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985690

registered interest
date	11/10/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Insulation: Sales Methods
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals for compulsory training to tackle the way companies sell cavity wall insulation to vulnerable people; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Torfaen
tabling member printed	Nick Thomas-Symonds
uin	178331
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>There are currently no plans to bring in new legislation relating to selling to vulnerable consumers. Trading Standards Officers can already take action against salesmen who use misleading practices and aggressive pressure selling, such as those that might be used by a seller seeking to exploit the elderly and disabled. Since the implementation of the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations 2014 consumers have been able to take action against such traders to get their money back.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond these regulations, my Department is working with industry to improve consumer protection for cavity wall insulation and other energy efficiency work by developing new standards and launching a more robust government endorsed quality scheme through TrustMark. This reflects the recommendations of the independent Each Home Counts review, which identified an important need for an independent, all-encompassing mark of quality that consumers can rely upon and trust.</p><p> </p><p>The new quality scheme will be underpinned by rigorous standards and a code of conduct to tackle mis-selling, poor design and installation. This is a voluntary scheme for registered business delivering to households under the existing Government endorsed TrustMark scheme, but Government wants to encourage consumers to choose these trusted traders and for business to get on-board. In future, we intend to incorporate the quality mark as a requirement of Government schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation (ECO).</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 23/10/2018 14:31:17 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	4479 label Biography information for Nick Thomas-Symonds

985697

registered interest
date	11/10/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Counterfeit Manufacturing: Electronic Commerce
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods on online platforms.
tabling member constituency	Swansea East
tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
uin	178332
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>The Government takes the issue of product safety, consumer protection and IP infringement, including the sale of counterfeit goods seriously, and is working with industry and law enforcement agencies on several initiatives to tackle this issue. This includes meetings with representatives from online platforms online retailers, as well as campaigns to raise public awareness and build respect for intellectual property.</p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 23/10/2018 16:59:41 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

985699

registered interest
date	11/10/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Counterfeit Manufacturing: Imports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the (a) number of counterfeit electrical goods being imported into the UK and (b) the cost to the UK economy of such goods.
tabling member constituency	Swansea East
tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
uin	178334
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>The Government does not have a central data depository estimating the number of counterfeit electrical goods being imported to the UK nor does it centrally hold data estimating the cost to the economy of counterfeit electrical goods.</p><p> </p><p>The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) Intelligence Hub collects and assesses intelligence in relation to counterfeit and unsafe goods. The IPO work closely with their partner intelligence hub at the Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) to identify links between counterfeit and unsafe products, but neither facility collects data on quantity of counterfeit goods.</p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 23/10/2018 16:59:48 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

985702

registered interest
date	11/10/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Counterfeit Manufacturing: Imports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the import of counterfeit goods into the UK.
tabling member constituency	Swansea East
tabling member printed	Carolyn Harris
uin	178335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>The challenges faced by the UK in managing the importation of counterfeit goods are significant. The UK Intellectual Property Office works very closely with other government agencies such as HMRC and Border Force to identify, and make use of, the most effective opportunities for intervention. The role of industry and rights holders in supporting this work is also a key part of the government strategy in this area.</p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 23/10/2018 16:59:56 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
tabling member	4480 label Biography information for Carolyn Harris

984752

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of new universal credit claimants have had to wait longer than five weeks for initial payment in each month since January 2018.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	177770
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2018 answer text <p>The proportion of Universal Credit new claimants who waited more than five weeks from their payment due date for their initial Universal Credit payment is in the table below.</p><p> </p><p>In many cases where full payment is not made on time, it is due to unresolved issues such as: claimants not accepting their Claimant Commitment or passing identity checks, or having outstanding verification issues, such as housing costs and self-employed earnings.</p><p> </p><p>We have taken steps to improve verification processes. For example, we have listened to feedback and built processes into the system to make it easier and quicker for people to verify their housing costs, for example through the landlord portal.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Payment due date</p></td><td><p>Waited more than 5 weeks beyond the payment due date for initial<strong>*</strong> payment</p></td><td><p>Waited more than 5 weeks beyond the payment due date for payment in full</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-18</p></td><td><p>1%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-18</p></td><td><p>1%</p></td><td><p>6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-18</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-18</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-18</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-18</p></td><td><p>1%</p></td><td><p>5%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p> </p><p>These results can change retrospectively as further information is received and is from our internal management data.</p><p> </p><p><strong>*</strong>Initial % of paid claims that received some payment</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 26/10/2018 14:51:46 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

984753

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that under managed migration welfare claimants do not miss the application deadline for their new benefit before losing their legacy benefits; and what (a) protections and (b) support she plans to put in place for those who do miss that deadline.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	177771
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2018 answer text <p>The regulation to enact managed migration will come before Parliament this autumn and are subject to parliamentary approval. We will only begin migrating people onto Universal Credit at volume after a careful and robust period of testing, with up to 10,000 being migrated in the test phase. We take seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants moving to Universal Credit; we will work with stakeholders and organisations to understand the best way to support all of our customers to move to Universal Credit. Through a safe and gradual start for Managed Migration, we will be able to determine the best way to support everyone to successfully move to Universal Credit.</p><p> </p><p>In our high-level design for managed migration, there is a comprehensive preparation period for claimants, which will last between four to six months. During this time, claimants will receive initial communications to alert them to the fact their legacy benefits will be ending and that they need to make a claim for Universal Credit. These communications will also outline the additional support available to help them to make their claim.</p><p> </p><p>After this period, claimants will receive a migration notification which sets out the timescale for them to make their Universal Credit claim. The regulations set out a minimum of one month but there is flexibility to extend this period if it is identified that certain claimants, such as those who are vulnerable or have complex needs, require longer timescales to make their Universal Credit claim. There is no limit on the number of times that a claimant may ask to extend their deadline, providing that they have a good reason for doing so. Each request for an extension will be considered on its own merits</p><p>During the notification period, claimants who have not already made a Universal Credit claim by a certain point will also be reminded that they will have to make a Universal Credit claim by their deadline. This contact also makes it possible for agents to gauge whether a claimant is having difficulty in making a Universal Credit claim and take action if needed by extending the deadline for the Universal Credit claim to be made or arranging appropriate support to help the claimant complete the migration process.</p><p>In the event that a claimant fails to make a Universal Credit claim before their deadline, an agent will check for evidence of complex needs or vulnerability before the existing benefits are stopped, to ensure that these claimants are safeguarded.</p><p> </p><p>Anyone who fails to claim by their given deadline, but does so within a month after that deadline, will have their claim backdated and be considered for Transitional Protection if they meet the prescribed criteria.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 25/10/2018 09:04:19 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

984779

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Post Offices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the Post Office on ensuring the size and accessibility of the branch network.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	177571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>In our 2017 Manifesto we committed to safeguarding a Post Office network of at least 11,500 branches and to protect existing rural services. The Government sets the parameters in which the Post Office operates and then allows the Post Office to operate as an independent commercial organisation.</p><p>BEIS officials are in regular discussions with the Post Office and continue to monitor the network size.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 23/10/2018 14:30:13 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

984844

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Business: Loans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on supporting companies that have potential cash-flow problems after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Mr John Hayes
uin	177594
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>The Department continues to engage regularly both across Whitehall and with business and industry on the matter of exiting the EU.</p><p> </p><p>Regarding financial support for business, the British Business Bank already offers a number of programmes and support mechanisms to small businesses at all stages of their development. British Business Bank programmes are already supporting more than £5.2bn of finance to nearly 75,000 smaller businesses (as at August 2018).</p><p> </p><p>Through the British Business Bank’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee programme EFG a lender is enabled to extend credit to businesses which, while viable, may have insufficient security to otherwise secure credit lines to support their businesses; this can include revolving facilities, such as overdrafts, and can be a powerful tool in supporting SMEs needing working capital.</p><p> </p><p>The British Business Bank also supports a variety of cash flow finance options through its Investment programme, including unsecured loans to businesses through alternative providers such as debt funds and peer to peer platforms, and dedicated cash flow lenders who can advance loans to small businesses secured against their future income, such as invoices payable or future credit card payments.</p><p> </p><p>Businesses are encouraged to explore the variety of funding opportunities available to them and to visit the British Business Bank’s Finance Hub which can direct them to the most appropriate sources of support: <a href="https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/finance-hub/" target="_blank">https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/finance-hub/</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As negotiations progress, the Department is working hard to put plans in place that ensure businesses across the UK can easily access the information they need to properly prepare for our departure from the EU.</p><p>We will continue to listen to businesses up and down the country through our regular engagements.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, we will continue to publish all relevant material on gov.uk. Businesses can register to get information on the progress of negotiations direct to their inbox by signing up to the DExEU stakeholder bulletin.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 23/10/2018 14:31:02 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

984857

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
answering dept id	203
answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
hansard heading	Department for Exiting the European Union: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many and which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have visited the Irish border in the last 12 months; when those visits took place; and how long they spent at the border in each of those visits.
tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
tabling member printed	Layla Moran
uin	177805
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>The former Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union undertook visits to Northern Ireland on 23 April 2018 and 20 May 2018.</p><p>The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Robin Walker, visited Northern Ireland on 23 October 2018.</p><p>The visits were part of a wider programme of engagement carried out by other Government ministers and officials.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Daventry answering member printed Chris Heaton-Harris question first answered 23/10/2018 16:41:29 answering member 3977 label Biography information for Chris Heaton-Harris
tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

984906

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Disability Living Allowance: Appeals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 July to Question 167889 on Disability Living Allowance: Appeals, what estimate she has made of the length of time it will take for claimants of disability living allowance to receive backdated payments as a result of decisions made by her Department being overturned on appeal.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	177612
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2018 answer text <p>Information about the length of time it takes for claimants of Disability Living Allowance to receive backdated payments as a result of decisions made by DWP being overturned on appeal is not available.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 22/10/2018 16:18:13 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle