<\/p>
The Department is beginning engagement with a range of stakeholders from the maritime industry to fully understand issues surrounding payment of the minimum wage. To date we have met with officials in other jurisdictions as this policy area is affected by legislation outside the UK. We will go on to engage with individual maritime employers and their associations. We will be discussing recruitment models and pay structures as part of this engagement. Following these investigations, we will consider whether further enforcement activity is needed in this sector.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
This Government remains committed to the minimum wage and the protection it provides to low paid workers. That is why we have strengthened the enforcement regime by cutting back the criteria for naming and shaming non-compliant employers and have increased the penalty from 50% to 100% of arrears up to £20,000. We are also taking primary legislation to apply a penalty per underpaid worker rather than per non-compliant employer.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Where employers in the maritime industry are found to not be paying the National Minimum Wage that workers are entitled to, we will not hesitate to take action, including recovering arrears owed to workers and penalising employers financially and their reputation by naming and shaming where appropriate.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Workers in the maritime industry who think they have not been paid the correct National Minimum Wage should contact the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1497", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jenny Willott"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cardiff Central"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jenny Willott"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "199356"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-12T16:12:07.6390977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Shipping: Minimum Wage"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent (a) correspondence and (b) discussions he has had with individual employers in the maritime industry about pay rates below the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for seafarers subject to UK National Insurance employed on vessels working from UK ports; and if he will take steps to enforce in the maritime sector his Department's policy on enforcement, prosecutions and naming employers who break the law on the NMW.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/178", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John McDonnell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hayes and Harlington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John McDonnell"}
], "uin" : "199360"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58277", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58277/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> The Department is beginning engagement with a range of stakeholders from the maritime industry to fully understand issues surrounding payment of the minimum wage. To date we have met with officials in other jurisdictions as this policy area is affected by legislation outside the UK. We will go on to engage with individual maritime employers and their associations. We will be discussing recruitment models and pay structures as part of this engagement. Following these investigations, we will consider whether further enforcement activity is needed in this sector.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> This Government remains committed to the minimum wage and the protection it provides to low paid workers. That is why we have strengthened the enforcement regime by cutting back the criteria for naming and shaming non-compliant employers and have increased the penalty from 50% to 100% of arrears up to £20,000. We are also taking primary legislation to apply a penalty per underpaid worker rather than per non-compliant employer.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Where employers in the maritime industry are found to not be paying the National Minimum Wage that workers are entitled to, we will not hesitate to take action, including recovering arrears owed to workers and penalising employers financially and their reputation by naming and shaming where appropriate.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Workers in the maritime industry who think they have not been paid the correct National Minimum Wage should contact the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1497", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jenny Willott"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cardiff Central"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jenny Willott"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "199360"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-12T16:12:07.7485061Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Shipping: Minimum Wage"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) UK Chamber of Shipping and (b) European Community Shipowners Association on pay rates for seafarers subject to UK National Insurance employed on vessels working from UK ports who are paid hourly rates below the National Minimum Wage; and if he will request data on such pay rates from maritime employers' associations.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/178", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John McDonnell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hayes and Harlington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John McDonnell"}
], "uin" : "199356"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58335", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58335/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> The UK Space Agency and the Ministry of Defence are jointly leading work to co-ordinate an implementation plan for the National Space Security Policy that should be agreed between Ministers in the four lead Government Departments by the end of the calendar year. This plan will include the governance arrangements to oversee its successful implementation. Although Defence and National Security are not devolved matters, Devolved Administrations will be consulted where it is necessary or appropriate to do so.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/53", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Willetts"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Havant"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Willetts"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-12T16:31:44.2644327Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Space Technology"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department has invited representatives of the devolved administrations to join the ad hoc ministerial-led steering group on the implementation of his Department's national space security policy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"}
], "uin" : "199367"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58336", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58336/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> As part of the Northern Ireland pact published last year, the UK Space Agency is currently setting the business case for an investment in a satellite propulsion test facility near Belfast. This capability could be used for satellites employed in commercial and security uses.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/53", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Willetts"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Havant"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Willetts"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-12T16:29:22.9223895Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Space Technology: Northern Ireland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that industry and academia in Northern Ireland are able to benefit from opportunities in support of national space security interests.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"}
], "uin" : "199368"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58337", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58337/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Northern Ireland public sector organisations will be not eligible for the Postcode Address File (PAF) Public Sector Licence agreed between the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills (BIS) and Royal Mail. The PAF Public Sector Licence covers public sector bodies in England and Wales and will come into full force on 1 April 2015. Bodies whose remit is mainly or wholly within Northern Ireland, Scotland, and other Crown dependencies or foreign territories are excluded from the agreement between BIS and Royal Mail.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Royal Mail discussed the creation of an equivalent to the PAF Public Sector Licence with the Northern Ireland Land & Property Services. The view was that most of Northern Ireland's Government Departments were only interested in addresses within Northern Ireland and that there was no need for a central agreement.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1497", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jenny Willott"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cardiff Central"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jenny Willott"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-12T16:19:44.3290965Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Post Codes: Northern Ireland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether public sector organisations in Northern Ireland will be eligible for the terms of use for postcode address finder from 1 April 2015.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"}
], "uin" : "199370"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58338", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58338/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Prior to the publication of the National Space Security Policy, committee clearance was requested via the National Security Committee by me which was confirmed on 12 December 2014. Although Defence and National Security are not devolved matters, Devolved Administrations will be consulted where it is necessary or appropriate to do so.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/53", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Willetts"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Havant"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Willetts"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-12T16:24:01.226363Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Space Technology: Northern Ireland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions officials in his Department had with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive before publication of the National Space Security Policy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ivan Lewis"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ivan Lewis"}
], "uin" : "199371"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58349", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58349/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> The funding available for Adult Skills is outlined in the Skills Funding Statement. The statement sets out the Government's priorities for the budget and it is for providers to decide how they use their adult skills funding to reflect those priorities and meet the needs of learners and employers in their local area. The Skills Funding Statements 2012-15 and 2013-16 also show in the Data Annex what learning the available funding has supported over the last three years:<\/p> <\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-funding-statement-2013-to-2016<\/a><\/p> <\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-funding-statement-2012-2015<\/a><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-12T16:26:04.3586281Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Adult Education"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funding was available through the Skills Funding Agency for (a) adult learning courses to support return-to-work programmes and (b) English as a Second Language courses in each of the last three years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1552", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alison Seabeck"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Moor View"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alison Seabeck"}
], "uin" : "199410"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58399", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58399/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Skills policy is devolved so this answer refers to policy in England only.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> One of the Government's priorities is to ensure that all adults have the level of English, maths and digital skills to help them find and sustain employment, as well as achieving other positive outcomes such as improved health and well-being.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We are implementing a major programme of reform to raise the quality and standards of these vital subjects in adult education which will improve the quality of the teaching workforce, reward the best providers and ensure learners are stretched to achieve the best they can.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We are investing £30m this year and next to attract the best graduates to teach in further education (FE) and to provide opportunities for existing teachers to improve their skills. As part of a £15m bursary scheme between 2013-15 we are offering up to £20,000 to the best and brightest graduates to teach in FE. In January 2014 we announced further measures to improve the workforce including; a golden-hello scheme offering a bonus of £7,500 to maths graduates in their second year of teaching; a recruitment incentive scheme offering £20,000 to providers for taking on a specialist maths graduate teacher; and a subject knowledge enhancement scheme to enable highly qualified graduates who have the skills and aptitude to teach but need to develop some specific maths skills before they start teacher training.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We have put English and maths at the heart of all our major programmes. From 2014/15 all intermediate Apprentices will be required to work towards achieving a level 2 in English and maths and young people undertaking a traineeship will be required to study English and maths unless they already have a level 2 qualification in English and maths.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We fully fund all adults to achieve their first English and maths GCSE as well as other qualifications which help them get to that level. Our reforms to English and maths GCSEs will make them more rigorous and help ensure that young people and adults develop the skills most relevant to employers. The reformed GCSEs will be available for first teaching from September 2015 and our ambition is for them to become the gold-standard measuring achievement at level 2 for all ages and ability levels.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We encourage and support a wide range of different and flexible types of provision so that adults can learn in a way that suits them, for example, learning in the workplace, Community Learning including Family English, Maths and Language (FEML) provision, through traditional college courses and using technology and online learning.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We are making sure jobseekers on benefits have the best chance of finding employment by helping them improve their literacy and numeracy skills. From April 2014, those with poor spoken English which is preventing them from finding work have been expected to train in English, with the possibility of losing their benefit if they choose not to participate. In December 2014, we will launch the 18-21 Work Skills pilot which will test different approaches to teaching and learning and the outcomes of mandating new 18-21 year-old Jobseekers' Allowance claimants with English and maths below Level 2 to English and maths training for up to 16 hours per week, alongside their jobsearch.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We have a substantial programme of research to identify the most effective approaches to teaching and learning. In April, I announced the launch of a new research centre with the Behavioural Rights Insight Team to bring the latest findings from behavioural science to bear on the challenges of improving adult literacy and numeracy.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Basic digital skills are now seen to be as vital as literacy and numeracy, not just for employment but for all aspects of life. The Government's recent Digital Inclusion Strategy set what actions we will take to ensure everyone has these skills. The Strategy can be found at:<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>