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99777

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Arms Trade: Exports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his Department's policy is on reviewing export licences to a country where defence equipment supplied by UK firms has previously been used for internal repression.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	211054
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>The UK aims to operate one of the most rigorous and transparent export control systems in the world. All export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account all prevailing circumstances at the time of application. In particular, Criterion Two concerns the ‘respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law’. The Government will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Export licences are kept under review in the light of changing international circumstances. A cross-government mechanism can suspend or revoke extant licences when a changing situation, such as an outbreak of conflict or acts of internal repression, means the licence would no longer be consistent with the Consolidated Criteria.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 24/10/2014 06:57:14 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 24060 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

99787

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector Debt: UN Resolutions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons the UK voted against UN General Assembly Resolution A/68/L.57/Rev.1, on the establishment of a multilateral legal framework for sovereign debt restructuring processes.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	211093
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 15 October 2014. This is available as below:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&amp;max=20&amp;questiontype=AllQuestions&amp;house=commons%2clords&amp;uin=209454" target="_blank">http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&amp;max=20&amp;questiontype=AllQuestions&amp;house=commons%2clords&amp;uin=209454</a></p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 24/10/2014 13:31:23 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

93750

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
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	Working Conditions
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 plans to take to ensure that companies are held responsible for labour conditions throughout their supply chains.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	210900
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>Companies are held accountable by investors, consumers and civil society as well as governments for the way in which they conduct their operations, including labour conditions, and how they report on their actions in this regard.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Since October 2013, quoted companies have been required to provide information in their Annual Report about social, community and human rights issues, including information about any policies of the company in relation to those matters and the effectiveness of those policies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department has negotiated at the European level to strengthen current human rights disclosure requirements and make them more specific. Provisions have now been agreed that will apply across all EU Member States from 2017 to large quoted companies and Public Interest Entities. My Department will shortly be consulting on the transposition of these measures into UK law.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Additional disclosure requirements will be introduced in the Modern Slavery Bill. Big businesses will have to publicly state each year what action they have taken to ensure their supply chains are slavery free. This requirement goes further than any similar legislation in the world by applying to businesses regardless of the nature of a company or what it supplies, whether goods or services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In September 2013, the UK was the first country to publish a National Action Plan implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Action Plan underlines the duty of businesses to respect the human rights of their employees and those in their supply chains. My Department is taking action to develop guidance for businesses reporting on this obligation, beginning with the retail sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In order to toughen up our enforcement of the National Minimum Wage my Department has made it simpler to name and shame employers that break the law on the National Minimum Wage and has increased the financial penalty that employers pay for breaking the law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid wages owed to workers. The maximum penalty has also increased from £5,000 to £20,000 and will be applied per worker not per firm.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 23/10/2014 16:23:04 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

93760

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Local Government Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what criteria his Department used to calculate recent changes in funding levels for local authorities.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	210903
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>The methodology that determines the retained business rates and Revenue Support Grant for local authorities is set out in the Local Govenrment Finance report each year. The Report for 2014/15 is available at:<br><br>https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2014-to-2015/final-settlement-2014-to-2015-and-illustrative-settlement-2015-2016<br><br>I also refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement of 5 February 2014, Official Report, Column 19-21WS.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 23/10/2014 15:56:58 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

93805

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Bovine Tuberculosis
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the effectiveness of a programme of cattle movement controls and badger vaccination; and what information her Department holds on the effectiveness of such a programme when badger culling is also carried out.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	210902
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>Defra’s Strategy for achieving bovine TB free status for England involves deploying a package of interventions informed by scientific and veterinary advice to address all likely routes of disease transmission. Due to the complexity of the disease, most effects of interventions will only be seen several years after their introduction and it will be difficult to assign cause and effect to any particular intervention. Consequently, success is measured through the combined impacts of a national system of intervention, rather than looking at individual components in isolation.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 22/10/2014 16:18:13 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

93873

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
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	Telephone Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's policy is on using telephone lines for which there is a charge for the Department's customer service lines or helplines.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	210901
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Department’s policy is that calls to claim benefit by telephone should be free so we use 0800 free phone numbers for these lines. For other enquiry helplines the Department has been introducing 0345 numbers but will retain 0845 prefixes; this will enable the customers to choose the most cost effective option dependant on their own call tariff. Any charges that apply to these calls are set by the customer’s telephone or mobile operator and vary depending call plan type and the time of day at which the call is made<em>.</em></p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 22/10/2014 14:36:30 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

93559

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Mental Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on waiting lists for talking therapies.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	210672
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The Department has received representations about waiting lists for talking therapies through parliamentary questions and from the <em>We Need to Talk Coalition</em> which comprises 28 mental health charities, professional organisations, Royal Colleges and service providers.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The Department and NHS England’s recently published five-year plan for mental health, <em>Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020, </em>sets out the immediate actions this year and next to achieve better access and waiting times in mental health services. For the first time national standards for waiting times in mental health services will be set. These will include treatment within six weeks for 75% of people referred to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme, with 95% of people being treated within 18 weeks.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Norfolk answering member printed Norman Lamb question first answered 22/10/2014 15:05:51 answering member 1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

92441

registered interest
date	10/10/2014
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	Riot Control Weapons: Exports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much tear gas was exported from the UK last year.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	209328
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>Information on the total value of exports of tear gas from the UK in 2013 is not available from published trade statistics.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 20/10/2014 14:58:53 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

92442

registered interest
date	10/10/2014
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	Riot Control Weapons: Exports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, under what circumstances of internal repression or violation of international humanitarian law an export licence for tear gas would be suspended or withdrawn.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	210001
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and the prevailing circumstances at the time of each application. Criterion 2 concerns the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination, as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law. An export licence would not be granted if there was a clear risk that the goods to be exported might be used for internal repression.</p><p> </p><p>Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts overseas have a standing requirement to monitor developments in human rights and conflicts in their respective countries and to report back if there are any developments that might affect licensing policy. In addition, open source material such as NGO reporting is used to make such assessments.</p><p> </p><p>Licences are revoked on a case-by-case basis if the proposed export is judged to be no longer compatible with the Consolidated Criteria. Existing licences, and the processing of new export licences, may be suspended, again on a case-by-case basis, where the security conditions in the export destination deteriorate to the point that it is not possible to make a judgement as to whether a particular licence remains consistent with the Consolidated Criteria.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 27/10/2014 11:42:25 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

92444

registered interest
date	10/10/2014
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	Riot Control Weapons: Exports
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 is carried out of the risk of tear gas being used for internal repression before an export licence is granted.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	210025
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2014 answer text <p>All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and the prevailing circumstances at the time of each application. Criterion 2 concerns the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination, as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law. An export licence would not be granted if there was a clear risk that the goods to be exported might be used for internal repression.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 17/10/2014 13:38:20 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff