Early Conciliation was introduced in April 2014 and it is too early to make any meaningful assessment on the effect of Early Conciliation on Employment Tribunal cases at this stage. However, officials in the Department and Acas are already monitoring the impact of Early Conciliation and I will make an announcement on evaluation in due course, once we have a sufficient evidence base to do so.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Swinson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Dunbartonshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Swinson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-24T11:30:02.3392087Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "ACAS"} , "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, when he plans to evaluate the effect of the ACAS early conciliation service on keeping workplace disputes out of court.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"} ], "uin" : "211244"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100103", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100103/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
£7.5m was spent by HM Revenue and Customs on the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in 2013/14.<\/p>
We have increased the budget allocation for National Minimum Wage enforcement in 2014/15 to £9.2m. This extra funding will enable HMRC to increase the number of compliance officers working in this area who, as well as continuing to respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline, will also undertake targeted enforcement, focusing on the worst offending employers in the highest-risk sectors.<\/p>
Anyone who believes they are entitled to the National Minimum Wage and has not received it should contact this free and confidential helpline on 0800 917 2368.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Swinson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Dunbartonshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Swinson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-24T11:29:09.5418464Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "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, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2014 to Question 201383, how much was spent on national minimum wage enforcement in 2013-14.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"} ], "uin" : "211245"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99708", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99708/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Progression data for Traineeships is planned for publication, subject to data quality, in a Statistical First Release. When available, it will be accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-held<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3995", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Boles"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Boles"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-22T15:25:52.8709794Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Apprentices"}
, "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, how many people who accessed a traineeship in the last 12 months have progressed to an accredited apprenticeship.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "211004"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92115", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92115/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Apprentices are real jobs and as such, employers who wish to recruit an apprentice have to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and other legislation, as they would when recruiting any other employee. The legislation seeks to prevent unfair discrimination on a number of grounds including race.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Institute for Employment Studies carried out a review of ethnicity, gender and apprenticeships for the Skills Funding Agency in 2013. It explored employer practices for evidence of bias and made a number of recommendations many of which are being implemented.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has also recently established an apprenticeship equality advisory group to help increase apprenticeship diversity.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3995", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Boles"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Boles"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-15T13:42:11.1558361Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-09-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Apprentices: Ethnic Groups"}
, "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 ethnic minority applicants for an apprenticeship are fairly treated; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "209721"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92116", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92116/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We do not yet have final data on traineeship starts in the last 12 months (2013/14). The first release of this data will be in November 2014 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-held<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> After November 2014 we plan to release characteristics data in a supplementary table to the Statistical First Release.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3995", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Boles"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Boles"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-15T13:40:00.7423015Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-09-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Training"}
, "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, how many (a) female, (b) disabled, (c) black and minority ethnic and (d) other people have started on a traineeship in the last 12 months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "209717"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/90947", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/90947/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and the effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Notices of Underpayment (NOU) have been issued in 571 cases where investigations were completed between 1 October 2013 and 31 July 2014. 118 of these were for investigations that commenced on or after 1 October 2013 and were therefore issued under the new scheme.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Of these, the Government has so far named 30 employers under the revised scheme. Between them they owed workers a total of over £50,000 in arrears and have been charged financial penalties totalling over £24,000. Some employers may also not be named if they make representations that fall under the very exceptional circumstances of the scheme or if they have arrears of £100 or less. However the vast majority of employers issued with a notice of underpayment will be named and shamed once the time limits for appeals have expired.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Swinson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Dunbartonshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Swinson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-09-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-09-11T15:11:27.6325246Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-09-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "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, how many employers have been issued with a Notice of Underpayment since 1 October 2013; and of those how many have been identified under the Department's National Minimum Wage naming scheme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "208599"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/90275", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/90275/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Information on the number of Apprenticeship applications made through the Apprenticeship vacancy online system is published online. The tables include a breakdown by ethnicity:<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/340846/ApprenticeshipVacancyReportNumberofapplicationsbyAgeGenderEthnicityorSSAorProgrammeLevelAug14.xls<\/a><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We do not collect robust information on the average number of applications made before an applicant secures an Apprenticeship.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts by ethnicity is also available online:<\/p> <\/p>