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170489

	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	Email: Fraud
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to tackle phishing.
	tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
	tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
	uin	218746
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>The need to tackle cyber crime was identified as a key objective of the Government’s Cyber Security Strategy, which is underpinned by £860 million of funding over five years through the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP). Around 10% of this has been invested in improving the capabilities of law enforcement agencies to respond to cyber crime.</p><p>The National Cyber Crime Unit in the National Crime Agency is responsible for tackling some of the most serious cases of malware - which is often delivered using phishing techniques and which is responsible for infecting computers and stealing banking and other information. This work was undertaken in conjunction with their international <br>partners, to tackle those cyber criminals operating internationally, as well as the cyber teams that have been built in the network of Regional Organised Crime Units throughout England and Wales, also using NCSP funding.</p><p><br>The Government is committed to supporting the public and industry to better protect themselves from this type of criminality. The NCSP also funds the Cyber Streetwise awareness campaign, which encourages the public and Small and Medium Enterprises to adopt safer online behaviour. Phase 2 of the campaign launched in October 2014, including a refreshed website with further advice and support. Cyberstreetwise.com has had over 170,000 page views on the updated website since October – this is nearly three times higher than at the same time of phase one.</p><p><br>The Government also funds Action Fraud, run by the City of London Police, which is the central reporting point for fraud and financially-motivated cyber crime. This service also provides information on the latest fraud threats, including phishing emails, and individuals can sign up to be alerted when new threats emerge. In December last year, the Government published a set of Guiding Principles with Internet Service Providers which agreed minimum standards for supporting their customers to stay safe online.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Staffordshire Moorlands answering member printed Karen Bradley grouped question UIN 218712 question first answered 17/12/2014 18:08:26 answering member 4110 label Biography information for Dame Karen Bradley
	tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

170289

	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	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 take steps to ensure that interns used for full-time work are paid at least the National Minimum Wage; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Warrington North
	tabling member printed	Helen Jones
	uin	218759
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The term “intern” is not defined in any legislation: entitlement to the minimum wage depends on whether or not an individual is a worker. If an internship meets the legal definition of a worker, then they must be paid at least the minimum wage from the start.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Given this dependency on employment status, it is vital that employers and workers understand how this is determined. We continue to carry out targeted awareness raising initiatives with interns and HMRC have been working with employers to identify potential non-compliance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Complaints from interns about non-payment of the minimum wage are prioritised by HMRC for investigation and HMRC will investigate every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should call the helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Determining an individual’s employment status can be complicated. This is why the Business Secretary announced a review of employment status in October this year, to help ensure an employment status framework in the UK that meets the needs of everyone. This is an internal review and will present findings to ministers early next year.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 18/12/2014 12:13:10 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	432 label Biography information for Helen Jones

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

170298

	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what meetings he has had with his ministerial colleagues on what steps to take in response to allegations that Scottish Power mis-sold cashback warranties in the 1990s.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	218620
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No meetings have been held between myself, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills or other ministerial colleagues concerning this matter. The Secretary of State and I have both met with the Insolvency Service for briefing on their conclusions following review of material submitted by liquidators of two companies involved in administering the cash-back warranty scheme.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 18/12/2014 12:11:50 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

170299

	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to keep the people who lost money following the failure of firms involved in Scottish Power's cash back warranty scheme updated on progress on the review of whether there will be a further investigation of that matter.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	218621
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Investigations conducted under section 447 Companies Act 1985 are confidential, therefore it is not possible to announce whether or not such an investigation is taking place, or to report on the investigation outside of strict statutory gateways.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Whether or not an investigation under section 432 Companies Act 1985 is being undertaken is something which can be announced, and I am able to confirm that such an investigation will not be commenced at this stage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Because the liquidation of the companies involved in the scheme is still under way, I do not propose to make a public announcement about the outcome of any review. However the creditors of those companies will receive reports from the liquidators if they are to be paid further dividends.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 18/12/2014 12:10:36 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

170300

	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	Company Investigations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Insolvency Service plans to conduct any inquiries under sections 432 or 447 of the Companies Act 1985 in the next six months.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	218622
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>For the financial year 2014-15 The Insolvency Service anticipates conducting between 140 and 160 investigations under section 447 Companies Act 1985. This is part of the normal function of the Insolvency Service so I can confirm that investigations will be conducted using this power in the next six months, though it is not possible to say how many.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The circumstances giving rise to an investigation using section 432 Companies Act 1985 are much less common, and I cannot at present state whether any such investigations will be commenced within the next six months.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 18/12/2014 12:08:00 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

170374

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Educational Institutions: Worcestershire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what capital grants for buildings repairs and maintenance her Department has given to (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) colleges in Worcester in each of the last four years.
	tabling member constituency	Worcester
	tabling member printed	Mr Robin Walker
	uin	218802
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>Capital maintenance funding for maintained schools is calculated at local authority level, and provided directly to the authority. Schools also receive a small amount of devolved capital funding directly to allow them to pay for minor maintenance and repair works. It is for the local authority to decide on the priorities for their funding, according to local need and the Department for Education does not hold data on how local authority allocations are prioritised.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Allocations to Worcestershire since 2011 have been as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Worcestershire</p></td><td><p>11-12</p></td><td><p>12-13</p></td><td><p>13-14</p></td><td><p>14-15</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Devolved Formula Capital</p></td><td><p>£2,062,422</p></td><td><p>£1,684,786</p></td><td><p>£1,516,962</p></td><td><p>£1,410,980</p></td><td><p>£6,675,150</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Maintenance</p></td><td><p>£11,392,278</p></td><td><p>£8,793,810</p></td><td><p>£7,096,726</p></td><td><p>£6,617,555</p></td><td><p>£33,900,369</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Funding for academies is provided separately via the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund (ACMF), a bidding process to which academies apply for specific works. 4 schools in Worcester have received funding under ACMF since 2011:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>School Name</p></td><td><p>Phase</p></td><td><p>11-12</p></td><td><p>12-13</p></td><td><p>13-14</p></td><td><p>14-15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bishop Perowne CofE College</p></td><td><p>Secondary</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£158,050</p></td><td><p>£311,400</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Christopher Whitehead Language College</p></td><td><p>Secondary</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£150,297</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£396,922</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nunnery Wood High School</p></td><td><p>Secondary</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£2,941,440</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Warndon Primary School</p></td><td><p>Primary</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£328,858</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A further £11,252,093 has been provided to academies across Worcestershire more widely over the same period. All academies also receive the small devolved allocation, the same as maintained schools.</p><p> </p><p>The following grants have been made to Sixth Form Colleges in Worcester over the same period. Worcester Sixth Form College received funding through a devolved allocation similar to those given to maintained schools and academies, and via the Building Condition Improvement Fund, a bidding process similar to the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund. New College Worcester received a small amount of capital funding support as an independent special provider:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>11-12</p></td><td><p>12-13</p></td><td><p>13-14</p></td><td><p>14-15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Worcester Sixth Form College</p></td><td><p>£1,069,034</p></td><td><p>£1,005,972</p></td><td><p>£1,540,387</p></td><td><p>£186,065</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>New College Worcester</p></td><td><p>£0</p></td><td><p>£6,465</p></td><td><p>£169</p></td><td><p>£4,236</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 18/12/2014 11:07:28 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
	tabling member	4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker

170387

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Floods: Insurance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that parties who are to be excluded from the Flood Re scheme are given adequate time to respond to the proposals for that scheme; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	218725
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government response was published today, 18 December 2014, and is available on GOV.UK.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Regulations implementing Flood Re will be subject to the affirmative procedure, providing Parliament with the opportunity to fully scrutinise them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We also consulted on our proposals for flood insurance during summer 2013 and on the draft flood insurance clauses for the Water Bill. The Government responses to both consultations were published jointly on 18 November 2013.</p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 18/12/2014 11:53:22 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson