The British Government takes all opportunities to raise its concerns about the lack of fundamental freedoms in Azerbaijan, including the implementation of judgments by the European Court of Human Rights, and does so at a range of levels on a regular basis. The UK will be represented at official level at Azerbaijan's forthcoming closing Council of Europe conference in Baku.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T15:18:50.3344515Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Council of Europe"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they will be represented at the forthcoming Council of Europe conference in Baku, Azerbaijan; and what representations they will make regarding the implementation of recent European Court of Human Rights decisions concerning Azerbaijan.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2018", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hylton"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hylton"} ], "uin" : "HL2336"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100606", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100606/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The British Government has publicly expressed its concern surrounding the arrests of Mr Arif and Ms Leyla Yunus and Mr Rasul Jafarav amongst others, and supports the EU statement of 14 August 2014 regarding the recent deterioration of the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. As has been the case in recent high profile trials, the British Government expects to make representation in coordination with its EU partners.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-05T15:49:52.6019191Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Azerbaijan"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they plan to send observers to the imminent trials in Azerbaijan of (1) Mr Arif and Ms Leyla Yunus of the Peace and Democracy Institute, (2) Mr Intigam Aliyev, and (3) Mr Rasul Jafarov; and whether they will propose that their trials are fully covered by European Union diplomats.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2018", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hylton"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hylton"} ], "uin" : "HL2337"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100608", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100608/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Since the Language Centre opened on 19th September 2013 a total of 45 different languages have been studied there either full or part-time by 813 students. Of those students, 779 are Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff and 34 are from other government departments (OGDs) (including staff from the following departments: Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, Home Office, Ministry of Justice, UK Trade and Investment, the Department for International Development, HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and the House of Commons). An additional 60 FCO staff have trained at the Institut Francais. Staff across the Civil Service can also access the FCO Language Centre library to continue to develop their own language skills outside formal study and 58 OGD staff have taken advantage of this offer so far.
It is important to note that when more appropriate, staff from OGDs also receive language training outside of the FCO Language Centre through use of the Civil Service-wide contract with Language Services Direct (the company that run the FCO Language Centre) or at the Institut Francais if French is required. Since September 2014, 113 OGD students have received language training on their own premises via the FCO contract.
The table below provides a breakdown of the languages that have been taught at the FCO Language Centre :
Albanian 2
Arabic 186
Azeri 1
Bosnian 1
Bulgarian 3
Burmese 1
Cambodian 1
Czech 1
Danish 2
Dari 5
Dutch 5
Farsi 33
Finnish 1
French 14
Georgian 1
German 40
Greek 4
Hebrew 1
Hindi 20
Indonesian 4
Italian 23
Japanese 33
Korean 8
Macedonian 1
Mandarin 93
Norwegian 1
Pashto 5
Polish 3
Portuguese 47
Romanian 3
Russian 84
Serbian 3
Sinhalese 1
Slovak 1
Slovene 1
Spanish 153
Swedish 3
Tajik 1
Thai 2
Tigrinya 1
Turkish 11
Turkmen 1
Urdu 4
Uzbek 2
Vietnamese 2
Total 813<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T15:37:02.3262593Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Civil Servants: Languages"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government how many diplomatic staff and civil servants from each department or government agency have received or are receiving language training at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Language School.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3829", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Coussins"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Coussins"}
], "uin" : "HL2339"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100609", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100609/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Since the Language Centre opened on 19th September 2013 a total of 45 different languages have been studied there either full or part-time by 813 students. Of those students, 779 are Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff and 34 are from other government departments (OGDs) (including staff from the following departments: Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, Home Office, Ministry of Justice, UK Trade and Investment, the Department for International Development, HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and the House of Commons). An additional 60 FCO staff have trained at the Institut Francais. Staff across the Civil Service can also access the FCO Language Centre library to continue to develop their own language skills outside formal study and 58 OGD staff have taken advantage of this offer so far.<\/p>
It is important to note that when more appropriate, staff from OGDs also receive language training outside of the FCO Language Centre through use of the Civil Service-wide contract with Language Services Direct (the company that run the FCO Language Centre) or at the Institut Francais if French is required. Since September 2014, 113 OGD students have received language training on their own premises via the FCO contract.<\/p>
The table below provides a breakdown of the languages that have been taught at the FCO Language Centre:<\/p>
Albanian<\/p><\/td> | 2<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Arabic<\/p><\/td> | 186<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Azeri<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Bosnian<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Bulgarian<\/p><\/td> | 3<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Burmese<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Cambodian<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Czech<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Danish<\/p><\/td> | 2<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Dari<\/p><\/td> | 5<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Dutch<\/p><\/td> | 5<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Farsi<\/p><\/td> | 33<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Finnish<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
French<\/p><\/td> | 14<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Georgian<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
German<\/p><\/td> | 40<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Greek<\/p><\/td> | 4<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Hebrew<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Hindi<\/p><\/td> | 20<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Indonesian<\/p><\/td> | 4<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Italian<\/p><\/td> | 23<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Japanese<\/p><\/td> | 33<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Korean<\/p><\/td> | 8<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Macedonian<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Mandarin<\/p><\/td> | 93<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Norwegian<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Pashto<\/p><\/td> | 5<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Polish<\/p><\/td> | 3<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Portuguese<\/p><\/td> | 47<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Romanian<\/p><\/td> | 3<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Russian<\/p><\/td> | 84<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Serbian<\/p><\/td> | 3<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Sinhalese<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Slovak<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Slovene<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Spanish<\/p><\/td> | 153<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Swedish<\/p><\/td> | 3<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Tajik<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Thai<\/p><\/td> | 2<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Tigrinya<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Turkish<\/p><\/td> | 11<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Turkmen<\/p><\/td> | 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Urdu<\/p><\/td> | 4<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Uzbek<\/p><\/td> | 2<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Vietnamese<\/p><\/td> | 2<\/p><\/td><\/tr> |
Total<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 813<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-05T15:51:51.0127173Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Civil Servants: Languages"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government which languages have been studied by civil servants and diplomatic staff at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Language School; and how many civil servants and diplomatic staff have studied each language.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3829", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Coussins"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Coussins"}
], "uin" : "HL2340"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100291", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100291/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously. HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition, HMRC undertake targeted enforcement on employers across the United Kingdom who are more likely to be not paying NMW.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The Government has increased the financial penalty percentage from 50% to 100% of the unpaid wages owed to workers, and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. These new limits are now in force where arrears are identified in pay reference periods on or after 7 March 2014. The Government will also bring in primary legislation as soon as possible so that the maximum £20,000 penalty can apply to each underpaid worker.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The majority of employers identified as paying below the NMW pay arrears on receipt of a formal Notice of Underpayment. Where they do not do so, HMRC pursues recovery through the civil courts. HMRC\u2018s approach to tackling underpayment of NMW through the civil courts is the best way to ensure that money is paid back to the person underpaid and provides the most effective resolution for tax-payers. Criminal investigations may not result in arrears being paid to workers and are therefore reserved for the most serious cases.<\/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"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T15:32:50.2694548Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_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 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2014 to Question 209683 to the hon. Member for Stourbridge, what assessment he has made of the factors that resulted in there being no prosecutions for not paying the national minimum wage in each of the last two years.", "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" : "211604"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100298", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100298/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Over the summer Ministers and officials undertook extensive discussions with a wide range of stakeholders regarding changes to DSA.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1578", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Greg Clark"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tunbridge Wells"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Greg Clark"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-04T15:37:59.6531348Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Disabled Students' Allowances"}
, "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 representations he has received calling for a public consultation on proposed changes to disabled students' allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/197", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Fitzpatrick"}
], "uin" : "211565"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100304", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100304/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " |