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78319

	registered interest
	date	16/07/2014
	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: Billing
	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 current impact of late payments on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and what steps they are taking to support SMEs to mitigate the impact of late payments.
	tabling member printed	Lord Barnett
	uin	HL1209
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government considered the impact of late payment on Small and Medium Enterprises in our discussion paper Building a Responsible Payment Culture. As a result we are working with industry to create greater transparency of payment practices and a more responsible payment culture. This will include a statutory requirement, via the Small Business Enterprise and Employment Bill, for large firms to publish their payment practices. In addition, we are committed to working with the Institute for Credit Management and businesses to strengthen the Prompt Payment Code.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 28/07/2014 16:56:25 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	1018 label Biography information for Lord Barnett

79135

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2014
	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	Copyright
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the recommendations of the report by the Prime Minister’s intellectual property adviser, Mike Weatherley MP, what consideration is being given to the measures necessary to provide statutory underpinning of industry-wide codes and initiatives to tackle the funding of copyright infringement by advertisers and financial providers.
	tabling member printed	Lord Clement-Jones
	uin	HL1296
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Government welcomes the work undertaken by Mike Weatherley MP in highlighting a ‘follow the money’ approach to assist in the battle against online Intellectual Property crime.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There is collective agreement across Government, industry and law enforcement that influencing intermediaries is an effective approach. Initiatives such as the Infringing Website List online portal and the Intellectual Property Office supported WhiteBullet Intellectual Property Infringement Index are at the early stages of implementation and offer flexibility that wouldn’t be achievable under a statutory approach.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 29/07/2014 10:56:35 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	3396 label Biography information for Lord Clement-Jones

79136

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2014
	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	Copyright: Internet
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans the Intellectual Property Office has to monitor advertising on pirate websites.
	tabling member printed	Lord Clement-Jones
	uin	HL1297
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Intellectual Property Office does not undertake any sort of monitoring role in respect of advertising on illegal websites and has no plans to do so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Government does however support work undertaken by the Intellectual Property Office funded Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, who manage the Infringing Website List (IWL) online portal. The IWL provides the digital advertising sector with an up-to-date list of copyright infringing sites, identified by the creative industries and evidenced and verified by the City of London Police unit, so that advertisers, agencies and other intermediaries can stop advert placement on these illegal websites.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 28/07/2014 16:57:51 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	3396 label Biography information for Lord Clement-Jones

65945

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2014
	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	Housing: Disability
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that estate agents are trained to help disabled people find suitable accommodation.
	tabling member printed	Lord Swinfen
	uin	HL872
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government has no plans to provide training in this specific area. However, we understand the National Association of Estate Agents provides customer services training for those employed in this field including understanding the customer’s needs. It is in the interests of Estate Agents to understand the needs of all their potential customers, including the disabled customers, so that they can compete effectively to win new business and grow. The Government sets the open, market framework in which companies can compete for business on fair terms.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government does however encourage companies to make their businesses more accessible to disabled people and embrace the positive business opportunities presented by disabled customers; guidance is available on the gov.uk website for both employees and employers. It covers what businesses must do to comply with the law, to ensure that everyone they employ or serve is treated equally and according to their needs.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 28/07/2014 14:40:12 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2235 label Biography information for Lord Swinfen

79137

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2014
	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	Intellectual Property
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to co-ordinate action on intellectual property issues with equivalent industry and enforcement bodies overseas.
	tabling member printed	Lord Clement-Jones
	uin	HL1298
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government works closely with the European Union Observatory on the Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights to share best practice with stakeholders – including industry bodies and European and international enforcement bodies – on the approach to tackling intellectual property (IP) enforcement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government also plays an active role in Europol and Interpol intellectual property enforcement action and undertakes direct bilateral action where operationally necessary.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Through our network of overseas IP attachés the Government continues to build strong relations with government departments, industry bodies and enforcement agencies. For example, in September the Chinese Government will host the second UK-China IP Symposium which I shall be attending. The Symposium, which will have a clear enforcement component, is an opportunity for UK and Chinese companies to interact with senior policymakers from both countries on a range of intellectual property topics. The UK Government will be coordinating a range of activities in China that week, engaging with the Supreme People’s Court and the Ministry of Public Security.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 28/07/2014 16:59:28 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	3396 label Biography information for Lord Clement-Jones

79134

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2014
	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	Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for future funding of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit.
	tabling member printed	Lord Clement-Jones
	uin	HL1295
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government provided £2.56m of seed funding to establish the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit in 2013. This funding was provided on the understanding that from 2015, industry stakeholders would be encouraged to make future investments in the unit, as a result of its demonstrated success in reducing online Intellectual Property (IP) crime.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The unit has been well received by industry and early indications suggest that it will reduce online IP crime .</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is currently discussing options to ensure the future sustainability of the Unit with industry.</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 29/07/2014 10:53:50 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	3396 label Biography information for Lord Clement-Jones

77774

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2014
	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	Postal Services: Competition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Ofcom has conducted any analysis of regulatory options to protect the universal postal service in the event of a significant increase in end-to-end competition.
	tabling member printed	Lord Whitty
	uin	HL1071
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The regulatory options to protect the universal service are set out in the Postal Services Act 2011.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Parliament has given Ofcom the primary statutory duty to secure the provision of the universal service and the powers and tools its needs to do so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has carried out a consultation on end-to-end competition in the postal services sector and published a Guidance paper on the use of its regulatory options and the circumstances under which it would intervene to protect the universal service from any serious threat from competition. More information about Ofcom’s consultation on end-to-end competition and its Guidance (“Final Guidance on Ofcom’s approach to assessing the impact on the universal service”) can be found on its website (<a href="http://www.ofcom.org.uk/" target="_blank">www.ofcom.org.uk</a>).</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 28/07/2014 14:41:38 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2444 label Biography information for Lord Whitty

77775

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2014
	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	Postal Services: Competition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how long it would take Ofcom to undertake a review of the impact of the increase in end-to-end competition on the universal postal service.
	tabling member printed	Lord Whitty
	uin	HL1072
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Ofcom has set out its approach towards carrying out a full assessment of end-to-end competition in its Guidance published in March 2013 (“Final Guidance on Ofcom’s approach to assessing the impact on the universal service”). Although it has not set out a specific timescale for a full review, Ofcom has in place a continuous monitoring regime and access to key confidential data from Royal Mail and other postal operators which would enable it to anticipate any potential threat to the universal service.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has said that they are keeping market developments under close monthly review and if this monitoring identified cause for concern they would be able to carry out a review very quickly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More information about Ofcom’s regulatory framework can be found on Ofcom’s website (<a href="http://www.ofcom.org.uk/" target="_blank">www.ofcom.org.uk</a>).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 28/07/2014 14:42:36 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2444 label Biography information for Lord Whitty

77776

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2014
	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	Postal Services: Competition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their calculation of the percentage of United Kingdom addressees needed to be reached by end-to-end postal delivery companies other than Royal Mail before there is a threat to the financial sustainability of the universal postal service.
	tabling member printed	Lord Whitty
	uin	HL1073
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Ofcom as the regulator for postal services has the primary statutory duty of protecting the universal service and the regulatory powers to intervene if the universal service is ever at risk.b</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has set out the circumstances under which it would intervene to protect the universal service from any serious threat from competition in their publication: “Final Guidance on Ofcom’s approach to assessing the impact on the universal service”.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ofcom’s assessment would consider the financial sustainability of the universal postal service and the need for the universal service provider to be able to earn a reasonable commercial rate of return in connection with the provision of the universal service.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The percentage of addresses covered by end-to-end competitors to Royal Mail would clearly be a factor that Ofcom would consider, but as a part of a wider range of factors. Ofcom has therefore not set a threshold of end-to-end delivery coverage by alternative postal operators to determine a threat to the Universal Service. At the present time, end-to-end competition accounts for less than 0.5% of letter volumes in the United Kingdom.</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 24/07/2014 15:10:04 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2444 label Biography information for Lord Whitty

78959

	registered interest
	date	18/07/2014
	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	Postal Services: Competition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect Ofcom to undertake a review of the impact of end-to-end competitors on the universal postal service.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradshaw
	uin	HL1276
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Ofcom is committed to carrying out a full review on end-to-end competition next year. It has also made clear that it would carry out an earlier review if market developments dictated the need to do so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has set out its approach towards carrying out a full assessment of end-to-end competition in its Guidance published in March 2013 (“Final Guidance on Ofcom’s approach to assessing the impact on the universal service”).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has in place a continuous monitoring regime and access to key confidential data from Royal Mail and other postal operators which would enable it to anticipate any potential threat to the universal service. They are keeping market developments under close monthly review and if this monitoring identified cause for concern Ofcom has said that they would be able to carry out a review very quickly.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 01/09/2014 09:19:24 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2483 label Biography information for Lord Bradshaw