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1052415

registered interest
date	01/02/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Waste Disposal: Planning Permission
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will call in planning applications ESS/36/17/BTE and ESS/37/17BTE for the Rivenhall Integrated Waste Facility in light of changes to the development proposals made since planning consent to consider the (a) environmental impact and (b) risk to human health of that proposed development.
tabling member constituency	Witham
tabling member printed	Priti Patel
uin	215572
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2019 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has received a number of requests for him to call in the planning applications for the development of Rivenhall Integrated Waste Facility. As is normal practice, he will consider the planning issues raised by the applications in the light of call in policy if Essex County Council resolves to approve them. The comments you make will be taken into a consideration. In the meantime, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the proposals. You will be advised of the decision in due course.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 06/02/2019 16:33:41 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

942857

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the UK will adhere to the emissions standards for (a) cars, (b) vans and (c) heavy duty vehicles set out in recent EU proposed frameworks after the UK has left the EU; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	165035
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>The recent White Paper on the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union sets out the UK’s proposal for a UK-EU free trade area, underpinned by a common rulebook on industrial goods. This covers all rules that set the requirements for placing a product on the market, including environmental requirements, as are necessary to provide for frictionless trade at the border. This would include the type approval system for all categories of motor vehicles and would ensure that the UK and the EU adhere to the same emission standards for cars, vans and heavy duty vehicles.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 25/07/2018 12:40:16 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

942858

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to take steps to discourage the purchase of high-emission (a) sports utility and (b) other such vehicles; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	165036
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>As my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State has previously said, when people are buying new cars they should think carefully about the type of car that suits their needs. For example, someone who is making short journeys, mostly in towns, might find an electric car better suited to their needs than a larger diesel car. It is our mission for all new cars and vans to be effectively zero emission by 2040. Our recently published ‘Road to Zero’ strategy sets out the action Government will take to support this mission, as well as the steps we are taking to drive down emissions from conventional vehicles during the transition.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 25/07/2018 12:47:58 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

942861

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Recruitment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average length of time has been for filling vacancies in HMRC's National Minimum Wage Compliance Unit in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165074
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>The government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been underpaid NMW should contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or via the online complaints form at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints" target="_blank">gov.uk</a>.</p><p> </p><p>At the end of the 2017/18 financial year there were 412 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in NMW compliance teams, up from 352 the previous year. Staffing levels fluctuate throughout the year. HMRC is currently staffed to 83% of planned NMW recruitment, and continues an extensive recruitment process as part of HMRC’s ongoing growth in developing enforcement capability.</p><p> </p><p>Other staff across HMRC also contribute to enforcing the NMW, including lawyers, technical advisers and those specialising in criminal investigations. These staff are not included in these numbers.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC does not hold data in the format required to answer the question on average time to fill vacancies within NMW.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has more than trebled annual funding of minimum wage enforcement since 2014, providing a total budget of £26.3m in 2018/19. The additional investment has enabled a significant expansion of resources dedicated to enforcing the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p>Last year HMRC identified over £15.6m of NMW arrears for over 200,000 workers, which is the largest amount of arrears found for workers in any single year since the NMW was introduced.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride grouped question UIN 165075 question first answered 25/07/2018 10:59:26 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

942862

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Recruitment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the staffing complement is of HMRC's National Minimum Wage Compliance Unit; and how many of those staff posts were unfilled as of 17 July 2018.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165075
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>The government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been underpaid NMW should contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or via the online complaints form at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints" target="_blank">gov.uk</a>.</p><p> </p><p>At the end of the 2017/18 financial year there were 412 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in NMW compliance teams, up from 352 the previous year. Staffing levels fluctuate throughout the year. HMRC is currently staffed to 83% of planned NMW recruitment, and continues an extensive recruitment process as part of HMRC’s ongoing growth in developing enforcement capability.</p><p> </p><p>Other staff across HMRC also contribute to enforcing the NMW, including lawyers, technical advisers and those specialising in criminal investigations. These staff are not included in these numbers.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC does not hold data in the format required to answer the question on average time to fill vacancies within NMW.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has more than trebled annual funding of minimum wage enforcement since 2014, providing a total budget of £26.3m in 2018/19. The additional investment has enabled a significant expansion of resources dedicated to enforcing the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p>Last year HMRC identified over £15.6m of NMW arrears for over 200,000 workers, which is the largest amount of arrears found for workers in any single year since the NMW was introduced.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride grouped question UIN 165074 question first answered 25/07/2018 10:59:26 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

942863

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Revenue and Customs: Equal Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the most recent estimate is of the gender pay gap within HMRC.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165076
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>HMRC’s gender pay gap analysis, published in December 2017, showed a base pay gap of 8.4% (mean) and 12.2% (median). Whilst this compares favourably with other Civil Service departments, HMRC is not complacent and are actively working to address the gap. HMRC continues to meet regularly with its recognised unions to review the pay position of all employees; with the shared ambition of ensuring annual pay awards are as fair as is reasonably possible.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 25/07/2018 10:55:32 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

942864

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Disqualification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to assist households facing financial difficulties as a result of benefit sanctions.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165077
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>Sanctions are only used in a minority of cases, when people fail to meet their conditionality requirements without good reason. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities and any evidence of good reason, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted</p><p> </p><p>We have a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs, including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene, as a result of their sanction.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, claimants on legacy benefits will continue to receive passported benefits, such as Housing Benefits, when they are sanctioned. Similarly, in Universal Credit, claimants will continue to receive other elements they are entitled to, such as the housing and children element.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 25/07/2018 14:32:25 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

942866

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the effect is of a claimant refusing a job with a prospective employer where the terms and conditions on offer include a zero hours contract on that claimant's continued receipt of benefits.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165078
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2018 answer text <p>Universal Credit (UC) radically transforms the welfare system by seeking to ensure not only that claimants are better off in work, but that they are better off working more hours and earning more money, helping them ultimately to become financially independent. Their UC payments adjust automatically depending on the amount they earn, so that they are financially supported and do not need to switch their benefit claim.</p><p>UC claimants may be required to look for and accept jobs with a zero hours contract. Such contracts can be a beneficial and positive way for claimants to boost their income and gain valuable work experience.</p><p> </p><p>UC claimants are expected to take responsibility for meeting any mandatory conditionality requirements they have agreed and will be supported by their Work Coach throughout. If there is no reason why a claimant should not take a zero hours contract job and they refuse, they may be sanctioned. However, sanctions are only used in a minority of cases and that is when claimants fail to meet their conditionality requirements without good reason.</p><p> </p><p>Jobseeker's Allowance claimants are not required to apply for zero hours contract jobs.</p><p>This is because of the impact that fluctuating earnings and hours may have on a claim – entitlement will end when a claimant earns more than a certain amount or works more than 16 hours in a week. This means they would then need to reclaim when lower, or no hours are offered, posing a real risk of gaps in income. This disincentive to take on flexible work, or work more hours, has been designed out of UC to ensure support for people whose hours fluctuate.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 24/07/2018 15:07:06 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

942867

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to assist households facing financial difficulties as a result of errors or delays in the roll-out of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165079
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2018 answer text <p>The Department’s rollout of Universal Credit Full Service is going to plan and is due to complete nationally in December 2018. As of the end of July 2018 we will have completed 65% of this programme, with nearly 400,000 new claimants added onto the system since August 2017. Where amendments to the rollout schedule have been announced (as on 22 March in Written Statement HCWS577, or following the November 2017 Budget), these reflect local considerations and discussions, or policy changes to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>The policy changes announced following the November 2017 Budget, included:</p><p> </p><ul><li>from 3 January, increasing the repayment period of Universal Credit advances to 12 months, with claimants able to get up to 100 per cent of their estimated monthly entitlement upfront. These advances are available to claimants interest-free, and from July 2018, can be applied for online.</li></ul><ul><li>from 14 February, removing the seven-day waiting period that some claimants had at the start of their Universal Credit claim.</li></ul><ul><li>from 11 April, providing an additional payment for claimants already receiving support towards their housing costs of two weeks of their Housing Benefit to support them as they transfer onto Universal Credit. Claimants will not be required to repay this money.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Universal Credit is continuously improved in line with our test and learn approach and DWP continues to work closely with landlords, local authorities and other organisations to ensure claimants are supported throughout the assessment process. The Department provides funding for local authorities and other partner organisations to help claimants with the transition to Universal Credit through Universal Support. This is help for those who need assistance to manage their claim online and/or help with budgeting in order to manage their monthly payments and prioritise essential bills such as rent and utilities. Further information can be accessed at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-support" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-support</a>.</p><p> </p><p>In common with other DWP benefits, in cases where a customer is affected by Departmental error, we can also consider awarding an ex-gratia payment, as set out in the guide on Financial Redress for Maladministration.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 25/07/2018 15:33:29 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

942868

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	NATO: Expenditure
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on NATO's two per cent GDP spending target.
tabling member constituency	North East Hampshire
tabling member printed	Mr Ranil Jayawardena
uin	165114
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2018 answer text <p>I regularly discuss this important issue with my NATO counterparts, and it was a key part of the burden sharing discussions at the NATO Summit on 11-12 July.</p> answering member constituency Belfast East answering member printed Gavin Robinson question first answered 24/07/2018 15:01:49 answering member 4360 label Biography information for Gavin Robinson
tabling member	4498 label Biography information for Mr Ranil Jayawardena