Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff in his Department have been allocated to deal with issues related to international trade in (a) each of the past five years and (b) the next two years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David T C Davies
The number of staff allocated to deal with issues related to international trade at the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales in each of the last five years is set out below:
Financial year | No. of staff allocated |
2017/18 | 2 |
2018/19 | 3 |
2019/20 | 2 |
2020/21 | 2 |
2021/22 | 2 |
The Department currently has 2 members of staff allocated to deal with issues related to international trade and has no plans to change this allocation in the next two years.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether his Department has held (a) any financial or consultancy contracts and (b) meetings with representatives of (i) Clifford Chance LLP, (ii) FTI Consulting and (iii) Fenchurch Advisory Partners in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David T C Davies
The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales has not held any financial or consultancy contracts or meetings with representatives of Clifford Chance LLP, FTI Consulting or Fenchurch Advisory Partners in any of the last five years.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether he plans to require his Department and its agencies to provide a payroll deduction service to allow staff to save more easily with a credit union; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David T C Davies
The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (OSSW) is not an employer and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) provides employment services on our behalf. The MoJ does not actively promote credit unions and such schemes are usually promoted by the trade unions.
The MoJ offers financial wellbeing support and advice to staff as part of its wider employee benefits offer.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will hold discussions with the Welsh Government on encouraging employers in Wales to offer payroll deductions to enable employees to join a credit union; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Hart of Tenby
Credit unions play a vital role in the financial wellbeing of their communities, providing an ethical home for their members’ savings, and affordable loans to those who may otherwise have to resort to high-cost lenders. The Government is committed to seeing a strong and resilient credit union sector. That is why the Chancellor announced at Budget 2020 that the Government will bring forward legislation to enable credit unions to offer a wider range of products and services.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales and I have frequent discussions with the Welsh Government and other UK Government Departments on a wide range of issues, including how best to support households with the cost of living.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which his Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alun Cairns
The Wales Office has no regulatory functions within its responsibilities.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether his Department permits its employees to join a credit union through payroll deductions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Guto Bebb
The Wales Office is not an employer in its own right. Staff are generally employed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). MoJ currently does not have a policy to provide access to credit union services through payroll deductions.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on the potential effect on Wales of the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Alun Cairns
Leaving the EU offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for the UK in the world.
I am in regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that Wales remains at the heart of our negotiation strategy. As the Government has made clear, we are working to ensure that the UK’s exit from the EU serves the interests of the whole country.