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That this House condemns the anti-trade union activities of UK-listed National Express PLC in its operations in the US, largely ignoring the safety concerns raised by employees and parents alike when transporting children to and from school; notes that these practices contrast with those of competing companies such as First Student; further notes that investors representing two per cent of National Express Group stock have filed a resolution calling on the company's board to initiate an independent investigation into management denial and violation of Durham Schools Services workers' freedom of association rights; and calls on all National Express shareholders to seek clarification on this issue from the board of directors and to vote for the resolution on this issue at the forthcoming AGM on 6 May 2015.
That this House condemns the anti-trade union activities of UK-listed National Express PLC in its operations in the US, largely ignoring the safety concerns raised by employees and parents alike when transporting children to and from school; notes that these practices contrast with those of competing companies such as First...
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 18 March.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 18 March.
Q5
.
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (Lab):
The Prime Minister will be well aware of the hard work that went into the Smith agreement. He will be as disappointed as I am to see the front page of the Daily Record today showing four Scottish National party councillors burning that very agreement. Not
only did they escape discipline; one of them was actually promoted. Are these the actions of a party that seeks to increase its representation in this place?
Q5
.
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (Lab):
The Prime Minister will be well aware of the hard work that went into the Smith agreement. He will be as disappointed as I am to see the front page of the Daily Record today showing four Scottish National party councillors burning that very agreement. Not
only did they escape discipline; one of them was actually promoted. Are these the actions of a party that seeks to increase its representation in this place?
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point, which is that the Smith process and the Smith agreement was about bringing together different political parties, which often disagree with each other quite violently on issues, to come to the right answer for the future of Scotland and the future of devolution. It was an excellent report. We are all committed to putting it in place, whoever is in government after the next election. It is disappointing that the SNP, which only wants to break up our country, will not stick to the promises it made.
That this House notes, on the occasion of the State Visit to the UK of the President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, that continued violations of internationally accepted labour rights take place on a daily basis in Mexico, many of which have been carried out in an attempt to crush the National Miners' and Metalworkers' Union of Mexico (SNTMMSRM); further notes that the US State Department's 2012 Human Rights Report concluded that the Mexican government did not consistently protect workers' rights in practice; condemns the continued use of protection contracts in which many thousands of workers are governed by illegitimate collective agreements that they have never ratified, were never consulted on and in many cases have never seen; further condemns arbitrary denials of trade union recognition, limitations on the right to strike, and serious health and safety problems in the mining and petroleum industries; believes the existence of free and independent trade unions is essential to the functioning of any democracy; and therefore calls on the Government to make representations to the Mexican government to carry out fundamental reforms to ensure that Mexican labour law respects and enforces international standards; and following the complete exoneration of SNTMMSRM General Secretary, Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, of all allegations against him, that the government of Mexico will guarantee his freedom, safety and wellbeing when he decides to return to Mexico.
That this House notes, on the occasion of the State Visit to the UK of the President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, that continued violations of internationally accepted labour rights take place on a daily basis in Mexico, many of which have been carried out in an attempt to crush...
I thank the Minister for that response, which seems somewhat aspirational rather than ambitious. He will be aware that the Scottish Government at Holyrood refused to support the call for a living wage that was put forward by Labour in Scotland. Will he follow the example set by my local Labour-controlled Renfrewshire council, which has not only introduced a living wage, but used the procurement process to encourage its suppliers to pay the living wage?
I thank the Minister for that response, which seems somewhat aspirational rather than ambitious. He will be aware that the Scottish Government at Holyrood refused to support the call for a living wage that was put forward by Labour in Scotland. Will he follow the example set by my local Labour-controlled Renfrewshire council, which has not only introduced a living wage, but used the procurement process to encourage its suppliers to pay the living wage?
There are excellent examples of local authorities taking forward initiatives with the living wage, and South Lanarkshire council is one. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman heard the speech that my colleague, Ruth Davidson, made to the Scottish Conservative conference on Friday in which she called for help and
support for businesses that promoted the living wage. I hope Scottish Labour and the Scottish Government will support her in that regard.
What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on practical steps to encourage employers to pay the living wage.
What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on practical steps to encourage employers to pay the living wage.
I have regular discussions with the Scottish Government on a range of employment issues. The UK Government support businesses that choose to pay the living wage, where that is affordable and does not cost jobs.
That this House notes the severity of the downturn in the UK's offshore oil industry resulting from the slump in oil prices; believes that short-term responses such as delay or cancellation of long-term projects, laying off workers, extending working hours, accelerating cost-cutting recruitment practices or changing terms and conditions without consultation will fail to mitigate the impacts on workers or the wider economy; further believes that reducing essential maintenance work would jeopardise infrastructure integrity and capacity, thousands of jobs, essential skills and future tax revenues from this vital sector; further believes that oil industry trade unions have a key role to play in government and industry initiatives, such as the Energy Jobs Taskforce, in ensuring that the views and interests of those working in the industry are taken fully into account; and calls on the Government at every level to work closely with employers, regulators, trade unions and elected representatives to support measures that preserve the sustainability of operations, jobs, skills and investment, as well as a robust safety regime in the North Sea.
That this House notes the severity of the downturn in the UK's offshore oil industry resulting from the slump in oil prices; believes that short-term responses such as delay or cancellation of long-term projects, laying off workers, extending working hours, accelerating cost-cutting recruitment practices or changing terms and conditions without...
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues and Ministers of the Scottish Government on the relationship between oil prices and travel costs for cross-border commuters.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues and Ministers of the Scottish Government on the relationship between oil prices and travel costs for cross-border commuters.
It is vital that the fall in oil prices is reflected in what consumers pay for travel, at the petrol pumps and in utility bills. The Government is monitoring the situation to ensure this is the case.
Welfare benefit recipients are often demonised as a burden on our taxpayers, but does the Prime Minister agree that the real burden on taxpayers are those employers who can afford to pay well above the minimum wage, thereby lifting hard-working families out of state dependency and food banks?
Welfare benefit recipients are often demonised as a burden on our taxpayers, but does the Prime Minister agree that the real burden on taxpayers are those employers who can afford to pay well above the minimum wage, thereby lifting hard-working families out of state dependency and food banks?
I am in favour of the living wage. Those organisations that can pay the living wage should pay the living wage. It is something that should happen. But in addition to that, what we can help with—[Interruption.] I hear the Leader of the Opposition. Doncaster council does not pay the living wage, so perhaps he should start with his own backyard. That shut him up. In addition to that and to seeing the minimum wage rise, we should be taking the lowest-paid people out of tax. Under this Government, we have taken 3 million of the lowest paid people out of tax.
The unlawful killings of innocent people in Colombia continue, as they did even last week. I am delighted that the Minister is arranging a meeting with the ambassador, but may I ask him whether he would invite along the Justice for Colombia all-party group, because the people on it are working at the sharp end and can tell us exactly what is happening in Colombia?
The unlawful killings of innocent people in Colombia continue, as they did even last week. I am delighted that the Minister is arranging a meeting with the ambassador, but may I ask him whether he would invite along the Justice for Colombia all-party group, because the people on it are working at the sharp end and can tell us exactly what is happening in Colombia?
My meeting really should be for Members of both Houses who wish to accompany me, many of whom are expert advocates for Justice for Colombia.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will urge the European Commission to make public the negotiating mandate for the Trade in Services Agreement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will urge the European Commission to make public the negotiating mandate for the Trade in Services Agreement.
The Government supports the new Trade Commissioner’s desire to bring greater transparency to trade negotiations. Official EU documents pertaining to trade negotiations should, in the Government’s view, as a matter of principle be published when to do so would not impact negatively on the EU’s ability to secure the best possible deal for Europe.
We have welcomed moves by the European Commission proactively to publish information on the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA). For the first time the Commission has published the full text of the EU initial offer and the proposal papers put forward by the EU during the negotiations. You may find the FAQs on this site a useful initial source of information. The website address is as follows; http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/tisa.
It is the Government’s view that publication of the TiSA mandate at this stage could hinder these important negotiations but we will keep this under review.
That this House recognises the campaigning efforts of the Scottish Sunday Mail in exposing the human rights abuses by British American Tobacco throughout its worldwide supply chain.
That this House recognises the campaigning efforts of the Scottish Sunday Mail in exposing the human rights abuses by British American Tobacco throughout its worldwide supply chain.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he considers the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada to be a mixed agreement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he considers the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada to be a mixed agreement.
In the UK's view, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada includes policy areas that are Member State competence and as such should be a mixed agreement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the recent report by the human rights non-governmental organisation, CINEP on the role of the Colombian state in human rights abuses in Colombia; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the recent report by the human rights non-governmental organisation, CINEP on the role of the Colombian state in human rights abuses in Colombia; and if he will make a statement.
We continue to receive a large number reports from a range of organisations. We are in the process of reviewing the report by CINEP and, if appropriate, will make a statement as necessary.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information is provided to trafficking victims on their rights to compensation; and how many victims of trafficking have had applications for compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority rejected in each of the last three years.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information is provided to trafficking victims on their rights to compensation; and how many victims of trafficking have had applications for compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority rejected in each of the last three years.
Potential victims of trafficking are provided support and assistance by the Salvation Army during their recovery and reflection period, including advice on their rights to compensation. This includes providing the information leaflet developed specifically for victims of trafficking by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The Modern Slavery Bill will also introduce reparation orders, specifically for victims of modern slavery crimes, recognising the particular harm and psychological abuse they suffer. This will ensure that where a convicted slave master has benefitted financially from the abuse of others they will be required to provide reparation to their victims.
With reference to the number of compensation applications rejected by CICA, the Government does not hold the information requested. Compensation for victims of violent crime is based on the injuries people sustain not the particular crimes of which they were a victim. The injuries for which CICA can compensate, and therefore provide reliable figures for, are set out in the Tariff of Injuries in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012, but the Tariff does not contain any injuries specific to human trafficking. The injuries are also only recorded once CICA have assessed someone as eligible to receive the compensation payable for that injury.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many National Referral Mechanism decisions made by (a) the Human Trafficking Centre and (b) UK Visas and Immigration were subject to judicial review proceedings in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013; and how many such decisions were changed as a...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many National Referral Mechanism decisions made by (a) the Human Trafficking Centre and (b) UK Visas and Immigration were subject to judicial review proceedings in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013; and how many such decisions were changed as a...
UK Visas and Immigration received 11 judicial review proceedings in 2012, and 7 in 2013. We have not validated how many decisions were changed as a result of successful judicial review proceedings, as the cost for finding out this information would be disproportionate.
Both UKHTC and UKVI apply the same civil standard of proof in making their decisions, but the types of cases dealt with by UKHTC and UKVI are very different. UKHTC often deals with EEA nationals encountered in their place of exploitation with substantial contemporary evidence to support their decision making. UKVI often deals with non-EEA nationals where the alleged trafficking and exploitation took place some time ago, sometimes in another country.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is being offered to local authorities on making referrals to the National Referral Mechanism for victims of human trafficking; and how many local authorities have undertaken such training to date.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is being offered to local authorities on making referrals to the National Referral Mechanism for victims of human trafficking; and how many local authorities have undertaken such training to date.
In 2013, three Non-Government Organisations were awarded total grant funding of approximately £75,000 by the Home Office to provide training
to a range of local professionals, including those working in local authorities. In January 2013 the Home Office also published guidance for
frontline staff on responding to victims of trafficking, which includes guidance on making referrals to the National Referral Mechanism.
Home Office funding of £420,000 is being provided to Barnardo’s to fund independent child advocacy service trials for a period of twelve months,
September 2014 to September 2015, in 23 local authorities.
The Review of the National Referral Mechanism has considered training and will make recommendations when it reports shortly.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to encourage other developed nations to support efforts to tackle the Ebola virus in West Africa.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to encourage other developed nations to support efforts to tackle the Ebola virus in West Africa.
The British Government is playing a leading role in galvanising international support to tackle Ebola. The Defeating Ebola conference I co-hosted on 2 October generated over £100 million of support, and the Prime Minister’s call to European leaders secured a €1 billion commitment. We will continue to push international partners to do more.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to address the increase in male victims of trafficking; and if she will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to address the increase in male victims of trafficking; and if she will make a statement.
The nature and scale of modern slavery is kept under constant review to ensure that our response to this terrible crime is strong, effective and flexible. Specialised support for male victims of trafficking is currently offered through the victim care contract run by The Salvation Army, in England and Wales. We continue to assess the needs of potential victims identified through the National Referral Mechanism to ensure that our support services meet the specific needs of individual victims to help them recover from their ordeal.
That this House notes that Oxfam America, Human Rights Watch and the Farm Labour Organizing Committee (FLOC), being an affiliate of the US equivalent of the TUC, have highlighted onerous conditions faced by migrant farm workers in the tobacco fields of North Carolina and the American South, including exploitation, long hours, child labour and other human rights abuses; further notes that Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) is a major purchaser of the tobacco produced in those fields but refuses to grant freedom of association or workers representation to those workers, and that British American Tobacco plc (BAT) is the largest shareholder and a major customer of RAI; believes that only when migrant farm workers have a recognised organisation will their complaint about their working and living conditions be effectively addressed; further believes that BAT has a responsibility to ensure that its supply chain is free of human rights abuses and that FLOC's proposals to RAI can achieve that goal in the US; therefore calls on BAT to use its influence with RAI to reach an agreement with FLOC forthwith; further calls on the Government to ensure provisions within the Modern Slavery Bill would prohibit such human rights abuses; and further calls on the Government to raise these issues in trade discussions with US counterparts.
That this House notes that Oxfam America, Human Rights Watch and the Farm Labour Organizing Committee (FLOC), being an affiliate of the US equivalent of the TUC, have highlighted onerous conditions faced by migrant farm workers in the tobacco fields of North Carolina and the American South, including exploitation, long...