Tag: Stephen Timms

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to discourage employers from cutting staff benefits on the grounds that implementing the national living wage compels them to do so.

Nick Boles

It is for employers to decide how to manage increases in their wage bill. Many employers will be giving their staff a pay rise and maintaining other benefits.

Employers need to ensure their pay and reward packages are competitive to retain and develop the people and talent they need for their business.

Employers should be planning ahead, taking steps to boost their productivity and maintain an effective workforce. In every case they must pay at least the statutory National Living Wage, or the National Minimum Wage for workers aged under 25.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of UK development aid on increasing primary school attendance in Bangladesh since 2000.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The UK has supported significant improvements in primary school attendance through its contribution to the primary education sector programme and projects working with NGOs and civil society.

Overall primary school attendance increased in Bangladesh from 84% to 97% between 2010 and 2015.

Since 2010, DFID has supported 820,000 children (including 456, 000 girls) in primary education, of which 462,000 (261,000 girls) completed primary education.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals have been on the staff of (a) each of the Directorates-General and (b) other services of the European Commission in each year since 2010.

Mr David Lidington

The European Commission publishes data on its permanent EU officials (excluding seconded national experts) broken down by nationality and by each of its Directorates-General and services at the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/about/figures/index_en.htm

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of reductions in funding for the Health and Safety Executive in the period to 2019-20 on occupational health and safety; and if he will make a statement.

Justin Tomlinson

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 May 2016 to Question 37593

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 27 April 2016 to Question 35139, how many people have been tested for latent TB infection in each month since the launch of the Collaborative TB Strategy in January 2015.

Jane Ellison

The information requested is not currently available. The first figures of the numbers of individuals who have been systemically tested and treated for latent tuberculosis (TB) will be published in the Annual TB report in the autumn of this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, under what circumstances a formal notice can be issued to a multi-academy trust, rather than to an individual Academy.

Edward Timpson

Where there is a concern about an academy that is part of a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), any formal notice will be sent to the MAT as the accountable body.

This information is publicly available and can be found in the Schools Causing Concern guidance available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/510080/schools-causing-concern-guidance.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to support successful multi-academy trusts in collaborating and sharing best practices with other such trusts.

Edward Timpson

The Department supports successful Multi-Academy Trusts in collaborating with other such trusts and I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided for question 42232 on 13 July 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to monitor the effect on housing rent arrears of the length of time taken for initial payment of universal credit.

Damian Hinds

DWP are undertaking work to investigate the issue of rent arrears in Universal Credit, it aims to understand the true level of rent arrears and what is causing them. We expect to know a lot more about this issue as the work progresses and following the analysis of the next Universal Credit Gateway Survey which we will be publishing later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the announcement of 1 October 2016 that people with long-term degenerative conditions will be exempt from repeat work capability assessments, if he will set out those medical conditions a diagnosis for which will provide such exemption.

Penny Mordaunt

There is no condition based entitlement to Employment Support Allowance.

We will be working over the coming months with medical professionals and other stakeholders to develop functional criteria that will help us identify those with the most severe health conditions or disabilities, for whom repeat work capability assessments can be stopped.

Rather than a list of specific medical conditions, the criteria will be based on identifying claimants with the most severe health conditions or disabilities where it would be unreasonable to expect the individual to undertake any form or amount of work or work-related activity. This change will only apply to those placed in the Support Group and UC equivalent.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-30.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in what circumstances major Government programmes are subjected to Project Assessment Reviews instead of Gateway Reviews; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock

The Major Project Portfolio for each Department is agreed by the Department, the Major Projects Authority and the relevant HM Treasury spending team. Each programme on the portfolio is subject to an agreed schedule of approvals and assurance, which will normally include Gateway Reviews. There is no provision for formal exemption.

A Project Assessment Review is conducted either instead of or in addition to Gateway Reviews, and allows for specific terms of reference to be tailored to meet the assurance needs of the particular Government Major Project.