Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to increase the financial limit for the contribution of tenants to qualifying works as set out in paragraph 6 of the Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations 2003.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The Government is aware of concerns surrounding the financial threshold above which consultation on service charges must take place under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002). This was also referred to as part of the Competition and Markets Authority study into property management services. We have been working with stakeholders in the sector, including the Association of Residential Managing Agents, to consider what can be done to improve how section 20 works, including the financial threshold. The Government is awaiting the final set of recommendations from the Association and will respond to the Competition and Markets Authority study in the Autumn.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the implications for his Department's policies on people with rare forms of kidney disease are of the report of the Rare Disease Forum, Delivering for patients with rare diseases: Implementing a strategy, published on 29 February 2016; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
The Department is committed to improving the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases for all patients, including those with rare forms of kidney disease through implementation of the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases, published in November 2013.
The UK Forum report, Delivering for patients with rare diseases: Implementing a strategy, published on 29 February 2016 includes 51 specific commitments to improve the lives of all those affected with rare diseases. The measures focus on improving diagnosis and early intervention for patients affected by a rare disease.
The UK Rare Disease Forum is working to ensure that specific commitments in the Strategy are embedded in policy development and implementation across the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of plans under the Immigration Bill to introduce a charge on UK employers for employing skilled foreign workers on the number of people applying to study STEM subjects at university.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Government is considering carefully the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendations on migration including the likely impact on different sectors. It is essential that the UK remains open for business, while migration levels are controlled.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many university scholarships have been taken up by Syrian refugees in the last five years.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
This information is not held by the department or its agencies.
The sector led Supporting Professionalism in Admissions Programme (SPA) has published good practice guidance on admissions for refugees and asylum seekers.
Through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, the Government is working closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to identify those most at risk and bring them to the UK.
The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to the Syrian crisis. On 4 February 2016, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that the UK will more than double our total pledge to the Syria crisis from £1.12 billion to over £2.3 billion. This is our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis and means that the UK is one of the largest donors to the Syria crisis.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals have revised their policy on car parking since the issue of his Department's updated guidance in October 2015.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The information requested is not collected centrally by the Department.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she plans to discuss progress on the Bonfield review with (a) the Bath and North East Somerset Energy at Home scheme and (b) other organisations which have participated in the Green Deal Communities Programme.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
DECC and DCLG have commissioned Dr Peter Bonfield to undertake an Independent Review into Consumer Advice, Protection, Enforcement and Standards. In taking forward the Review, Dr Bonfield has invited a wide number of stakeholders, including Local Authorities and other local organisations to feed into the development of the recommendations.
I would encourage all interested parties who have not yet done so to take this opportunity, as the recommendations begin to be finalised.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of employers withholding wages from employees; and what steps he is taking to prevent that practice.
Answered by Nick Boles
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not collate this information centrally, however, I refer my Hon. Friend to the additional information which was placed in the Libraries of the House in response to a question from the Hon. Member for Islington South and Finsbury UIN 17042. Acas were notified of 12,791 Early Conciliation claims relating to the Wages Act from April to September 2015.
Additionally, there were 9,494 Employment Tribunal claims relating to unauthorised deductions from wages in the most recent six months for which HMCTS data is available (April to September 2015, www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics).
The Government publishes clear advice for employers and workers on deductions from pay which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/understanding-your-pay/deductions-from-your-pay. A worker’s pay cannot be reduced below the National Minimum Wage (NMW) except in very limited circumstances – even if the worker agrees to the deduction.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) enforces the NMW, and anyone concerned about underpayment of the NMW should call Acas’s confidential helpline on 0300 123 1100 or visit http://www.acas.org.uk/nmw. HMRC will respond to every complaint they receive.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to speed up planning enforcement to reduce damage in heritage centres.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
We have given local planning authorities a wide range of strong enforcement powers to enable them to tackle unauthorised development or works to listed buildings, including the ability to apply for planning injunctions to prevent actual or apprehended breaches. We consider these powers remain appropriate and have no plans to amend them at this time.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to increase the number of advocacy services available to mentally ill people before they are sectioned.
Answered by Alistair Burt
When a person is detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, (“the Act”) they are legally entitled to an Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) who understands the Act and can support the detained patient. The provision of IMHA services is the responsibility of local authorities.
For other mental health patients who need help and support in expressing their views, more general advocacy services, as well as family and friends, can provide support.
The Department is also currently exploring providing additional guidance to mental health professionals promoting advocacy services to psychiatric patients that they believe would benefit from such support.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to secure the appropriate data to monitor the progress of programmes which encourage the uptake of STEM subjects and careers by girls.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Government funds a number of programmes which encourage the uptake of STEM subjects by girls. We monitor the progress of these programmes against their key performance indicators through regular reports, and by evaluating their impact.
In 2014 the Government published for the first time data showing the proportion of girls and boys studying A levels in science and maths at each post-16 institution, and in 2016 time series data of students entered for mathematics and science A level subjects by number of subjects and gender. Both sets of data will continue to be published on an annual basis.