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 question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

982601

registered interest
date	08/10/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Social Services: Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many social care employers have been subject to any form of action by HMRC for failing to keep sufficient minimum wage records in the most recent period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	176287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2018 answer text <p>The government is determined to ensure that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been unpaid NMW should contact Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or via the online complaints form at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints" target="_blank">gov.uk</a>. HMRC reviews all complaints that are referred to them.</p><p> </p><p>As referenced in the answer to your question <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&amp;max=20&amp;questiontype=AllQuestions&amp;house=commons%2clords&amp;uin=169367" target="_blank">169367</a>, most NMW cases are subject to civil (non-criminal) sanctions, the consequences of which includes fines of up to 200% of the determined underpayment, and public naming.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC NMW investigations take into account all non-compliance risks - of which lack of adequate records might be one - and a case is closed by a Notice of Underpayment (NOUs) which covers multiple risks. We do not hold data in a format that distinguishes record keeping from other risks identified.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 16/10/2018 16:48:47 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

982740

registered interest
date	08/10/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	National Probation Service for England and Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many probation officers are attached to a specific (a) prison, (b) young offenders institution, (c) secure treatment centre and (d) other penal establishment.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	176288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2018 answer text <p>As at 30 June 2018 there are 465 National Probation Service Probation Officers located at specific prisons, 94 at young offenders institutions. This includes both Probation Officers and Senior Probation Officers.</p><p> </p><p>Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) also have staff located in prisons but, as CRC contracts do not specify that CRCs must maintain staffing numbers at a prescribed level, we do not hold the information that you have requested in relation to CRC staff. The contracts do require each CRC to maintain a sufficient level of staff, and ensure that its workforce is competent and adequately trained. We are currently undergoing commercial discussions with providers regarding a new Through the Gate delivery specification, which includes resettlement services being delivered in prisons and by whom. We closely monitor and robustly manage providers to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to reduce reoffending, protect the public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.</p><p>There are no Probation Officers at Secure Training Centres or Secure Treatment Centres and other penal establishments. This is because all offenders given custodial sentences below the age of 18 are supported by Youth Offending Teams rather than the Probation Service.</p><p> </p><p>As with all HR databases, extracts are taken at a fixed point in time, to ensure consistency of reporting. However, the database itself is dynamic and where updates to the database are made late, subsequent to the taking of the extract, these updates will not be reflected in figures produced by the extract. For this reason, HR data are unlikely to be precisely accurate. It should also be noted that as we do not hold the data in the format requested the figures given for NPS staff does not include those working at Privately Managed Prisons.</p><p> </p><p>With the Offender Management in Custody model also being implemented across the estate, prisons will be better able to run fuller regimes with more opportunities for purposeful activity. This will have a positive effect on reducing the levels of violence in prisons, which still remain too high and impairs prisoner rehabilitation.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 15/10/2018 16:00:06 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

971370

registered interest
date	10/09/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that people seeking asylum are not required to share bedrooms under the new asylum accommodation contracts.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	172529
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The forthcoming Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts will permit the use of room sharing for some service users, providing it complies with the strict criteria set out in the contracts Statement of Requirements.</p><p>This includes compliance with relevant national and local housing regulations including any advice from social services and primary and secondary care bodies on whether room sharing is inappropriate for individual cases. In addition Providers will continue to be required to ensure they take into account a service users individual characteristics and provide them with appropriate accommodation reflective of any changing needs, including adherence to religious practice.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 14/09/2018 16:23:34 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

971371

registered interest
date	10/09/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that asylum (a) accommodation and (b) facilities support adequately vulnerable people seeking asylum.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	172530
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>All applicants for asylum support and accommodation are asked to declare any specialist circumstance or specific accommodation requirements as part of the consideration of their initial application form. In accordance with our published policy, the Home Office will carefully consider all requests on a case by case basis from asylum seekers who may have particular vulnerabilities, care needs or health problems that necessitate a need for a specific location or specialist accommodation requirements. Further details regarding this policy can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-accommodation-requests-policy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-accommodation-requests-policy</a></p><p>A further ongoing assessment of needs is undertaken by asylum accommodation providers commencing upon initial entry into accommodation. All asylum accommodation Providers are contractually required to take account of any particular circumstances and vulnerability of those that they accommodate, including those who have health care issues. In addition Providers must comply with national and local housing regulations including advice from social services and primary and secondary care bodies on a case-by-case basis depending on the specific needs of the individual.</p><p>A property inspection process forms part of the Home Office’s contract compliance regime which ensures that the required performance standards expected of all providers are met. Where inspected property does not meet the required standards there are strict time limits on resolving property defects; failure to meet those time limits can result in service credits being applied through financial deduction from monthly invoices. These are monitored formally, on a monthly basis, at Contract Management meetings between the providers and representatives of UK Visas and Immigration.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 14/09/2018 16:20:46 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

971372

registered interest
date	10/09/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to ensure the monitoring of the (a) quality and (b) effectiveness of the housing provided under the new ten-year asylum contracts.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	172531
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The forthcoming Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts, include clearly defined performance standards measured through a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set within a wider Performance Management Regime (PMR) that will ensure the safety and wellbeing of all Service Users.</p><p>This will include ensuring that accommodation is ‘Safe’, ‘Habitable’, and ‘Fit for Purpose’ and is delivered in accordance with the Decent Home Standard, the Welsh Housing Quality Standard and the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. Accommodation providers will also be required to ensure that accommodation meets any other statutory housing standards which are applicable in the specified contract region and is compliant with any Local Authority licensing requirements whilst the property is used to accommodate Service Users.</p><p>A property inspection and audit process will form part of the Home Office’s contract compliance regime which will ensure that the required performance standards expected of all providers are met. Where inspected property does not meet the required standards, there are strict contractual time limits on resolving property defects; failure to meet those time limits could result in service credits being applied through financial deduction from monthly invoices. These will be monitored formally, on a monthly basis, at Contract Management meetings between the providers and representatives of UK Visas and Immigration.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 14/09/2018 13:51:57 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

971373

registered interest
date	10/09/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which local authorities have made representations to his Department on the new asylum accommodation contracts; and whether his Department has received representations on those contracts from the Local Government Association.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	172532
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>To continue to meet UKVI’s obligation to provide accommodation &amp; support to destitute asylum seekers, the Asylum Accommodation and Support Transformation (AAST) project has been established to design, develop and procure the future model for asylum accommodation and support, replacing the existing COMPASS arrangements when they expire in Sept 2019.</p><p>Since the establishment of the project in the autumn of 2016, there has been extensive engagement with strategic stakeholders, including Strategic Migration Partnerships, Local Authorities and Non-Government Organisations to identify a range of enhancements and improvements to the existing model which have been reflected in the design of the next generation of contracts.</p><p>We estimate that there have been over 60 separate stakeholder events or written exercises undertaken since autumn 2016. Details of the feedback provided by individual stakeholders from this engagement could only be provided at disproportionate cost by examination of individual correspondence, event minutes and records.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 14/09/2018 16:07:31 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

971375

registered interest
date	10/09/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provisions are included in the new asylum accommodation contracts to ensure that people granted asylum who are required to share a bedroom are able to adhere to personal religious practice.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	172534
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/10/2018 answer text <p>The forthcoming contracts will provide eligible asylum seekers with accommodation, transport and related support services and will continue to permit the use of room sharing for some service users providing it complies with the strict criteria set out in the contracts and with relevant national and local housing regulations, including advice from social services and primary and secondary care bodies on whether room sharing is inappropriate for individual cases.</p><p>In addition all accommodation providers will be required to continue to ensure that they take into account a service users individual characteristics and provide them with appropriate accommodation reflective of any changing needs, including adherence to religious practice.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 05/10/2018 11:58:24 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

971376

registered interest
date	10/09/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has undertaken an equality impact assessment of its policy on room sharing in asylum accommodation.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	172535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The Government expects the highest standards from our contractors and Providers are monitored closely to ensure they continue to meet these standards. There are strict criteria set out in the current asylum accommodation contracts around when room sharing can take place and who can share a room.</p><p>Providers must also comply with national and local housing regulations including advice from social services and primary and secondary care bodies on whether room sharing is inappropriate for individual cases and discussions about equality impacts form part of regular engagement with stakeholder groups.</p><p>The COMPASS contracts and their associated procurement exercise defined the required performance standards expected of all providers including sensitivity of equality impacts. Equality assessments with regard to room sharing elements of the contract have not been undertaken in isolation from wider contract tendering and management processes.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 14/09/2018 16:25:45 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

964220

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Social Services: Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many social care employers have been prosecuted by HMRC for failing to keep sufficient minimum wage record in the most recent period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	169367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>The government is determined to ensuring that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been underpaid NMW should contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or via the online complaints form at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints" target="_blank">gov.uk</a>. HMRC reviews all complaints that are referred to them.</p><p> </p><p>Most NMW cases are subject to civil (non-criminal) sanctions, the consequences of which include fines of up to 200% of the determined underpayment, and public naming.</p><p> </p><p>Prosecution is reserved for the most serious non-compliance, and since 2007 HMRC investigations have led to the successful prosecution of 14 UK employers for NMW related offences. These prosecutions have included one care sector provider, but not for the offence of failing to keep sufficient minimum wage records.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 11/09/2018 10:33:55 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

944712

registered interest
date	19/07/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Chevron Petroleum: North Sea
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Oil and Gas Authority on the effect on the terms and conditions of employment for offshore workers of Chevron’s sale of its oil and gas platforms and satellites in the Central North Sea; and what estimate he has made of the number of offshore staff will be affected by that sale.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	166157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>Chevron has confirmed an intent to market its assets in the Central North Sea, however, this may not result in the sale of the assets. It would, therefore, be inappropriate to comment further.</p><p> </p><p>Issues surrounding the terms and conditions of employment for offshore workers fall outside of the remit of the Oil and Gas Authority.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 25/07/2018 15:16:18 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham