Asked by: Lord Holmes of Richmond (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Henley on 17 May (HL7805, HL7806, HL7807, and HL7809), what progress they have made in fulfilling their commitments, in particular the commitments to (1) hold a roundtable discussion with employers and leaders from sectors that commonly use interns, (2) update guidance for employers and workers on the rules for paying interns, and (3) publish further details on enforcement of the National Minimum Wage.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government is clear that all interns who are conducting work should be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. We will publish updated guidance in due course to ensure employers are clear on their responsibilities. This guidance clarifies the checks employers need to make to ensure they are paying interns properly.
The Government has been focusing enforcement efforts towards employers of interns. HM Revenue and Customs have contacted over 2,000 employers found to be advertising on the internet for unpaid internships. Each employer is written a letter to make the law clear, and to set out the risk of further enforcement action. HM Revenue and Customs will shortly expand this approach. Government Ministers are planning a roundtable meeting with employers later this year.
The Government recently published National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage: government evidence on compliance and enforcement, 2017 to 2018. This is publicly available in the attached.
Asked by: Lord Holmes of Richmond (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will respond to the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation review into shared space; if so, when; and whether they will take steps to implement the recommendations of the review.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Government is clear that the needs of the whole community, including disabled people, must be considered by councils looking to introduce any public realm scheme, including shared space.
We are grateful for the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation’s report and for their work on this subject. The report makes recommendations for further work, including on guidance. We will consider those recommendations, and set out how we will take them forward in due course.
The report recommends updating Inclusive Mobility and the Guidance on the Use of Tactile Paving. The Department for Transport recently let a research contract to establish the scope of this revision. We anticipate this initial phase to be completed by the end of June.
Asked by: Lord Holmes of Richmond (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report on shared space <i>Accidents by Design</i>, whether they are considering an immediate moratorium on all existing shared spaces until an impact assessment has been undertaken.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is not considering a moratorium on shared space schemes. It is entirely a matter for each local authority to decide what type of traffic management scheme is needed for the roads that they are responsible for, be this shared space or another type of scheme.