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1244337

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2020
	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	Versarien: 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 assessment he has made of the compatibility of the recent loan given to Versarien PLC by Innovate UK with (a) Innovate UK's guidelines (b) the eligibility criteria for businesses to receive funds from Innovate UK and (c) the Government's guidance on Managing public money.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	105565
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2020 answer text <p>Graphene has the capability to become one of the sectors that will power our economic growth – and Versarien is at a crucial phase in its development as it strives to become one of the UK’s leading players in the production of graphene. Materials such a graphene can also provide a valuable contribution towards the Government’s Net Zero targets and has the potential to contribute significantly to a number of national infrastructure projects. Versarien’s G-SCALE project, which this loan will fund, will allow the firm to carry out later stage R&amp;D to enable it to supply the market with commercial quantities of graphene-enhanced materials.</p><p>Similar to many companies, Versarien seeks investment from a number of sources, including private funding. Innovate UK has a good understanding of Versarien’s business and has previously awarded the company several grants to support its development. Innovate’s loan scheme was set up to broaden the range of innovation finance support available to businesses, so they can access funding at all stages of innovation.</p><p>In order to be eligible, a business needs to show that it can afford the interest and repayments on the loan and that they cannot obtain finance from other sources such as banks and equity investors for a particular project. It is on this basis the loan was made.</p><p>Indeed, this loan was made on Innovate’s usual terms, that is an interest rate of 7.4% per annum with half of the interest deferred until the repayment period commences. Loan repayments will start 45 months after drawdown and be paid over a subsequent period of 36 months.</p><p>The loan award was made after Innovate UK’s rigorous process of innovation assessment and credit evaluation – the same level of scrutiny and assessment that accompanies any loan award that Innovate UK makes.</p><p>The assessment process for awarding the loan was compatible with the key principles set out in the guidance on Managing Public Money.</p> answering member constituency Derby North answering member printed Amanda Solloway question first answered 22/10/2020 15:10:38 answering member 4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1253898

	registered interest
	date	19/11/2020
	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	Postal Services: Domestic Abuse and Homelessness
	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 assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating an Address and Collect service at Post Offices to allow those affected by (a) homelessness and (b) domestic violence to access their post safely.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	118116
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2020 answer text <p>Officials are working with Royal Mail and the Post Office to consider the recommendations from Citizens Advice on an Address and Collect Service and a Poste Restante service for vulnerable groups.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 24/11/2020 16:23:56 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1258259

	registered interest
	date	03/12/2020
	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	UN Climate Conference 2021
	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 process was used to select the members of the UK COP26 team; what assessment he has made of the effect of that process on gender balance in that team; and what plans his Department has to review the selection process to ensure better representation of women in future COP teams.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	124877
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2020 answer text <p>The UK is committed to championing diversity and inclusion throughout our COP26 Presidency and all civil servants in the Cabinet Office COP26 Unit have been appointed in line with Civil Service guidance and rules.</p><p> </p><p>Forty five percent of the Senior Management Team in the COP26 unit are women. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister recently appointed my Hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed as the COP26 Adaptation and Resilience Champion.</p> answering member constituency Spelthorne answering member printed Kwasi Kwarteng question first answered 08/12/2020 17:54:28 answering member 4134 label Biography information for Kwasi Kwarteng
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1300108

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2021
	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	Coronavirus: Retail Trade
	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 assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing access to specialist shoe shops during the covid-19 lockdown restrictions for people who cannot buy those products online.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	164641
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government has set out its roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions, including the reopening of non-essential retail no earlier than 12 April, subject to the data.</p><p> </p><p>Under current restrictions all shops in England are permitted to operate click-and-collect services online, by telephone/text or via post.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 11/03/2021 17:41:25 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1300188

	registered interest
	date	08/03/2021
	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	Boohoo: Debenhams
	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 representations he has made to Boohoo executives on the 12,000 Debenhams jobs currently at risk.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	164656
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2021 answer text <p>While Government has no role in the strategic direction or management of private retail companies, officials have been in regular contact with the administrators who have been exploring all potential options to protect Debenhams and its employees throughout the administration process.</p><p>Our Plan for Jobs includes a series of measures to protect, support and create jobs and we are helping those who have lost jobs in the pandemic back into employment through our JETS (Job Entry Targeted Support) programme. We have also launched our £2bn Kickstart scheme to create opportunities for young people.</p><p>We have temporarily increased Universal Credit by £1,000 a year, are doubling the number of work coaches to 27,000 by this year and have launched a Job Finding Support Service which will help those who have recently become unemployed increase their chances of finding employment.</p><p>Additionally, the DWP Rapid Response Service has been in ongoing conversations with Debenhams who have been offered support from the Service. The Rapid Response Service offers support including:</p><ul><li>Helping people write CVs and find jobs.</li><li>Providing information about benefits.</li><li>Helping people to find the right training and learn new skills.</li><li>Helping with costs like travel to work expenses.</li></ul> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 16/03/2021 13:39:31 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1303397

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2021
	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	Private Rented Housing: Energy
	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 assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing legislation mandating property management companies to carry out improvements on buildings ahead of the proposed upgrade of private rented sector homes to Energy Performance Certificate Band C by 2030.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	170750
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2021 answer text <p>BEIS consulted on improving the minimum energy efficiency standards for privately rented homes in England and Wales to EPC Band C. Under the Government’s recommended option, landlords would be required to reach EPC Band C for new tenancies from 1 April 2025 and all tenancies by 1 April 2028. Landlords can choose to work with a property management company to meet the regulations where appropriate, although the requirement for compliance rests with the landlord. We are currently analysing consultation responses and will publish a Government Response in due course.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 22/03/2021 16:44:53 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1308724

	registered interest
	date	13/04/2021
	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	Parents: Bereavement Leave
	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 extend parental bereavement leave to include pregnancy losses before 24 weeks.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	180625
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>We recognise that a miscarriage can be deeply upsetting. We encourage employers to provide appropriate support to women who have suffered a miscarriage and respond sensitively to each individuals specific needs.</p><p> </p><p>The current entitlement to Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay applies to employed parents of children under the age of 18 and those who suffer a stillbirth.</p><p> </p><p>Because the death of a child is particularly tragic, in April 2020, we legislated to give parents who lose a child under the age of 18, including cases where a baby is stillborn after 24 completed weeks of pregnancy, a right to take up to 2 weeks off work in the 56 weeks following the death of their child. The policy is mapped against the clinical definition of a ‘stillbirth’: 24 weeks is a legally and medically important point in a pregnancy as it is the clinical age of viability.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals who do not feel able to return to work following a miscarriage may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay while off work. All employees are also entitled to 5.6 weeks of Annual Leave a year and many employers also offer ‘Compassionate Leave’.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 19/04/2021 16:44:39 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1309545

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2021
	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	Amazon: Delivery 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, whether he has made representations to Amazon UK on (a) the death of a 21-year-old Amazon driver on 17 February 2021 and (b) the potential merits of reassessing delivery targets for Amazon UK delivery drivers.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	181449
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2021 answer text <p>I was deeply saddened to hear the tragic news of the death of the Amazon driver, and I send my sincere condolences to their family. South Yorkshire Police are investigating and are appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision to contact them.</p><p> </p><p>Benchmark standards for safe delivery plans and realistic schedules are set out in the joint HSE and Department for Transport guidance (<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hse.gov.uk%2Fpubns%2Findg382.pdf&amp;data=04%7C01%7CParliamentary.PQ%40beis.gov.uk%7C0392f2cdcb75491936f308d900d03e54%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C1%7C637541716665339908%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=aZcmkn%2F8AgwFlv7lvNOnko2P0DpVWDG6T9BU%2B0U%2FH8o%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Driving at work: Managing work-related road safety INDG382(rev1) (hse.gov.uk)</a>.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 21/04/2021 09:48:53 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully previous answer version 98072 answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1309557

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2021
	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: Development Aid
	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 assessment his Department has made of the effect of reducing the Official Development Assistance budget on (a) current and future research projects funded under ODA programmes and (b) global research partnerships.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	181450
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2021 answer text <p>The challenging financial situation we face due to the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a temporary reduction in the UK’s aid spending target from 0.7% of GNI to 0.5%. This means making difficult decisions when it comes to prioritising how we spend aid money to deliver the most impactful outcomes.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently working with UKRI, and all our Global Challenges Research Fund and Newton Fund Delivery Partners, to manage the financial year 2021/22 ODA allocations, including determining which projects will be impacted. Our Delivery Partners have communicated with award holders setting out the next stage of the review of ODA funding this year, and to explore options for individual programmes. (Full details have been published on the UKRI website.) Due to the ongoing nature of this process, we cannot share project-level details.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the importance of supporting global research partnerships and supporting the UK research sector. Our commitment to research and innovation has been clearly demonstrated by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget announcement of increasing investment in R&amp;D across government to £14.6bn in 2021/22; and as has been set out in our Integrated Review ambitions, international collaboration is central to a healthy and productive R&amp;D sector.</p><p> </p><p>On 1<sup>st</sup> April, the Department set out an additional £250m of funding for the R&amp;D sector. As a result, UK scientists will have access to more public funding than ever before. This takes total Government investment in R&amp;D to £14.9 billion in 2021/22 and follows four years of significant growth in R&amp;D funding, including a boost of more than £1.5 billion in 2020/21.</p> answering member constituency Derby North answering member printed Amanda Solloway question first answered 20/04/2021 16:55:47 answering member 4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1337938

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2021
	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	Medicine: Research
	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 (a) modernise medical research and (b) replace animal testing with human-relevant techniques.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	17857
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2021 answer text <p>As part of a modern research system, we believe that animals should only be used where there is no practical alternative. The use of animals in research is carefully regulated and remains important in ensuring new medicines and treatments are safe.</p><p> </p><p>However, we are actively supporting and funding the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs).  This is achieved primarily through funding for the National Centre for the 3Rs which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies and ensure that advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice and regulations on animal research.  Since the NC3Rs was launched it has committed £100 million through its research, innovation, and early career awards to provide new 3Rs approaches for scientists in academia and industry to use. This includes almost £27 million in contracts through its CRACK IT Challenges innovation scheme to UK and EU-based institutions, mainly focusing on new approaches for the safety assessment of pharmaceuticals and chemicals that reduce the use of animals.</p><p> </p><p>UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds a portfolio of research projects involving humans, human materials, animal models, and non-animal technologies. At this time, no artificial model or simulation can replicate the complexity of disease processes in a living organism and as such, whole organism approaches continue to be important; animal models are used when experimentation in human volunteers is not possible for safety or ethical reasons. However, we do recognise the increasing value of <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in silico</em> models, including organs-on-chips and 3-dimensional mini-brains, which can greatly aid the development of new healthcare innovations and also reduce, refine or replace the use of animals in research.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Derby North answering member printed Amanda Solloway question first answered 24/06/2021 12:10:25 answering member 4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana