Asked by: Jo Cox (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he has taken to ensure that law enforcement and other agencies have the necessary expertise to deal with businesses who exploit people booking Hajj and Umrah tours.
Answered by Nick Boles
Exploitation of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims by rogue tour operators is addressed both by consumer protection law (notably the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992) and the laws on fraud and deceptive practices. The relevant enforcement agencies are already taking steps to improve their ability to tackle such exploitation.
National Trading Standards has made enforcement in this area one of its national priorities and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, operated by the City of London Police, is running a Hajj Fraud National Awareness campaign designed to inform consumers and to encourage reporting of crime in this sector. Birmingham’s Trading Standards Department which has taken the lead role in tackling non-compliance, on behalf of National Trading Standards, has seen significant success in its area in both prosecuting rogues and encouraging and ensuring compliance in the legitimate trade. They are working hard to ensure that their enforcement colleagues in other parts of the country benefit from their experience and are better informed of the problems in the sector.
Key to that success has been engagement with the Muslim community so that those who are planning a trip are aware of their rights and the legal responsibilities of organisers, and those that suffer at the hands of the rogues are willing to report their experiences to the relevant authorities.
Mentions:
1: Theresa May (CON - Maidenhead) I thank my right hon. and learned Friend for his comments and recognise that he raised these issues and - Speech Link
2: Julian Smith (CON - Skipton and Ripon) of our intelligence services and we need to let them get on and do the job? - Speech Link
3: Yasmin Qureshi (LAB - Bolton South East) of temporary exclusion orders and of the removal of passports and documents. - Speech Link
4: None She went off to do umrah—hajj—in Saudi Arabia. - Speech Link
Jun. 12 2014
Source Page: Updated advice on MERS-CoV for pilgrims planning to travel to Umrah and HajjFound: Updated advice on MERS-CoV for pilgrims planning to travel to Umrah and Hajj
Jun. 10 2014
Source Page: I. Letters dated 09/06/2014 from Lord Nash to Chairs of Park View Educational Trust and Oldknow Academy Trust [minded to letters] (4 docs.) II. Advice note dated 09/06/2014 from Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, to Michael Gove MP on academies and maintained schools in Birmingham, as commissioned by letter dated 27 March 2014. 11 p. III. Education Commissioner in Birmingham – terms of reference. 2 p. IV. Legal Direction from the Secretary of State to Birmingham City Council. (2 docs.) V. Letter dated 09/06/2014 from Michael Gove MP to Ofsted regarding no notice inspections. 1 p. VI. Education Funding Agency reviews of Park View Trust and Oldknow Academy Trust (2 docs.) VII. Ofsted Inspection reports of Birmingham schools (21 docs.)Found: Letters dated 09/06/2014 from Lord Nash to Chairs of Park View Educational Trust and Oldknow Academy
Jun. 09 2014
Source Page: Review of Oldknow Academy TrustFound: they are supported with a broad and balanced curriculum, and that their spiritual, moral, social and
Jun. 09 2014
Source Page: Review of Oldknow Academy TrustFound: they are supported with a broad and balanced curriculum, and that their spiritual, moral, social and
Asked by:
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that people travelling on pilgrimage to Mecca in 2013 are given advice about Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, in light of the reported possible fatality rate of over 60%.
Answered by Matheson, Michael - Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care
Health Protection Scotland published its Weekly Report on 17 July 2013 (Volume 47 No. 2013/29) which provides advice to Hajj/Umrah pilgrims. This advice aims to reduce the spread of coronavirus. This is accessed online at:
http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/ewr/pdf2013/1329.pdf.
Travel health information for Hajj/Umrah pilgrimage is also available on the fitfortravel website: http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/advice-for-travellers/hajj-and-umrah-pilgrimage.aspx, a public access website provided by NHS Scotland.
Jul. 23 2013
Source Page: Update on Hajj travel advice for pilgrimsFound: Update on Hajj travel advice for pilgrims
Jun. 20 2012
Source Page: Table showing publications issued by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills since May 2010. 156 p.Found: Table showing publications issued by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills since May 2010