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168983

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Older Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people working in her Department are over 65 years old; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	217830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Annual Civil Service Employment Survey reveals that, as at 31st March 2014, there were 330 people working in the Home Department over the age of 65.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Staffordshire Moorlands answering member printed Karen Bradley question first answered 11/12/2014 14:42:52 answering member 4110 label Biography information for Dame Karen Bradley
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

169047

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
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	Funeral Payments: Motherwell and Wishaw
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for funeral payments were awarded by his Department in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency in each of the last three years; and what the average such award was in each of those years.
tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
tabling member printed	Mr Frank Roy
uin	217930
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>DWP does not hold data on Funeral Payments at constituency level.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 11/12/2014 12:20:38 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	626 label Biography information for Mr Frank Roy

169073

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Powers of Entry
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 7 July (HL824), whether they can now give a date when the final departmental transaction reports on the review of powers of entry required by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 will be laid before Parliament.
tabling member printed	Lord Marlesford
uin	HL3563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>Final reports on the powers of entry review were laid before Parliament on 27 November 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 11/12/2014 14:39:54 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	1854 label Biography information for Lord Marlesford

168464

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Forced Marriage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will clarify the role of teachers in monitoring girls at risk of being forced into under-age marriage.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL3494
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2014 answer text <p>All school staff have a responsibility to identify children who may be in need of extra help or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. All staff then have a responsibility to take appropriate action, working with other services as required. Those responsibilities, which apply to the risk of forced marriage as to any other form of abuse, are set out in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ statutory guidance for schools and their staff which the Government published in April 2014.[1]</p><p>The statutory guidance contains links to more detailed guidance on specific risks, including multi-Agency guidelines on forced marriage.[2] The chapter of those guidelines which focuses on schools, colleges and universities indicates: what teachers should look out for, such as changes in behaviour or attendance or the early marriage of a sibling; how they can support girls, by giving access to support and advice; and what they should do if they suspect a girl is being forced into marriage, including activating local child protection procedures.</p><p>[1] <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education</a></p><p>[2] <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/322307/HMG_MULTI_AGENCY_PRACTICE_GUIDELINES_v1_180614_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/322307/HMG_MULTI_AGENCY_PRACTICE_GUIDELINES_v1_180614_FINAL.pdf</a></p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 10/12/2014 17:11:53 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

168561

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	National Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what his policy is on the future of the National Fund; whether he has considered the early application of the Fund to reduce the national debt; what other options for the future of the Fund he has considered and (a) dismissed and (b) kept under consideration; and what donations have been made to the Fund in each of the last 30 years.
tabling member constituency	Lewes
tabling member printed	Norman Baker
uin	217758
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>There has been correspondence between the Charity Commission, the trustees and the Attorney General’s Office over the National Fund.</p><p>The Fund is operated in accordance with its rules and section 9 of the Superannuation and Other Trust Funds (Validation) Act 1927. It is accumulating as the original donors intended.</p><p>Options are being considered for the future of the Fund, consistent with its object of extinguishing or reducing the national debt. These include a possible application to the court for directions. The consideration of these options includes looking at the history of donations to the Fund. Whilst this work is on-going, it would not be appropriate to comment further.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 11/12/2014 16:01:37 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	28 label Biography information for Norman Baker

168563

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
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	Education Funding Agency: Skills Funding Agency
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 now made of the potential efficiency gains that could result from a merger of the Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency.
tabling member constituency	Lewes
tabling member printed	Norman Baker
uin	217761
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) constantly keeps its delivery arrangements under review to ensure that funding of skills programmes is efficient and effective, as well as responsive to policy priorities to increase take-up of apprenticeships and traineeships for young people.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Skills Funding Agency works closely with the Education Funding Agency on the funding of Further Education college provision and funding of apprenticeships and traineeships for 16-19 year olds. We have recently appointed Peter Lauener as joint Chief Executive of both agencies to make the most of the clear synergies between the two agencies. This exemplifies the commitment we have to promoting joined up Government. The Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency share a number of services to ensure they function as efficiently as possible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Skills Funding Agency has recently been through significant restructuring exercises reducing staffing levels by 50% and administration budget by 37%. In addition the regional office structure was reduced from 54 offices to six offices.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 11/12/2014 16:23:44 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	28 label Biography information for Norman Baker

168565

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
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	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to improve apprentice National Minimum Wage enforcement.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	217685
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to the National Minimum Wage and is absolutely clear that everyone who is entitled to it should receive it. Any worker who thinks they have been underpaid should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the helpline and calls from apprentices are prioritised for consideration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware that non-compliance involving apprentices is an issue and we are taking action. We are:</p><p> </p><p>· Ensuring that all training providers [in England] deliver on existing obligations to inform employers and apprentices of their NMW requirements.</p><p> </p><p>· Improving guidance and information more generally, to ensure we have clear and comprehensive information on the minimum wage rules. In England the National Apprenticeship Service includes information on the NMW in its information pack for employers taking on an apprentice.</p><p> </p><p>· Encouraging workers to call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline if they think they are not getting what they are legally entitled to through our communication campaign which began in Sept 2014.</p><p> </p><p>· Writing to level 2 &amp; 3 apprentices in England informing them of their NMW entitlement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to consider whether we can simplify the apprentice rate structure so that it is as clear and simple as possible, in order to support those employers who take on apprentices. The LPC will report back with their recommendations in February 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to take a tough approach towards all employers that do not comply with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, including through making their non-compliance public. 55 employers, including some who underpaid apprentices, have been named so far and between them they owed workers a total of over £139,000 in arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid arrears owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. This came into effect on 7 March 2014. We are introducing primary legislation so that the penalty can be calculated on a per worker basis which will substantially increase the penalty for some employers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There have been no prosecutions since 2010 involving apprentices. Prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. The Government usually pursues other means, which are more effective, to achieve the key goals of getting workers paid their arrears of wages and deter employers from being non-compliant. For example, the Government policy on the naming scheme and the increase in the NMW civil penalty will have considerable reputational and financial consequences for employers who are non-compliant with the NMW. However, HMRC will refer suitable cases to prosecutors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 217684 217744 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:21:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

168569

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
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	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to page 5 of his Department's publication, National Minimum Wage, Interim government evidence for the 2015 Low Pay Commission report, published in October 2014, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the rate of non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for apprentices; and what steps he plans to take to increase the rate of compliance with the apprentice NMW.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	217744
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to the National Minimum Wage and is absolutely clear that everyone who is entitled to it should receive it. Any worker who thinks they have been underpaid should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the helpline and calls from apprentices are prioritised for consideration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware that non-compliance involving apprentices is an issue and we are taking action. We are:</p><p> </p><p>· Ensuring that all training providers [in England] deliver on existing obligations to inform employers and apprentices of their NMW requirements.</p><p> </p><p>· Improving guidance and information more generally, to ensure we have clear and comprehensive information on the minimum wage rules. In England the National Apprenticeship Service includes information on the NMW in its information pack for employers taking on an apprentice.</p><p> </p><p>· Encouraging workers to call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline if they think they are not getting what they are legally entitled to through our communication campaign which began in Sept 2014.</p><p> </p><p>· Writing to level 2 &amp; 3 apprentices in England informing them of their NMW entitlement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to consider whether we can simplify the apprentice rate structure so that it is as clear and simple as possible, in order to support those employers who take on apprentices. The LPC will report back with their recommendations in February 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to take a tough approach towards all employers that do not comply with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, including through making their non-compliance public. 55 employers, including some who underpaid apprentices, have been named so far and between them they owed workers a total of over £139,000 in arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid arrears owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. This came into effect on 7 March 2014. We are introducing primary legislation so that the penalty can be calculated on a per worker basis which will substantially increase the penalty for some employers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There have been no prosecutions since 2010 involving apprentices. Prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. The Government usually pursues other means, which are more effective, to achieve the key goals of getting workers paid their arrears of wages and deter employers from being non-compliant. For example, the Government policy on the naming scheme and the increase in the NMW civil penalty will have considerable reputational and financial consequences for employers who are non-compliant with the NMW. However, HMRC will refer suitable cases to prosecutors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 217684 217685 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:21:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

168574

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
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	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many employers have been prosecuted for non-payment of the apprentice National Minimum Wage in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	217684
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to the National Minimum Wage and is absolutely clear that everyone who is entitled to it should receive it. Any worker who thinks they have been underpaid should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the helpline and calls from apprentices are prioritised for consideration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware that non-compliance involving apprentices is an issue and we are taking action. We are:</p><p> </p><p>· Ensuring that all training providers [in England] deliver on existing obligations to inform employers and apprentices of their NMW requirements.</p><p> </p><p>· Improving guidance and information more generally, to ensure we have clear and comprehensive information on the minimum wage rules. In England the National Apprenticeship Service includes information on the NMW in its information pack for employers taking on an apprentice.</p><p> </p><p>· Encouraging workers to call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline if they think they are not getting what they are legally entitled to through our communication campaign which began in Sept 2014.</p><p> </p><p>· Writing to level 2 &amp; 3 apprentices in England informing them of their NMW entitlement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to consider whether we can simplify the apprentice rate structure so that it is as clear and simple as possible, in order to support those employers who take on apprentices. The LPC will report back with their recommendations in February 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to take a tough approach towards all employers that do not comply with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, including through making their non-compliance public. 55 employers, including some who underpaid apprentices, have been named so far and between them they owed workers a total of over £139,000 in arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid arrears owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. This came into effect on 7 March 2014. We are introducing primary legislation so that the penalty can be calculated on a per worker basis which will substantially increase the penalty for some employers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There have been no prosecutions since 2010 involving apprentices. Prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. The Government usually pursues other means, which are more effective, to achieve the key goals of getting workers paid their arrears of wages and deter employers from being non-compliant. For example, the Government policy on the naming scheme and the increase in the NMW civil penalty will have considerable reputational and financial consequences for employers who are non-compliant with the NMW. However, HMRC will refer suitable cases to prosecutors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 217685 217744 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:21:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

168581

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Low Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of how many working people earn less than £10,600 per annum.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	217635
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading East answering member printed Mr Rob Wilson question first answered 11/12/2014 09:45:12 answering member 1556 label Biography information for Mr Rob Wilson attachment 1 file name PQ 217635 ONS 455.pdf title ONS Letter to Member - Working people on £10,600
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell