Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to tackle unfair practices in the hospitality sector in relation to (a) tips, (b) gratuities, (c) cover charges and (d) service charges.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government has announced its intention to legislate to ensure that all tips left to workers are kept by them in full. In some sectors, tips are a significant part of staff income. It is only right that workers keep the full value of tips left in recognition of good service and hard work.
This commitment was published as part of the Government’s Good Work Plan, which represents the largest upgrade to workplace rights in a generation. Full details of legislation on tips will be published in due course.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of delay repay for (a) Northern and (b) First Transpennine Express rail services.
Answered by Andrew Jones
DfT published research in October 2018 on the effectiveness of the rail passenger compensation regimes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rail-delays-and-compensation-2018. The operators provide the Department with Delay Repay figures annually which we publish here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/744567/2017-2018-passenger-compensation-figures.pdf
Northern introduced Delay Repay from 15 minutes (DR15) in December 2018.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to his counterpart in Zambia on the proposed cull of hippos by trophy hunters on the Luangwa river.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We are aware of the proposal for a cull of hippos on the Luangwa River in Zambia. Our High Commissioner has raised the matter with the Zambian Government. The importance of protecting wildlife was discussed with the Minister of Tourism and Arts at the October 2018 Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London. Our High Commissioner also discussed conservation issues with President Lungu in November 2018.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Ministers have had recent meetings with representatives of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service to discuss proposals to reduce the number of fire stations and engines in the city region; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Ministers have not had any recent meetings with representatives of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and we are not aware of proposals to reduce the number of fire stations and engines in the city region.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to conduct a review of the Pubs Code.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
As required by the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State will review the operation of the Pubs Code and the effectiveness of the Pubs Code Adjudicator for the period to 31 March 2019. The Government is currently considering the format of the review and will ensure all those with an interest, including tenants and pub companies, have an opportunity to contribute.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Pubs Code Adjudicator.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
As required by the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State will review the operation of the Pubs Code and the effectiveness of the Pubs Code Adjudicator for the period to 31 March 2019. The Government is currently considering the format of the review and will ensure all those with an interest, including tenants and pub companies, have an opportunity to contribute.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the findings of the Human Rights Watch December 2018 report Bangladesh Election Crackdown on Political Opponents and Critics and the Transparency International Bangladesh January 2019 Review of Election Process of 11th National Election, what steps the Government is taking to help tackle electoral fraud in Bangladesh.
Answered by Mark Field
The Bangladesh general election on 30 December 2018 was subject to numerous allegations of irregularities and voter intimidation. I released a statement on 1 January deploring the violence that had taken place and expressing the UK's deep concern regarding the conduct of the election. I called for a full, credible and transparent resolution of all complaints related to the conduct of the elections and repeated this message to the Bangladesh High Commissioner when we met on 10 January.
I wrote to my counterpart the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, in January, to express UK concerns regarding the conduct of the election and on democratic trajectory in Bangladesh. The Foreign Secretary wrote to Foreign Minister Momen to deliver similar messages. The UK will continue to engage the Government of Bangladesh at all levels to address our concerns regarding democracy in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and freedom of expression is a key concern. I raised my concerns regarding freedom of expression with Bangladesh State Minister of Information Tarana Halim on 14 December 2018. The Foreign Secretary raised his freedom of expression concerns with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 24 September 2018 at UN General Assembly in New York.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government plans to take to protect the welfare of wild animals touring with travelling circuses in England once The Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012 expire in January 2020.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave to the honourable member for Oxford West and Abingdon on 16 October 2018 to Question 176633.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to ensure that the UK can train sufficient medical students for the NHS workforce.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The government is delivering on its commitment to roll out an extra 1,500 medical school places. Around 630 have taken up places on medical courses in September 2018, bringing the total intake for 2018/19 to 6,701 - the highest on record. A further 690 will be available to students in 2019/20 and the remaining 180 places will be available in 2020/21.
The NHS has established a national workforce group, which will look at the future medical workforce as part of delivering on the workforce aims set out in the Long-Term Plan. The NHS will publish a detailed workforce implementation plan in the Spring.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with officials in the Department of Health and Social Care on funding to provide additional places for medical students.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The government is delivering on its commitment to roll out an extra 1,500 medical school places. Around 630 have taken up places on medical courses in September 2018, bringing the total intake for 2018/19 to 6,701 - the highest on record. A further 690 will be available to students in 2019/20 and the remaining 180 places will be available in 2020/21.
The NHS has established a national workforce group, which will look at the future medical workforce as part of delivering on the workforce aims set out in the Long-Term Plan. The NHS will publish a detailed workforce implementation plan in the Spring.