Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many workers were assisted by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate has assisted 304,656 since 1 April 2017.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 potential merits of making mandatory the provision of utility bills in accessible formats.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
I would expect utility and other providers to be willing to supply bills in more accessible formats, such as in large print and braille upon request.
In the energy sector, the Regulator Ofgem requires suppliers to establish and maintain a Priority Services Register of their vulnerable customers and provide them with appropriate mechanisms and arrangements including communications in an accessible format.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2017 to Question 106151, when the Government plans to publish copies of the written evidence submitted to the Taylor Review of modern working practices on the Gov.uk website.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The Government intends to publish both the submissions to the review and a list of those who responded. Officials are currently in the process of redacting any personal information from the submissions and aim to publish these shortly.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he expects the establishment of a domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime on leaving Euratom to involve an increase in charges by the Office for Nuclear Regulation to the industry.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
In establishing a domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime, there are two associated costs: the cost of establishing the new regime and the cost of its operation by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). As set out in answers to questions UIN 108904 and 109996, the Department will allocate to the ONR the funding necessary to set up the regime.
In regards to the operation of this new regime, no decision has yet been made on whether it will be appropriate, at some point, to put in place charging arrangements similar to those that exist for regulatory work carried out by the Office for Nuclear Regulation on safety and security. Any such decision will be informed by consultation, including with industry, on the secondary legislation that we propose to make using the powers in the Nuclear Safeguards Bill.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2017 to Question 108904, what estimate he has made of the level of funding required for the Office for Nuclear Regulation to set up a domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Current estimates are as set out in the Explanatory Notes to the Nuclear Safeguards Bill introduced on 11 October 2017 (Bill 109) which are available in the Vote Office and also on the Parliamentary website. The relevant section is titled ‘Financial implications of the Bill’ (paragraph 49).
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2017 to Question 108257, what estimate his Department has made of the funding that will be required for the Office for Nuclear Regulation to set up a domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Department will allocate to the Office for Nuclear Regulation the funding necessary to set up a domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime, which will deliver standards broadly equivalent to existing Euratom standards. This will include funding for a new IT system, recruitment and training of inspectors, and strengthening the institutional capacity of the Office for Nuclear Regulation.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2017 to Question 108256, when he plans to publish the impact assessment.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
A full Impact Assessment will be published alongside a consultation on the Nuclear Safeguards Regulations (which underpin the Nuclear Safeguards Bill), in 2018.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2017 to Question 106377, on Modern Working Practices Review, if he will publish the organisations and individuals that attended meetings with officials of his Department between 30 November 2016 and 11 July 2017.
Answered by Margot James
Further to my previous written answer to Question 106377 on the number of meetings held by officials in the Department on the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, we do not hold a complete and comprehensive list of the organisations and individuals that attended meetings with officials of the Department between 30 November 2016 and 11 July 2017, and therefore are unable to publish one.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an impact assessment of the (a) implementation of a domestic safeguards regime and (b) undertaking other roles fulfilled by UK membership of Eurtatom by the Office for Nuclear Regulation.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
A full Impact Assessment is being undertaken on the Nuclear Safeguards Bill, which will create the legal framework for a domestic nuclear safeguards regime following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Euratom. This Impact Assessment will assess the options for and implementation of a domestic nuclear safeguards regime following withdrawal from Euratom. Besides new responsibilities in respect of the new domestic nuclear safeguards regime, we do not anticipate the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) undertaking additional responsibilities as a result of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from Euratom. The Department is in regular discussions with the ONR to ensure that they will be in a position to take on the role and responsibilities required to help ensure the UK’s domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime meets our international safeguards and nuclear non-proliferation obligations standards upon leaving Euratom.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the workforce capacity of the Office for Nuclear Regulation to undertake the safeguarding programmes currently undertaken by Eurtatom.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Department is working closely with the Office for Nuclear Regulation to ensure that they will be in a position to take on the role and responsibilities required to help ensure the UK’s domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime meets international safeguards and nuclear non-proliferation standards upon leaving Euratom. The Office for Nuclear Regulation are already recruiting inspectors and increasing their capacity to carry out this new role, and we are confident that adequate capacity will be in place following withdrawal from Euratom.