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147349

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2014
	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	Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the investor-state dispute settlement system in the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will not be dealt with by United Kingdom courts.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
	uin	HL2753
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2014 answer text The Transatlantic Trade and Investment partnership (TTIP) will be an agreement with 28 EU countries and the US. In the case of the UK, it has over 90 existing bilateral investment treaties with other countries across the world, UK domestic courts and the UK legal system remain the main route for resolving the overwhelming majority of disputes that foreign investors may have with the actions of the UK Government. Investment protection provisions and Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) clauses in trade and investment treaties are nonetheless valued by investors for providing certainty and protection from discriminatory action by host governments. Well-formulated investment protection and ISDS provisions have the potential to encourage investment while placing effective safeguards on the Government’s ability to regulate in the public interest. The Government believes it is in the UK's interest to create modern investment provisions in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) to both encourage investment and create a potential model for future trade and investment agreements with other countries. As such, we would want the ISDS mechanism in TTIP to be in line with best practice, including the new The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Rules on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration. answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 19/11/2014 12:33:40 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	4297 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

147352

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2014
	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	Copyright
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their reasons for proposing an extended three-year transition period from April 2015 for the implementation of section 74 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, in the light of the current extent of counterfeiting.
	tabling member printed	Lord Clement-Jones
	uin	HL2756
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2014 answer text The Government’s reasons for proposing a three-year transition period for implementing s74 Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 are set out in its recent consultation which concluded on 27 October 2014 (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transitional-provisions-for-the-repeal-of-section-52-of-the-cdpa). This does not represent an extended transition period but the Government’s provisional judgement as to the shortest reasonable period, taking into account the needs of both right owners and those using the current law to trade lawfully. The Government is considering the evidence it received and will make its decision on transitional provisions in the light of this. Current items made under the aegis of s52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 would not be considered counterfeits. Counterfeit products (i.e. goods which falsely carry the trade mark of a genuine brand without permission) are already subject to legal sanction under separate trade mark legislation. answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 21/11/2014 13:06:54 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	3396 label Biography information for Lord Clement-Jones

78303

	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	Aspartame
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many kilograms of aspartame were imported into the United Kingdom in each year from 2000 to 2013 inclusive.
	tabling member printed	The Countess of Mar
	uin	HL1193
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td colspan="5"><p>Data showing the volume (kilograms) of UK imports of aspartame during 2000-2013 is given in Table 1 below. The figures are sourced from HMRC’s Overseas Trade Statistics database.</p><p><strong>Table 1: UK imports of aspartame (HS code 21069092)</strong></p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><strong> </strong></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Year</td><td>Net mass (kgs)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>76,393,895</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>85,600,024</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>63,298,987</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>54,483,436</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>51,466,542</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>58,734,046</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>50,538,317</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>59,274,993</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>56,112,033</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>63,320,625</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>61,259,916</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>43,939,777</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>40,554,490</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>29,438,869</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics database</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="6">Note: HS 21069092 = Food preparations, n.e.s., not containing milkfats,</td></tr><tr><td colspan="6">sucrose, isoglucose starch or glucose or containing, by weight, &lt; 1,5% milkfat,</td></tr><tr><td colspan="5">&lt; 5% sucrose or isoglucose, &lt; 5% glucose or &lt; 5% starch&quot; only.</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 22/07/2014 16:58:32 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	1861 label Biography information for The Countess of Mar

49862

	registered interest
	date	06/05/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women prisoners had GCSE C-grade or equivalent in English and maths on being imprisoned in (1) 2010, (2) 2011, and (3) 2012; and how many had such qualifications upon release.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Wheatcroft
	uin	HL6857
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p>We do not centrally hold information on the prior attainment of prisoners or their qualifications upon release.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4199 label Biography information for Baroness Wheatcroft

100004

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	Unpaid Work
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent proposal by the Child Poverty and Social Justice Commission that unpaid internships should be illegal.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Berridge
	uin	HL2219
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is absolutely clear: exploitation of interns is unacceptable and we don’t hesitate to act where we find that employment law has been broken and someone who is entitled to the minimum wage hasn’t been paid it.</p><p> </p><p>Complaints from interns about non-payment of the minimum wage are prioritised by HMRC for investigation and HMRC will investigate every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.</p><p> </p><p>Research shows that internships and work experience programmes can be valuable opportunities for young people taking their first steps in the labour market. Our work on interns and the National Minimum Wage aims to achieve the right balance between ensuring that opportunities for young people are not cut off and minimising the risk of exploitation.</p><p> </p><p>Our concern, if we were to prohibit unpaid internships, is that this may lead to employers recruiting interns through informal and privileged networks with adverse effects on social mobility or have adverse consequences on the number of available opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>There is no definition of an internship in minimum wage legislation and interns are considered in the same way as everyone else with regards to whether the minimum wage is due. The key issue is whether or not they are workers as defined by minimum wage legislation. If they are, then they are eligible for the minimum wage unless a specific exemption applies. Volunteers are not workers and are not eligible for the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 29/10/2014 16:15:22 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge

49847

	registered interest
	date	06/05/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 9 April (WA 302), what is the amount of student loan debt still available for sale, including the first tranche referred to.
	tabling member printed	Lord Barnett
	uin	HL6850
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p>The total amount of pre-2012 income contingent repayment student loan debt that Government intends to sell has not yet been determined. However, over a five year period, as announced at Autumn Statement 2013, sales are expected to generate between £10 billion and £15 billion in revenues, with a central estimate of around £12 billion.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	1018 label Biography information for Lord Barnett

93689

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	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	Higher Education: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in view of the latest <i>Times Guide to Universities</i> ranking all United Kingdom universities in terms of performance, what plans they have to cut or reduce funding to the poorest performers.
	tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
	uin	HL2118
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The reforms this Government has introduced mean that funding now follows the decisions of students and that students can access better information, including about University performance, to support their choices. In September 2012 we introduced the Key Information Set to provide comparable information which students have said they find useful when choosing their higher education course. It includes on student satisfaction ratings, graduate salaries and employment outcomes, tuition fees and financial support, and the cost of accommodation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 29/10/2014 17:38:58 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

106184

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	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	Productivity
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livingston of Parkhead on 13 October (HL1890), what they consider to be the reasons for the differences between the output per worker per hour in the United Kingdom and those of the other G7 countries, as reported by the Office for National Statistics in its statistical bulletin <i>International Comparisons of Productivity—Final Estimates 2012</i>; and what plans they have to improve the United Kingdom’s relative position.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL2655
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>The most up to date productivity data for 2012 are in the table.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Current Price Productivity, 2012, G7 countries, Index UK=100</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong><em> </em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Japan</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Germany</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Canada</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Italy</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>France</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>US</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>UK</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>G7 excl. UK</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GDP per worker</strong></p></td><td><p>90</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>104</p></td><td><p>116</p></td><td><p>115</p></td><td><p>140</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>120</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GDP per hour worked</strong></p></td><td><p>85</p></td><td><p>129</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>109</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>130</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>117</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: International Comparisons of Productivity, First Estimates for 2013, ONS (Oct 2014)</p><p> </p><p>http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/icp/international-comparisons-of-productivity/2013---first-estimates/index.html</p><p> </p><p>Analysis undertaken by BIS (2012) to support Lord Heseltine’s Review of UK Competitiveness examined UK productivity in comparison to France, Germany and the USA. An analysis of productivity across all G7 countries has not yet been completed. The full analysis can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34647/12-1207-benchmarking-uk-competitiveness-in-the-global-economy.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> but the main findings were:</p><p> </p><p>The analysis decomposed the productivity gap (measured by output per hour worked) into two components:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Sector productivity effect – the share of the gap arising due to productivity in a given sector being higher in another country than in the UK.</li><li>Sector mix effect – the share of the gap arising due to employment in another country being more concentrated in high productivity sectors than in the UK.</li></ul><p> </p><p>When UK productivity is compared to France, Germany and the USA, the sector productivity effect in each of the comparator countries fully explains the gap. As such, higher productivity across almost all sectors in each of these economies accounts for the entirety of their lead over the UK. In fact, the UK’s favourable sector mix went some way towards reducing the gap, particularly against France.</p><p> </p><p>Naturally, the factors driving the gap vary by country. However, at the aggregate level, the UK tends to have lower capital per head than France and Germany and a less efficient use of inputs in production (Total Factor Productivity) than the USA (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32101/10-1213-economic-growth.pdf" target="_blank">BIS, 2010</a>). There is also a (smaller) gap between the UK and its major competitors in terms of skills. This is generally characterised as a gap in intermediate skills with France and Germany, and a gap in higher level skills relative to the USA.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Plans to Improve UK Productivity</strong></p><p> </p><p>Government policy focuses on delivering growth which in turn depends on productivity in the longer term. In this sense, the majority of longer run Government economic policy is ultimately about raising productivity.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s industrial strategy and ‘The Plan for Growth’ are creating the right environment for businesses to invest and grow. This will continue to support UK long-term productivity growth.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Data Revisions</strong></p><p> </p><p>Recent changes to national accounts methodology have slightly reduced the productivity gap between the UK and other leading G7 economies. Data for 2012 were revised and are provided in the table above. In case it is of interest, the most recent data for 2013 is also included in the table below. A full decomposition of the productivity gap has not yet been undertaken using the revised data.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Current Price Productivity, 2013, G7 countries, Index UK=100</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong><em> </em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Japan</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Germany</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Canada</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Italy</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>France</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>US</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>UK</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>G7 excl. UK</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GDP per worker</strong></p></td><td><p>88</p></td><td><p>107</p></td><td><p>103</p></td><td><p>115</p></td><td><p>114</p></td><td><p>139</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>119</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GDP per hour worked</strong></p></td><td><p>85</p></td><td><p>129</p></td><td><p>101</p></td><td><p>109</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>130</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>117</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: International Comparisons of Productivity, First Estimates for 2013, ONS (Oct 2014)</p><p> </p><p>http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/icp/international-comparisons-of-productivity/2013---first-estimates/index.html</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>References</p><p> </p><p>BIS (2010) Economic Growth, BIS Economics Paper No. 9</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32101/10-1213-economic-growth.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32101/10-1213-economic-growth.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>BIS (2012) Benchmarking UK Competitiveness in the Global Economy, BIS Economics Paper No. 19</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34647/12-1207-benchmarking-uk-competitiveness-in-the-global-economy.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34647/12-1207-benchmarking-uk-competitiveness-in-the-global-economy.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 17/11/2014 12:31:53 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

91832

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	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	Productivity
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the output per worker in the United Kingdom in comparison with that in other G7 countries.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL1890
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The most up to date data currently available is for 2012 and is set out below:</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Current Price GDP per worker, G7 countries, Index UK=100</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong><em> </em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Japan</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Germany</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Canada</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Italy</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>France</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>US</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>G7 excluding UK</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012</strong></p></td><td><p>93</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>111</p></td><td><p>118</p></td><td><p>118</p></td><td><p>146</p></td><td><p>125</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Source: International Comparisons of Productivity, Final Estimates for 2012, ONS (Feb 2014)</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/icp/international-comparisons-of-productivity/2012---final-estimates/stb-icp0214.html" target="_blank">http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/icp/international-comparisons-of-productivity/2012---final-estimates/stb-icp0214.html</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 13/10/2014 12:20:20 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

99961

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	Overseas Trade: Republic of Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of jobs in the Republic of Ireland associated with direct trade with the United Kingdom.
	tabling member printed	Lord Browne of Belmont
	uin	HL2176
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>The most recent official figures available (calculated by the Irish government and estimating the figure at 198,000 jobs) are now 5 years old. We were unable to find an estimate more current than this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In this case, we consider that the time and the associated costs involved in generating an estimate of the number of jobs would be disproportionate to the outcome.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Figure calculated by Cambridge Econometrics analysis based on Trade in Value-Added (TiVA) data. Source : British – Irish Relations - <a href="http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Publications/Publications_2013/Joint_Economic_Study_Vol1.pdf" target="_blank">Joint Economic Study</a> 2013 Vol.1 Evaluating the value of the economic relationship between the United Kingdom and Ireland (PA Consulting Group).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 30/10/2014 15:42:03 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	3801 label Biography information for Lord Browne of Belmont