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1141630

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Energy: Private Rented Housing
	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 the Amending the Private Rented Sector Energy Efficiency Regulations, Final Stage Impact Assessment figures that only 48 per cent of Energy Performance Certificate F- and G-rated privately rented homes will be improved to Band E under the current landlord cost cap of £3,500, if he will use the forthcoming consultation on a trajectory for tightening the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard for the Domestic Private Rented Sector to ensure that a higher proportion of homes will meet any future standard.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	281753
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2019 answer text <p>The Clean Growth Strategy set out the Government’s intention to look at a long term trajectory for energy performance standards across the private rented sector, with the aim of as many private rented homes as possible being upgraded to EPC Band C by 2030, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. We will set out our position on future policy on this area in due course.</p> answering member constituency Spelthorne answering member printed Kwasi Kwarteng question first answered 04/09/2019 08:08:08 answering member 4134 label Biography information for Kwasi Kwarteng
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1141645

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Mental Health Services: 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, how many applications for research into mindfulness-based therapies were (a) accepted and (b) rejected by the Medical Research Council in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	281632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>In the last three years the Medical Research Council has funded one project relevant to mindfulness-based therapies. £149k was awarded in 2018 to researchers based at the University of Bristol for two years to evaluate a multi-stage intervention to improve foster carers mental health and well-being.</p><p> </p><p>The number of applications and success rates for projects relevant to mindfulness-based therapies cannot be provided. All applications to UK Research and Innovation are submitted in confidence and when research topics are specialised in nature, releasing information on the number of applications may result in Research Organisations and applicants potentially being identified.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 09/09/2019 13:35:36 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1141725

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Offshore Industry
	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 progress his Department has made on implementing an oil and gas sector deal; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
	tabling member printed	Andrew Bowie
	uin	281789
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency Spelthorne answering member printed Kwasi Kwarteng question first answered 09/09/2019 16:27:45 answering member 4134 label Biography information for Kwasi Kwarteng
	tabling member	4601 label Biography information for Andrew Bowie

1141728

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Offshore Industry: Scotland
	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 his Department has met with (a) the Scottish Government and (b) representatives of the oil and gas industry in Scotland to discuss (i) domestic skills, (ii) training and (iii) recruitment in that industry in Scotland.
	tabling member constituency	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
	tabling member printed	Andrew Bowie
	uin	281792
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Both Ministers and officials in this department regularly meet with counterparts from the Scottish Government to discuss a wide range of issues impacting the oil and gas sector in Scotland. However, given that skills and related issues in Scotland are devolved these issues are a matter for the Devolved Administration.</p><p> </p><p>BEIS Ministers and officials meet regularly with the oil and gas industry. For example, I met a range of oil and gas industry representatives and a member of the Scottish Government during a visit to Aberdeen on 2 September 2019. The visit included attendance at the Maximising Economic Recovery UK (MER UK) Forum, where a range of industry issues were discussed. On 20 August 2019 the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy visited Aberdeen where she met representatives from the energy industry.</p> answering member constituency Spelthorne answering member printed Kwasi Kwarteng question first answered 09/09/2019 07:28:29 answering member 4134 label Biography information for Kwasi Kwarteng
	tabling member	4601 label Biography information for Andrew Bowie

1141729

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Business: West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
	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 steps he has taken to support businesses in the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituency.
	tabling member constituency	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
	tabling member printed	Andrew Bowie
	uin	281793
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>The Government is supporting businesses in West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine to develop and thrive.  The British Business Bank has issued 46 loans in the area totalling £493,319 and we continue to deliver the £250 million Aberdeen City Region Deal investing in oil &amp; gas, bio-therapeutics and food innovation, improvements in digital infrastructure, a strategic transport appraisal and the expansion of Aberdeen harbour.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 09/09/2019 07:34:25 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4601 label Biography information for Andrew Bowie

1141783

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Water Power
	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 his Department plans to develop deep-water turbines as a means of producing clean energy in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Clwyd South
	tabling member printed	Susan Elan Jones
	uin	281702
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2019 answer text <p>Offshore wind is a success story for the UK. Government support has enabled investment, cost reduction and building of the supply chain across the UK. This support has resulted in two world leading floating offshore wind demonstration projects being developed in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Spelthorne answering member printed Kwasi Kwarteng question first answered 04/09/2019 08:08:00 answering member 4134 label Biography information for Kwasi Kwarteng
	tabling member	3956 label Biography information for Susan Elan Jones

1141792

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Insolvency
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will make an assessment of the potential for pre-packaged administrations to be open to abuse as a way of passing on pension liabilities to the Pension Protection Fund.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	281706
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>A pre-packaged sale in administration, whereby the sale of all or part of the business is arranged prior to the company entering formal insolvency and realised on or immediately after the appointment of the administrator, is a valuable business rescue tool. Pre-pack sales help to avoid a deterioration of the value of the company’s business between appointment of the administrator and sale, meaning there is more money available for creditors, including the pension scheme. In most cases where pre-packs are used, the only alternative would be the collapse of the business and the loss of all employees’ jobs.</p><p> </p><p>The government is aware of concerns about the transparency of pre-pack sales, particularly where a business is sold to a person connected with the old company. It is currently evaluating whether legislative measures are necessary to regulate pre-pack sales to a connected person, following a review of a package of voluntary industry measures implemented in 2015 to improve creditor confidence in pre-packs. As part of the review the government liaised with the Pension Protection Fund, which made clear in its response to concerns raised by the Chair of the Department of Work and Pensions Select Committee, that it does not fundamentally take issue with pre-packs but where there are concerns, these are referred to the Pensions Regulator for investigation.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 03/09/2019 15:19:42 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1141793

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Johnston Press: Insolvency
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will make an assessment of (a) the reasons for the collapse of Johnston Press and (b) whether additional powers for the Pension Regulator would help to safeguard pension funds and mitigate the potential financial loss to employees.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	281707
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>The Johnston Press Group entered administration on 17 November 2018 and its business and assets were sold to a company owned by the Group’s bondholders (JPI Media Group) under a pre-pack arrangement. The government cannot comment on individual insolvency cases. However, the Pensions Regulator in its report of March 2019 found no evidence that the insolvency of Johnston Press was avoidable and had no reason to use its anti-avoidance powers.</p><p> </p><p>The government’s White Paper 2018 “Protecting Defined Benefit Pension Schemes” proposed a number of new measures to provide better protection for scheme members’ benefits, including giving the Pensions Regulator additional powers to enable it to be more proactive with tougher penalties to deter wrongdoing.</p><p> </p><p>A response to the consultation was published on 11 February 2019.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 03/09/2019 15:18:13 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1141794

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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	Insolvency
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will review pre-packaged administration deals and make an assessment of the potential merits of preventing directors of a failed company becoming directors of the new company in cases where pension liabilities are passed onto the Pension Protection Fund.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	281708
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>The government has recently carried out a review of the impact of voluntary industry measures introduced in 2015 to improve confidence in pre-packaged sales in administration. The review will inform a decision on whether further regulation is required where a business is sold via a pre-pack sale to a person connected with the old company. We expect to publish the outcome of the review shortly.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the review the Government liaised with the Pension Protection Fund, which made clear in its response to concerns raised by the Chair of the DWP Select Committee, that it does not fundamentally take issue with pre-packs but where there are concerns, these are referred to The Pensions Regulator for investigation.</p><p> </p><p>The government already has robust measures in place to prevent directors of insolvent companies who are guilty of poor behaviour from taking part in the management of companies in the future. When a company enters a formal insolvency procedure, such as administration, the insolvency practitioner has a legal duty to report to the Insolvency Service on the conduct of the directors and where wrongdoing is identified, action can be taken to disqualify them for up to 15 years.</p><p> </p><p>The government response to the 2018 White Paper “Protecting Defined Benefit Pension Schemes” proposes additional powers for The Pensions Regulator with a tougher approach to the minority of employers whose irresponsible behaviour does put pension schemes at risk.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 09/09/2019 07:37:17 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1141895

	registered interest
	date	24/07/2019
	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: Cycling
	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 his Department has spent on schemes to encourage staff of his Department to cycle to work since 2015; and how much his Department has spent on (a) installing bicycle racks and (b) bonus schemes for bicycle use in that time period.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	281680
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2019 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) was created in July 2016. The answer therefore covers from this date.</p><p> </p><p>Since its creation BEIS has been supportive of promoting cycling to work; recognising the benefits this brings to the health and wellbeing of the workforce, as well as reducing the environmental impact of the department in general. In response to the specific questions:</p><p> </p><p>(a) BEIS has spent a total of £16.8k on installing bicycle racks (this figure includes the cost of materials).</p><p>(b) BEIS does not offer a bonus scheme for bicycle use.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the total amount spent on the cycle to work scheme to encourage staff in BEIS to cycle to work since the department’s creation was £16.7k in 2016 (July to December), £24.5k in 2017, £29.8k in 2018 and £39.8k in 2019.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 04/09/2019 08:07:51 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies