Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the oral evidence given by the then Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility to the Environmental Audit Committee on 18 December 2018, Session 2017-19, HC 1148, if he will publish any recommendations, conclusions and findings from the investigations into underpayment of the national minimum wage and/or the national living wage in Leicester’s garment industry.
Answered by Paul Scully
A multi-agency taskforce operated in Leicester for over a year to investigate allegations of widespread labour market non-compliance, including underpayment of National Minimum Wage. HMRC investigate the National Minimum Wage, but the taskforce also included the Gangmaster and Labour Abuse Authority, Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, Health and Safety Executive, National Crime Agency, Leicestershire Police and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. The taskforce visited over 300 premises in the city to ensure compliance and also undertook a programme of community engagement in Leicester to encourage whistle-blowers to come forward. While the bodies involved remain vigilant, the activity undertaken so far has not uncovered evidence of widespread modern slavery.
HMRC have a number of open cases remaining and will continue to investigate based on intelligence and risk-modelling, sharing information as appropriate. Enforcement action will be considered according to the evidence. To date, HMRC have issued two Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings to employers in the Leicester garment industry. There have not been any criminal prosecutions. We cannot comment on ongoing investigations.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the oral evidence given by the then Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility to the Environmental Audit Committee on 18 December 2018, HC 1148, if he will publish the (a) scope and (b) nature of the investigations into underpayment of the national minimum wage and/or the national living wage in Leicester’s garment industry.
Answered by Paul Scully
A multi-agency taskforce operated in Leicester for over a year to investigate allegations of widespread labour market non-compliance, including underpayment of National Minimum Wage. HMRC investigate the National Minimum Wage, but the taskforce also included the Gangmaster and Labour Abuse Authority, Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, Health and Safety Executive, National Crime Agency, Leicestershire Police and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. The taskforce visited over 300 premises in the city to ensure compliance and also undertook a programme of community engagement in Leicester to encourage whistle-blowers to come forward. While the bodies involved remain vigilant, the activity undertaken so far has not uncovered evidence of widespread modern slavery.
HMRC have a number of open cases remaining and will continue to investigate based on intelligence and risk-modelling, sharing information as appropriate. Enforcement action will be considered according to the evidence. To date, HMRC have issued two Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings to employers in the Leicester garment industry. There have not been any criminal prosecutions. We cannot comment on ongoing investigations.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the oral evidence by the then Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility to the Environmental Audi Committee on 18 December 2018, HC 1148, whether he has plans to publish the outcomes of investigations into underpayment of the national minimum wage and/or national living wage in Leicester's garment industry.
Answered by Paul Scully
A multi-agency taskforce operated in Leicester for over a year to investigate allegations of widespread labour market non-compliance, including underpayment of National Minimum Wage. HMRC investigate the National Minimum Wage, but the taskforce also included the Gangmaster and Labour Abuse Authority, Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, Health and Safety Executive, National Crime Agency, Leicestershire Police and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. The taskforce visited over 300 premises in the city to ensure compliance and also undertook a programme of community engagement in Leicester to encourage whistle-blowers to come forward. While the bodies involved remain vigilant, the activity undertaken so far has not uncovered evidence of widespread modern slavery.
HMRC have a number of open cases remaining and will continue to investigate based on intelligence and risk-modelling, sharing information as appropriate. Enforcement action will be considered according to the evidence. To date, HMRC have issued two Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings to employers in the Leicester garment industry. There have not been any criminal prosecutions. We cannot comment on ongoing investigations.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the (a) accuracy of reports that burning all 800 million barrels of oil in the new Cambo oil field would be ten times the annual emissions of Scotland and (b) the implications for the UK’s climate commitments of that matter.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No decision has yet been made regarding the proposed Cambo field, which is expected to produce up to 170 million barrels of oil over 25 years.
The figure of 800 million barrels refers to an estimate of Cambo’s total oil in place, of which only a fraction can be feasibly produced.
Oil and gas production from existing licenses is already factored into our projections of future supply, and even as we move towards net zero, we will remain net importers of oil and gas.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to end Government support for Oil Drilling in Horse Hill, Surrey in the context of the UK’s climate commitments under the Paris and Glasgow COP Agreements.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As the case remains before the Courts following the recent hearing, it would not be appropriate to comment.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to end UK Government support for Liquid Natural Gas in Mozambique in the context of the UK’s climate commitments under the Paris and Glasgow COP Agreements.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK Government no longer provides any new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, other than in limited circumstances.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to end Government support for the new Cambo oil field in the context of the UK’s climate commitments under the Paris and Glasgow COP Agreements.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government’s domestic offshore oil and gas sector remains important to the UK and continues to keep the country warm, fuel the economy and strengthen security of supply. While the government is working to drive down demand for fossil fuels, this will be a gradual transition. There will continue to be ongoing demand for oil and gas over the coming years, as recognised by the independent Climate Change Committee, with the UK expected to remain net importers of oil and gas as domestic demand continues to outstrip domestic production.
Development proposals for fields with existing licences, such as Cambo, are subjected to extensive scrutiny by the Oil and Gas Authority, and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning. This includes an environmental impact assessment, a public consultation, and careful examination from the Oil and Gas Authority under its revised strategy – effectively a net zero test – before development consent can be issued.
The Government has not provided any financial support for the Cambo field.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to end Government support for Whitehaven Coal Mine in the context of the UK’s climate commitments under the Paris and Glasgow COP Agreements.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has not provided any financial support for the proposed Whitehaven Coal Mine.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the (a) UK’s support for Liquid Natural Gas in Mozambique and (b) the compatibility of that support with the UK’s climate commitments under the Paris and Glasgow COP Agreements.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Rt. Hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Foreign Secretary have not discussed any UK support for Liquid Natural Gas in Mozambique.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to (a) prevent the development of the Cambo oil field and (b) support oil and gas workers and communities in the transition towards renewable energy.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Development proposals for fields with existing licences, such as Cambo, are subject to a rigorous scrutiny process prior to consent by the independent Oil and Gas Authority, as well as an environmental impact assessment and a public consultation by the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning.
This Government’s landmark North Sea Transition Deal – the first of its kind in the world – will support oil and gas workers in the green transition.