Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

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

170399

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, which human rights concerns he discussed with the Undersecretary at the Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs during his visit to London in December 2014.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	218819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>I co-chaired the UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group meeting on 4 December with the Undersecretary of the Bahraini Ministry of the Interior, H.E Abdullah Abdulatif Abdulla. We discussed progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry Report, and UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review. We agreed that the UK would continue to provide assistance to Bahrain’s reform programme, with a continuing focus on strengthening human rights and the rule of law. We also discussed the death of Hasan al-Shaikh, an inmate at the Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre, and the importance of carrying out a thorough and transparent investigation. I will continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to advance the democratisation and human rights agenda.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/12/2014 14:17:21 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

170400

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 assessment he has made of changes in the human rights situation in Bahrain in the last six months.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	218820
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>We are supportive of the reforms underway in Bahrain and the steps taken by the Bahraini government to implement the recommendations set out in the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and UN Universal Periodic Review. Notable steps in the past six months have been: <br><br>The first annual report by the Ministry of the Interior’s Ombudsman’s Office, released in May, which detailed the cases it has dealt with since July 2013; The first report of the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission in August, following its inspection visit to Dry Dock Detention Facility; and the report from the National Institute of Human Rights in September which identified a number of perceived shortcomings and made a series of recommendations to the Government of Bahrain.</p><p><br>I am pleased that the EU chose to award the Chaillot Prize to the Ministry of the Interior’s Ombudsman’s office and the National Institute for Human Rights (NIHR) in December for work to improve human rights in Bahrain. I will continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to ensure that the reform programme continues and the recommendations made in the reports are implemented fully.</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/12/2014 14:19:25 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy