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834028

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2018
	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	What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which private companies form part of the What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	125785
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>The What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth was set up in October 2013 as part of the What Works network to analyse which policies are most effective in supporting and increasing local economic growth. It is jointly run by the London School of Economics, Centre for Cities, and Arup and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Transport.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 02/02/2018 14:11:03 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

824535

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2018
	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	Washing Machines: Standards
	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 regulatory standards are in place for filters in washing machines; and whether he has plans to review those standards.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	123336
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2018 answer text <p>Washing machines placed on the market on or after the 8 December 2016 must comply with the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 and before that date with the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994. As these regulations require manufacturers to ensure that washing machines they place on the market are safe, this means any filter used in the product must also be safe. There are no plans to review these requirements.</p><p> </p><p>Manufacturers can create a presumption of compliance with the legislation by conforming to relevant Harmonised European safety standards.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for environmental protection policy.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 25/01/2018 11:39:19 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

820699

	registered interest
	date	11/01/2018
	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	Urban Areas
	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 cumulative effect of the closure of (a) banks, (b) post offices, (c) building societies and (d) pubs on the sustainability of high streets.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	122117
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government does not make assessments of the impact bank, post office, building society branch, or pub closures have on the sustainability of high streets. While the decision to close a branch remains a commercial judgement for individual banks and building societies, the impact on communities must be understood, considered and mitigated where possible.</p><p>The industry’s Access to Banking Standard, launched in May 2017, commits banks and building societies to ensure personal and business customers are better informed about branch closures and the reasons for them closing, along with the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help. The Access to Banking Standard is monitored and enforced by the independent Lending Standards Board.</p><p>99% of banks’ personal and 95% of banks’ business customers are now able to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches. At Autumn Budget 2017, the then Economic Secretary to the Treasury wrote to the Post Office and UK Finance to ask them to raise public awareness of the banking services available at the Post Office for individuals and SMEs.</p><p>Since 2010, Government has invested over £2billion in to the Post Office network, with a further £370m announced on 20 December. This has led to the most stable number of branches in the network for decades.</p><p>The Post Office continues to meet its access criteria with 99.7% of the total population living within 3 miles of a Post Office.</p><p>The Government recognises the importance of pubs to communities and the high street. To support pubs and local industries, and recognising that alcohol duties already rose by inflation earlier this year, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced at Autumn Budget 2017 that he was freezing all alcohol duties. Pubs play an important role in local communities and help promote responsible drinking. Freezing beer duty rates this year helps pubs: the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimate around two thirds of the alcohol sold in pubs is beer. At Spring Budget 2017, the Chancellor announced a package of support for pubs in England with their business rates. This provided a £1,000 discount to all pubs with a rateable value of less than £100,000. This scheme was extended by an additional year into 2018/19 at Autumn Budget.</p><p>Additionally, the Chancellor brought forward the planned switch in the indexation of business rates from RPI to CPI by two years to 2018. This will benefit all businesses on the UK high street and represents a cut in business rates every year from April 2018. In total, the switch from RPI to CPI is worth £4.1bn by 2023.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 19/01/2018 10:04:56 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths previous answer version 34625 answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

830214

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2018
	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	Unpaid Work
	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 recent estimate his Department has made of the total number of (a) paid and (b) unpaid internships in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Elmet and Rothwell
	tabling member printed	Alec Shelbrooke
	uin	124875
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government has not made an estimate of the number of interns in the UK since 2010. The estimate produced in 2010 was based on evidence from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), combined with a number of other assumptions and should be treated as indicative only.</p><p> </p><p>If an intern is classified as a “worker”, they are entitled to at least the National Minimum Wage from day one of their employment.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 29/01/2018 15:47:58 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	3997 label Biography information for Sir Alec Shelbrooke

838117

	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	Timesharing: Complaints
	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 recent representations he has received on companies involved in timeshare scams; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	127096
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2018 answer text <p>The Department has received no recent representations on matters related to scams in the timeshare market or services related to the timeshare market. Scams or bogus operators in any sector, including timeshare and related services, should be brought to the attention of the relevant enforcement authorities.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 20/02/2018 12:03:36 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

828074

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2018
	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	Tickets: Sales
	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 additional funding has been allocated to National Trading Standards to enforce relevant consumer legislation on secondary ticketing in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19 and (c) 2019-20.
	tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
	tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
	uin	124034
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2018 answer text <p>National Trading Standards have been tasked with investigating potential enforcement cases against sellers and secondary ticketing websites that do not comply with legislation from within their current and forthcoming annual budgets.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy provides National Trading Standards with £13.25m per year for the coordination of regional and national Trading Standards activity in England and Wales. The National Trading Standards Board has allocated £300,000 towards investigation work on ticketing for this current financial year but has not yet allocated budgets for 2018-19 and 2019-20.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 25/01/2018 16:45:55 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

828079

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2018
	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	Tickets: Sales
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to issue updated guidance on s90 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to take account of the changes made by the Digital Economy Act 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
	tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
	uin	124039
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2018 answer text <p>The Department has been consulting key stakeholders and will publish updated guidance on s.90 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 on the Business Companion website in due course.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 25/01/2018 16:46:49 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

828178

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2018
	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	Tickets: Sales
	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 plans his Department has better to regulate online ticket sales companies to ensure that (a) consumers are protected when a company fails to supply the tickets and (b) a full refund is easy to obtain.
	tabling member constituency	St Austell and Newquay
	tabling member printed	Steve Double
	uin	124138
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2018 answer text <p>Consumer Protection legislation is in place to protect consumers where traders, including online ticket resale companies, fail to deliver what they promise. Consumers who have had problems should contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 (or through its website). The helpline service offers consumers free advice on their rights and how to seek redress.</p><p> </p><p>The Competition and Markets Authority is investigating online secondary ticket sites and is considering in particular, difficulties for customers in getting their money back under a website’s guarantee.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 25/01/2018 16:47:44 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4452 label Biography information for Steve Double

833033

	registered interest
	date	29/01/2018
	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	Small Businesses: West Midlands
	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 support his Department is providing to SMEs in the West Midlands before the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Telford
	tabling member printed	Lucy Allan
	uin	125349
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>Our Industrial Strategy aims to make Britain the best place to start and grow a business, and a global draw for the most innovative companies. We are already doing a lot for small and medium sized (SMEs) enterprises in the West Midlands.</p><p>Growth Hubs help simplify the business support landscape, providing joined up access to the full range of local and national support programmes (public and private). Since their launch, the six Growth Hubs in the West Midlands have engaged and supported over 37,500 businesses; delivered over 2,200 intensive assists; and helped over 1,850 individuals to start a business.</p><p>Businesses in the West Midlands can also access national support through GOV.UK and the Business Support Helpline.</p><p>British Business Bank programmes are currently facilitating over £629m to 3,493 businesses in the West Midlands. In addition the Start Up loans programme has issued 4,421 loans to value of over £30m.</p><p>The West Midlands also forms part of the Midlands Engine. A key part of the Government’s strategy for fuelling growth in the region is the £250m Midlands Engine Investment Fund, which aims to transform the finance landscape for smaller businesses in the Midlands, accelerate economic growth and promote job creation. The Fund launched its first wave, £120m of Debt and Small Business funds, in August 2017.</p><p>Alongside this, the Government is working with the European Union to agree a deal on an implementation period and future partnership following the UK’s exit in order to ensure a smooth and orderly transition for businesses. Any additional support provided to small businesses will also be informed by the outcome of these ongoing negotiations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 02/02/2018 14:13:18 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4411 label Biography information for Lucy Allan

833034

	registered interest
	date	29/01/2018
	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	Small Businesses: Telford
	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 small and medium-sized enterprises in Telford constituency have received support under each business support scheme operated by his Department since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Telford
	tabling member printed	Lucy Allan
	uin	125350
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2018 answer text <p>Our Industrial Strategy aims to make Britain the best place to start and grow a business, and a global draw for the most innovative companies. We are already doing a lot for small and medium sized (SMEs) enterprises in Telford.</p><p> </p><p>Over 14,000 businesses have been supported and 239 people have had help to start a new business by The Marches Growth Hub which provides support to local SMEs in the area. Growth Hubs help simplify the business support landscape providing joined up access to the full range of local and national support programmes (public and private).</p><p> </p><p>Since November 2014, British Business Bank programmes have facilitated over £70m to 131 businesses in the constituency of Telford.* This includes 63 Start Up loans at a value of over £420k. Telford constituency is also part of the Midlands Engine. A key part of the Government’s strategy for fuelling growth in the region is the £250m Midlands Engine Investment Fund, which aims to transform the finance landscape for smaller businesses in the Midlands, accelerate economic growth and promote job creation. The Fund launched its first wave, £120m of Debt and Small Business funds, in August 2017.**</p><p> </p><p>Since 2010-11, Innovate UK has also provided over £345,000 of funding to 8 businesses in the Telford constituency so that they can take forward their ideas and make them commercially viable.</p><p> </p><p><em>*British Business Bank received State Aid clearance in November 2014, figures show flow of finance facilitated from November 2014 date to the end of September 2017 only</em></p><p><em>** constituency level data on MEIF is not available</em></p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 02/02/2018 14:57:38 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4411 label Biography information for Lucy Allan