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101103

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the merits of extending the Pupil Premium to all children educated at home.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	212017
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The aim of the Pupil Premium is to raise the attainment of mainly economically disadvantaged pupils, which is why the funding is focused on those children who have been on free school meals at some point in the last six years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to extend the Pupil Premium to children who are educated at home. The Government respects the right of parents to choose how their children are educated, whether this is at home or in any of the institutions available to them. However, parents who choose to home educate their children must take responsibility for costs. Local authorities have the power to give assistance to parents who home school if they so choose.</p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 03/11/2014 13:54:35 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

101104

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will extend the Pupil Premium to children who are educated at home and have (a) foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and (b) other special needs.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	212018
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>There are no plans to extend the Pupil Premium to children who are educated at home, or to children with either foetal alcohol spectrum disorder or other special needs. The aim of the Pupil Premium is to help schools close the attainment gap, with funding focused on those children who have been on free school meals at some point in the last six years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government respects the right of parents to choose how their children are educated, whether this is at home or in any of the institutions available to them. However, parents who choose to home educate their children must take responsibility for the costs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Local authorities have the power to choose to give assistance to parents who home school. This can include providing support to children with special educational needs, whether or not they have a statement or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. The 0-25 SEND Code of Practice makes it clear that local authorities should work with parents and consider whether to provide support in the home to help the parents make suitable provision. Where an authority draws up a statement or EHC plan which ‘names’ home education as the right provision for the child then they must make any additional special educational provision set out by the statement or plan.</p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 03/11/2014 13:51:55 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

100843

registered interest
date	24/10/2014
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	Social Services: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the merits of HM Revenue and Customs launching pro-active investigations into the non-payment of the national minimum wage.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	211865
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government has not undertaken a formal assessment of the merits of pro-active investigations but believes they are an important part of enforcement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC published findings from their targeted social care evaluation on 25 November 2013. Over the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013, HMRC had made enquiries into 224 employers in the social care sector. Of the cases completed by the end of September 2014, HMRC have found non-compliance in 108 (48%) of their enquiries, identifying £1,319,729 arrears of pay for 6,550 workers, with penalties issued with a total value of £146,931.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of this targeted enforcement activity, HMRC have collaborated with care sector representative bodies to improve understanding of compliance risks and design controls within payroll systems that prevent workers being underpaid the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health has recently published statutory guidance for local authorities as part of the package of secondary legislation that accompanies the Care Act. The chapter of statutory guidance on commissioning and market shaping explicitly states that local authorities should have evidence that contract terms, conditions and fee levels will not compromise care providers’ ability to pay at least minimum wages. A copy of the guidance can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-2014-statutory-guidance-for-implementation" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-2014-statutory-guidance-for-implementation</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health is asking all Local Authorities to sign up to the Social Care Commitment which incorporates a statement about employer compliance with minimum wage legislation. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has written out to all its members encouraging them to support the Commitment as a way of raising standards in adult social care.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We regularly update our Guidance on Gov.UK and we will continue to work with the sector to improve understanding and compliance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should call the Pay &amp; Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HM Revenue &amp; Customs investigate all complaints.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 03/11/2014 11:47:07 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

100853

registered interest
date	24/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Home Care Services: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the benefits and disbenefits of HM Revenue and Customs launching pro-active investigations into the home care sector and the non-payment of the national minimum wage.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	211863
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage very seriously. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should make a complaint to the Pay &amp; Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition, by collating and analysing data received from various sources, HMRC ensure targeted enforcement through robust risk assessment processes to identify employers across the United Kingdom who are more likely to be not paying National Minimum Wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of the targeted enforcement activity undertaken, HMRC have collaborated with care sector representative bodies, such as the UK Home Care Association, and payroll software service providers to improve understanding and awareness of National Minimum Wage compliance issues and assist in the development of compliance toolkits to enable those organisations to promote and facilitate voluntary compliance.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke grouped question UIN 211864 question first answered 03/11/2014 15:30:25 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

100855

registered interest
date	24/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Social Services: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs plans to launch any further pro-active investigations into non-compliance with the national minimum wage in the social care sector.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	211864
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage very seriously. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should make a complaint to the Pay &amp; Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition, by collating and analysing data received from various sources, HMRC ensure targeted enforcement through robust risk assessment processes to identify employers across the United Kingdom who are more likely to be not paying National Minimum Wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of the targeted enforcement activity undertaken, HMRC have collaborated with care sector representative bodies, such as the UK Home Care Association, and payroll software service providers to improve understanding and awareness of National Minimum Wage compliance issues and assist in the development of compliance toolkits to enable those organisations to promote and facilitate voluntary compliance.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke grouped question UIN 211863 question first answered 03/11/2014 15:30:24 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham