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837768

registered interest
date	06/02/2018
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	GKN: Melrose
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 protect (a) jobs and (b) operations at GKN Telford, in respect of Melrose Plc’s proposed takeover of that company.
tabling member constituency	Telford
tabling member printed	Lucy Allan
uin	126799
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/02/2018 answer text <p>While this is a commercial matter for the companies involved, Government is closely monitoring the situation. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has spoken on an impartial basis to both companies.</p><p>Takeovers of publicly listed companies in the UK must abide by the Takeover Code, which sets out an orderly framework for how takeovers must be conducted, and earlier this month new changes to the Code were introduced that will give companies subject to a bid more time to prepare their response.</p><p>Ministers can only intervene in mergers on public interest grounds, covering national security, financial stability or media plurality.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 13/02/2018 15:04:50 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	4411 label Biography information for Lucy Allan

837794

registered interest
date	06/02/2018
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	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Brexit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much his Department plans to spend on projects relating to the UK leaving the EU in the next five years; and if he will list the projects to which that funding has been assigned.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	126825
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/02/2018 answer text <p>HM Treasury has already allocated departments nearly £700 million to prepare for Brexit: £412m for DIT, FCO and DExEU over the parliament at Autumn Statement 2016 and nearly £300m across a number of departments from the Reserve in 2017/18 - BEIS received £35.1m of this funding.</p><p>At Autumn Budget 2017 HM Treasury made another £3bn of additional funding available over 2018/19 and 2019/20 – £1.5bn in each year. BEIS is currently working with HM Treasury to determine its allocation for 2018/19, with the aim of reaching agreement soon.</p><p>Departmental allocations for 2019/20 will be agreed later on in the year and decisions on funding in 2020/21 and beyond will be decided at the next Spending Review. This is because requirements in these years will be heavily affected by what is agreed in our negotiations with the EU.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 13/02/2018 15:05:26 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

837826

registered interest
date	06/02/2018
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	Insurance: Terrorism
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 meetings his Department has held with providers of terrorism insurance in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Bermondsey and Old Southwark
tabling member printed	Neil Coyle
uin	126857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/02/2018 answer text <p>BEIS Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.</p><p>Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings</a></p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 13/02/2018 15:04:15 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
tabling member	4368 label Biography information for Neil Coyle

837962

registered interest
date	06/02/2018
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	GKN: Melrose
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 Secretary of State for Defence on the effect on domestic defence supply chains of the takeover of GKN by Melrose.
tabling member constituency	Bristol North West
tabling member printed	Darren Jones
uin	126992
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2018 answer text <p>While this is a commercial matter for the companies involved, Government is closely monitoring the situation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has spoken on an impartial basis to both companies.</p><p> </p><p>Takeovers of publicly listed companies in the UK must abide by the Takeover Code, which sets out an orderly framework for how takeovers must be conducted, and earlier this month new changes to the Code were introduced that will give companies subject to a bid more time to prepare their response.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers can only intervene in mergers on public interest grounds, covering national security, financial stability or media plurality.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 12/02/2018 17:30:37 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
tabling member	4621 label Biography information for Darren Jones

838131

registered interest
date	06/02/2018
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	Modern Working Practices Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2018 to Question 125698, what his timetable is for the publication of his response to the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	127098
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2018 answer text <p>As I announced in the House on 7th February 2018, the Government has published its full response to the Taylor Review, setting out how we intend to develop further the strength of the UK labour market and ensure it meets the challenges and opportunities presented by new ways of working and innovative business models. Copies of the Government response and the four consultations have been placed in the Libraries of the House.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 12/02/2018 17:29:24 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

837309

registered interest
date	05/02/2018
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	Minimum Wage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to enforce minimum wage standards across the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL5385
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2018 answer text <p>The Government takes robust enforcement action against employers who do not pay their staff in accordance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) regulations. The budget for enforcing the National Minimum and Living Wage has increased from £13.2 million in 2015/16 to £25.3 million for 2017/18, leading to an increase in the number of compliance officers available to investigate abuses.</p><p>The penalty regime has been significantly strengthened in recent years; in 2016 the financial penalty was increased to 200% of arrears. We have also changed the penalty cap to apply on a ‘per worker’ rather than ‘per employer’ basis; this means that employers who break the law face a maximum penalty up to £20,000 maximum per worker.</p><p>To further deter employers from underpaying their staff, BEIS runs an NMW public naming scheme, publishing a quarterly list of employers who have failed to pay their staff the NMW.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 08/02/2018 17:06:28 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

837435

registered interest
date	05/02/2018
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	Carillion: Insolvency
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to support SMEs affected by the collapse of Carillion.
tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
tabling member printed	Jim Fitzpatrick
uin	126554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2018 answer text <p>My rt. hon. friend, the Secretary of State and I are working to ensure information is provided to SMEs in the Carillion supply chain in a timely manner.</p><p>The Secretary of State has established the Carillion Taskforce to advise on the impact on small businesses and employees affected by Carillion insolvency. The Taskforce’s attendees included representatives from leading business bodies, the construction trade sector, unions, banks and government. This has already led to useful collaborations, in particular in relation to ensuring firms and employees have access to support from Government and the banks.</p><p>I have also met several times with leading business and construction trade bodies, representing Carillion’s sub-contractors, to understand the impact of Carillion’s insolvency on the supply chain, and agree actions that could be taken to mitigate this. It is our intention to continue to meet regularly with this group on an ongoing basis.</p><p>Following the Secretary of State and my meeting with the banks on Wednesday 17<sup>th</sup> January, they made public commitments to provide support to SMEs affected and are contacting customers and, where appropriate, are putting in place emergency measures, including overdraft extensions, payment holidays and fee waivers to ensure those facing short term issues can be helped to stay on track. Details of these can be found at <a href="https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/banks-offer-support-to-business-customers-impacted-by-carillion/" target="_blank">https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/banks-offer-support-to-business-customers-impacted-by-carillion/</a></p><p>On the 3<sup>rd</sup> February, the Government announced that through the British Business Bank, it will make available support of up to £100m to small businesses, through their delivery partners, using the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG); enabling lenders to extend credit to SMEs which, while viable, may have insufficient security to secure other credit lines to support their businesses at this time. Through this collaboration the UK government and the banks can continue to support small businesses with the appropriate finance.</p><p>The Secretary of State has written to all accredited EFG lenders to draw their attention to this additional support, and expects them to ensure that they are actively engaging with SME businesses so they can give them the support they need. Accredited EFG lenders are listed on the British Business Bank website at <a href="https://british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/supporting-business-loans-enterprise-finance-guarantee/efg-accredited-lenders/" target="_blank">https://british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/supporting-business-loans-enterprise-finance-guarantee/efg-accredited-lenders/</a></p><p>The Department is providing a range of advice and support services for firms, delivered both nationally and locally available to SMEs affected by the insolvency of Carillion. These include a network of 38 Local Growth Hubs, run in conjunction with the Local Enterprise Partnership, to help businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to access support.</p><p>Information is published online by the Insolvency Service for employees, creditors and suppliers affected and seeking advice. In addition to providing current information, they provide a dedicated hotline for enquiries and contact numbers to other relevant organisations such as the Pensions Advisory Service, and the website PwC have been established to provide information. These can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/carillion-declares-insolvency-information-for-employees-creditors-and-suppliers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/carillion-declares-insolvency-information-for-employees-creditors-and-suppliers</a></p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 08/02/2018 14:52:42 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
tabling member	197 label Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick

837446

registered interest
date	05/02/2018
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	Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding has been allocated from the public purse to the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate since 2016; and how many FTE staff that inspectorate has employed on an annual basis since that date.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	126565
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2018 answer text <p>The table below details the budget for the Employment Agency Standard’s (EAS) Inspectorate and the number of staff employed by EAS since 2016:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Employment Agency Standard Inspectorate Budget</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number of Full Time Equivalent Staff for each year</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>£500,000</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>£500,000</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>£725,000*</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>*The increase in budget was provided to purchase new IT systems to increase casework productivity and support EAS’ intelligence capability.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Full information regarding the activity of the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate can be found in in their annual reports. These can be found at the following location:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employment-agency-standards-eas-inspectorate-annual-reports" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employment-agency-standards-eas-inspectorate-annual-reports</a></p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths grouped question UIN 126332 question first answered 12/02/2018 17:34:55 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

837453

registered interest
date	05/02/2018
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	Conditions of Employment: Telephone Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many calls the Pay and Work Rights helpline received in 2016-2017; and how much funding that helpline received in each year between 2015 and 2017.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	126572
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2018 answer text <p>Since April 2015, the Acas Helpline has been, in addition to their usual services, answering queries previously handled by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline (PWRH). This includes calls on the National Minimum Wage, working for an employment agency, working hours, rest breaks and holidays, agricultural workers’ rights and working for a gangmaster.</p><p> </p><p>Anyone who has any questions about their employment rights or workplace issues is now able to obtain this information in one place by contacting the Acas Helpline. The cost of running Acas Helpline Services, including advice provided by telephone and digitally, are:-</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Cost (£ thousands)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>£13,191</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>£13,748</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>£14,162</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Acas helpline answered 886,929 calls in 2016/17 on employment matters. 115,151 queries were recorded relating to topics previously handled by the former Pay and Work Rights Helpline.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 12/02/2018 17:33:15 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

837495

registered interest
date	05/02/2018
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	Companies: Registration
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in how many cases where HMRC raised objection to the striking off of a company by the Register of Companies was that objection acted upon by the Registrar of Companies in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-15, (d) 2015-16 and (e) 2016-17; in how many such cases was additional tax revenue raised as a result of that objection in each such year; and how much additional revenue was raised as a consequence in each such year.
tabling member constituency	Barking
tabling member printed	Dame Margaret Hodge
uin	126614
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/02/2018 answer text <p>Please find figures below for the number of HMRC Objections to the dissolution process actioned by Companies House in each of the financial years requested. Please note that all HMRC objections received are actioned.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number of HMRC Objections actioned.</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-2013</p></td><td><p>109,821</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-2014</p></td><td><p>90,947</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-2015</p></td><td><p>59,336</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-2016</p></td><td><p>94,280</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-2017</p></td><td><p>107,372</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Please note: The information provided forms part of Companies House’s management information and is unaudited. Therefore, it is subject to change and should be used for indicative purposes only.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC do not separately estimate the tax gap due to companies being struck off. However, the HMRC Trust Statement contains figures for tax written off each year. Around 90% of the amounts written off relate to insolvencies.</p><p> </p><p>These figures differ from those provided by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in the answer to PQ UIN <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-02-05/126607" target="_blank">126607</a> for a number of reasons. In particular, timing differences in the recognition of objections from HMRC, situations where the application to strike off has been abandoned by the time HMRC’s objection is processed and cases where HMRC are required to issue multiple objections in respect of the same winding up due the length of time involved.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 13/02/2018 14:40:37 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
tabling member	140 label Biography information for Dame Margaret Hodge