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93450

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Ferries: Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make it his policy that the National Minimum Wage should apply to seafarers working on ferry services from (a) Portsmouth to the Channel Islands, (b) Weymouth to the Channel Islands, (c) Poole to the Channel Islands and (d) Portsmouth to Cherbourg.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Mr Mike Hancock
uin	210660
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government is examining the application of the legislation to seafarers, in particular those seafarers working on ferry services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Officials have been working closely with the Department for Transport, unions and stakeholders to fully understand pay practices in the maritime industry.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Seafarers who ordinarily work in the UK are entitled to the National Minimum Wages (NMW). Seafarers who believe they are entitled to the NMW and have not received it should contact the free and confidential Pay and Work Rights helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 extend certain equality rights, including pay, to all seafarers serving on UK or EEA registered vessels operating wholly or partly in Great Britain and its territorial waters. Seafarers from the EEA or designated States, whose legal relationship in regard to their employment is located within Great Britain, are also covered to the same extent. Outside our territorial waters the same level of protection is afforded to the same category of seafarers on UK registered vessels.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport is currently reviewing the application of the Equality Act Regulations with the social partners, this Department and other Departments.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>However, the UK must give due consideration to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea that states that a vessel is entitled to the right of innocent passage when in the territorial waters of another State. The majority of ferries operating out of Great Britain are not flagged with the UK register and the Channel Islands and Cherbourg are beyond our territorial waters.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 21/10/2014 13:49:05 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	59 label Biography information for Mr Mike Hancock

93451

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Business: Sustainable Development
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department has (a) commissioned or (b) conducted research on the effects on a business's competitiveness of building sustainability into its core strategy.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Mr Mike Hancock
uin	210679
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department has not commissioned or conducted research into this issue.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 22/10/2014 15:09:21 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	59 label Biography information for Mr Mike Hancock

93452

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Phones 4u
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the progress being made to offset job losses and the cost to the economy resulting from the collapse of mobile telephone retailer Phones 4U.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	210713
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The administration of Phones4U was disappointing news and is obviously a worrying time for the workforce, but this continues to be a matter for the Administrators, PWC.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government, through its Rapid Response Service has supported the Taskforce established by local partners in Newcastle under Lyme and Stoke in September</p><p> </p><p>The Taskforce has been able to offer direct and indirect support through an Employee Support Event on 7 October which is part of a larger support programme for those looking for work.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I was pleased to see media reports that more than 2,000 staff working in 198 stores and 160 concessions have been transferred to buyers of parts of the business including Vodafone and EE.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 21/10/2014 13:44:52 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

93453

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Business: Equality
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that a conscience clause is included within equality legislation affecting UK businesses.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	210714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that people are protected against discrimination because of religion or belief, and that they are able to exercise the right to hold and manifest their beliefs in a reasonable manner. We believe that the Equality Act 2010 strikes the right balance between the rights of people to manifest their religion or beliefs and the rights of others not to be discriminated against or harassed due to other protected characteristics, such as gender or sexual orientation, in areas such as employment and the provision of goods and services.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 21/10/2014 13:47:52 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

93454

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Publishing: Competition
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations his Department has received on large publishing firms coercing smaller publishing houses to sign contracts with anti-competitive clauses.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	210716
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department has received correspondence from members of the public and publishing firms raising competition concerns about the application of certain types of contract in the publishing sector generally, for example most favoured nation or price-parity clauses. However, there has not been a concerted campaign asking for action.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has given the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) strong powers to tackle anti-competitive behaviour. I would encourage anyone that is aware of large publishing firms engaging in such anti-competitive practices to provide that evidence to the CMA.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 21/10/2014 13:50:38 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

93460

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Financial Services: Cayman Islands
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the evidential basis of the decision by the Financial Conduct Authority to list the Cayman Islands as a high-risk country for financial crime.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	210622
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Financial Conduct Authority is an independent non-governmental body, given statutory powers by the Financial Services and Markets Act (2000) as amended by the Financial Services Act (2012). As an independent body, the evidential basis of their decisions is a matter for the FCA.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HM Treasury is aware that the FCA has removed the list in question from its website, and is no longer using it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 22/10/2014 15:23:12 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

93461

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Landfill Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when Ministers in his Department were made aware of HM Revenue and Customs' proposed changes to the definition of qualifying materials for the lower rate of landfill tax.
tabling member constituency	Hitchin and Harpenden
tabling member printed	Mr Peter Lilley
uin	210616
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>In response to concerns over the mis-description of fines (residual waste from waste processing produced by mechanical treatment plants) the Government announced in Budget 2014 a consultation on introducing a new testing regime. This loss on Ignition (LOI) testing regime will help operators of landfill sites to determine the correct landfill tax liability of fines.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The proposal for this test arose from a government-industry working group, including representatives from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), HM Treasury, the Environment Agency, the Environmental Services Association (representing the main landfill site operators) and the United Resource Operators Consortium (UROC) (representing waste transfer stations and skip hire operators). The Government held a formal consultation over the summer which closed on 19 September 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Comments on the assessment of impacts in the Taxes Impact Assessment were welcomed within the consultation document. The Government is currently considering its response and an impact note will be published alongside draft legislation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC is also considering revising its guidance on landfill tax lower rating and conducted an informal consultation with industry in Autumn 2013. That consultation is continuing through the government-industry working group. The proposed revisions include clarification on the landfill tax liability of hazardous wastes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In relation to hazardous waste, the Government apply the underlying principle of the more polluting the waste the higher the tax. According to existing guidance, wastes must be non-hazardous to qualify for the lower rate of landfill tax. As the informal consultation raised concerns over the potential impact on brownfield development there are no plans to publish the revised guidance until this issue has been resolved. Publication of any revised guidance will only go ahead once Ministers have given approval.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bottom ash from waste combustion is liable to the lower rate of landfill tax. There are no plans to change this policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel grouped question UIN 210613 210614 210617 210636 question first answered 22/10/2014 15:50:14 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	68 label Biography information for Lord Lilley

93462

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Landfill Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he expects bottom ash from municipal waste incinerators to continue to qualify for the lower rate of landfill tax under his Department's proposed changes to the definition of qualifying material; and what estimate he has made of the additional annual landfill tax revenue that HM Revenue and Customs will receive from local authorities as a consequence of that change.
tabling member constituency	Hitchin and Harpenden
tabling member printed	Mr Peter Lilley
uin	210636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>In response to concerns over the mis-description of fines (residual waste from waste processing produced by mechanical treatment plants) the Government announced in Budget 2014 a consultation on introducing a new testing regime. This loss on Ignition (LOI) testing regime will help operators of landfill sites to determine the correct landfill tax liability of fines.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The proposal for this test arose from a government-industry working group, including representatives from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), HM Treasury, the Environment Agency, the Environmental Services Association (representing the main landfill site operators) and the United Resource Operators Consortium (UROC) (representing waste transfer stations and skip hire operators). The Government held a formal consultation over the summer which closed on 19 September 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Comments on the assessment of impacts in the Taxes Impact Assessment were welcomed within the consultation document. The Government is currently considering its response and an impact note will be published alongside draft legislation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC is also considering revising its guidance on landfill tax lower rating and conducted an informal consultation with industry in Autumn 2013. That consultation is continuing through the government-industry working group. The proposed revisions include clarification on the landfill tax liability of hazardous wastes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In relation to hazardous waste, the Government apply the underlying principle of the more polluting the waste the higher the tax. According to existing guidance, wastes must be non-hazardous to qualify for the lower rate of landfill tax. As the informal consultation raised concerns over the potential impact on brownfield development there are no plans to publish the revised guidance until this issue has been resolved. Publication of any revised guidance will only go ahead once Ministers have given approval.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bottom ash from waste combustion is liable to the lower rate of landfill tax. There are no plans to change this policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel grouped question UIN 210613 210614 210616 210617 question first answered 22/10/2014 15:50:14 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	68 label Biography information for Lord Lilley

93463

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Landfill Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultation has taken place between his Department, HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the effect of changing the definition of qualifying material for the lower rate of landfill tax on (a) achieving the Best Overall Environment Outcome, (b) disruption to markets and (c) levels of waste crime.
tabling member constituency	Hitchin and Harpenden
tabling member printed	Mr Peter Lilley
uin	210617
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>In response to concerns over the mis-description of fines (residual waste from waste processing produced by mechanical treatment plants) the Government announced in Budget 2014 a consultation on introducing a new testing regime. This loss on Ignition (LOI) testing regime will help operators of landfill sites to determine the correct landfill tax liability of fines.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The proposal for this test arose from a government-industry working group, including representatives from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), HM Treasury, the Environment Agency, the Environmental Services Association (representing the main landfill site operators) and the United Resource Operators Consortium (UROC) (representing waste transfer stations and skip hire operators). The Government held a formal consultation over the summer which closed on 19 September 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Comments on the assessment of impacts in the Taxes Impact Assessment were welcomed within the consultation document. The Government is currently considering its response and an impact note will be published alongside draft legislation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC is also considering revising its guidance on landfill tax lower rating and conducted an informal consultation with industry in Autumn 2013. That consultation is continuing through the government-industry working group. The proposed revisions include clarification on the landfill tax liability of hazardous wastes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In relation to hazardous waste, the Government apply the underlying principle of the more polluting the waste the higher the tax. According to existing guidance, wastes must be non-hazardous to qualify for the lower rate of landfill tax. As the informal consultation raised concerns over the potential impact on brownfield development there are no plans to publish the revised guidance until this issue has been resolved. Publication of any revised guidance will only go ahead once Ministers have given approval.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bottom ash from waste combustion is liable to the lower rate of landfill tax. There are no plans to change this policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel grouped question UIN 210613 210614 210616 210636 question first answered 22/10/2014 15:50:14 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	68 label Biography information for Lord Lilley

93464

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Landfill Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect of his Department's proposed changes to the definition of qualifying materials for the lower rate of landfill tax on the remediation of contaminated brownfield land.
tabling member constituency	Hitchin and Harpenden
tabling member printed	Mr Peter Lilley
uin	210613
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>In response to concerns over the mis-description of fines (residual waste from waste processing produced by mechanical treatment plants) the Government announced in Budget 2014 a consultation on introducing a new testing regime. This loss on Ignition (LOI) testing regime will help operators of landfill sites to determine the correct landfill tax liability of fines.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The proposal for this test arose from a government-industry working group, including representatives from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), HM Treasury, the Environment Agency, the Environmental Services Association (representing the main landfill site operators) and the United Resource Operators Consortium (UROC) (representing waste transfer stations and skip hire operators). The Government held a formal consultation over the summer which closed on 19 September 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Comments on the assessment of impacts in the Taxes Impact Assessment were welcomed within the consultation document. The Government is currently considering its response and an impact note will be published alongside draft legislation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC is also considering revising its guidance on landfill tax lower rating and conducted an informal consultation with industry in Autumn 2013. That consultation is continuing through the government-industry working group. The proposed revisions include clarification on the landfill tax liability of hazardous wastes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In relation to hazardous waste, the Government apply the underlying principle of the more polluting the waste the higher the tax. According to existing guidance, wastes must be non-hazardous to qualify for the lower rate of landfill tax. As the informal consultation raised concerns over the potential impact on brownfield development there are no plans to publish the revised guidance until this issue has been resolved. Publication of any revised guidance will only go ahead once Ministers have given approval.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bottom ash from waste combustion is liable to the lower rate of landfill tax. There are no plans to change this policy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel grouped question UIN 210614 210616 210617 210636 question first answered 22/10/2014 15:50:14 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	68 label Biography information for Lord Lilley