Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Citizens Advice Bureaux have closed in England since 2010.
Answered by Lord Henley
Now referred to as Local Citizens Advice, there have been 7 closures since 2010.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Trustees of the Mineworkers Pension Scheme have asked Ministers for meetings to re-negotiate the surplus sharing arrangements of the Scheme since privatisation of the industry; what were the responses to those requests; and what was the reasoning behind the response in each case.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees have requested changes to the surplus-sharing arrangements on two occasions (2000 and 2006). On each occasion, the Government considered that the existing arrangements were working well and fair to all parties. Since then, the scheme has continued to deliver bonuses to members.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many bookshops have closed in the UK since 2010.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
In 2016, there were 2,005 retail units specialised in selling books in the UK, compared to 2,055 in 2010 (ONS business counts).
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 19 April (HL Deb, col 614), whether they will write to the Welsh Government Minister for Public Services setting out in full their argument that those sections of the Trade Union Bill applying only to devolved public services in Wales are nevertheless reserved matters, and if so, whether they will place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
Ministers have engaged with the Devolved Administrations on the Trade Union Act.
As part of our engagement, Nick Boles, the policy Minister for the Trade Union Act, has received four letters from Leighton Andrews, Minister for Public Services in the Welsh Government. These letters related to specific aspects of the Act and the Welsh Government position on their applicability in Wales. On 5th February 2016 Nick Boles had a telephone conversation with Leighton Andrews on the Act; and on 4 March, he replied to the letters and has placed a copy of the correspondence in the Library.
As set out throughout its parliamentary passage, the Act is about employment and industrial relations law, which are reserved matters. It will apply consistently across Great Britain, including to public services in Wales.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 19 April (HL Deb, col 614), whether they will write to the Welsh Government Minister for Public Services setting out in full their argument that those sections of the Trade Union Bill applying only to devolved public services in Wales are nevertheless reserved matters, and if so, whether they will place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the noble Lord.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the National Assembly for Wales to vote against the Trade Union Bill legislative consent motion on 26 January.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
Ministers have engaged with the Devolved Administrations on the Trade Union Bill.
As part of our engagement, Nick Boles, the lead Minister for the Trade Union Bill, has received four letters from Leighton Andrews, Minister for Public Services in the Welsh Government on 20 November 2015, 18 January 2016, 27 January 2016, and 9 February 2016. These letters related to specific aspects of the Bill and on the Welsh Government position on their applicability in Wales. On 5th February 2016 Nick Boles had a telephone conversation with Leighton Andrews on the Bill; and on 4 March, he replied to the letters and has placed a copy of the correspondence in the Library.
The Trade Union Bill relates to employment rights, duties and industrial relations, all of which are reserved.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to making concessions on the provisions in the Trade Union Bill that the Welsh Government has argued relate to powers devolved to Wales, in particular (1) clause 3 regarding the 40 per cent threshold, (2) clauses 12 and 13 regarding facility time, and (3) clause 14 regarding check-off.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
Ministers have engaged with the Devolved Administrations on the Trade Union Bill.
As part of our engagement, Nick Boles, the lead Minister for the Trade Union Bill, has received four letters from Leighton Andrews, Minister for Public Services in the Welsh Government on 20 November 2015, 18 January 2016, 27 January 2016, and 9 February 2016. These letters related to specific aspects of the Bill and on the Welsh Government position on their applicability in Wales. On 5th February 2016 Nick Boles had a telephone conversation with Leighton Andrews on the Bill; and on 4 March, he replied to the letters and has placed a copy of the correspondence in the Library.
The Trade Union Bill relates to employment rights, duties and industrial relations, all of which are reserved.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Welsh Government about its position that a number of clauses of the Trade Union Bill relate to devolved issues, and in particular regarding its position that (1) provisions in clause 3 regarding the 40 per cent threshold, (2) provisions in clauses 12 and 13 regarding facility time, and (3) provisions in clause 14 regarding check-off, relate to devolved issues.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
Ministers have engaged with the Devolved Administrations on the Trade Union Bill.
As part of our engagement, Nick Boles, the lead Minister for the Trade Union Bill, has received four letters from Leighton Andrews, Minister for Public Services in the Welsh Government on 20 November 2015, 18 January 2016, 27 January 2016, and 9 February 2016. These letters related to specific aspects of the Bill and on the Welsh Government position on their applicability in Wales. On 5th February 2016 Nick Boles had a telephone conversation with Leighton Andrews on the Bill; and on 4 March, he replied to the letters and has placed a copy of the correspondence in the Library.
The Trade Union Bill relates to employment rights, duties and industrial relations, all of which are reserved.