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156522

	registered interest
	date	19/11/2014
	answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
	answering dept id	92
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
	hansard heading	Written Questions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Leader of the House what steps she takes to ensure the quality of answers to parliamentary questions; and what assessment she has made of the length of time taken to provide them.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL2945
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>It is the responsibility of individual ministers to decide what answers they give to Questions for Written Answer (QWAs), and they are of course accountable to the House for those answers. That direct accountability is important: that is why Ministers in this House must provide personally signed answers to members. The Ministerial Code states that <em>“It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament”.<br><br></em>As Leader of the House I have a particular responsibility to encourage Ministers and their departments to be punctual in answering written questions. My office immediately approach departments who have not responded to questions after 10 working days, and remain in contact with them until the questions are answered. At the end of this Session I will publish data on the annual performance of departments on their promptness in dealing with QWAs.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 03/12/2014 12:49:49 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

157098

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2014
	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	Directors: LGBT+ People
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the action they have taken on gender and race, what efforts they are making to improve the representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people on corporate boards in the United Kingdom.
	tabling member printed	Lord Browne of Madingley
	uin	HL3043
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>Following Lord Davies’s Review on Women on Boards in 2011, we are now at 22.8% women on FTSE 100 boards (October 2014), from a starting point of 12.5% in 2011.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State for Business innovation and Skills has also recently asked Trevor Phillips to start a new private sector led campaign which will look to address the lack of ethnic diversity in boardrooms, based in part on research that indicates the proportion of Black &amp; Ethnic Minority people in leadership positions is lower than expected compared to the wider population (estimated at 5.1% and 14% respectively).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Recruitment, appointment and promotion should always be on merit, irrespective or gender, race, disability or sexual orientation. We believe it is in the best interests of business to tap into the widest talent pool and that by definition means a diverse and representative leadership team.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We expect that through the progress made on gender and the planned work on ethnic diversity, the momentum will help to improve diversity on corporate boards for all people from different backgrounds, including those from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.</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 03/12/2014 16:07:22 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2172 label Biography information for Lord Browne of Madingley

164232

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2014
	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	Disabled Students' Allowances
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, when assessing the Disabled Student's Allowance, previously diagnosed lifetime conditions will be considered sufficient criteria for qualification without a requirement for further assessment.
	tabling member printed	Lord Addington
	uin	HL3062
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>Student Finance England will continue to consider medical evidence submitted by the student when assessing whether they are eligible for DSA.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 03/12/2014 11:50:37 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3453 label Biography information for Lord Addington

164233

	registered interest
	date	21/11/2014
	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	Counterfeit Manufacturing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to stop the sale of counterfeit goods online in the United Kingdom.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL3063
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>This Government takes Intellectual property (IP) crime very seriously and is working closely with law enforcers and rights holders to tackle criminality, including the sale of counterfeit goods online. We recently announced an additional £3 million investment in the police IP crime unit (PIPCU), securing its future until 2017. PIPCU is an operationally independent law enforcement unit dedicated to tackling serious and organized IP crime affecting physical and digital goods.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition to this, the Intellectual Property Office continues its coordinating role to ensure that industry, Government and law enforcement share intelligence, and that collaborative operations result in arrests. All this activity is supported by a range of education programmes and a government/private industry partnership to provide IP training to enforcement officers and brand representatives to help them tackle issues arising from counterfeit products.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 03/12/2014 16:03:29 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

165879

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	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	Students: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Student Opportunity Allocation for 2015-16 will be maintained at the same level as in 2014-15.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	215944
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The proportion of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education this year is at record levels.</p><p>Widening participation in higher education remains a priority for this Government. We will announce the funding we will make available for higher education in 2015/16, in the usual way in our grant letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), which is due for publication in early 2015. HEFCE is responsible for deciding the detail of allocations to institutions.</p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 03/12/2014 17:03:28 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

165881

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	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	Postgraduate Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on equality of access to postgraduate funding for full-time and part-time students.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	215800
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) provides funding to higher education institutions (HEI) for postgraduate study: £240m to support the costs of postgraduate research supervision; and £120m to contribute to the costs of providing postgraduate taught programmes. Postgraduate taught funding is based on a calculation of full-time and part-time student numbers.</p><p> </p><p>HEFCE allocations to HEIs are subject to the conditions of the grant set out in its Memorandum of Assurance and Accountability, which requires that HEIs should, as a minimum, comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. HEFCE monitors HEIs’ progress with regard to equality and diversity.</p><p> </p><p>Research Council funding for postgraduate research training is through research organisations, who undertake the selection and recruitment of students. The Research Council UK (RCUK) terms and conditions for training grants require that research organisations should meet the RCUK Expectations for Equality and Diversity in all aspects of the recruitment and career management of students. Students may be full-time or part-time.</p><p> </p><p>Research Councils collect and analyse data on the gender, ethnic origin and age of supported students to monitor the effectiveness of their policies and initiatives.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 03/12/2014 17:05:38 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

165882

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	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	Postgraduate Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many postgraduate taught students commenced a course when they were aged over (a) 25, (b) 30 and (c) 40 in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013-14; and what proportion of such students were studying part-time in each such year.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	215801
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Higher Education Statistics Agency collects and publishes data on entrants at UK Higher Education Institutions. The number of postgraduate taught entrants aged over 25, 30 and 40, and the proportion within each age group who are studying part time, can be found in the table for the academic years 2011/12 and 2012/13.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Statistics on entrants a UK Higher Education Institutions in the academic year 2013/14 will become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in January 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Total Postgraduate taught entrants <sup>(1)</sup> by age <sup>(2)</sup>, and mode of study</p><p> </p><p>UK Higher Education Institutions</p><p> </p><p>Academic years 2011/12 and 2012/13</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Academic Year 2012/13</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Aged over 25</p></td><td><p>Aged over 30</p></td><td><p>Aged over 40</p></td><td><p>Total (all ages)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Postgraduate Taught</p></td><td><p>Full-time</p></td><td><p>39,840</p></td><td><p>15,625</p></td><td><p>3,815</p></td><td><p>141,090</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Part-time</p></td><td><p>35,535</p></td><td><p>26,565</p></td><td><p>12,905</p></td><td><p>44,075</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>75,375</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>42,190</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>16,720</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>185,165</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Academic year 2011/12</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Aged over 25</p></td><td><p>Aged over 30</p></td><td><p>Aged over 40</p></td><td><p>Total (all ages)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Postgraduate Taught</p></td><td><p>Full-time</p></td><td><p>43,545</p></td><td><p>17,025</p></td><td><p>4,135</p></td><td><p>147,315</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Part-time</p></td><td><p>40,290</p></td><td><p>29,890</p></td><td><p>14,365</p></td><td><p>50,105</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>83,835</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>46,910</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>18,500</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>197,420</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Notes: Figures are rounded to the nearest five; therefore the sum of components may not add up to the total</p><p> </p><p>1. Entrants refer to those students in their first year of study</p><p> </p><p>2. Age refers to the age of student at 31<sup>st</sup> August</p><p> </p><p>3. The sum of rows will not add up to the total row number as there are duplications of students in the age categories</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 03/12/2014 16:47:00 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

166095

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	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	Sign Language: Interpreters
	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 effectiveness of the market for British Sign Language interpreters to meet the needs of the deaf community.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
	uin	HL3153
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL) provision in England through the Adult Skills Budget (ASB). Colleges and providers have the freedom and flexibility to use the ASB as best fits the needs of their local learners and businesses. This includes BSL qualifications, for those wishing to learn for their own use or to become an interpreter.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe grouped question UIN HL3154 question first answered 03/12/2014 16:16:06 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

166096

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	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	Sign Language: Interpreters
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there are enough fully qualified British Sign Language interpreters to support the needs of the deaf community.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
	uin	HL3154
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL) provision in England through the Adult Skills Budget (ASB). Colleges and providers have the freedom and flexibility to use the ASB as best fits the needs of their local learners and businesses. This includes BSL qualifications, for those wishing to learn for their own use or to become an interpreter.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe grouped question UIN HL3153 question first answered 03/12/2014 16:16:06 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

166197

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2014
	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	Apprentices
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to change the eligibility criteria for young people who wish to undertake apprenticeships, but have prior academic qualifications such as A-levels.
	tabling member printed	Lord Storey
	uin	HL3181
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>Having prior academic qualifications does not preclude a young person being eligible to do an apprenticeship. There are therefore no plans to change the eligibility criteria.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Full details of the funding rules can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-funding-rules" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-funding-rules</a> and cover both the current apprenticeship programme and for the Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standards</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 03/12/2014 16:11:28 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey