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437057

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Human Trafficking: Prosecutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many alleged human traffickers have been prosecuted by the CPS as a result of calls made to the NSPCC human trafficking and modern slavery helpline between July 2014 and June 2015.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	19543
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2015 answer text <p>In the last financial year the CPS successfully prosecuted 130 human trafficking cases. However, the CPS does not record how an allegation of human trafficking or modern slavery was brought to the attention of the investigative authorities.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 15/12/2015 13:01:57 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

437058

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
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	Small Businesses: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on Small Business Saturday and its benefits to promoting the value of small businesses to the economy.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	19513
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2015 answer text <p>Officials in the department meet with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on a regular basis, to discuss a range of matters connected to small business, including Small Business Saturday.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 18/12/2015 14:50:24 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

437060

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
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	Students: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department holds on satisfaction levels of (a) non-disabled and (b) disabled students of their experience in higher education.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	19503
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2015 answer text <p>The National Student Survey (NSS) annually gathers students’ opinions on the quality of their course. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published a separate report in 2014 which provides analysis on the differences between NSS results for different student characteristics over the period 2005-2013.</p><p>A copy of the report and a tool, which allows the data to be filtered by different student characteristics including disability, are available on the HEFCE website at</p><p><a href="http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2014/201413/HEFCE2014_13%20-%20corrected%2012%20December%202014.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2014/201413/HEFCE2014_13%20-%20corrected%2012%20December%202014.pdf</a></p><p><a href="http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/nsstrend/" target="_blank">http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/nsstrend/ </a></p><p>Higher education institutions have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled students and to monitor their compliance with their Equality Act duties. The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011 require institutions to publish information as to their compliance with the general public sector equality duty.</p><p>The Independent Office for Fair Access (OFFA) has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 with plans for universities to spend more than £745 million on measures to improve access and student success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, up from £404m in 2009/10. Higher education institutions choose their own access agreement measures and targets, in line with their own particular mission and challenges and these can include targets on disability where appropriate.</p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson grouped question UIN 19504 question first answered 17/12/2015 11:31:55 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

437061

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
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	Students: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what evaluation he has conducted on the extent to which universities cater to the needs of disabled students.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	19504
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2015 answer text <p>The National Student Survey (NSS) annually gathers students’ opinions on the quality of their course. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published a separate report in 2014 which provides analysis on the differences between NSS results for different student characteristics over the period 2005-2013.</p><p>A copy of the report and a tool, which allows the data to be filtered by different student characteristics including disability, are available on the HEFCE website at</p><p><a href="http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2014/201413/HEFCE2014_13%20-%20corrected%2012%20December%202014.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2014/201413/HEFCE2014_13%20-%20corrected%2012%20December%202014.pdf</a></p><p><a href="http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/nsstrend/" target="_blank">http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/nsstrend/ </a></p><p>Higher education institutions have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled students and to monitor their compliance with their Equality Act duties. The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011 require institutions to publish information as to their compliance with the general public sector equality duty.</p><p>The Independent Office for Fair Access (OFFA) has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 with plans for universities to spend more than £745 million on measures to improve access and student success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, up from £404m in 2009/10. Higher education institutions choose their own access agreement measures and targets, in line with their own particular mission and challenges and these can include targets on disability where appropriate.</p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson grouped question UIN 19503 question first answered 17/12/2015 11:31:55 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

437062

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Yemen: Military Intervention
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the accuracy of reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that a UK-produced bomb was used in an airstrike against a civilian factory in Yemen.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Margaret Ferrier
uin	19547
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2015 answer text <p>We are aware of the allegation that a ceramics factory in Sana'a Governorate was attacked on 23 September 2015 causing civilian casualties and are monitoring this alleged incident.</p><p>In doing so, the Ministry of Defence is considering a range of evidence from Government sources, foreign governments, the media and international non-governmental organisations. Our consideration of this allegation is on going.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 18/12/2015 12:01:49 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
tabling member	4386 label Biography information for Margaret Ferrier

437067

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
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	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether apprentices are required to achieve a Level 2 Qualification including mathematics and English in order to be entered for an Advanced Level apprenticeship and for those entries to be in accordance with Trailblazer apprenticeships standards.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	19581
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2015 answer text <p>In order to maximise accessibility, there are no centrally set entry requirements to start an apprenticeship. However, as apprenticeships are jobs with training, individual employers may set their own entry requirements for a specific apprenticeship.</p><p>The government does set requirements relating to training and achievement in English and maths during apprenticeships. This is because English and maths are fundamental to career progression and access to further learning.</p><p>All apprenticeship frameworks must comply with the Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE). Under SASE, English and maths qualifications are a mandatory component of all Intermediate and Advanced apprenticeships. However, all adult apprentices are assessed for prior learning, and people who start an apprenticeship with current English and maths qualifications at the right level need not repeat these.</p><p>We are reforming apprenticeships to ensure that they are based on standards designed by employers.The government sets minimum requirements for apprenticeship standards, though employers are able to go further in the standards they design. They are able to specify a higher level of English and/or maths achievement or to specify a particular qualification or qualifications where this is needed for a particular occupation or sector. . The minimum requirements are - passing level 1 English and maths and taking the test for level 2 before taking the end-point assessment for an intermediate apprenticeship; and passing level 2 English and maths before taking the end-point assessment for an advanced or higher apprenticeship.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles grouped question UIN 19656 19657 19658 question first answered 18/12/2015 14:48:49 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

437071

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
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	Social Mobility
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 an assessment of the implications for his policies on social mobility of the findings of research by the Resolution Foundation, set out in its report, The Pinch, published in December 2015, on differences in household wealth between generations; and what steps the Government plans to take to address such differences.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Phil Boswell
uin	19592
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/12/2015 answer text <p>I note the Resolution Foundation’s work published in December 2015.</p><br /><p>This Government is focussed on securing economic prosperity, providing the foundations to support opportunity for all.</p><br /><p>Through improved education, work chances, a fairer welfare system and a stronger economy we are aiming to help increase the standard of living for everyone in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 22/12/2015 21:46:34 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4388 label Biography information for Philip Boswell

437072

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
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	Average Earnings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the implications are for his Department's policy of the analysis undertaken by the Resolution Foundation set out in its report, The Pinch, published on 10 December 2015, of (a) the effects of the financial events of the last 10 years on those aged 16 to 44 relative to those aged 55 to 64 and (b) the changes in that period in levels of real median weekly earnings across different cohorts of the population.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Phil Boswell
uin	19607
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/12/2015 answer text <p>The financial crisis triggered the worst recession in living memory. However, GDP surpassed its pre-recession level in Q2 2013 and the UK’s economic recovery is now well established. Since 2010, on average, the UK has been the joint fastest growing economy in the G7 and the labour market has continued to make strong progress.</p><br /><p>According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), excluding full-time students under the age of 25, the employment rate of people aged 16-49 fell from 76.9% in the three months to May 2008 to a post-recession low of 74.0% in the three months to March 2010. Since mid-2011, the employment rate for this group has increased over time and the latest data shows that it reached a record high of 77.7% in the three months to October 2015.</p><br /><p>While the recession had less of an impact on the employment rate of people aged 50-64, their current employment has also reached a record high for this group, of 70.0%.</p><br /><p>The analysis in Resolution Foundation’s report you mention looked at real median weekly earnings of various cohorts over time. While not strictly cohort analysis, more recent cross-sectional data from the ONS’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) shows that the increase in nominal median gross weekly pay between April 2014 and April 2015 varied across age groups as follows[1]:</p><ul><li>16-17 year olds: 8.2%[2]</li><li>18-21 year olds: 4.0%</li><li>22-29 year olds: 3.2%</li><li>30-39 year olds: 1.1%</li><li>40-49 year olds: 2.6%</li><li>50-59 year olds: 2.5%</li><li>60+ year olds: 1.9%</li></ul><p>CPI inflation over the same period was -0.1% in the year to April 2015.</p><br /><p>Pay, and ultimately living standards are strongly linked to productivity. That is why the Government is working hard to boost productivity, and therefore wages, with the ambitious measures outlined in our Productivity Plan. Our higher pay, lower tax, lower welfare society is the route to raising living standards for everyone in the UK.</p><br /><p>[1] Employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence</p><p>[2] Figures for 16-17 year olds include employees not on adult rates of pay</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 22/12/2015 22:11:09 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4388 label Biography information for Philip Boswell

437073

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
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	Apprentices: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to increase inclusivity for disabled people of the Approved Apprenticeship programmes.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	19608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2015 answer text <p>Apprenticeships are paid jobs, and whilst we would not want to interfere in employers’ recruitment decisions, we believe there is more that can be done to ensure that people from a diverse range of backgrounds are in the best possible place to apply for and secure an apprenticeship. For instance, the availability of reasonable adjustments for disabled learners (who can apply for Access to Work funding) and the accessibility of online tests. Employers must fulfil their duties as set out in the Equality Act 2010 for apprentices as they would for other employees.</p><p>Government also fully funds apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan). Apprentices aged 19 to 24 without an EHC Plan, who have a learning difficulty and/or disability can benefit from additional funding through Learning Support.</p><p>Advice is also available to help employers and training providers understand disabilities and how to better support disabled apprentices. We have funded NIACE to produce an employer toolkit <a href="http://www.employer-toolkit.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.employer-toolkit.org.uk/</a> for employers that want to develop a more inclusive and accessible apprenticeship offer.</p><p>An Apprenticeships Equality and Diversity Advisory group helps government understand and address any apprenticeship equality and diversity issues in order to reduce barriers and make apprenticeships as inclusive as possible.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 18/12/2015 14:49:06 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

437075

registered interest
date	10/12/2015
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	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether apprentices are required to achieve a Level 2 qualification, including mathematics and English, in order (a) to be entered for an Advanced Level Apprenticeship and (b) for entries to be in accordance with the Specification of Apprenticeships Standards for England.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	19656
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2015 answer text <p>In order to maximise accessibility, there are no centrally set entry requirements to start an apprenticeship. However, as apprenticeships are jobs with training, individual employers may set their own entry requirements for a specific apprenticeship.</p><p>The government does set requirements relating to training and achievement in English and maths during apprenticeships. This is because English and maths are fundamental to career progression and access to further learning.</p><p>All apprenticeship frameworks must comply with the Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE). Under SASE, English and maths qualifications are a mandatory component of all Intermediate and Advanced apprenticeships. However, all adult apprentices are assessed for prior learning, and people who start an apprenticeship with current English and maths qualifications at the right level need not repeat these.</p><p>We are reforming apprenticeships to ensure that they are based on standards designed by employers.The government sets minimum requirements for apprenticeship standards, though employers are able to go further in the standards they design. They are able to specify a higher level of English and/or maths achievement or to specify a particular qualification or qualifications where this is needed for a particular occupation or sector. . The minimum requirements are - passing level 1 English and maths and taking the test for level 2 before taking the end-point assessment for an intermediate apprenticeship; and passing level 2 English and maths before taking the end-point assessment for an advanced or higher apprenticeship.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles grouped question UIN 19581 19657 19658 question first answered 18/12/2015 14:48:49 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West