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100088

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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	ACAS
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to evaluate the effect of the ACAS early conciliation service on keeping workplace disputes out of court.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	211244
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>Early Conciliation was introduced in April 2014 and it is too early to make any meaningful assessment on the effect of Early Conciliation on Employment Tribunal cases at this stage. However, officials in the Department and Acas are already monitoring the impact of Early Conciliation and I will make an announcement on evaluation in due course, once we have a sufficient evidence base to do so.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/10/2014 11:30:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

100092

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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	Zero Hours Contracts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to help workers on zero hours contracts who desire regular, contracted employment.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	211362
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Under the Flexible Working Regulations, brought in on 30 June, all employees with 26 continuous weeks of service have the right to request flexible working from their employer. Individuals on zero hours contracts, who are employees, can request a change in their contracts, which could also include a request to move to a fixed hours contract.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:48:39 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

100094

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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	Low Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce the number of people in work who are in poverty.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	211364
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>Work is the best route out of poverty. Universal Credit allows people who work to keep more of the money that they earn by introducing work allowances, which, in most cases, are more generous than the current system. The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that 2.4 million working families will be better off, potentially by £167 per month, as a result of Universal Credit. Furthermore, additional support for childcare costs for families on Universal Credit will see 500,000 working families getting more out of the money they earn.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 28/10/2014 15:36:24 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

100095

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received about ensuring the presence of workforce representatives on Board of Directors of companies.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	211365
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>I have received no recent representations about ensuring the presence of workforce representatives on Board of Directors of companies. Giving employees both a meaningful stake and a ‘voice’ in the business can lead to growth and productivity benefits. While what is right will vary from business to business, I therefore encourage employee ownership. Guidance, model documents and links to further expert advice for businesses and employees considering a move to employee ownership, are at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employee-ownership-company-model-documentation" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employee-ownership-company-model-documentation</a></p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employee-ownership-guide-for-employees" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employee-ownership-guide-for-employees</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Research also suggests a link between employee engagement and enhanced employee wellbeing. Initiatives such as Engage for Success (<a href="http://www.engageforsuccess.org/" target="_blank">http://www.engageforsuccess.org/</a>) support employers to bring these practices into their workplaces.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 28/10/2014 15:22:41 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

100103

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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	Minimum Wage
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2014 to Question 201383, how much was spent on national minimum wage enforcement in 2013-14.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	211245
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>£7.5m was spent by HM Revenue and Customs on the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in 2013/14.</p><p>We have increased the budget allocation for National Minimum Wage enforcement in 2014/15 to £9.2m. This extra funding will enable HMRC to increase the number of compliance officers working in this area who, as well as continuing to respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline, will also undertake targeted enforcement, focusing on the worst offending employers in the highest-risk sectors.</p><p>Anyone who believes they are entitled to the National Minimum Wage and has not received it should contact this free and confidential helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/10/2014 11:29:09 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

63464

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2014
	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	Insolvency
	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 times the Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Service has made payments in cases where Deloitte was appointed the administrator in each of the last five years; how many such cases also involved payments made for protective awards; and how much was paid out for (a) statutory entitlements and (b) protective awards in each such case.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
	tabling member printed	Diana Johnson
	uin	202007
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In the last five years, the Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Services have paid £77,233,534.54 in statutory entitlements, in 173 cases where Deloitte was appointed the administrator or liquidator.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Of these cases, 20 cases resulted in protective award judgments totalling £6,930,864.72 paid from the National Insurance Fund.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Due to the number of cases, it is not possible to disclose how much was paid in each individual case so a total has been provided instead.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 30/06/2014 15:18:20 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

63465

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2014
	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	Employment Tribunals Service
	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 times his Department has appeared at an employment tribunal to contest protective awards in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
	tabling member printed	Diana Johnson
	uin	202008
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has not appeared before an employment tribunal to contest a protective award.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Protective awards are determined by Employment Tribunals following applications made by former employees or their representatives.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>BIS is sometimes joined as a respondent in protective award claims, because under legislation, the Secretary of State guarantees the payment of protective awards made in favour of employees whose employer is insolvent, up to a certain amount.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is for the Tribunal to establish the facts in each case, considering evidence of the actions taken by employers and their representatives, and decide whether there was adequate consultation on redundancies BIS is not in a position to know the extent to which an employer or their representative consulted with employees and does not give evidence on that point nor take any particular position.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>BIS' responsibility is to establish what payments are due and who is entitled to receive them. We therefore make written representations to the tribunal on points of law or to seek clarification of who is covered by a protective award. We may appeal an award, but only if we consider that the tribunal has made the judgment based on an incorrect reading of the legislation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The number of cases where BIS has made representations to an employment tribunal regarding protective award cases in the last 5 years is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 30/06/2014 16:36:52 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson

63553

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2014
	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	Public Houses
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to consult family and micro-brewery pub owners on the proposed mandatory code of practice.
	tabling member constituency	North Swindon
	tabling member printed	Justin Tomlinson
	uin	202039
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills consulted family brewers and micro-brewers as part of last year's public consultation on proposals for a Statutory Code and independent Adjudicator for the pubs sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We received 34 written responses to the consultation from pub companies and breweries with fewer than 500 pubs, and from micro-breweries. In addition to this, Ministers and officials met with family and micro-brewers and their representative bodies before, during and after the consultation to discuss our proposals to establish a Statutory Code and independent Adjudicator.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>For further information on stakeholders that ministers have met, I refer my hon Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff Central gave to the hon. Member for Chesterfield on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 426W.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department will continue to take an even handed approach to discussions with stakeholders from all sides of the debate as legislation proceeds through Parliament. Stakeholders, including family and micro-brewers, will also be given a further opportunity to comment on the Statutory Code through a further consultation once legislation is in place.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 30/06/2014 15:11:16 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson

63554

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2014
	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	Performance Appraisal
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff employed by his Department received each level of performance rating in their end of year performance assessment for 2013-14.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	202047
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p>In common with most other Government Departments, BIS currently has three performance categories; category 1 (top), category 2 and category 3. The following table sets out the percentage of employees who have declared a disability within each performance category, and the percentage of all other staff in each performance category for the 2013-14 reporting year. The percentage of all other staff includes those who have either declared that they do not have a disability, have chosen the option of ‘prefer not to say' or have not made a declaration. 6.5% of staff BIS have currently declared that they have a disability.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Percentage</p></td><td><p>Category 1</p></td><td><p>Category 2</p></td><td><p>Category 3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Those who have declared a disability</p></td><td><p>16%</p></td><td><p>54%</p></td><td><p>30%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>All other staff</p></td><td><p>23%</p></td><td><p>59%</p></td><td><p>18%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>BIS undertakes a number of activities to mitigate against the risk of discriminatory performance markings including training for managers and staff on unconscious bias and specific guidance on making reasonable adjustments for disabled employees.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 01/07/2014 14:16:54 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

63556

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2014
	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	Educational Testing Service
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies hold with the Educational Testing Service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries.
	tabling member constituency	Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
	tabling member printed	Mr Nick Gibb
	uin	202232
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p>The Department does not have any contracts with the Educational Testing Service or any of its subsidiaries.</p><p /> <p>I have approached the Chief Executives of the Department's Executive Agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to my Hon. Friend directly.</p><p /> <p>Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 01/07/2014 14:12:38 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson attachment 1 file name Executive Agency letters - UIN202232.pdf title Executive Agency letters
	tabling member	111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb