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1176051

registered interest
date	04/02/2020
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	National Federation of Subpostmasters: Expenditure
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 28 January 2020 to Question 6029 on National Federation of Sub-Postmasters: Expenditure, what those specific projects established to support postmasters were; and what the £1.5 million per annum for the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters' annual operations is spent on.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	12235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2020 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices and their postmasters play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Postmasters and specific projects that Post Office Limited have established to support is an operational matter for Post Office Limited.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 10/02/2020 15:00:37 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1176054

registered interest
date	04/02/2020
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	Tom Cooper
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 Answer of 28 January 2020 to Question 6031 on Post Office: Public Appointments, by which selection process was Tom Cooper offered the role of Shareholder Non-Executive Director on the Post Office Board.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	12236
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2020 answer text <p><strong></strong>The Government has had a Shareholder Non-Executive Director on the Board of Post Office Limited since the company was separated from the Royal Mail in April 2012. This right is provided for in POL’s Articles of Association. Tom Cooper was appointed as a Director of UK Government Investments through a competitive process and was proposed to BEIS as the department’s next representative on the POL Board. This was agreed by BEIS and Tom Cooper was appointed on 27 March 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Tom Cooper does not receive a salary for being on the Post Office Board.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 12237 question first answered 10/02/2020 17:23:34 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1176056

registered interest
date	04/02/2020
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	Tom Cooper
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 Answer of 28 January 2020 to Question 6031 on Post Office: Public Appointments, what salary Tom Cooper receives as Non-Executive Director of the Post Office Board.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	12237
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2020 answer text <p><strong></strong>The Government has had a Shareholder Non-Executive Director on the Board of Post Office Limited since the company was separated from the Royal Mail in April 2012. This right is provided for in POL’s Articles of Association. Tom Cooper was appointed as a Director of UK Government Investments through a competitive process and was proposed to BEIS as the department’s next representative on the POL Board. This was agreed by BEIS and Tom Cooper was appointed on 27 March 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Tom Cooper does not receive a salary for being on the Post Office Board.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 12236 question first answered 10/02/2020 17:23:34 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1173585

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
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	Thomas Cook: Insolvency
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 it is the Government's policy to introduce a statutory compensation scheme for customers facing serious hardship as a result of injuries or loss of life suffered while on a Thomas Cook holiday.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	8162
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2020 answer text <p>As announced to the House by my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 5 November, the Government intends to introduce a scheme to assist those facing serious hardship as a result of a life-changing injury, illness or loss of life for which UK-based Thomas Cook companies would have been liable, but for insolvency.</p><p>While the government cannot and will not step into the shoes of Thomas Cook, we are developing proposals to make payments to those in need, and who otherwise will receive nothing. Any scheme must strike a responsible balance between supporting those in the most serious financial need and our responsibility to the taxpayer. Accordingly, it will be a capped fund, sufficient to ensure there is support for those customers facing the most serious hardship.</p><p>Legislation to deliver the scheme will be introduced in due course.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 03/02/2020 14:54:43 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 4124 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1172268

registered interest
date	21/01/2020
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 Office: Public Appointments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, who the non-Executive Member on the board of Post Office Limited from her Department is.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	6028
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>The Secretary of State delegates the role of Shareholder Representative on the Post Office Board to UK Government Investments (UKGI). Tom Cooper (Director, UKGI) is the current Shareholder Non-Executive Director on the Post Office Board.</p><p> </p><p>UKGI, as the Shareholder Representative, oversees corporate governance, strategy, and the stewardship of the Post Office’s financial and other resources on behalf of BEIS. As well as the seat on the Post Office Board, UKGI Shareholder NED also sits on the Audit and Risk Committee.</p><p> </p><p>The shareholder team monitors financial and operational performance of the business against the long-term strategy, holding the business to account in delivering against its commercial and policy objectives. UKGI are also responsible for ensuring the business is provided with sufficient investment and subsidy funding to achieve its target of being commercially sustainable in the longer term, whilst meeting its social obligations, particularly around minimum network coverages requirements.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, UKGI advises ministers on both commercial and policy issues, supporting them in Parliament and with the wider set of stakeholders who have an interest in Post Office matters.</p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to review these duties.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 6031 question first answered 28/01/2020 15:44:24 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1172270

registered interest
date	21/01/2020
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	National Federation of SubPostmasters: Expenditure
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 has been spent from the public purse on supporting the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters in the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	6029
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>Postmasters are the backbone of the Post Office network and it is clearly vital they have a body that represents their interests.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2015 National Federation of Sub-Postmasters have been funded by a grant provided by Post Office. This equates to £1.5 million per annum for its annual operations and £1 million per annum for specific projects established to support postmasters. The annual grant is paid on a quarterly basis. Individual project grants will be paid in line with the requirements of the specific projects. Any grant funding to the NFSP is paid from POL's own commercial revenues.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to the Grant Agreement in 2015, NFSP received an annual payment of £175k from the Post Office along with occasional payments for specific projects. The rest of NSFP’s funding came from members’ subscription payments.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 28/01/2020 15:44:31 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1172273

registered interest
date	21/01/2020
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 Office: Public Appointments
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 the duties of the Government's non-executive representative on the board of Post Office Limited are; and whether she has any plans to review those duties.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	6031
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>The Secretary of State delegates the role of Shareholder Representative on the Post Office Board to UK Government Investments (UKGI). Tom Cooper (Director, UKGI) is the current Shareholder Non-Executive Director on the Post Office Board.</p><p> </p><p>UKGI, as the Shareholder Representative, oversees corporate governance, strategy, and the stewardship of the Post Office’s financial and other resources on behalf of BEIS. As well as the seat on the Post Office Board, UKGI Shareholder NED also sits on the Audit and Risk Committee.</p><p> </p><p>The shareholder team monitors financial and operational performance of the business against the long-term strategy, holding the business to account in delivering against its commercial and policy objectives. UKGI are also responsible for ensuring the business is provided with sufficient investment and subsidy funding to achieve its target of being commercially sustainable in the longer term, whilst meeting its social obligations, particularly around minimum network coverages requirements.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, UKGI advises ministers on both commercial and policy issues, supporting them in Parliament and with the wider set of stakeholders who have an interest in Post Office matters.</p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to review these duties.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 6028 question first answered 28/01/2020 15:44:24 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1172274

registered interest
date	21/01/2020
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 Office
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 15 January 2020 to Question 3684, on Post Office: Compensation, when the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility last met representatives from the Post Office.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	6032
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2020 answer text <p>Ministers and officials meet with Nick Read, CEO of Post Office Limited’s on a regular basis and meetings with Ministers are included on the regular transparency return.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 27/01/2020 14:32:01 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1172275

registered interest
date	21/01/2020
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: Written Questions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Answer of 15 January 2020 to Question 3683, on Post Office: Compensation, when her Department plans to respond.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	6033
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2020 answer text <p>The letter received from the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance is still being considered and a response will be provided in due course.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 27/01/2020 14:32:08 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1172289

registered interest
date	21/01/2020
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 Office
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Oral Contribution of the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility on 21 January 2020, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that cultural change takes place in the Post Office; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	6034
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2020 answer text <p>Postmasters are the backbone of the Post Office, and their branches are vital to communities across the country. That is why Government takes Post Office Limited’s (POL) relationship with its postmasters very seriously.</p><p> </p><p>The Post Office's Chair acknowledges the criticism received in the Horizon litigation and has committed to applying the lessons learnt. BEIS Ministers and officials will continue to raise these matters and monitor these issues in their regular engagement with the Post Office.</p><p> </p><p>Progress on this work and other issues of mutual interest will also continue to be discussed at the quarterly working group between the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, Post Office and Government under my chairmanship.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 27/01/2020 14:32:14 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones