All businesses, irrespective of their size or business sector, are responsible for paying the correct National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage to their staff.<\/p>
If any care worker is concerned that they are being underpaid, including because of unpaid travel time, we strongly urge them to call the Acas helpline for free, impartial and confidential advice about their rights and entitlements. Acas officers will pass on cases to HM Revenue and Customs for further consideration where appropriate. Workers can also contact HM Revenue and Customs directly using the online form.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Faversham and Mid Kent"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1612368/answer/previousversion/71258", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Faversham and Mid Kent"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-04-26T09:10:27.253Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 205 of the third report of the Health and Social Care Committee entitled Workforce: recruitment, training and retention in health and social care, published on 25 July 2022, HC 115, what progress he has made on ensuring that the home care workforce receives at least minimum wage including travel time.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4253", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Malhotra"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Feltham and Heston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Seema Malhotra"} ], "uin" : "181658"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1612437", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1612437/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have no current plans to make a specific assessment.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Faversham and Mid Kent"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1612437/answer/previousversion/71259", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Faversham and Mid Kent"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-04-26T09:18:02.39Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the impact of paying home care workers by the minute on workforce retention and staff morale.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4253", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Malhotra"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Feltham and Heston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Seema Malhotra"} ], "uin" : "181727"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/947561", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/947561/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government provides online guidance on the steps employers and others must take to comply with the National Minimum Wage, which states that the hours of work that count for minimum wage purposes include any time when a worker is travelling from one work assignment to another.<\/p>
The Government is clear that local authorities should have regard to the cost of care when setting prices. This is set out in the statutory guidance to the Care Act 2014.<\/p>
<\/p>
In 2016 the Department worked with local government, the care sector and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy to produce a guide to understanding providers\u2019 costs and fair fees \u2013 this was published in January 2017. A copy of Working with care providers to understand costs<\/em>: <\/em>A guide for adult social care commissioners<\/em> is attached.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4545", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord O'Shaughnessy"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord O'Shaughnessy"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/947561/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "HL9845 - Cost_of_Care_Report.pdf"}
, "title" : "Working with care providers to understand costs"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-07-26T12:44:46.173Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-07-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to local authorities regarding the payment for travel time to carers travelling between clients; and whether local authorities are required to check if any external contractors they use to provide caring services are paying those costs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3596", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Gardner of Parkes"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Gardner of Parkes"}
], "uin" : "HL9845"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173157", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173157/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " 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 & Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) on 0800 917 2368.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC review every complaint referred to them by the PWRH and, in addition, collate and analyse data from various sources to identify employers more likely not to be paying National Minimum Wage and undertake targeted enforcement against those employers.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> However, some complaints may not lead to the commencement of an investigation. This might be due to incomplete information being provided, or the worker subsequently wishing to withdraw their complaint. Similarly, multiple complaints about the same employer would only be recorded under one investigation. Therefore HMRC do not record statistics by complaints received, but by investigations completed.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> I therefore refer my honourable friend to the answer provided to him on 17 October 2014; UIN 209191.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1529", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Gauke"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Gauke"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "220435"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-19T17:49:24.893Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints received by HM Revenue and Customs regarding non-payment of the national minimum wage by domiciliary care providers in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 led to formal investigations being carried out.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "220466"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173158", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/173158/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " 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 & Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) on 0800 917 2368.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC review every complaint referred to them by the PWRH and, in addition, collate and analyse data from various sources to identify employers more likely not to be paying National Minimum Wage and undertake targeted enforcement against those employers.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> However, some complaints may not lead to the commencement of an investigation. This might be due to incomplete information being provided, or the worker subsequently wishing to withdraw their complaint. Similarly, multiple complaints about the same employer would only be recorded under one investigation. Therefore HMRC do not record statistics by complaints received, but by investigations completed.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> I therefore refer my honourable friend to the answer provided to him on 17 October 2014; UIN 209191.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1529", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Gauke"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Gauke"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "220466"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-19T17:49:24.75Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints were received by HM Revenue and Customs regarding non-payment of the national minimum wage by domiciliary care providers in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "220435"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101306", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101306/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is an employer based pay survey and provides the most accurate information available from which we can derive non-compliance estimates. Estimates are based on a sample from pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) data and may not include some workers earning below the lower earnings limit. However, following the introduction of Real Time Information, ASHE now includes the majority of those earning below the lower earnings limit.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The HMRC paper \u201cNational Minimum Wage compliance in the social care sector\u201d (November 2013) looked at, amongst other things, the issue of unpaid travel time in compliance. It found that unpaid travel time was not the main cause of non-compliance in the sector.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We take non-compliance in the care sector very seriously, and to proactively tackle non-compliance 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> The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. Individuals should contact the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made.<\/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" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-05T15:11:25.9412637Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"}
, "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 his Department has taken to take account of the omission of (a) some workers paid below the lower earnings limit and (b) unpaid travel time from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings when using that survey to estimate non-payment of the national minimum wage among homecare workers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "212198"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100853", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100853/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " 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 & 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> 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>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1529", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Gauke"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Gauke"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "211864"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T15:30:25.0066879Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "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.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "211863"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100318", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100318/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC does not keep data in a format to enable provision of the statistics requested on the amount of arrears paid or not paid to workers. HMRC contacts every employer whom they find has paid workers below the National Minimum Wage to confirm that they have paid the identified arrears to the workers. In addition, where it has found arrears for five or fewer workers it will contact all the workers to confirm payment by the employer. In cases involving arrears for more than five workers it will contact a minimum sample of five workers to confirm payment by the employer. HMRC will pursue non-payment of arrears through civil recovery action.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline and will always investigate any case of possible National Minimum Wage abuse. Therefore there will always be variation in the number of cases investigated within specific sectors.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1529", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Gauke"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Hertfordshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Gauke"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "211547"}
, {"_value" : "211605"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T15:22:54.2912799Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2014 to question 209191, how many investigations by HM Revenue and Customs into the home care sector were conducted in the first six months of 2014-15.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "211653"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93234", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93234/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department is clear that social care employers should pay homecare workers for their travel time between clients, in order for them to comply with National Minimum Wage (NMW) legislation.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Care providers must abide by the law with regards to payment of the NMW and we are taking steps to ensure this happens. The Department is liaising with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to name and shame any social care providers who do not comply with the NMW legislation and HM Revenue and Customs is continuing to carry out enforcement action in the social care sector and will investigate all complaints made by care workers that their employer is not paying them the NMW. In addition, the Department is looking to ensure that the statutory guidance that will accompany the Care Act on commissioning and market shaping explicitly states local authorities should have evidence that contract terms, conditions and fee levels are appropriate to provide the agreed care packages with agreed quality of care.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1439", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Norman Lamb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Norfolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Norman Lamb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-17T11:59:24.8452176Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that homecare workers are paid for time spent travelling between clients; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/432", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Jones"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Warrington North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Jones"}
], "uin" : "210315"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/91998", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/91998/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department is clear that care providers must abide by the law with regards to payment of the national minimum wage and will continue to take steps to ensure this happens.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Departmental officials are liaising with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on the issue of social care providers who do not comply with the national minimum wage, and with HMRC on their ongoing enforcement investigations. Under new arrangements that came into force in October 2013, employers found not to be paying the national minimum wage, including care providers, will be publically named.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Department is also developing a range of work to ensure providers are aware of their responsibilities, and have the practical tools, to ensure they are paying at least the national minimum wage.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Local Authorities\u2019 commissioning can also play an important role in ensuring that care workers receive the national minimum wage to which they are entitled. The Department has recently consulted on statutory guidance for local authorities as part of the package of secondary legislation to accompany the Care Act, including guidance on commissioning and market shaping. The draft guidance explicitly states that local authorities should have evidence that contract terms, conditions and fee levels will not compromise care providers\u2019 ability to pay at least minimum wages. Responses to the consultation are currently being analysed and the final guidance will be published in October. The Department is also working with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Local Government Association and the Health Services Management Centre at Birmingham University to develop a set of Commissioning Standards. Local authorities will be encouraged to use these as a benchmark to support them to improve commissioning practices, including those which have an impact on the social care workforce such as employer compliance with national minimum wage.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Department has recently provided a contribution to the Interim Evidence to the Low Pay Commission.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Ministers have not had recent direct discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on homecare workers receiving less than the minimum wage.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1439", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Norman Lamb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Norfolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Norman Lamb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-15T15:12:54.5248462Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-09-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Care Services: Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on homecare workers receiving less than the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/432", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Jones"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Warrington North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Jones"}
], "uin" : "209597"}
], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "next" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=1&version=1&hansardHeading=Home+Care+Services%3A+Pay", "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 16, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]}
}