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170297

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	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	Scottish Power
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he received reports from the MacDonald Partnership in relation to mis-sold Scottish Power Power Plan warranties; what the titles of such reports were; and when he plans to respond to those reports.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	218595
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>The initial report from Mr MacDonald was received on 17 July 2014 for review by the Insolvency Service. Further information including another more detailed report was received from him during September and October 2014, and these again have been reviewed by the Insolvency Service. The reports are confidential.</p><p> </p><p>The reports themselves do not require a direct response but I can confirm that the Insolvency Service has completed its review of this material and is in communication with Mr MacDonald.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 17/12/2014 11:11:20 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

91108

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2014
	answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Employment: Homophobia
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what targets the Government has set for tackling homophobia in the workplace; and what steps have been taken to achieve those targets in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	208534
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2014 answer text <p>The Government has not set targets for tackling homophobia in the workplace; however, practical advice for employers and/or employees on dealing with homophobia is available via the following Government-funded bodies: acas, the Equality and Human Rights Commission; the Equalities Advisory and Support Service; and on GOV.UK.</p><p>In March 2011 the Government published Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: Moving Forward which set out the actions to be taken across Government to enhance equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGB&amp;T) people. The Government is also providing match funding to the Citizens’ Advice European Union funded project to overcome barriers to employment and advancement in the workplace, which includes a specific focus on LGB&amp;T people.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 12/09/2014 13:00:42 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

91172

	registered interest
	date	09/09/2014
	answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	UN Women
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will allocate funding to support the work of UN Women UK.
	tabling member constituency	City of Durham
	tabling member printed	Roberta Blackman-Woods
	uin	208687
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2014 answer text <p>We are currently considering the merits of a request for funding that we received from the UK National Committee for Women on the 28<sup>th</sup> of August.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is the second largest donor to UN Women, providing £12.5m of funding each year.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 12/09/2014 15:00:54 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1501 label Biography information for Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods

173146

	registered interest
	date	12/01/2015
	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	Social Services: Minimum Wage
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the statement by his Department to the Today programme on 7 January 2015, what steps his Department is taking to name and shame care providers who do not pay the national minimum wage.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	220433
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2015 answer text <p>The Government will name all employers that do not comply with National Minimum Wage regulations unless they meet one of the exceptional circumstances or have arrears of £100 or less.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has named 92 employers, including a care provider. Between them they owed workers a total of over £316,000 in arrears and have been charged financial penalties totalling over £111,000.</p><p> </p><p>Social care cases tend to be more complex than other cases so it can take longer for them to progress through the enforcement and naming process. We will continue to name and shame employers, including those operating in the care sector.</p><p> </p><p>Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are undertaking targeted enforcement work in the care sector, building on previous work that successfully identified non-compliant businesses. Between 2011 and 2013, HMRC investigated 224 employers in the care sector. Just over half of these were found to be non-compliant – between them owing £1,319,729 arrears of pay to 6,550 workers, with penalties issued with a total value of £146,931. There are 94 investigations currently underway in the care sector.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to this enforcement activity, we continue to do other work to improve minimum wage compliance in the care sector – to provide guidance to employers so that they understand the law, including tips about the most common mistakes and the records they need to keep to prove they are paying their staff correctly. We also encourage and support care sector workers who have been underpaid to make a complaint, using the free and confidential Pay and Work Rights Helpline. Any worker who is concerned that they have not received what they are entitled to should call the helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC follow up every complaint.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 220434 question first answered 16/01/2015 15:48:13 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

173665

	registered interest
	date	14/01/2015
	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	Social Services: Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the contribution of 13 January 2015 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Official Report, columns 218-22WH, on care sector, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department of Health on the effect of commissioning decisions by local authorities on the level of compliance with the national minimum wage in the care sector; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Sutton and Cheam
	tabling member printed	Paul Burstow
	uin	220728
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text <p>The Government is taking action to improve compliance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the social care sector. We are working closely with the Department of Health, Communities and Local Government and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).</p><p> </p><p>Over the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013, HMRC have made enquiries into 224 employers in the social care sector. Over half of these were paying less than the minimum wage between them owing £1,319 729 arrears of pay to 6550 workers, with penalties issued with a total value of £146,931. There are 94 investigations currently underway in the social care sector.</p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health have recently published statutory guidance for local authorities as part of the package of secondary legislation to accompany the Care Act. The chapter of statutory guidance on commissioning and market shaping explicitly states that local authorities should have evidence that contract terms, conditions and fee levels will not compromise care providers’ ability to pay at least minimum wages.</p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health is asking all Local Authorities to sign up to the Social Care Commitment which incorporates a statement about employer compliance with minimum wage legislation. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has written out to all its members encouraging them to support the Commitment as a way of raising standards in adult social care.</p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health is also working with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Health Services Management Centre at Birmingham University to develop as set of Commissioning Standards. Local authorities will be encouraged to use these as a benchmark to support them to improve commissioning practices, including those which have an impact on the social care workforce such as employer compliance with National Minimum Wage.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the actions we are currently taking to reduce non-compliance in the social care sector, we will also be:</p><p> </p><p>• issuing guidance to employers so that they understand the NMW law, including tips to avoid common mistakes and the records that they should be keeping to prove that they are paying their workers correctly.</p><p> </p><p>• encouraging care sector workers who have been underpaid to make a complaint- making sure that they understand their entitlement.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC have started work on new targeted enforcement work in the care sector.</p><p> </p><p>Any worker who is concerned that they have not received what they are entitled to should call the helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC follow up every complaint.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 19/01/2015 15:37:41 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	204 label Biography information for Paul Burstow

91348

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2014
	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	Families
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech of 15 August 2011 calling for a family test to be applied to all domestic policy, which policies of his Department have been so assessed to date.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester Central
	tabling member printed	Lucy Powell
	uin	208843
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2014 answer text <p>On 18 August 2014 my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that the family test was being formalised as part of the impact assessment for all domestic policies. From October 2014, every new domestic policy will be examined for its impact on the family.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 01/10/2014 12:48:58 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4263 label Biography information for Lucy Powell

78130

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2014
	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	Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Answer of 5 June 2013, Official Report, column 1152W, on buildings, how many members of staff are employed at each of his Department's office premises.
	tabling member constituency	Streatham
	tabling member printed	Mr Chuka Umunna
	uin	206041
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p>The following table shows how many members of staff are currently employed at each of the Department’s office premises (these include core BIS and UKTI staff only).</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong><em>BIS Office</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Location</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Region</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong>No of staff</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1 Victoria Street</p></td><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>2613</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>St Pauls Place</p></td><td><p>Sheffield</p></td><td><p>South Yorkshire</p></td><td><p>232</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Alexandra House</p></td><td><p>Leeds</p></td><td><p>West Yorkshire</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apex Court</p></td><td><p>Nottingham</p></td><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>29</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Arndale Tower</p></td><td><p>Manchester</p></td><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>20</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>The Axis—Birmingham</p></td><td><p>Birmingham</p></td><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bridge House</p></td><td><p>Guildford</p></td><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cannon House</p></td><td><p>Birmingham</p></td><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Castle View House</p></td><td><p>Runcorn</p></td><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Companies House</p></td><td><p>Cardiff</p></td><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>49</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Europa House</p></td><td><p>Glasgow</p></td><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>26</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Exchange House</p></td><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>21</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>IOS Manchester</p></td><td><p>Manchester</p></td><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Larkhill</p></td><td><p>Wiltshire</p></td><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Moongate House</p></td><td><p>Gateshead</p></td><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>18</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mowden Hall</p></td><td><p>Darlington</p></td><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>NTI Building</p></td><td><p>Birmingham</p></td><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Queensway House</p></td><td><p>Billingham</p></td><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Stanley Barracks</p></td><td><p>Dorset</p></td><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Stella House</p></td><td><p>Newcastle</p></td><td><p>North East</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Temple Quays</p></td><td><p>Bristol</p></td><td><p>South West</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Warrington</p></td><td><p>Warrington</p></td><td><p>North West</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Victoria House</p></td><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Westfield House</p></td><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 22/07/2014 14:37:34 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4128 label Biography information for Chuka Umunna

229056

	registered interest
	date	23/03/2015
	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	Entertainments: Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to paragraph 5.27 of the Low Pay Commission Report 2015, if he will take steps alongside stakeholders in the entertainment industry to produce and publish national minimum wage guidance for that sector.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol East
	tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
	uin	228763
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2015 answer text <p>We are committed to improving compliance with the National Minimum Wage. We do not currently have plans to publish guidance for individual sectors; however we will carefully consider the Low Pay Commissions (LPC) recommendations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We continue to work with the LPC and HMRC to ensure we provide clear and comprehensive information on the minimum wage rules, particularly in those sectors with complex ways of working. We will work with our stakeholders, including the entertainment industry, to make further improvements to the clarity of National Minimum Wage guidance and consider whether sector-specific guidance is necessary.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To date, we have improved the clarity of the National Minimum Wage regulations by consolidating the numerous amendments made since 1999 and making it easier for employers to understand the rules. These will come into force on 6 April.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have listened to stakeholders and have recognised that employers and workers also value official guidance. We have published detailed guidance on calculating the National Minimum Wage which is available on Gov.uk. This guidance aims to equip employers with the information they need to ensure they pay their workers the statutory minimum.</p><p> </p><p>We have also improved the information available on gov.uk on the National Minimum Wage rules, including:</p><p> </p><p>· The current and future National Minimum Wage rates</p><p> </p><p>· The Worker checklist</p><p> </p><p>· Work experience and internships</p><p> </p><p>· The increased penalty for breaching National Minimum Wage</p><p> </p><p>· The revised Criteria for Naming and shaming employers who breach National Minimum Wage legislation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Employers and workers can access further guidance by contacting the Acas Helpline online at: <a href="http://www.acas.org.uk/helplineonline" target="_blank">www.acas.org.uk/helplineonline</a> or by phone on 0300 123 1100.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 26/03/2015 14:41:40 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

168569

	registered interest
	date	08/12/2014
	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	Apprentices
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to page 5 of his Department's publication, National Minimum Wage, Interim government evidence for the 2015 Low Pay Commission report, published in October 2014, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the rate of non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for apprentices; and what steps he plans to take to increase the rate of compliance with the apprentice NMW.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	217744
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to the National Minimum Wage and is absolutely clear that everyone who is entitled to it should receive it. Any worker who thinks they have been underpaid should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the helpline and calls from apprentices are prioritised for consideration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware that non-compliance involving apprentices is an issue and we are taking action. We are:</p><p> </p><p>· Ensuring that all training providers [in England] deliver on existing obligations to inform employers and apprentices of their NMW requirements.</p><p> </p><p>· Improving guidance and information more generally, to ensure we have clear and comprehensive information on the minimum wage rules. In England the National Apprenticeship Service includes information on the NMW in its information pack for employers taking on an apprentice.</p><p> </p><p>· Encouraging workers to call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline if they think they are not getting what they are legally entitled to through our communication campaign which began in Sept 2014.</p><p> </p><p>· Writing to level 2 &amp; 3 apprentices in England informing them of their NMW entitlement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to consider whether we can simplify the apprentice rate structure so that it is as clear and simple as possible, in order to support those employers who take on apprentices. The LPC will report back with their recommendations in February 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to take a tough approach towards all employers that do not comply with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, including through making their non-compliance public. 55 employers, including some who underpaid apprentices, have been named so far and between them they owed workers a total of over £139,000 in arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid arrears owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. This came into effect on 7 March 2014. We are introducing primary legislation so that the penalty can be calculated on a per worker basis which will substantially increase the penalty for some employers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There have been no prosecutions since 2010 involving apprentices. Prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. The Government usually pursues other means, which are more effective, to achieve the key goals of getting workers paid their arrears of wages and deter employers from being non-compliant. For example, the Government policy on the naming scheme and the increase in the NMW civil penalty will have considerable reputational and financial consequences for employers who are non-compliant with the NMW. However, HMRC will refer suitable cases to prosecutors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 217684 217685 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:21:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

168829

	registered interest
	date	09/12/2014
	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	Holiday Leave: Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to his Department's announcement of 4 November 2014, on establishing a taskforce to assess the possible impact of the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling on holiday pay, what the membership of that taskforce is; when that taskforce's first meeting was; and what the remit of that taskforce is.
	tabling member constituency	Edinburgh South
	tabling member printed	Ian Murray
	uin	217844
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>The Taskforce is comprised of representatives from the CBI, Institute of Directors, British Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, the Engineering Employers Federation, the Construction Engineering Contractors Association, the British Retail Consortium and GC100. Officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, HM Treasury, HMRC, Cabinet Office and the Department for Work and Pensions also attend. Its first meeting took place on the 6<sup>th</sup> November 2014. The purpose of the group is to discuss ways to limit the judgment’s impact on business. This encompasses both issues relating to backpay and management of future workforce planning</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 15/12/2014 15:57:34 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	3966 label Biography information for Ian Murray