Written Ministerial Statements

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

Tuesday 19 June 2012

National Minimum Wage (Seafarers)

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Norman Lamb)]

I have today published an updated policy statement on enforcement of the national minimum wage (NMW). The statement confirms that the Government will enforce the NMW on behalf of seafarers who ordinarily work in the UK and sets out our approach to determining whether this is the case.

I have arranged for copies of the updated policy statement to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Financial Services Authority

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr Mark Hoban)]

The annual report 2011-12 of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has today been laid before Parliament.

The report forms a key part of the accountability mechanism for the Financial Services Authority under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and assesses the performance of the Financial Services Authority over the past 12 months against its statutory objectives.

Early Education and Child Care

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Education (Sarah Teather)]

I am pleased to announce that Professor Cathy Nutbrown is today publishing the findings of her independent review of training qualifications and careers opportunities for people working in early education and childcare. Copies of her report, “Foundations for Quality: Review of Early Education and Childcare Qualifications” will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The importance of the early years—as a foundation for life and for future attainment and success—cannot be overestimated. Children’s personal, social, emotional, language and physical development are of paramount importance, and without strong foundations in these areas, children will struggle as they develop in life, with friends, and in school. That is why the Government have taken action to extend access to free, high-quality early education, and to reform and simplify the early years foundation stage.

It is essential that people working in the early years have the right skills and training to give children the best start in life. One of the most important factors affecting a child’s healthy development is the quality of the education and childcare they receive in the earliest years. That is why, in July last year, I set out my intention to commission a review of existing early years qualifications and training. I asked Professor Cathy Nutbrown of Sheffield university to undertake an independent review, to consider how best to strengthen qualifications and career pathways, focusing on the qualities needed to ensure that young children receive the best quality pre-school education.

I asked Professor Nutbrown to consider four main areas:

The content of early years training courses testing their strength and quality;

How to build on the work to date to develop qualifications to meet the needs of all learners, including young people undertaking full-time college courses and those who currently work in the profession;

How to ensure that entry qualifications are of a high standard and meet the needs of employers, and offer sufficient scope for progression within the sector;

Options for helping new qualifications acquire the equivalent status and currency of the nursery nurse education board (NNEB) qualification.

Professor Nutbrown is making recommendations in all these areas, and her report makes a strong case for further progress in improving quality and professionalism in the early years workforce.

I am hugely grateful to Professor Nutbrown for conducting this important review and to those who have supported her. I warmly welcome Professor Nutbrown’s thoughtful and thorough report, which takes a balanced look at the needs of the sector. The early years are immensely important and this report will be invaluable in helping the Government consider the best way to encourage talented people to work in the sector and improve outcomes for babies and young children in this important stage of their lives. We will read her report with care, and respond in due course as part of our continuing commitment to ensuring that childcare remains high quality and affordable to parents.

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman)]

The next Agriculture and Fisheries Council is on Monday 18 June in Luxembourg and is the last under the Danish presidency. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for agriculture and food will represent the UK. Richard Lochhead MSP and Alun Davies AM will also attend.

The main item on 18 June will be the presentation and discussion of the presidency’s report of the reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP). This is expected to highlight areas of emerging agreement, as well as key issues remaining to be addressed under the forthcoming Cypriot presidency.

There will also be an orientation debate on the proposed rural development regulation as part of the CAP reform package. The debate is expected to address the issues of the level of spend under pillar two that will have to be focused on environmental outcomes and whether funds transferred from pillar one to pillar two need to be subject to national co-financing.

There are two COREPER points down for possible discussion and the adoption of Council conclusions: the 2012-15 EU animal welfare strategy and the protection of animals during transport.

Under any other business there are five confirmed items:

An update from the Commission on the implementation of the group housing of sows by 1 January 2013;

Report from the presidency on the G20 meeting in Mexico City 17-18 May 2012;

Presentation from the presidency on animal health aspects of Health Council conclusions on the impact of antimicrobial resistance on the human health and veterinary sector; and

A Commission report on the application of a Council regulation on organic production and labelling;

Reports from Poland and Lithuania regarding the situation in the milk and dairy market.

British Waterways Board

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Richard Benyon)]

In advance of the forthcoming debate on the draft British Waterways Board (Transfer of Functions) Order 2012, I am placing in the Libraries of both Houses a copy of the draft British Waterways Board transfer scheme 2012 and a copy of the draft Waterways Infrastructure Trust.

If Parliament approves the transfer of functions order, it will, when made, transfer the statutory functions of the British Waterways Board in England and Wales to the Canal & River Trust. The transfer scheme will come into force in conjunction with that order and will be made under section 23 of the Public Bodies Act 2011. It will divide and transfer the property, rights and liabilities of the British Waterways Board between the Canal & River Trust, the Canal & River Trust Community Interest Company—Canal & River Trading CIC—and the British Waterways Board, as it continues to operate in Scotland.

As a default provision, except where provided for elsewhere in the transfer scheme, all property, rights and liabilities of the British Waterways Board will transfer to the Canal & River Trust. This is to ensure that the British Waterways Board, when operating solely in Scotland, is not unexpectedly burdened with liabilities. Schedules 1 to 3 list the division of property between the recipients.

The British Waterways Board, operating solely in Scotland, will receive all of the property, rights and liabilities relating to the activities of the British Waterways Board in Scotland as well as a portion of the British Waterways Board’s cross-border contracts. The division of assets between the Canal & River Trust and the British Waterways Board, when operating solely in Scotland, was agreed by the UK Government and the Scottish Government through a disaggregation process. The draft transfer scheme was also made available to the Scottish Parliament during its consideration of the transfer order. The Scottish Parliament gave its consent to the draft transfer order on 9 May 2012.

The transfer scheme will divide the commercial property assets between the Canal & River Trust (in England and Wales) and the British Waterways Board, operating solely in Scotland, and will provide for their respective transfer.

In England and Wales, the transfer scheme will transfer the heritage infrastructure to the Canal & River Trust to be held as permanent endowment in a specially created trust, the Waterways Infrastructure Trust. We intend to settle the Waterways Infrastructure Trust on the Canal & River Trust as sole trustee. I am also placing in the Library a copy of the draft trust settlement, which will be executed in due course as part of the overall transfer process.

The Canal & River Trust will be charged with safeguarding the infrastructure of the waterways on behalf of the nation. The canals, towpaths, locks and other parts of the waterways are to be looked after for the benefit of future generations and the Waterways Infrastructure Trust will ensure this happens.

The Waterways Infrastructure Trust ensures that all of infrastructure property (as defined in the trust) is held as a permanent functional endowment. This means that the Canal & River Trust will not be able to sell any part of the infrastructure property without gaining the Secretary of State’s and in some cases the Charity Commission’s prior consent. Before granting such consent, the Secretary of State will hold a public consultation.

The trust settlement also requires the Canal & River Trust to grant free pedestrian access to the towpath (except in certain very tightly defined circumstances and again with the prior consent of the Secretary of State, following public consultation).

Under the transfer scheme, certain assets will be moved directly to the Canal & River Trading Community Interest Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canal & River Trust. The Community Interest Company will receive the property, rights and liabilities for its trading activities which, under charity law, have to be kept in a separate vehicle from the charity itself.

European Councils

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will attend the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on 25 June. I will attend the General Affairs Council (GAC) on 26 June. Both meetings will be held in Luxembourg.

Foreign Affairs Council (FAC)

The FAC will be chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Ashton of Upholland.

Southern Neighbourhood

Ministers are expected to discuss the Commission’s report on activities in 2011, and the road map for future action. We welcome the communication and recognise the broad range of activity the EU supports in the region. We particularly welcome the increased focus on developing the political relationship through task forces held in Tunisia and Jordan, and the promotion of civil society through the new civil society fund.

Ministers will take stock of the latest situation on the ground in Syria, following the G20 summit in Los Cabos (18-19 June), and before a possible contact group meeting on Syria. The Council is an opportunity to outline our policy, along the lines of the Foreign Secretary’s statement to Parliament on 11 June. We need to support the Annan plan, increase the pressure on the Assad regime, and keep up a push for humanitarian assistance and on accountability. Ministers are likely to adopt conclusions reinforcing our messages.

On Egypt, Ministers will take stock of recent events, including the 14 June decisions by the Supreme Constitutional Court and the 16-17 June presidential elections. The Council conclusions are likely to reaffirm EU support for the political transition, and keep pressure on the authorities to maintain the momentum of tackling the pressing economic and human rights concerns.

Pakistan

High Representative Ashton is expected to report back from her recent visit to Pakistan. The subsequent discussion will be an opportunity for the Foreign Affairs Council to set out the EU’s support for Pakistan’s forthcoming elections and the EU’s commitment to improve market access for Pakistan.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

We expect Council conclusions to welcome the political progress achieved so far in 2012, and reaffirm the EU’s strong support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective. The conclusions are likely to reinforce the message that Bosnian leaders must urgently make a credible effort towards bringing their constitution into compliance with the European convention on human rights, thereby enabling their stabilisation and association agreement to be brought into force as soon as possible. We also expect there to be a reference to key priorities that local leaders should aim to address before making a credible membership application. We expect the Council to call for a swift and sustainable resolution to the current political uncertainty in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

EU Human Rights Strategy

We expect a discussion on the proposed EU human rights strategy, which consists of a strategic framework (a political declaration by the Council on the EU’s direction on human rights) and an action plan. There may also be discussion of an EU special representative on human rights, on which a draft mandate has been circulated amongst member states. There may be Council conclusions.

Freedom of Religion

Ministers may discuss freedom of religion or belief, following an increase in violence directed towards religious communities in Nigeria. We are active in working to defend this fundamental freedom and encourage the EU to continue to give full attention to promoting freedom of religion or belief in its bilateral and multilateral relations.

Iran

Following the limited progress in three rounds of talks between the E3+3 and Iran, there will be an opportunity for Ministers to ensure the EU maximises pressure on Iran, including reviewing the oil embargo and protection and indemnity insurance ban, ahead of implementation on 1 July.

General Affairs Council (GAC)

The meeting will be the last under the Danish presidency, and will be chaired by Denmark’s Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen. There are three main items on the agenda: the multiannual financial framework (MFF), cohesion policy and preparation for the 28 June European Council. There will also be a discussion on whether to open accession negotiations with Montenegro.

Multiannual Financial Framework

As with previous meetings of the GAC, my main focus for these discussions will be for the negotiating box to reflect the UK’s objective of delivering a restrained EU budget, limited to a real-terms freeze. Within a restrained budget, a greater share should be directed to priority areas such as external action, research and climate change. I will also defend the rebate and argue against any new EU taxes. The presidency intends the negotiating box to establish parameters for the discussions after their presidency and for MFF discussion at the June European Council.

Cohesion Policy

The presidency will seek agreement of a partial general approach on several issues: on concentrating future programmes on fewer objectives; on the rules for financial instruments; on the performance framework; and on proposals on revenue generating projects. We will need to look horizontally at the specific regulations for the funds covered by the common provisions regulations, including those for the European agricultural fund for rural development and the European maritime and fisheries fund to ensure consistency between them and to maximise the opportunities for harmonising the rules to reduce burdens for final recipients and authorities.

June European Council

Over lunch Ministers will discuss the priorities for the June European Council with President Herman Van Rompuy. This conversation will continue into the afternoon, following the Council’s approval of the country specific recommendations when the plenary session reconvenes. The June European Council agenda is broad, covering growth, trade, the MFF, energy, enlargement, justice and home affairs and foreign policy. We expect the focus to be largely on economic issues in the eurozone.

Montenegro’s EU Accession

As agreed at the December 2011 European Council, the GAC will also discuss whether to open accession negotiations with Montenegro. The Commission’s May 2012 report on Montenegro’s progress implementing its reforms again concluded that Montenegro continues to make good progress and that accession negotiations should be opened. The UK supports this recommendation.

Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)]

Section 19(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011 (the Act) requires the Secretary of State to report to Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of every relevant three-month period on the exercise of her TPIM powers under the Act during that period.

The level of information provided will always be subject to slight variations based on operational advice.

Personal Data Directive

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Kenneth Clarke)]

The Government have decided not to exercise their right to opt out of the draft Directive on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, and the free movement of such data under Protocol 19 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (the Schengen protocol).

The Government have taken this decision in accordance with the commitment in the coalition agreement, which states that we will approach legislation in the area of criminal justice on a case-by-case basis, with a view to maximising our country’s security, protecting Britain’s civil liberties and preserving the integrity of our criminal justice system.

The Government believe that our national interests are best served by participating in this Directive so that we are party to the common framework governing data sharing for policing and criminal justice across the EU. By participating, we can best build trust across member states for the necessary sharing of data to protect our citizens and make the strongest case possible for this to be done within a framework of appropriate and proportionate rules.

Social Security Advisory Committee

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Chris Grayling)]

Later today, my noble friend the Minister for Welfare Reform will publish the outcome of the review of the Social Security Advisory Committee. I am pleased to announce that the Government support the continuation of the Committee in its current form. The Department for Work and Pensions has completed a robust examination of the Committee’s functions, delivery arrangements and governance structure. The review was carried out in line with the Cabinet Office’s key principles for reviews of non-departmental public bodies. The SSAC is a cost-effective advisory NDPB whose functions are integral to improving the quality of policy making and of secondary legislation in the Department for Work and Pensions. My noble Friend will also place a copy of the review report in the House Library later today.