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170442

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Ambulance Services: Greater London
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of London Ambulance Service front-line staff in (a) London and (b) Enfield; and how many front-line staff there were in (i) each of the last five years and (ii) 2014 to date.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Nick de Bois
	uin	218654
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The information is not available in the format requested. London ambulance service (LAS) does not operate on a borough by borough geographical basis and patients in Enfield are clinically assessed and attended by the ambulance crew that can reach them most quickly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Numbers of frontline staff* in post in the Edmonton Complex (which includes Chase Farm, Ponders End, Edmonton, Tottenham and Bounds Green ambulance stations) in the most recent years for which figures are available are shown in the following table. Numbers of frontline staff in post across London in each of the most recent five years are also shown in the following table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Edmonton (WTE)</p></td><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>IN POST</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>138</p></td><td><p>145</p></td><td><p>190</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BUDGET</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>n/a</p></td><td><p>132</p></td><td><p>152</p></td><td><p>189</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total LAS (WTE)</p></td><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>IN POST</p></td><td><p>2,956</p></td><td><p>2,893</p></td><td><p>2,753</p></td><td><p>2,652</p></td><td><p>2,647</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BUDGET</p></td><td><p>3,030</p></td><td><p>2,972</p></td><td><p>2,872</p></td><td><p>3,012</p></td><td><p>3,056</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>*’frontline staff’ includes all paramedic and non-paramedic grades that work on frontline crews.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>WTE= whole time equivalent</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Battersea answering member printed Jane Ellison question first answered 18/12/2014 17:18:53 answering member 3918 label Biography information for Jane Ellison
	tabling member	4002 label Biography information for Nick de Bois

170465

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Animal Experiments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 28 March 2011 to Question 45398, whether it remains the policy of her Department that a ban on the testing of household products on animals will apply to both finished products and ingredients; whether there is now a definition of household products; and when the ban will be implemented.
	tabling member constituency	Torbay
	tabling member printed	Mr Adrian Sanders
	uin	218697
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>We have made a commitment to ban the testing of household products on animals. Although superficially straightforward, this issue has not been easy to resolve. The key issue is around ingredients. We are currently engaging with <br>stakeholders to develop a solution that is workable, but does not have a chain of unforeseen circumstances. <br><br>Any solution has to be legally viable since we cannot ban testing which may be required under UK or EU law. The solution we develop must not preclude research that is a lawful requirement nor that which has significant benefits to people, the environment or animals. Nor should it drive research overseas.<br><br>There is, at present, no authoritative definition of household products in the United Kingdom or European legislation. Through stakeholder engagement we are seeking to develop an agreed definition.</p><p /> answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone question first answered 18/12/2014 14:51:25 answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone
	tabling member	237 label Biography information for Mr Adrian Sanders

170466

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Animal Experiments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many animals were used for testing (a) finished household products and (b) household product ingredients in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Torbay
	tabling member printed	Mr Adrian Sanders
	uin	218698
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The Home Office does not collect data on the number of animals used in scientific procedures for testing (a) finished household products or (b) household product ingredients. It does however collect data on the number of <br>animals used in procedures undertaken for the testing of substances used in the household, in Great Britain.<br><br>In 2010 there were 24 animals used in procedures for the testing of substances used in the household. In 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 there were no animals used in procedures for the testing of substances used in the household.</p><p /> answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone question first answered 18/12/2014 14:59:50 answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone
	tabling member	237 label Biography information for Mr Adrian Sanders

170301

	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	Apprentices: 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, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2014 to Question 217684, how many employers have been fined for non-payment of the apprentice National Minimum Wage at the rate introduced in March 2014.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	218677
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The Notice of Underpayment issued to an employer by HMRC following the identification of underpayments of the National Minimum Wage does not differentiate between underpayments to workers and apprentices. Non-compliance involving apprentices is not restricted to the Apprentice National Minimum Wage; some non-compliance will occur where an apprentice is entitled to the relevant age rate (where they are aged over 19 and have completed their first year).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is therefore not possible to provide information on the number of employers who have faced a penalty for non-payment of the apprentice National Minimum Wage since March 2014, as HMRC do not hold this information. Nor is it possible to provide details of the number of naming cases involving underpayments to apprentices. We can confirm that every employer that has been named has faced a financial penalty. These penalties will have related to pay reference periods falling before and after 7 March 2014 and so will have been calculated at the previous and current rates.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In 2014/15, the National Minimum Wage enforcement budget was increased by £1.2m from £8m to £9.2m. There are currently 189 staff across HMRC contributing to enforcing NMW, including people who work in legal advice, debt management, technical support and criminal investigation, amongst others. This includes an additional 26 inspectors recently recruited following the in-year 14/15 funding increase. Within this overall resource, we do not specify an amount that should be allocated to enforcing the apprentice National Minimum Wage. HMRC are required to respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition to this, complaints from apprentices are prioritised and fast-tracked.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Anyone who is concerned that they have been underpaid the National Minimum Wage should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline for free and confidential advice on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 218678 218679 question first answered 18/12/2014 12:16:41 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

170302

	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	Apprentices: 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, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2014 to Question 217684, how many of the 55 companies named for non-payment of the National Minimum Wage had underpaid apprentices; and how many of those 55 companies have been fined for non-payment of the apprentice National Minimum Wage.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	218678
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The Notice of Underpayment issued to an employer by HMRC following the identification of underpayments of the National Minimum Wage does not differentiate between underpayments to workers and apprentices. Non-compliance involving apprentices is not restricted to the Apprentice National Minimum Wage; some non-compliance will occur where an apprentice is entitled to the relevant age rate (where they are aged over 19 and have completed their first year).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is therefore not possible to provide information on the number of employers who have faced a penalty for non-payment of the apprentice National Minimum Wage since March 2014, as HMRC do not hold this information. Nor is it possible to provide details of the number of naming cases involving underpayments to apprentices. We can confirm that every employer that has been named has faced a financial penalty. These penalties will have related to pay reference periods falling before and after 7 March 2014 and so will have been calculated at the previous and current rates.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In 2014/15, the National Minimum Wage enforcement budget was increased by £1.2m from £8m to £9.2m. There are currently 189 staff across HMRC contributing to enforcing NMW, including people who work in legal advice, debt management, technical support and criminal investigation, amongst others. This includes an additional 26 inspectors recently recruited following the in-year 14/15 funding increase. Within this overall resource, we do not specify an amount that should be allocated to enforcing the apprentice National Minimum Wage. HMRC are required to respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition to this, complaints from apprentices are prioritised and fast-tracked.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Anyone who is concerned that they have been underpaid the National Minimum Wage should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline for free and confidential advice on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 218677 218679 question first answered 18/12/2014 12:16:41 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

170303

	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	Apprentices: 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, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2014 to Question 217684, what (a) funding and (b) staffing has been allocated to enforcement of the apprentice National Minimum Wage.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	218679
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The Notice of Underpayment issued to an employer by HMRC following the identification of underpayments of the National Minimum Wage does not differentiate between underpayments to workers and apprentices. Non-compliance involving apprentices is not restricted to the Apprentice National Minimum Wage; some non-compliance will occur where an apprentice is entitled to the relevant age rate (where they are aged over 19 and have completed their first year).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is therefore not possible to provide information on the number of employers who have faced a penalty for non-payment of the apprentice National Minimum Wage since March 2014, as HMRC do not hold this information. Nor is it possible to provide details of the number of naming cases involving underpayments to apprentices. We can confirm that every employer that has been named has faced a financial penalty. These penalties will have related to pay reference periods falling before and after 7 March 2014 and so will have been calculated at the previous and current rates.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In 2014/15, the National Minimum Wage enforcement budget was increased by £1.2m from £8m to £9.2m. There are currently 189 staff across HMRC contributing to enforcing NMW, including people who work in legal advice, debt management, technical support and criminal investigation, amongst others. This includes an additional 26 inspectors recently recruited following the in-year 14/15 funding increase. Within this overall resource, we do not specify an amount that should be allocated to enforcing the apprentice National Minimum Wage. HMRC are required to respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition to this, complaints from apprentices are prioritised and fast-tracked.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Anyone who is concerned that they have been underpaid the National Minimum Wage should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline for free and confidential advice on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 218677 218678 question first answered 18/12/2014 12:16:41 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

170361

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Armoured Fighting Vehicles
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the Army's armoured fighting vehicles is available for urgent deployment.
	tabling member constituency	Gedling
	tabling member printed	Vernon Coaker
	uin	218828
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence's levels of readiness are based upon the Defence Strategic Direction and set out in the Defence Plan. This requires the Army to have a variety of forces at a series of graduated levels of readiness in order to be prepared for operations. There are sufficient armoured fighting vehicles available to support the deployment of these units. We do not routinely comment on specific levels of readiness for individual capabilities as to do so would compromise operational security, or would or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.</p> answering member constituency Canterbury answering member printed Mr Julian Brazier question first answered 18/12/2014 16:43:56 answering member 77 label Biography information for Sir Julian Brazier
	tabling member	360 label Biography information for Lord Coaker

170394

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Azerbaijan
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) human rights record of the government of Azerbaijan and (b) compatibility of that record with (i) membership of the EU and (ii) the European Convention of Human Rights.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
	tabling member printed	Richard Burden
	uin	218612
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The UK is concerned about the human rights situation in Azerbaijan and regularly raises these concerns with the government of Azerbaijan. As a member of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan is a party to the European Convention on Human Rights, and we regularly encourage Azerbaijan to implement its Council of Europe commitments. During Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe between May and November this year, the UK raised concerns about the deterioration of human rights. Azerbaijan has not expressed an interest in becoming a member of the EU. Nevertheless, human rights is a priority area for EU/Azerbaijan cooperation under the 2006 European Neighbourhood Action Plan.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 18/12/2014 15:32:51 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
	tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

170396

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Bahrain
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what funding his Department provides for the promotion of human rights in Bahrain.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol East
	tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
	uin	218821
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will have provided in the region of £1.5 million worth of support to Bahrain's reform programme this financial year. Our reform assistance is focused on strengthening human rights and the rule of law, including torture prevention and capacity building of the Ombudsman's Office for the Ministry of Interior. The Ombudsman's Office has responsibility for investigating allegations of detainee mistreatment.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/12/2014 14:15:43 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

170397

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Bahrain
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to list Bahrain as a country of concern in his Department's next Human Rights and Democracy Report.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol East
	tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
	uin	218822
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>Bahrain is a country case study in the 2013 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy. As such, we monitor the human rights situation in Bahrain and issue a biannual update. We will review all countries with human rights concerns in our preparation for the 2014 Annual Report, which will be published in early 2015. We continue to assist the Bahrain government with its reforms including on human rights and the rule of law.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/12/2014 14:09:18 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy