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169319

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupil Premium
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to extending the measure of disadvantage for school pupils to include factors beyond eligibility for free school meals and the Pupil Premium.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL3605
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government currently defines the term ‘disadvantaged pupil’ in national statistics to be those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years or children looked after for six months or more. These are the pupils who attract pupil premium funding.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>From April 2014, eligibility for the pupil premium was extended to all looked after children, and to children who have left care through adoption, special guardianship orders or child arrangements orders. The Government is considering widening the national statistics definition of “disadvantaged pupil” to this group for the publication of test and examination results from 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We recognise that educational disadvantage extends beyond eligibility for free school meals and the pupil premium. This is why the Government has given local authorities the discretion to allocate dedicated schools grant funding for pupils with low prior attainment and pupils for whom English is not their first language. In addition, local authorities can choose to allocate funding through an area-based measure of deprivation, either alongside or instead of free school meals eligibility.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In considering future measures of disadvantage, the Department for Education commissioned RAND and the University of Cambridge to undertake a study to examine whether indicators other than free school meal eligibility may be used to identify which pupils are likely to underachieve. The report will be published soon.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 17/12/2014 14:42:09 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

169363

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Shoplifting: Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions there have been for shoplifting in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	218070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>Theft from a shop is one way in which the offence of Theft contrary to Section 1(1) &amp; 7 of the Theft Act 1968 is committed. There is no specific offence of that title. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of <strong>prosecutions</strong> for the specific offence of shoplifting. Identifying the number of prosecutions in which there was one or more charges relating to theft from a shop would require a manual exercise to review individual files which would incur a disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The CPS does maintain a central record of the number of <strong>offences</strong> of shoplifting charged under section 1 of the Theft Act 1968 in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates’ courts. It is not possible to identify the number of defendants or cases prosecuted from this data. The table below shows the number of shoplifting offences that reached a first hearing for the last five years:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>Theft Act 1968 { 1(1) and 7 }: Theft from a shop</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-2010</p></td><td><p>111,386</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-2011</p></td><td><p>115,112</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-2012</p></td><td><p>116,115</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-2013</p></td><td><p>113,258</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-2014</p></td><td><p>124,621</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The CPS’s offences data provides no indication of the final prosecution outcome, or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is also often the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same victim.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 15/12/2014 16:08:51 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

169365

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2014 to Question 216899, what terms of reference have been set for the taskforce; and if he will publish the taskforce's membership and the date by which it has been asked to conclude its work.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Mr Christopher Chope
uin	218111
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 my Department, HM Treasury, HMRC, Cabinet Office and the Department for Work and Pensions also attend.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>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><p> </p><p>The Department has set no fixed date for conclusion of the Taskforce’s work. Managing matters relating to holiday pay is an ongoing issue and we will be happy to continue this engagement with business organisations for as long as necessary.<br></p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 15/12/2014 15:56:04 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

169367

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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	South West
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate how much his Department has spent in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in each year since 2007-08.
tabling member constituency	Truro and Falmouth
tabling member printed	Sarah Newton
uin	218204
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>This information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost as the Department does not report how much spending it makes within individual Counties.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>My hon Friend may wish to know that the range of activities undertaken by the Department includes direct and indirect support, advice and information all of which has associated cost. However, since May 2010 the Department has routinely published details of all expenditure. This includes the name of the supplier/recipient, the postcode, amount and purpose. This information can be found at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bis-spending-totals" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bis-spending-totals</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 15/12/2014 15:55:07 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton

169368

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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	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, if he will estimate the total income lost each year to employees who are entitled to but are not paid the National Minimum Wage.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	218189
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>There is no reliable estimate of the total income lost each year as a result of non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage.</p><p> </p><p>Office for National Statistics estimates of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) show that there were 236,000 jobs with pay less than the NMW held by employees aged 16 and over in April 2014. This constituted 0.9% of UK employee jobs.</p><p> </p><p>However, although it is our best measure of earnings, ASHE is not a complete measure of non-compliance as, for example, it does not account for employers making authorised deductions for accommodation.</p><p> </p><p>Calculating the income lost would require more assumptions to be made about the level of underpayment for individual jobs and would be significantly less robust.</p><p> </p><p>We have increased the resources available for enforcement, strengthening HMRC’s capacity to investigate complaints and target employers where the likelihood of non-compliance is highest. We have also increased the sanctions for non-compliance. Employers will face a maximum penalty of £20,000 per worker and will be publicly named and shamed. Any worker who feels they are not getting what they are due can call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 15/12/2014 15:52:07 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

169369

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Crown Commercial Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what performance data Crown Commercial Services (a) collects or (b) recommends be collected from public sector contractors.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	218236
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>Before 2010 Whitehall didn't know how much business departments did with strategic suppliers. The Government has developed a new approach to how it engages with its strategic suppliers, including establishing a network of Crown Representatives to manage these relationships. The Crown Commercial Service collects performance reports in relation to contracts held by strategic suppliers, as set out in the Strategic Supplier Risk Management (SSRM) policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Horsham answering member printed Mr Francis Maude question first answered 15/12/2014 17:22:02 answering member 115 label Biography information for Lord Maude of Horsham
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

169371

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Food Banks
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he has visited a foodbank.
tabling member constituency	Rhondda
tabling member printed	Chris Bryant
uin	218009
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>I visited Oxford Food Bank on 12 June 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Horsham answering member printed Mr Francis Maude question first answered 15/12/2014 17:22:56 answering member 115 label Biography information for Lord Maude of Horsham
tabling member	1446 label Biography information for Sir Chris Bryant

169372

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Average Earnings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the annual percentage change in median gross weekly earnings was for (a) full-time employees who were in (i) continuous and (ii) discontinuous employment from one year to the next and (b) full-time employees aged 30 to 50 who were in (i) continuous and (ii) discontinuous employment from one year to the next in each year since 2005.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	218074
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading East answering member printed Mr Rob Wilson question first answered 16/12/2014 16:57:21 answering member 1556 label Biography information for Mr Rob Wilson attachment 1 file name PQ 218074 ONS 461.pdf title ONS Letter to Member - Median Gross Weekly Earning
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

169376

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Air Passenger Duty: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 1.214 of the Autumn Statement 2014, what estimate he has made of the annual number of families that will be affected by the removal of Air Passenger Duty from those aged under (a) 12 and (b) 16 each year.
tabling member constituency	Altrincham and Sale West
tabling member printed	Mr Graham Brady
uin	218030
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>As a result of Budget and Autumn Statement announcements on APD, over ninety-nine per cent of passengers, including many families, will see a freeze or reduction in Air Passenger Duty in 2015-16.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Budget 2014 announced a freeze in the rate of Air Passenger Duty for short-haul international and domestic flights for a fourth year running. In addition Budget 2014 reforms Air Passenger Duty with the abolition of bands C and D from 1 April 2015. This cuts tax for passengers travelling to destinations such as Brazil, India, China, South Asia and the Caribbean.</p><p> </p><p>Autumn Statement 2014 also announced additional family travel savings through an Air Passenger Duty exemption for children under 12 on economy tickets, with effect from 1 May 2015. From the following year, the Government will abolish economy ticket Air Passenger Duty for children under 16 altogether.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This will save a two child family £26 on economy short-haul flights and £142 on economy long-haul flights, plus adds to Budget 2014’s adult fare savings for families flying economy to destinations like the Caribbean and Australia, taking accumulative savings to £170 and £194 respectively.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 15/12/2014 17:02:48 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	435 label Biography information for Sir Graham Brady

169377

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Unpaid Taxes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 1.5 of the HM Revenue and Customs' summary of responses to the consultation on Direct Recovery of Debts, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of guaranteeing that every debtor will receive a face-to-face visit in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-19 and (e) 2019-20.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Ladywood
tabling member printed	Shabana Mahmood
uin	218033
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>Direct Recovery of Debts (DRD) is expected to affect around 17,000 debtors each year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC has a well-established process for making face-to-face visits to debtors who do not pay what they owe. In 2013-14, HMRC’s Field Force agents made around 900,000 visits to debtors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Some of those who will be considered for DRD would receive a visit from a Field Force officer in the course of normal debt enforcement. Once DRD begins operation, these visits will provide a further opportunity for HMRC to:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>personally identify the taxpayer and confirm it is their debt</p></li><li><p>explain to debtors what they owe, why they are being pursued for payment, and discuss payment of the debt</p></li><li><p>discuss options to resolve the debt, including offering a Time to Pay arrangement to the debtor, where appropriate</p></li><li><p>identify debtors who are in a vulnerable position and offer them the support they need to settle their debts.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC anticipates that it will absorb the operational cost of DRD visits within its current funding envelope, £800,000 for the systems changes that will underpin the delivery of this measure.</p></li></ul><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 16/12/2014 16:50:52 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	3914 label Biography information for Shabana Mahmood