (i) men, (ii) women and (iii) people aged 16 to 24 and (b) people aged (i) 16 to 24, (i) 16 to 18, (ii) 19 to 20, (iv) 21 to 22 and (v) 23 to 24 had been unemployed for more than 12 months on the last date for which figures are available.

Mr Rob Wilson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2015 to Question 18224, how many local authorities have indicated that they wish to participate in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

Richard Harrington

This is a voluntary scheme whereby local authorities sign up to accept refugees on a voluntary basis. Although we do not propose to give a running commentary on the number of local authorities that have indicated they wish to participate in the scheme we can confirm that as of 7 December 2015, 55 local authorities had signed up to participate in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme and had provided confirmed offers of places.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 8893, when he plans to publish the impact assessment for the introduction of the national living wage; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Boles

The Government has published a full impact assessment alongside draft regulations to implement the National Living Wage. These documents were laid before Parliament on Monday 7 December 2015. Regulations will be debated in both Houses of Parliament in time to come into force on 1 April 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the latest date is on which he could announce his decision on airport expansion in the south east consistent with meeting the timetable for delivering capacity set out by the Airports Commission.

Mr Robert Goodwill

On 10 December, the Government accepted the Airports Commission’s case for expansion in the South East. We agree with the Commission’s shortlist of three options, all of which it concluded were viable. The Government will now conclude a package of further work by the summer, and will ensure that the timetable for delivering additional capacity set out by the Commission does not alter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many passengers use Stratford station annually; and how this number is expected to change following completion of Crossrail.

Claire Perry

On 15^th December 2015, the Office for Rail and Road published the latest in a series of Estimates of Station Usage for 2014/15, for all stations in Great Britain.

They estimate that in 2014/15, 30,974,204 people travelled to or from Stratford and 3,053,317 people interchanged at Stratford.

By 2026, Transport for London’s forecasts indicate that passenger movements at Stratford – including those resulting from Crossrail services stopping there – will see an increase of around 20% on the 2014 passenger numbers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answers of 11 January 2015 to Questions 21337 and 21336, what the evidential basis is for the statement that the vast majority of existing universal credit claimants will see no change in entitlement.

Priti Patel

The latest statistics indicate that the majority of existing Universal Credit claimants are not yet in work.

As such they will not see a change in entitlement as a result of the April 2016 changes.