Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label attachment file name title
tabling member	label

Search

389149

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Sheltered Employment: Minimum Wage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to consider providing a therapeutic exemption from the National Minimum Wage for registered charities, or social enterprises, that establish sheltered employment for those with disabilities.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2015 answer text <p>The following occupations are exempted under Part 6 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 from being paid National Minimum Wage:</p><p> </p><p>· self-employed people running their own business</p><p> </p><p>· company directors</p><p> </p><p>· volunteers or voluntary workers</p><p> </p><p>· workers on a government employment programme, e.g. the Work Programme</p><p> </p><p>· family members of the employer living in the employer’s home</p><p> </p><p>· non-family members living in the employer’s home who share in the work and leisure activities, are treated as one of the family and aren’t charged for meals or accommodation, eg au pairs</p><p> </p><p>· workers younger than school leaving age (usually 16)</p><p> </p><p>· higher and further education students on a work placement up to 1 year</p><p> </p><p>· workers on government pre-apprenticeships schemes</p><p> </p><p>· people on the following European Union programmes: Leonardo da Vinci, Youth in Action, Erasmus, Comenius</p><p> </p><p>· people working on a Jobcentre Plus Work trial for 6 weeks</p><p> </p><p>· members of the armed forces</p><p> </p><p>· share fishermen</p><p> </p><p>· prisoners</p><p> </p><p>· people living and working in a religious community</p><p> </p><p>The Government has no plans to change this list.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 23/07/2015 16:24:40 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

389159

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Small Businesses: Living Wage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on small businesses of the new national living wage.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL1345
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2015 answer text <p>The Government will publish an impact assessment for the introduction of the National Living Wage alongside the implementing regulations. These regulations will be debated in both Houses of Parliament in time to come into force on 1 April 2016. This will contain a section on the impact on small businesses.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 23/07/2015 10:49:38 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

389162

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Small Businesses: Regulation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to help small businesses that face high costs when complying with regulations.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL1348
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2015 answer text <p>This Government is committed to reducing the regulatory burden for all businesses. The “One in, Two out” rule put a strict brake on the introduction of new regulations. The Enterprise Bill will ensure that we deal with more aspects of the costs of burdensome regulations by targeting regulators’ actions as part of the overall £10 billion in cuts we promised. This will drive savings through, for instance, simpler guidance, less paperwork and coordinated inspections.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are also carrying out a rolling programme of ‘Cutting Red Tape’ sector reviews, working with trade associations, business groups, departments and regulators to identify current burdens on business with a view to reducing these where possible. Each review will look specifically at the experience of smaller businesses.</p><p> </p><p>Our forthcoming Enterprise Bill will allow changes in regulators’ policies to count against our £10 billion deregulation target. That will encourage regulators to think about their impact on businesses, especially small ones.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 23/07/2015 16:25:45 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

389163

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	UK Membership of EU
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risk that global corporations may delay investing in the United Kingdom because of uncertainty over the United Kingdom's European Union membership.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL1349
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2015 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The United Kingdom continues to attract significant inward investment. As the Prime Minister made clear in his Bloomberg speech, the process of renegotiation and referendum is about providing the certainty and reform that business have asked for. The CBI and BCC have said that they support the reform agenda the PM is seeking to deliver.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Maude of Horsham question first answered 20/07/2015 11:07:45 answering member 115 label Biography information for Lord Maude of Horsham
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

389423

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Telecommunications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the reform of the Electronic Communication.
tabling member constituency	Wrexham
tabling member printed	Ian C. Lucas
uin	6622
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2015 answer text <p>I and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport have regular discussions on a wide range of issues.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 17/07/2015 10:44:37 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

389424

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Students: Grants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students received maintenance grants in each local authority in the last academic year for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Croydon North
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Reed
uin	6607
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2015 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>Statistics showing the number of English applicants awarded Maintenance Grants for study at UK providers are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘<em>Student Support for Higher Education in England</em>’.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The number of Maintenance Grants awarded to English applicants at UK providers in each Local Authority in the academic year 2013/14 has been provided in the attached table.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Complete data for the academic year 2014/15 will be published by the SLC in November 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson question first answered 16/07/2015 15:28:48 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone attachment 1 file name PQ6607_Steve Reed.xlsx title Maintenance Grants
tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed

389425

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Department for Business, Innovation and Sport: Living Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2015 to Question 2952, if he will make it his policy to secure accredited Living Wage Employer status for his Department from the Living Wage Foundation.
tabling member constituency	Dundee West
tabling member printed	Chris Law
uin	6654
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 10 July, UIN <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-06-17/2952/" target="_blank">2952</a>.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 21/07/2015 13:50:07 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

389427

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Bankruptcy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the availability of finance for entrepreneurs who are discharged bankrupts.
tabling member constituency	Wrexham
tabling member printed	Ian C. Lucas
uin	6588
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>Entrepreneurs who are discharged bankrupts can encounter difficulties in accessing finance because their credit history is affected for several years after a bankruptcy.</p><p>There are no targeted support schemes for entrepreneurs who are discharged bankrupts. However, they are still able to apply for finance from commercial sources and steps have been taken to improve the ability of all entrepreneurs to find the finance they need to start and expand a business. There is, for example the 'Finance Finder' tool on the gov.uk website. This is a searchable database of publicly-backed sources of finance. The tool helps to explore the full range of options available, from Government grants through to investment types of finance available from Business Angels and Venture Capitalists. In addition, the British Business Bank has recently published “The Business Finance Guide: A journey from Start-Up to Growth”. This is a unique guide that outlines sources of finance available to businesses. It is available on the British Business Bank website. Details of a wide range of private sector lenders, searchable by location and firm type can also be found at the Better Business Finance website.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 21/07/2015 13:59:29 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

389428

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Carers: Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will meet the Minister of State for Care and Support to discuss enforcement of the minimum wage in the care sector.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	6582
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2015 answer text <p>I have recently met with my Rt hon Friend the Minister of State for Care and Support (Alistair Burt) to discuss enforcement of the minimum wage in the care sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is taking action to improve compliance with the National Minimum Wage in the social care sector. We are working closely with the Department of Health, and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Over the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013, HMRC have made enquiries into 224 employers in the social care sector. Over half of these were paying less than the minimum wage- between them owing £1,347,150 arrears of pay to 6959 workers, with penalties issued with a total value of £158,239.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC also opened 225 investigations in the period 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2015. 113 cases are closed with £110,943 arrears identified for 368 workers. Currently, there are 142 investigations open in social care.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health has published statutory guidance for local authorities as part of the package of secondary legislation to accompany the Care Act. The chapter of statutory guidance on commissioning and market shaping explicitly states that local authorities should have evidence that contract terms, conditions and fee levels will not compromise care providers’ ability to pay at least minimum wages.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health is asking all Local Authorities to sign up to the Social Care Commitment which incorporates a statement about employer compliance with minimum wage legislation. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has written out to all its members encouraging them to support the Commitment as a way of raising standards in adult social care.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health is also working with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Health Services Management Centre at Birmingham University to develop a set of Commissioning Standards. Local authorities will be encouraged to use these as a benchmark to support them to improve commissioning practices, including those which have an impact on the social care workforce such as employer compliance with National Minimum Wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition to the actions we are currently taking to reduce non-compliance in the social care sector, we will also be:</p><p> </p><p>· issuing guidance to employers so that they understand the NMW law, including tips to avoid common mistakes and the records that they should be keeping to prove that they are paying their workers correctly<em>. </em></p><p> </p><p>· encouraging care sector workers who have been underpaid to make a complaint- making sure that they understand their entitlement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Any worker who is concerned that they have not received what they are entitled to should call the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 for confidential advice. HMRC follow up every complaint.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 16/07/2015 14:52:44 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

389429

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Bankruptcy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will assess the effect of discharged bankruptcy on the ability of entrepreneurs to set up new businesses.
tabling member constituency	Wrexham
tabling member printed	Ian C. Lucas
uin	6590
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>Current bankruptcy provisions in the UK give a fresh start to a debtor after 12 months when he or she is discharged from the bankruptcy. In 2014, the EU Commission published its recommendation calling for a maximum 3 year discharge period across Europe in order to encourage entrepreneurship. I am pleased to note that we are already well within that recommendation. There are no plans to assess these provisions at present.</p><p> </p><p>Once bankruptcy is discharged, there is no formal bar to an individual setting up a new business.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 21/07/2015 13:54:28 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas