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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

819113

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2018
	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	Revenue and Customs: Living Wage
	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 additional funding is being provided to HMRC for it to comply with the planned increase in the national living wage in April 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	121790
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2018 answer text <p>The budget for enforcing the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) has increased from £13.2 million in 2015/16 to £25.3 million for 2017/18. The increase in HM Revenue and Customs’ enforcement resources has enabled an increase in the number of compliance officers available to investigate NMW abuses.</p><p> </p><p>The penalty regime has been significantly strengthened in recent years. The Government raised the penalty calculation up to 200% in 2016; this was previously 50% and more recently 100%. We have also changed the penalty cap to apply on a ‘per worker’ rather than ‘per employer’ basis; this ensures that employers who break the law face a penalty equivalent to the arrears they owe their workers, up to £20,000 maximum per worker.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 16/01/2018 11:58:25 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

816786

	registered interest
	date	05/01/2018
	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	Retail Trade: Internet
	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 ensure that businesses make terms and conditions of online purchases clearer.
	tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
	tabling member printed	Laura Smith
	uin	121213
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government is currently exploring how best to encourage businesses to apply terms and conditions which are jargon free and can be more easily engaged with by consumers. This includes the use of model terms and conditions.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 12/01/2018 14:32:17 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

818719

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2018
	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	Regional Planning and Development
	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 page 132 of the Industrial Strategy, published in November 2017, what the process will be for the Government to take greater account of disparities between productivity and economic opportunity between different places when making future investment decisions.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
	tabling member printed	Diana Johnson
	uin	121483
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2018 answer text <p>The Government’s ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy sets out a long term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. We are committed to providing high quality infrastructure to support economic growth and prosperity across all regions of the country, and our approach to major investments will reflect this. While cost-benefit analysis will remain central to our decision-making, we will also make use of broad-based and dynamic assessment techniques that reflect the full potential for infrastructure to support local economies.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 16/01/2018 11:54:19 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

822870

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2018
	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	Redundancy Pay: Conditions of Employment
	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 protect employees from losing their statutory redundancy pay as a result of a company restructuring.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
	tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
	uin	122553
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2018 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will act as state guarantor and make the relevant payment for those employees who have been made redundant and whose employers are unwilling or unable to pay the statutory amounts owed to the employees. Protection for the employees is afforded under the provisions of section 166 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and payments are made from the National Insurance Fund.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 18/01/2018 15:58:15 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

822832

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2018
	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	Redundancy Pay
	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 extent of the practice of insolvent companies failing to pay redundancy payments to staff they have dismissed.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	122515
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2018 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has made the relevant statutory payments from the National Insurance Fund under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to the former employees of insolvent employers, as listed below:</p><p> </p><p><strong>In the year 2016 – 2017 </strong></p><p>Number of claims from employees received: 63,589</p><p>Number of insolvent cases: 6,994</p><p>Total amount paid: £250,846,496</p><p>Of which were:</p><p>Redundancy, arrears of pay and holiday pay: £179,898,774</p><p>Compensatory Notice Pay: £46,955,219</p><p>Protective Awards: £20,333,935</p><p>Pension payments: £3,933,676</p><p> </p><p><strong>For the year to date </strong>(up until end of December 2017)</p><p>Number of claims from employees received: 45,784</p><p>Number of insolvent cases: 4,940</p><p>Total amount paid: £187,577,458</p><p>Of which were:</p><p>Redundancy, arrears of pay and holiday pay: £140,026,948</p><p>Compensatory Notice Pay: £33,697,391</p><p>Protective Awards: £12,931,388</p><p>Pension payments: £2,992,746</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 18/01/2018 15:58:03 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

816984

	registered interest
	date	05/01/2018
	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	Post Offices: Training
	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 average amount spent by his Department on training new entrant post-masters in each of the last ten years.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	121411
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2018 answer text <p>Training of its postmasters is the responsibility of Post Office Limited.</p><p> </p><p>I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter and provide the information requested. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 12/01/2018 13:20:45 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

816983

	registered interest
	date	05/01/2018
	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	Post Offices: Staff
	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 has taken to recognise and reward long-term service and loyalty of postmasters.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	121410
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2018 answer text <p>Contractual arrangements with its postmasters, including remuneration and reward arrangements, is the responsibility of Post Office Limited.</p><p> </p><p>I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 12/01/2018 13:23:24 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

818805

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2018
	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	Post Offices: Staff
	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 average income received from the Post Office is for postmasters who host a post office branch.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
	tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
	uin	121569
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2018 answer text <p>Remuneration arrangements with its postmasters is the responsibility of Post Office Limited.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 11/01/2018 15:45:00 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

818970

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2018
	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	Post Offices: Recruitment
	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 timetable is to recruit new post-masters to the 776 sub-post offices which have temporarily closed.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
	tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
	uin	121647
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2018 answer text <p>This is an operational matter for the Post Office. The Government sets the parameters in which Post Office operates – including its geographic reach and the key services it offers – and then allows the Post Office to operate as an independent commercial organisation within those parameters. As such, the Government does not play a role in the day-to-day operational responsibilities of the company. This includes decisions regarding the recruitment of postmasters to any Post Office, whether a Directly Managed Crown branch or one that is operated on the Post office by a franchise partner.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 15/01/2018 17:00:00 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss