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1081798

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Labour Market: Inspections
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to increase the number of labour market inspectors in line with the International Labour Organisation benchmark of one for every 10,000 workers.
	tabling member constituency	Aberavon
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kinnock
	uin	228097
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>Government is exploring options for a single labour market enforcement body – we will publish proposals on this for consultation shortly. More recently we announced that this consultation will consider extending the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority’s licensing scheme to further sectors and that we will ensure trade unions and businesses are consulted on the strategic direction of labour market enforcement.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the forthcoming Spending Review we will consider what level of funding is appropriate to ensure that it is adequately resourced to deliver its strengthened remit.</p><p> </p><p>Government is committed to ensuring fair and effective enforcement. We have taken concrete measures to increase the number of labour market inspectors and extend their coverage.</p><p> </p><ul><li>Government has increased funding for HMRC’s enforcement of the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) to a record high of £26.3 million for 2018/19. The NMW enforcement team went from 140 staff in 2015-16 to 424 in 2017/18 (measured on a full-time equivalent basis).</li><li>Funding for the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) has also risen in the last two years to reflect the expansion of its remit to tackle labour exploitation. The GLAA now receives over £7m per year in funding, up from £4.5m in 2016/17.</li><li>The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate has seen its funding increase from £0.5m in 2016/17 to £0.725m in 2018/19.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The Good Work Plan went further, setting out a number of measures to improve state enforcement of core employment rights. In addition to introducing state enforcement of holiday pay for vulnerable workers, we also committed to expand protection of agency workers to cover umbrella companies.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 11/03/2019 17:43:56 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 106417 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4359 label Biography information for Stephen Kinnock

1081799

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Minimum Wage: Non-payment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to increase prosecution and conviction rates for non-payment of the minimum wage.
	tabling member constituency	Aberavon
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kinnock
	uin	228098
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>The enforcement of the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage (NMW) is a top priority for the Government; we have increased HMRC’s enforcement budget to a record high of £26.3 million for 2018-19.</p><p> </p><p>Last year, HMRC identified a record £15.6 million in arrears of wages for over 200,000 workers. In addition, HMRC issued £14.1 million in financial penalties to employers who breached NMW rules; the highest amount ever.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to civil penalties, since April 2016 Labour Market Enforcement Agencies have been making use of new powers to issue Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings and Orders. A two year custodial sentence and/or unlimited fine is available where a business breaches an LME order.</p><p> </p><p>Prosecution is reserved for the most egregious breaches of NMW law. In most cases it is not the best approach to help workers. Criminal sanctions against employers can mean that workers must wait considerably longer for their lost earnings to be paid back.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 11/03/2019 17:42:37 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 106418 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4359 label Biography information for Stephen Kinnock

1023247

	registered interest
	date	11/12/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Business: Scotland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on businesses in Scotland deploying no-deal contingency plans as a result of the Government deferring the meaningful vote on the Withdrawal Agreement.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
	tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
	uin	201183
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2018 answer text <p>Ministers in BEIS regularly speak to Scottish ministers about a wide range of issues including contingency planning.</p><p> </p><p>We do not want or expect a no deal scenario. We have agreed in principle the terms of the UK’s smooth and orderly exit from the EU, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. However, it is the duty of a responsible government to prepare business for a range of potential outcomes, and, as such, Government published 106 technical notices over the summer. Businesses have told us they will continue with no-deal contingency planning in light of these, and further guidance, until the agreement is finalised.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 20/12/2018 17:45:18 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 92362 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1023249

	registered interest
	date	11/12/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Business
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of businesses deploying no-deal contingency plans as a result of the Government deferring the meaningful vote on the Withdrawal Agreement.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
	tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
	uin	201185
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>We do not want or expect a no deal scenario. We have agreed in principle the terms of the UK’s smooth and orderly exit from the EU, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. However, it is the duty of a responsible government to prepare business for a range of potential outcomes, and, as such, Government published 106 technical notices over the summer. Businesses have told us they will continue with no-deal contingency planning in light of these, and further guidance, until the agreement is finalised.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 17/12/2018 18:04:26 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 92363 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1020870

	registered interest
	date	07/12/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Companies House: Registration
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to reduce the risk of fraud from the availability of personal information on the Companies House database.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	200149
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>The Government considers that it is important that the information on the companies register should not become a tool for abuse. In response to concerns about the availability of residential address information on the register, we brought regulations into force in April to make it easier for people to have this information suppressed. We are also currently considering a broad package of reforms to Companies House, including the protection of personal information. We plan to consult on these reforms in 2019.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 12/12/2018 16:51:21 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1077334

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Minimum Wage: Ashfield
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what percentage of jobs in Ashfield constituency pay (a) the national minimum wage and (b) sums up to the living wage.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	225472
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2019 answer text <p>Through the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) the Government helps to protect the lowest paid in society. We are committed to raising the NLW to 60 per cent of median earnings by 2020, subject to economic growth.</p><p> </p><p>On 1 April 2019, the NLW will increase by 4.9% to £8.21. This means that the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW will have increased by £2,750 since the policy was introduced. Increases to the NMW rates, also effective from 1 April, will continue to outstrip inflation.</p><p> </p><p>The Government estimates that in the Ashfield constituency 3,800 workers are paid the NLW (for those aged 25 and over) or NMW rates (for those aged between 16-24 and apprentices). This represents 9 per cent of the constituency’s workforce. This estimate is obtained from the Office for National Statistics’ Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 28/02/2019 17:05:26 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

1063602

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Minimum Wage: Voluntary Work
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what amendments have been made to the guidance relating to section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 since its enactment.
	tabling member constituency	Ashford
	tabling member printed	Damian Green
	uin	222587
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 answer text <p>Section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 sets out a specific exemption that applies to voluntary workers. People volunteering for charities, voluntary organisations and other relevant organisations contribute a huge value to society, and they do so without an expectation of being paid the National Minimum Wage.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance is available on <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgov.uk&amp;data=02%7C01%7CSusan.Walker%40beis.gov.uk%7C9504bf748f074d9c905b08d6964ea43d%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C636861663186015865&amp;sdata=Xcsw8v7BSTD2O4SB2kRvVRAD5eU7LFx78KVx02w6kBI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">gov.uk</a> to support charitable and other relevant organisations in determining when voluntary workers are covered by the exemption. This is contained in ‘Calculating the Minimum Wage’, which was first published in April 2013 and can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-the-minimum-wage" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-the-minimum-wage</a></p><p> </p><p>This guidance on when voluntary workers are exempt from the National Minimum Wage has not been the subject of a formal consultation and there are no immediate plans to amend it. If the Department receives representations that show there is a need for improved guidance we would consider these carefully.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 222588 222589 question first answered 26/02/2019 14:46:22 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1063603

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Minimum Wage: Voluntary Work
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether there was a public consultation in support of the development of guidance relating to section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.
	tabling member constituency	Ashford
	tabling member printed	Damian Green
	uin	222588
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 answer text <p>Section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 sets out a specific exemption that applies to voluntary workers. People volunteering for charities, voluntary organisations and other relevant organisations contribute a huge value to society, and they do so without an expectation of being paid the National Minimum Wage.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance is available on <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgov.uk&amp;data=02%7C01%7CSusan.Walker%40beis.gov.uk%7C9504bf748f074d9c905b08d6964ea43d%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C636861663186015865&amp;sdata=Xcsw8v7BSTD2O4SB2kRvVRAD5eU7LFx78KVx02w6kBI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">gov.uk</a> to support charitable and other relevant organisations in determining when voluntary workers are covered by the exemption. This is contained in ‘Calculating the Minimum Wage’, which was first published in April 2013 and can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-the-minimum-wage" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-the-minimum-wage</a></p><p> </p><p>This guidance on when voluntary workers are exempt from the National Minimum Wage has not been the subject of a formal consultation and there are no immediate plans to amend it. If the Department receives representations that show there is a need for improved guidance we would consider these carefully.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 222587 222589 question first answered 26/02/2019 14:46:22 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1063604

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Minimum Wage: Voluntary Work
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to amend the guidance relating to section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Ashford
	tabling member printed	Damian Green
	uin	222589
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 answer text <p>Section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 sets out a specific exemption that applies to voluntary workers. People volunteering for charities, voluntary organisations and other relevant organisations contribute a huge value to society, and they do so without an expectation of being paid the National Minimum Wage.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance is available on <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgov.uk&amp;data=02%7C01%7CSusan.Walker%40beis.gov.uk%7C9504bf748f074d9c905b08d6964ea43d%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C636861663186015865&amp;sdata=Xcsw8v7BSTD2O4SB2kRvVRAD5eU7LFx78KVx02w6kBI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">gov.uk</a> to support charitable and other relevant organisations in determining when voluntary workers are covered by the exemption. This is contained in ‘Calculating the Minimum Wage’, which was first published in April 2013 and can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-the-minimum-wage" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-the-minimum-wage</a></p><p> </p><p>This guidance on when voluntary workers are exempt from the National Minimum Wage has not been the subject of a formal consultation and there are no immediate plans to amend it. If the Department receives representations that show there is a need for improved guidance we would consider these carefully.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 222587 222588 question first answered 26/02/2019 14:46:22 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1020641

	registered interest
	date	06/12/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Insolvency
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to protect consumers who are owed goods or services from a company which has ceased trading without any apparent residual assets, particularly in cases where the registered owner has a record of previous companies dissolving in similar circumstances.
	tabling member constituency	Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
	tabling member printed	Bill Grant
	uin	199903
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2018 answer text <p>Where a business collapses with no assets there are limited opportunities for consumers to obtain refunds, but the Government has issued guidance to help Insolvency Practitioners to highlight the best options to consumers.</p><p> </p><p>Where a consumer has paid by credit card and not received the goods or the services they have paid for there are extra protections where those goods cost between £100 and £30,000. In these cases, the consumer can claim back the total value of their prepayment by contacting their credit card issuing company. Consumers who purchased goods by debit card may also be able to claim through a chargeback scheme as long as they do this within a certain time period (normally 120 days). Further information on chargeback can be found at: <a href="http://www.theukcardsassociation.org.uk/individual/chargeback-for-credit-and-debit-card-purchases.asp" target="_blank">http://www.theukcardsassociation.org.uk/individual/chargeback-for-credit-and-debit-card-purchases.asp</a>.</p><p> </p><p>In August 2018, the Government announced its intention to extend existing powers to investigate, disqualify and prosecute directors of insolvent companies to also cover former directors of dissolved companies. This includes instances of directors repeatedly dissolving companies and leaving behind debts and other liabilities – often to the detriment of small businesses, consumers and employees.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 14/12/2018 13:39:15 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4605 label Biography information for Bill Grant