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
tabling member	label

Search

50304

registered interest
date	08/05/2014
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
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 April 2014, Official Report, column 312W, on building regulations, what assessment he has made of the cybersecurity implications of the Building Information Modelling Smart City project.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	198285
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>The next phase of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) programme will include provision for data interaction between designs created using BIM and other interfaces, such as Smart Cities. The potential for this to give rise to security issues has been considered as part of the base design, and this phase will incorporate a secure but workable approach developed in conjunction with partners inside and outside of Government.</p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Mr David Willetts question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 53 label Biography information for Lord Willetts
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

50073

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
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
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 introduce legislative proposals that employers be required to calculate holiday pay solely by reference to standard contract hours.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Mr Christopher Chope
uin	198114
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p>There are no current plans to require employers to calculate holiday pay solely by reference to standard contract hours.</p><p> </p><p>The arrangements for holiday pay are set out in the Working Time Regulations 1998.</p><p> </p><p>These arrangements differ according to the working pattern of the individual worker. If a worker has fixed hours and fixed pay, then a week's holiday pay is the same amount as a worker receives for each week's work. If the worker has no fixed hours, then a week's holiday pay represents the average pay that a worker received over the previous 12 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>More information about holiday pay can be found on the Gov.UK website at</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/holiday-pay-the-basics</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Cardiff Central answering member printed Jenny Willott question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1497 label Biography information for Jenny Willott
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

50381

registered interest
date	07/05/2014
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	Business: Cumbria
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support the Government is giving to small and medium-sized businesses in Cumbria.
tabling member constituency	Penrith and The Border
tabling member printed	Rory Stewart
uin	903988
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>We continue to work hard to provide the right support to make life easier for small and medium sized business everywhere.</p><p> </p><p>www.gov.uk is the home for Government services and information online. One of the tools available is the 'Finance and Support Finder;' a searchable database of publicly-backed sources of finance and business support. The website www.greatbusiness.gov.uk also provides support and advice for anyone trying to start or grow a business.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to on-line support, the Business Support Helpline is available to provide a quick response on queries about starting a business, or a personalised and in-depth advice service for more complex needs.</p><p> </p><p>Cumbria has benefitted from a number of support schemes. The Start-Up Loan Scheme has provided business advice and 43 loans with a value of £275,000 to people starting a business. Since May 2010, 165 companies have benefitted from the Government's Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme with a drawn down value of £12.1 million. 470 employer workplaces have received payments to take on an Apprentice's through the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers Scheme (AGE 16-24).</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart

49715

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
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 and what proportion of adults in (a) the UK and (b) the smallest geographical areas in the UK for which information is held are functionally illiterate.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	197792
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p>The 2011 Skills for Life survey provides an estimate of adult literacy levels for people aged between 16 and 65 years-old in England, based on fieldwork conducted between May 2010 and February 2011. The headline findings of the survey were published in December 2011.[1] The survey results show that 14.9 per cent (5.1 million) of people had a literacy level below Level 1. Level 1 is viewed as the Level required to be ‘functionally literate', the level needed to get by in life and at work,[2] and so people below this level could be defined as having a low level of literacy. Level 1 is equivalent to GCSE grades D-G. Adults with skills below Level 1 can read or write, but their skills may be limited, for example, they may not be able to read bus or train timetables.</p><p> </p><p>The 2011 Skills for Life survey also provided Small Area modelled estimates[3] for sub-regional geographies. This analysis provides estimates of the proportions and numbers of people above and below the ‘functional literacy' threshold (i.e. National Qualification Framework Level 1) for sub-regional geographies in England. The smallest geographical area reported in this analysis are middle-layer super output areas – these are small areas of consistent size (of about 7,200 people) used for the collection and reporting of small area statistics by the Office of National Statistics.</p><p> </p><p>The recent OECD Survey of Adult Skills, published in 2013, based on fieldwork August 2011 and March 2012, included estimates of UK literacy levels, based on England and Northern Ireland (Scotland and Wales did not participate in the survey). National reports for England and Northern Ireland[4] based on the OECD survey note that 17 per cent of adults in England had low proficiency in literacy (i.e. at or below the OECD Level 1 in literacy, roughly equivalent to below NQF Level 1 literacy), compared to 18 per cent in Northern Ireland.</p><br /><p>[1] TNS-BMRB and AlphaPlus Consultancy Ltd. (2011) <em>2011 Skills for Life survey: headline findings,</em> Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, BIS research paper 57. Available online at: <a href="http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/0-9/11-1367-2011-skills-for-life-survey-findings.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/0-9/11-1367-2011-skills-for-life-survey-findings.pdf</a>, accessed on 07/05/2014.</p><p>[2] As defined in the Leitch review of skills. See Leitch, S. (2006) <em>Prosperity for All in the Global Economy – world class skills</em>, available online at: <a href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/6/4/leitch_finalreport051206.pdf" target="_blank">http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/6/4/leitch_finalreport051206.pdf</a>, accessed on 07/05/2014: page 61-62.</p><p>[3] Available online at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/2011-skills-for-life-survey-small-area-estimation-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/2011-skills-for-life-survey-small-area-estimation-data</a>, accessed on 6/2/14.</p><p>[4] NFER (2013) The International Survey of Adult Skills: adult literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills in England, BIS research report 139. Available online at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246534/bis-13-1221-international-survey-of-adult-skills-2012.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246534/bis-13-1221-international-survey-of-adult-skills-2012.pdf</a>, accessed on 07/05/14.; NFER (2013) The International Survey of Adult Skills: adult literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills in Northern Ireland, Department for Employment and Learning. Available online at: <a href="http://www.delni.gov.uk/international-survey-adult-skills-2012.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.delni.gov.uk/international-survey-adult-skills-2012.pdf</a>, accessed on 07/05/14.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

49744

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations have received how much funding from his Department aimed at supporting access to short breaks and respite provision for children, young people and their families experiencing all types of disadvantage in each of the last five financial years.
tabling member constituency	Blackpool North and Cleveleys
tabling member printed	Paul Maynard
uin	197818
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>Departmental records show that in each of the last five financial years, no funding was made in respect of supporting access to short breaks and respite provision for children, young people and their families.</p> answering member constituency Cardiff Central answering member printed Jenny Willott question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1497 label Biography information for Jenny Willott
tabling member	3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard

49783

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to protect consumers from fraud and other doorstep crimes.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
uin	197891
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>The Government takes doorstep crime very seriously and the issue has been identified as a top priority by the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP) which brings together enforcement, consumer education, and advocacy partners to identify, prioritise and coordinate collective action to tackle the issues causing greatest harm to consumers.</p><p> </p><p>Both the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and Trading Standards Scotland (TSS), which are funded by BIS, are putting resources into tackling doorstep crime and Trading Standards Officers across the country are cracking down on these fraudsters. In Lincolnshire for example, Trading Standards has teamed up with the Police and Community Lincs to raise awareness of doorstep crime amongst professionals caring for the elderly, including awareness of bogus callers, rogue traders, distraction burglary, and scam mail. To date 330 health and social care professionals who work regularly with 4,300 elderly and vulnerable people have been trained in how to spot potential victims and how to intervene at an early stage of a scam.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Doorstep Crime will also be the focus on this year's National Consumer Week in November 2014, when CPP Partners and the Government will work together to in raise consumer awareness of how to spot a bogus salesperson and where to report it.</p><p> </p><p>We are also hitting the perpetrators of fraud hard. A recent operation involving Trading Standards companies across the country and 20 police forces brought down a trio of fraudsters targeting vulnerable caravan park residents across the country. This resulted in 6 years of custodial sentences being handed down and the recovery of £20,000 in cash.</p><p> </p><p>We encourage anyone who believes that they have been the victim of doorstep crime or fraud to contact the Citizens Advice Consumer helpline on 08454 040506.</p> answering member constituency Cardiff Central answering member printed Jenny Willott question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1497 label Biography information for Jenny Willott
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

49788

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the announcement of 25 April 2014, entitled Chancellor puts UK at forefront of ocean research with new polar science ship, if he will take steps to ensure that the new polar research ship is constructed in a UK shipyard.
tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
tabling member printed	John Woodcock
uin	197970
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p>This new polar flagship presents a significant opportunity for British business to show that they can compete with the best in the world. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will be working hard to make sure that British business are aware of the major opportunities around the project. The UK has world class skills and technology in this area and the Government hopes that UK marine and maritime companies will take the wider range of opportunities – from the design and building of the ship, through to its operation and maintenance.</p><p> </p><p>This ship will cost more than £200 million and legally it has to be procured through open competition. This ensures a fair process so that the UK gets the best possible product with the best value to the taxpayer. The Natural Environment Research Council's British Antarctic Survey will be operating the ship. They will be consulting the scientific community on the detailed specification for the ship shortly. An invitation to tender is expected to be issued in summer 2015.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Mr David Willetts question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 53 label Biography information for Lord Willetts
tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

50010

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
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 people registered a business (a) online and (b) offline in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	197731
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>There is no register containing every business in the UK. The Companies House register provides information on a subset of businesses required to file information with the registrar of companies; for example, those businesses that incorporate as companies or limited liability partnerships or register as limited partnerships. Not all of the companies that register with Companies House are businesses or go on to becomeactively tradingbusinesses.</p><p> </p><p>Companies House statistics show that in the years in question the following numbers of companies were registered (a) online and (b) offline:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010/11</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011/12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012/13</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Online </strong></p></td><td><p>366,051</p></td><td><p>437,441</p></td><td><p>470,800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Offline</strong></p></td><td><p>34,504</p></td><td><p>18,208</p></td><td><p>11,995</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p>400,555</p></td><td><p>455,649</p></td><td><p>482,795</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

50035

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
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 commission research into whether the rate of pay for apprentices under 18 years is a disincentive.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh West
tabling member printed	Mike Crockart
uin	197748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>The last Apprentice Pay Survey was published in 2012. The Government has recently commissioned a new Apprentice Pay Survey. This will provide a complete overview of Apprentice pay in Great Britain by autumn 2014. In addition it is now possible to specifically identify information relating to apprentices within the large Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.</p><p> </p><p>Apprentice pay is reviewed annually by the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC) as part of their review of the Apprentice National Minimum Wage. Since its introduction in 2010 the LPC has not found any evidence that the Apprentice rate damaged employment levels.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has recently accepted the LPC's recommendation to increase the Apprentice rate by 2% to £2.73 per hour. In the judgment of the LPC a higher rate would risk damaging employment of Apprentices. Research shows that in reality the majority of employers pay more – the average pay for apprentices in 2012 is £200 per week (England only).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Apprentice minimum wage recognises that employers invest significantly in apprenticeships and may be put off recruiting apprentices due to their lack of experience in the workplace and the additional training costs involved. Young people who complete an Apprenticeship derive significant long-term advantages and their investment in training has clear benefits.</p> answering member constituency Cardiff Central answering member printed Jenny Willott question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1497 label Biography information for Jenny Willott
tabling member	3967 label Biography information for Mike Crockart

50036

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department has on the number of apprentices under 18 years who live at home.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh West
tabling member printed	Mike Crockart
uin	197749
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p>Information collected centrally does not distinguish between apprentices living at home with parents and those who have moved away for the purpose of study.</p><p> </p><p>We annually ask apprentices for their views and 88% say they are satisfied with their apprenticeship.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	3967 label Biography information for Mike Crockart