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178300

registered interest
date	06/02/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Automation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on digital employment of trends towards increasing automation in that sector.
tabling member constituency	Rhondda
tabling member printed	Chris Bryant
uin	223738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>Over the last 10 years the ICT sector has grown over two and a half times as fast as the whole economy. In 2013, it contributed £113bn (7.5%) to the UK’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and supported 1.3 million jobs in the UK. Over the next decade, employment in the digital sector is projected to grow significantly faster than employment in other sectors of the economy, while sustained growth is expected in the number of IT specialists employed across the economy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Evidence shows that digital technologies will transform the economy by bringing about efficiency improvements with resulting increases in productivity. This will impact on the composition of the labour market. It is difficult to reliably quantify this impact and estimates vary widely. International studies suggest that whilst demand for certain occupations may be reduced by robotics and automation, many more jobs would be created. For example, a recent study by the International Federation of Robotics estimates that there would be a net gain of jobs as a result of introducing robotics in industry.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK labour market is renowned for its flexibility and is well-placed to respond to structural changes. In order to maximise the opportunities presented by digital technologies, the Government is committed to ensuring that individuals are equipped with the digital skills needed for current and future job roles.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are working in partnership with industry to ensure that our education and training systems are providing the right digital skills. We have reformed the computing curriculum to ensure every young person is prepared for an increasingly digital world and reforms to apprenticeships are enabling employers to set standards that meet their needs. In November, we announced a pilot of short courses, which are accredited by business and provide up-to-date digital skills. In December, the Prime Minister announced a National College for Digital Skills, which will drive up standards in Further Education (FE), and ensure the FE system prepares individuals for the future workforce.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey grouped question UIN 223739 question first answered 25/02/2015 15:09:13 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	1446 label Biography information for Sir Chris Bryant

178301

registered interest
date	06/02/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Automation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the proportion of existing (a) jobs and (b) lower-paid and lower-skilled jobs that may be lost in the next 20 years as a result of digitisation and robotics.
tabling member constituency	Rhondda
tabling member printed	Chris Bryant
uin	223739
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>Over the last 10 years the ICT sector has grown over two and a half times as fast as the whole economy. In 2013, it contributed £113bn (7.5%) to the UK’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and supported 1.3 million jobs in the UK. Over the next decade, employment in the digital sector is projected to grow significantly faster than employment in other sectors of the economy, while sustained growth is expected in the number of IT specialists employed across the economy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Evidence shows that digital technologies will transform the economy by bringing about efficiency improvements with resulting increases in productivity. This will impact on the composition of the labour market. It is difficult to reliably quantify this impact and estimates vary widely. International studies suggest that whilst demand for certain occupations may be reduced by robotics and automation, many more jobs would be created. For example, a recent study by the International Federation of Robotics estimates that there would be a net gain of jobs as a result of introducing robotics in industry.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK labour market is renowned for its flexibility and is well-placed to respond to structural changes. In order to maximise the opportunities presented by digital technologies, the Government is committed to ensuring that individuals are equipped with the digital skills needed for current and future job roles.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are working in partnership with industry to ensure that our education and training systems are providing the right digital skills. We have reformed the computing curriculum to ensure every young person is prepared for an increasingly digital world and reforms to apprenticeships are enabling employers to set standards that meet their needs. In November, we announced a pilot of short courses, which are accredited by business and provide up-to-date digital skills. In December, the Prime Minister announced a National College for Digital Skills, which will drive up standards in Further Education (FE), and ensure the FE system prepares individuals for the future workforce.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey grouped question UIN 223738 question first answered 25/02/2015 15:09:13 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	1446 label Biography information for Sir Chris Bryant

178337

registered interest
date	06/02/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Private Sector
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many sick leave days were taken by prison officers in each privately-run prison in England and Wales in each month since March 2014.
tabling member constituency	Darlington
tabling member printed	Jenny Chapman
uin	223709
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>Although the contracted-out prisons submit staff sickness absence data to the National Offender Management Service for use in the prison rating system, this relates to all staff and does not provide a breakdown by grade, such as prison officer.</p><p> </p><p>Figures for average working days lost relating to total full-time equivalent staff in the contracted prisons for 2013-14 are published in the Excel document entitled ‘Prison rating system dataset 2013 to 2014’ at the following location: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics-201314" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics-201314</a>. Please see in particular column BE of the sheet labelled ‘Data’.</p><p> </p><p>Figures for 2014-15 will be published on 30 July at the following web page: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Please note that specific staffing arrangements and the management of sickness absence of staff in the contracted out prisons is the responsibility of the individual contractors and not Ministry of Justice (MoJ). However, MoJ closely monitors the performance of private prisons and we ensure appropriate numbers of staff are in place to deliver safe and secure regimes in every public and privately-run prison.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous grouped question UIN 223708 question first answered 23/02/2015 17:33:00 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	3972 label Biography information for Baroness Chapman of Darlington

178065

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Employment Tribunals Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average cost was of each case heard by an employment tribunal in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Meg Munn
uin	223678
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2015 answer text <p>Employment tribunal cases can vary in nature and complexity and some can last over more than one year, particularly where collective disputes are involved. Claims in employment tribunals can be classified into either single or multiple claims. Multiple claims are where two or more people bring proceedings arising out of the same facts, usually against a common employer. Where claims are grouped as multiples, they are processed administratively and managed judicially together. We call these groups of claims ‘multiple claims cases’. One multiple claim case would therefore involve two or more claims. Claims can be disposed of in a variety of ways, including being rejected either because they are out of time, or have no reasonable chance of success. A minority of cases are disposed of at a full hearing.</p><p>There are therefore many ways the term an employment tribunal case can be interpreted. The costs directly attributable to each claim / case are not collected, as current systems do not allow us to link staff, judicial and other costs to claims / cases. As a result, it is not possible to provide average costs per case over the last three years on a comparable basis.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 17/03/2015 16:44:05 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1448 label Biography information for Meg Munn

178089

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Council Tax Reduction Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to ensure that billing authorities pass on in full to local councils council tax support funding which his Department earmarked for those councils.
tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
uin	223570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>My Department has provided £3.3 billion to local authorities in respect of local council tax support schemes in both 2013-14 and 2014-15 and the same amount will be provided in 2015-16.</p><p> </p><p>For the first year of local council tax support only, the Government set out an indicative amount of £40,450,000 attributable to parish and town councils in England. Latest statistics show that 95 per cent of this indicative amount was passed down in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398765/Revised_RO1314_Supplementary_Tables_-_Final.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398765/Revised_RO1314_Supplementary_Tables_-_Final.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>As schemes are designed and implemented by billing authorities, it is not for Government to calculate on an ongoing basis the appropriate level of funding parishes required. However I have previously written to the small number of authorities which in 2014-15 had no intention to pass on any of the funding to express concern. I also wrote to all billing authorities on 19 February 2015 reminding them of the Government’s clear expectation that they should pass down funding to eligible parishes in 2015-16 and have placed a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.</p><p> </p><p>Every sector of local government should be doing their bit to keep council tax down for hard-working people. Although the referendum principle does not apply to town and parish councils in 2015-16, we continue to keep this option under active consideration. The Government has given new rights for taxpayers to approve or veto excessive council tax rises set by principal local authorities. If necessary, we are prepared to extend this to town and parish councils in the future if there is evidence of unreasonable hikes being imposed on taxpayers without their consent.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 223571 question first answered 23/02/2015 17:45:59 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins previous answer version 44039 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

178090

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Council Tax Reduction Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to ensure that parish councils will be fully compensated for effects arising from the implementation of localised council tax support schemes.
tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
uin	223571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>My Department has provided £3.3 billion to local authorities in respect of local council tax support schemes in both 2013-14 and 2014-15 and the same amount will be provided in 2015-16.</p><p> </p><p>For the first year of local council tax support only, the Government set out an indicative amount of £40,450,000 attributable to parish and town councils in England. Latest statistics show that 95 per cent of this indicative amount was passed down in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398765/Revised_RO1314_Supplementary_Tables_-_Final.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398765/Revised_RO1314_Supplementary_Tables_-_Final.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>As schemes are designed and implemented by billing authorities, it is not for Government to calculate on an ongoing basis the appropriate level of funding parishes required. However I have previously written to the small number of authorities which in 2014-15 had no intention to pass on any of the funding to express concern. I also wrote to all billing authorities on 19 February 2015 reminding them of the Government’s clear expectation that they should pass down funding to eligible parishes in 2015-16 and have placed a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.</p><p> </p><p>Every sector of local government should be doing their bit to keep council tax down for hard-working people. Although the referendum principle does not apply to town and parish councils in 2015-16, we continue to keep this option under active consideration. The Government has given new rights for taxpayers to approve or veto excessive council tax rises set by principal local authorities. If necessary, we are prepared to extend this to town and parish councils in the future if there is evidence of unreasonable hikes being imposed on taxpayers without their consent.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 223570 question first answered 23/02/2015 17:45:59 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins previous answer version 44040 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

178091

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Private Rented Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will estimate the number of properties in the private rented sector which (a) reach and (b) do not reach the Decent Homes standard.
tabling member constituency	Bishop Auckland
tabling member printed	Helen Goodman
uin	223554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>The table below shows the number and proportion of dwellings in the private rented sector which reach the Decent Homes standard over the last five years.</p><p> </p><p>The private rented sector has expanded in size in this period (with almost one million more homes), yet both the absolute and relative number of non-Decent Homes have fallen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td colspan="2"><p><em>Reaching standard</em></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><em>Not reaching standard</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>1,847,000</p></td><td><p>56%</p></td><td><p>1,449,000</p></td><td><p>44%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>2,123,000</p></td><td><p>59%</p></td><td><p>1,465,000</p></td><td><p>41%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>2,325,000</p></td><td><p>63%</p></td><td><p>1,381,000</p></td><td><p>37%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2,610,000</p></td><td><p>65%</p></td><td><p>1,407,000</p></td><td><p>35%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2,754,000</p></td><td><p>67%</p></td><td><p>1,365,000</p></td><td><p>33%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>This Government has taken a series of actions to help improve standards in the private rented sector.</p><p> </p><p>To encourage improved conditions, we have increased consumer awareness and supported longer tenancies with a ‘How to Rent’ guide, a model tenancy agreement, and an industry-led Code of Practice for letting and managing agents. We have introduced regulations to require the remaining 3,000 letting and property management agents to join one of three approved redress schemes from 1 October; made over £4 million available to 23 local authorities to help them tackle localised problems with the small minority in rogue landlords in their area – building on £2.6 million given to 9 local authorities to support enforcement against ‘Beds in Sheds’; and supported measures to tackle retaliatory evictions in private rented sector.</p><p> </p><p>However, we also need to avoid disproportionate red tape which would reduce supply, cut investment and ultimately force up rents. As an illustration, my written answer of 9 February 2015 to Question 222996, noted how rent controls would actually worsen property conditions for tenants by discouraging investment in new and existing rented accommodation.</p><p> </p><p>I would also add that, in the social sector, the number of non-Decent local authority dwellings across England has fallen from 291,600 in 1 April 2010 to 145,900 in April 2014, with a forecast of a further fall to 113,000 by April 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 23/02/2015 17:44:36 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 44033 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	1484 label Biography information for Helen Goodman

178092

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Private Rented Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes in the private rented sector reach energy-efficiency standard (a) A, (b) B, (c) C, (d) D, (e) E, (f) F and (g) G.
tabling member constituency	Bishop Auckland
tabling member printed	Helen Goodman
uin	223555
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>The English Housing Survey 2012-2013 Chapter 1, Annex Table 1.21 provides the following details for properties in the private rented sector and respective Energy Performance of Buildings Energy Rating Bands.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Energy Efficiency Rating Band</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Private Rented Properties</strong></p><p><strong>(thousands)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>A or B</p></td><td><p>39</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>C</p></td><td><p>777</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>D</p></td><td><p>1,901</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>E</p></td><td><p>1,010</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>F</p></td><td><p>288</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>G</p></td><td><p>102</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p>4,119</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Government is doing a great deal of work to improve the energy performance of buildings, not just privately rented properties but across all sectors. This work includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Schemes like ECO, Cashback, Green Deal finance and the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund through which 1,255,000 energy efficiency measures were installed in around 1,021,000 properties to the end of November 2014.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Making significant progress to delivering our commitment to ensure new homes will be zero carbon from 2016 onwards, including, strengthening energy performance requirements in Part L of the Building Regulations;</li></ul> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 23/02/2015 17:40:54 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 44037 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	1484 label Biography information for Helen Goodman

175882

registered interest
date	27/01/2015
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Welfare Tax Credits
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total sum of administrative penalties applied to tax credit claimants following overpayments in each of the past four years.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL4462
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2015 answer text <p>The following table outlines the sum of penalties applied to tax credits claimants in each of the past four years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Penalties applied in period</p></td><td><p>Sum of civil penalties applied</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>£28,181,587.50</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>£13,128,383.00</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>£4,599,135.86</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>£1,196,988.00</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>An integral part of the tax credits error and fraud strategy was to ensure that claimants who negligently or deliberately sought to mislead HMRC about their circumstances would be dealt with appropriately. This led to a review of the penalty regime, which resulted in a large scale levying of penalties. This was consistent with the principles contained in the Welfare Reform Act 2012, in particular with the approach to issue tougher penalties for the most serious offences.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 09/03/2015 17:56:12 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow