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418399

	registered interest
	date	11/09/2015
	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	Shareholders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to address the disparity between the number of shares owned by individuals and large investment funds.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	9998
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 answer text <p>Large investment funds effectively comprise the investments of individuals, whether via their pension funds, insurance contracts, or other savings and investment products. The decision to invest in companies’ shares directly, or indirectly through a fund, is a matter for individual investors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has taken a variety of steps to encourage individual saving, and retail investment in shares in particular. For example, we have:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- Reduced the starting rate of income tax for savings;</p><p> </p><p>- Increased the maximum annual amount which can be invested in an Individual Savings Account (ISA) to £15,240 in the 2015-16 tax year, and provided savers with greater flexibility to withdraw their money and put it back in to an ISA within the same year, without losing their tax benefits;</p><p> </p><p>- Introduced, from April 2016, a new tax-free Personal Savings Allowance of £1,000 (or £500 for higher rate taxpayers) of interest earned on savings (taking 95 per cent of taxpayers out of savings tax altogether) as well as a new £5,000 tax-free dividend allowance for all taxpayers;</p><p> </p><p>- Allowed shares from growth markets such as the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) to be held in ISAs - making investment in the growth markets easier;</p><p> </p><p>- Abolished stamp duty on AIM shares, attracting further investment into growing companies and reducing the cost of raising capital for those companies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 17/09/2015 10:09:22 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

418250

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2015
	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	Children: Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the effect of the proposed national living wage on (a) absolute and (b) relative child poverty by 2020.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	9953
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2015 answer text <p>The Government has not estimated the impact of the National Living Wage (NLW) on absolute or relative child poverty in 2020.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts suggest a full-time National Minimum Wage worker will earn over £5,200 more by 2020 from the National Living Wage. 2.75 million low wage workers will benefit directly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>By 2017-18, 8 out of 10 working households are forecast to be better off as a result of the personal allowance, national living wage and welfare changes announced in the Summer Budget. 17.7 million households will benefit in total.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 15/09/2015 15:35:22 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

418335

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2015
	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	Basic Skills
	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 support the Skills Funding Agency in prioritising adult basic skills training in English and mathematics.
	tabling member constituency	Hitchin and Harpenden
	tabling member printed	Mr Peter Lilley
	uin	9939
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 answer text <p>The provision of training in English and maths for all adults remains a priority for this Government. Literacy and numeracy are essential for success in work and everyday life, which is why we want to give all adults the opportunity to gain these necessary skills.</p><p>Through a statutory entitlement, we fully fund all adults to achieve their first English and maths GCSE as well as any other qualifications which will help them find and sustain employment. This enables the Skills Funding Agency to continue to prioritise English and maths training for all adults.</p><p>The total funding for education, training and retraining in English and maths in 2012/13 was £345,200,000. We supported around 500,000 learners in English and maths in 2012/13.</p><p>We have set a clear expectation that having a good level of English and maths should be the norm. Learners who did not achieve a Level 2 in English and maths by the age of 16 are required to continue to study those subjects post-16 and we have increased the level we expect people to study, in apprenticeships and in traineeships.</p><p>We are improving English and maths qualifications to ensure they are relevant and robust. We have reformed English and maths GCSEs and we plan to reform Functional Skills to make them more relevant and recognisable qualifications. We have invested over £30m to ensure that the Further Education workforce has the skills it needs to teach these subjects to a high level.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 17/09/2015 14:30:36 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	68 label Biography information for Lord Lilley

418253

	registered interest
	date	10/09/2015
	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: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, on what date the review on the impact of tribunal fees announced by his Department in March 2015 was transferred to the Ministry of Justice; and for what reason that transfer took place.
	tabling member constituency	Streatham
	tabling member printed	Mr Chuka Umunna
	uin	9927
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2015 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice is responsible for employment tribunal fees and the post-implementation review of the impact. The details of this review were announced on 11 June 2015 and it is expected to complete later this year.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills collated publically available information on employment tribunals and shared it with the Ministry of Justice in March 2015.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 18/09/2015 10:12:58 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4128 label Biography information for Chuka Umunna

348323

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2015
	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, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the ACAS early conciliation process.
	tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
	tabling member printed	Justin Madders
	uin	992
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Early Conciliation was launched in April 2014 and places a requirement on anyone involved in a workplace dispute who is considering an Employment Tribunal claim to contact Acas first. This gives Acas the chance to encourage the parties to resolve their differences through conciliation without the need for an Employment Tribunal claim to be made.</p><p> </p><p>April 2014 – December 2014</p><ul><li>Acas received just under 61,000 notifications and in around 80% of these both parties have participated in conciliation.</li><li>16% of cases agreed a formal settlement (COT3) using Acas. About 61% of claims did not result in a tribunal claim being made. Around 23% progressed to a tribunal claim.<sup><sup>[1]</sup></sup></li></ul><p> </p><p>These figures are in line with expectations set out when the service was introduced.</p><p> </p><p>Acas has recently undertaken a survey exploring the effectiveness and impact of Early Conciliation, drawing on the experiences of individuals and employers who were contacted by Acas and offered Early Conciliation. The results of this independent evaluation survey are expected to be published in the summer.</p><br /><p>[1] Acas Quarterly Reports: Early Conciliation Update 3: April – December 2014</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 09/06/2015 09:18:32 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

348322

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2015
	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	Adult 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 representations he has received on changes in availability of adult further education courses in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
	tabling member printed	Justin Madders
	uin	991
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2015 answer text <p>The Department of Business Innovation and Skills receives a wide variety of correspondence on adult further education and Minister engage with a great many stakeholders in the further education sector. Colleges have the freedom and flexibilities to decide what provision to offer from their budget allocations according to local demand from employers and learners. We want to increase the amount of provision driven by demand and have made additional funding of £498 million available in 2015-16 for 24+ Advanced Learning Loans.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 09/06/2015 10:12:52 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

417987

	registered interest
	date	09/09/2015
	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	Industrial Training Boards
	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 publish the Government response to the Industry Training Boards review, announced on 23 September 2013; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Hartlepool
	tabling member printed	Mr Iain Wright
	uin	9740
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 answer text <p>The Triennial Review of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and Film Industry Training Board (FITB) took place under the Coalition Government. However it was not possible to publish the report before the May 2015 general election.</p><p> </p><p>In the Budget on 8 July 2015, the new Government announced that it will introduce a levy on large UK employers to fund post-16 apprenticeships. The Government is now consulting on how the levy should be implemented, including its interaction with the existing sector levies.</p><p> </p><p>“Given these skills funding policy changes, there have been delays in publication as we consider how the sector levies interact with the apprenticeship levy.”</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 17/09/2015 14:29:14 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1478 label Biography information for Mr Iain Wright

418097

	registered interest
	date	09/09/2015
	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: STEM Subjects
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the level of take-up of mathematics and science apprenticeships so far in 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Bradford East
	tabling member printed	Imran Hussain
	uin	9687
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2015 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information on the number of apprenticeships starts in the Science and Maths Sector Subject Area is published in the FE data library (first link) as a supplementary table (second link) to a Statistical First Release (SFR):</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/438150/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/438150/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 14/09/2015 14:44:05 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4394 label Biography information for Imran Hussain

417532

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2015
	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: Scotland
	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 jobs in each Scottish parliamentary constituency have an hourly pay below the Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
	tabling member constituency	Livingston
	tabling member printed	Hannah Bardell
	uin	9647
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2015 answer text <p>The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of low pay from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earning (ASHE). However, the ASHE sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of low pay at the constituency level. Breakdowns of low pay at the regional level are available here – <a href="http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/low-pay/april-2014/stb-2014-low-pay-estimates.html" target="_blank">http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/low-pay/april-2014/stb-2014-low-pay-estimates.html</a></p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 11/09/2015 13:13:46 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4486 label Biography information for Hannah Bardell

417807

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2015
	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	Working Mothers: Discrimination
	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 new and expectant mothers were (a) dismissed, (b) made compulsorily redundant where others in their workplace were not and (c) treated so poorly they felt they had to leave their job over the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	9639
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2015 answer text <p>In 2014 the Government commissioned an extensive research project into perceived pregnancy and maternity discrimination in Great Britain. The research was jointly managed and funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, supported by the Government Equalities Office.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This is the largest ever study of pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination conducted in Great Britain. Interim findings were published in July 2015 and can be found at: <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0" target="_blank">http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Final results, including how experiences vary by employer size, are due to be published later this year. These figures represent a one-year period. We do not have results spanning the last five years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The results of the final report will inform any potential Government action.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 11/09/2015 12:18:17 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

417536

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2015
	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	Members: Correspondence
	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 respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Ashfield the Shadow Business Secretary on women executives on company boards dated 15 June 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	9636
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 answer text <p>There is no record of this letter having been received by my Department. If the hon. Member will forward a copy I shall ensure it is actioned as a matter of urgency.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 17/09/2015 09:46:02 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

417533

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2015
	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	Tickets: Sales
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, who was consulted in deciding on the personnel and terms of reference of a review into the secondary ticketing market; and how such consultees were selected.
	tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
	tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
	uin	9629
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2015 answer text <p>My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is currently considering who should Chair the Review and who should assist them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The proposed Terms of Reference has been drafted in consultation with relevant stakeholders, including the ticketing and event industries, and will be finalised by the Chair to the Review.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 16/09/2015 13:15:34 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

417530

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2015
	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	Members: Correspondence
	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 respond to the letter from the hon. Members for Ashfield and Streatham dated 15 June 2015 regarding women executives on company boards.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	9619
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 answer text <p>My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has replied to the hon Members.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 17/09/2015 13:31:20 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

348314

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2015
	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, what steps his Department has taken to identify the number of people who have not pursued employment tribunal claims since the introduction of fees for those tribunals.
	tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
	tabling member printed	Justin Madders
	uin	960
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The Government collects data on the number of claims being taken to tribunal, and how those cases are disposed of. It does not collect data on the number of people with an employment dispute who do not pursue a tribunal claim.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to encouraging people to resolve their disputes at the earliest point. Employment tribunals should be the last resort where earlier attempts to resolve workplace disputes have failed.</p><p> </p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Courts and Legal Aid, has recently announced the start of the review of Employment Tribunal fees. Further details are available on the Ministry of Justice website.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 12/06/2015 13:23:52 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

348272

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2015
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to promote the completion of full and detailed references by employers for their former employees.
	tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
	tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
	uin	949
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2015 answer text <p /> <p>There is no statutory obligation on an employer to provide a reference; although an employee may have a contractual entitlement to one if their contract of employment contained an express term to this effect. The Government does not think it would be right to intervene to require them to do so.</p><p> </p><p>Employers who do provide references are under a duty both to the employee and to prospective employers to take reasonable care in doing so. If evidence did come to light about misleading or inaccurate information - not merely unfavourable or critical of someone’s performance in a previous job - the prospective employee would have the option of taking legal action in the civil courts against the source of that information.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 09/06/2015 09:51:25 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

417513

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2015
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of people currently enrolled on apprenticeships who were employed by the same organisation prior to the apprenticeship.
	tabling member constituency	Bradford East
	tabling member printed	Imran Hussain
	uin	9450
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2015 answer text <p>Details on entry routes onto Apprenticeships can be found in the Apprenticeships Evaluation: Learners survey report online. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387662/bis-14-1208-Apprenticeships-Evaluation-Learners-December-2014.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387662/bis-14-1208-Apprenticeships-Evaluation-Learners-December-2014.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p><br> In 2013/14, two thirds (64%) of apprentices worked for their employer before starting their apprenticeship. This has decreased since 2012/13 when it was 68%.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 11/09/2015 12:13:41 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4394 label Biography information for Imran Hussain

417512

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2015
	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: Qualifications
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the current number of intermediary qualification apprenticeships offering qualifications equivalent to five GCSE passes.
	tabling member constituency	Bradford East
	tabling member printed	Imran Hussain
	uin	9449
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2015 answer text <p>Information on apprenticeship participation by Level of study is published in Table 5 and Table 19 of a Statistical First Release (SFR):</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-held" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-held</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>An Intermediate Level Apprenticeship (Level 2) is considered equivalent to five GCSEs.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 11/09/2015 12:15:14 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4394 label Biography information for Imran Hussain

417518

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2015
	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	Vocational Guidance: Minority Groups
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of treating ethnic minority groups as a priority by the National Careers Service.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	9368
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2015 answer text <p>The National Careers Service provides careers information, advice and guidance to anyone aged 13 and over via their website and telephone service. Face-to-face guidance for adults aged 19 and over is also provided (aged 18 if individuals are in custody or customers of Jobcentre Plus).</p><p> </p><p>The Skills Funding Agency carried out an impact assessment on the current priority groups in 2012. These priority groups include adults who are unemployed, people with disabilities, adults facing redundancy or newly redundant, individuals distant from the labour market, in custody or have low skills. We believe that these groups are sufficient to provide a high quality service to all customers, including those from ethnic minorities groups, and that there is no need for further assessment.</p><p> </p><p>Between October 2014 and June 2015, around 24% of National Careers Service customers were from an ethnic minority background.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 17/09/2015 14:26:51 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

417338

	registered interest
	date	07/09/2015
	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: Females
	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 women who were (a) dismissed, (b) made compulsorily redundant and (c) treated in a way that made them leave their job issued an employment tribunal claim in 2014-15; and what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of such claims.
	tabling member constituency	Stretford and Urmston
	tabling member printed	Kate Green
	uin	9219
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The data provided in this PQ are taken from a live management information system and can change over time. They are management information and are not subject to the same level of checks as official statistics. Data provided has been extracted specifically to answer this question and has not been cross referenced with case files.</p><p> </p><p>22,562 women had claims accepted in the Employment Tribunals in 14/15. It is not possible to identify how many women within this number were made compulsory redundant, dismissed or were treated in a way that made them leave their job.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to encouraging people to resolve their disputes at the earliest point. Employment tribunals should be the last resort where earlier attempts to resolve workplace disputes have failed.</p><p> </p><p>Early Conciliation was launched in April 2014 and places a requirement on anyone involved in a workplace dispute who is considering an Employment Tribunal claim to contact Acas first. This gives Acas the chance to encourage the parties to resolve their differences through conciliation without the need for an Employment Tribunal claim to be made.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 15/09/2015 14:18:03 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4120 label Biography information for Kate Green

417379

	registered interest
	date	07/09/2015
	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	Gender: Discrimination
	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 the Government plans to take to reduce the incidence of discriminatory treatment in relation to (a) pregnancy, (b) maternity leave and (c) flexible working.
	tabling member constituency	Stretford and Urmston
	tabling member printed	Kate Green
	uin	9218
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2015 answer text <p>Pregnancy and maternity discrimination is unlawful and unacceptable, which is why the Government and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) jointly funded independent research into the perceived problem. This is the largest research project of its kind to be undertaken in GB. The final report, when it is published, will tell us:</p><p> </p><p>• What types of issues women face;</p><p>• Where the perceived discrimination is occurring;</p><p>• Who is most at risk; and</p><p>• Which employers, in terms of size and sectors, are most likely to get complaints.</p><p> </p><p>Interim findings were published in July 2015 and can be found at: <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0" target="_blank">http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0</a></p><p>The EHRC will make recommendations to Government once we have the final report and we will use their recommendations and the findings of this research to inform future policy making and to target those areas where practice falls short of expected standards and/or may be infringing the law and denying women their rights.</p><p> </p><p>In the meantime the Government is supporting the wider work of the EHRC to support employers in complying with the law. This programme of work includes:</p><p> </p><p>• Video case studies of good practice by employers in managing pregnancy, maternity leave and the mother’s return to work - including breastfeeding;</p><p>• An online toolkit aimed at small and medium-sized employers who may not have HR expertise in managing employees who are pregnant, on maternity leave or returning to work; and</p><p>• Online guidance on discrimination and pregnancy and maternity rights for individuals and employers.</p><p> </p><p>We have made no assessment of the evidence relating to flexible working as the right to request flexible working was only extended to all employees on 30 June 2014. We plan to evaluate the policy in due course.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles grouped question UIN 9217 question first answered 16/09/2015 10:21:10 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4120 label Biography information for Kate Green

417378

	registered interest
	date	07/09/2015
	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	Gender: Discrimination
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of available research or evidence on the extent to which women experience discriminatory treatment at work in relation to (a) pregnancy, (b) maternity leave and (c) flexible working.
	tabling member constituency	Stretford and Urmston
	tabling member printed	Kate Green
	uin	9217
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2015 answer text <p>Pregnancy and maternity discrimination is unlawful and unacceptable, which is why the Government and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) jointly funded independent research into the perceived problem. This is the largest research project of its kind to be undertaken in GB. The final report, when it is published, will tell us:</p><p> </p><p>• What types of issues women face;</p><p>• Where the perceived discrimination is occurring;</p><p>• Who is most at risk; and</p><p>• Which employers, in terms of size and sectors, are most likely to get complaints.</p><p> </p><p>Interim findings were published in July 2015 and can be found at: <a href="http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0" target="_blank">http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0</a></p><p>The EHRC will make recommendations to Government once we have the final report and we will use their recommendations and the findings of this research to inform future policy making and to target those areas where practice falls short of expected standards and/or may be infringing the law and denying women their rights.</p><p> </p><p>In the meantime the Government is supporting the wider work of the EHRC to support employers in complying with the law. This programme of work includes:</p><p> </p><p>• Video case studies of good practice by employers in managing pregnancy, maternity leave and the mother’s return to work - including breastfeeding;</p><p>• An online toolkit aimed at small and medium-sized employers who may not have HR expertise in managing employees who are pregnant, on maternity leave or returning to work; and</p><p>• Online guidance on discrimination and pregnancy and maternity rights for individuals and employers.</p><p> </p><p>We have made no assessment of the evidence relating to flexible working as the right to request flexible working was only extended to all employees on 30 June 2014. We plan to evaluate the policy in due course.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles grouped question UIN 9218 question first answered 16/09/2015 10:21:09 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4120 label Biography information for Kate Green

417187

	registered interest
	date	07/09/2015
	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	Maternity Leave
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what (a) guidance and (b) support his Department provides for employers on the management of maternity cover; and what plans he has to increase such support.
	tabling member constituency	Stretford and Urmston
	tabling member printed	Kate Green
	uin	9216
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2015 answer text <p>There is extensive guidance for employers on both Gov.uk and the Acas website on the statutory entitlement to maternity leave and pay. The Acas Helpline Online tool provides Q&amp;A for employer and employee customers. The tool contains guidance on the working arrangements for people providing maternity cover and links to more detailed content on establishing fixed term contracts and the way in which employers should manage the process of an employee returning to work following maternity leave.</p><p>Acas also provides web-based guidance on maternity leave and pay, including material on arrangements for keeping in touch with parents on one form of leave or another.</p><p>In the last 12 months (September 2014 to August 2015) 1,997 customers have attended Acas training courses on issues related to working parents, including Maternity, Shared Parental Leave and operating Flexible Working.</p><p>The Acas Helpline takes in the region of 50,000 calls from employers and employees on topics related to maternity, paternity and adoption each year, providing practical guidance and support for customers, including assistance in relation to maternity cover issues.</p><p>Acas plans to review its web guidance on maternity during 2015 and the question of maternity cover will be covered in more detail in future guidance.</p><p>In addition the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has produced a suite of frequently asked questions for employers to assist them in understanding their legal obligations and providing suggestions of good practice in managing pregnancy, maternity leave and return to work.</p><p>EHRC has also produced a toolkit for employers, particularly aimed at smaller employers who do not have an HR function, which contains a stock of pre-prepared letters, check lists and ready-made policy templates. It also allows employers to keep on top of key dates with a date calculator.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 15/09/2015 14:18:48 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4120 label Biography information for Kate Green

417186

	registered interest
	date	07/09/2015
	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	Maternity Leave
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what research and evidence he has (a) assessed and (b) commissioned on the management of maternity cover by (i) small and (ii) large employers.
	tabling member constituency	Stretford and Urmston
	tabling member printed	Kate Green
	uin	9215
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2015 answer text <p>The Government commissioned an extensive research project into perceived pregnancy and maternity discrimination in Great Britain. The research was jointly managed and funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, supported by the Government Equalities Office. This research is the largest ever study of pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination conducted in Great Britain. Interim results published in July 2015 reported that 18% of employers found arranging and managing maternity cover difficult to manage. Final results, including how experiences vary by employer size, are due to be published in autumn 2015. The Government will respond when the final results are available.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 15/09/2015 14:20:02 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4120 label Biography information for Kate Green

417194

	registered interest
	date	07/09/2015
	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	Post Codes: Databases
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department, its agencies or Ofcom has made an assessment of (a) the appropriateness of the role of local authorities in the creation of addresses for the Postcode Address File and (b) whether that role constitutes a subsidy to Royal Mail.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	9138
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2015 answer text <p>As set out in the Code of Practice for the Postcode Address File (PAF®), which was agreed between Royal Mail and the Postal Regulator in May 2010, there is a process in place for the creation of addresses which aims to ensure that every business and house in the UK falling under the Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation, has a postal address to enable the delivery of items quickly and accurately.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Local Authorities have the responsibility of naming roads and the postal address reflects the details provided by the Local Authorities. Royal Mail applies the postcode to these details which forms the basis of the Royal Mail distribution network. Royal Mail also pays Local Authorities £1 per new address listed in the PAF.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In 2015, the public sector licence agreement was introduced which gives Local Authorities and Central Government, Emergency Services and Health, free access to the PAF.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No assessment has been made of the agreed arrangements in place for the creation of addresses for the PAF.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 14/09/2015 14:48:46 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

417191

	registered interest
	date	07/09/2015
	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	Pregnancy: Discrimination
	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 potential tribunal claims for pregnancy-related detriment or dismissal were notified to Acas under the early conciliation scheme in 2014-15; and how many of those claims (i) were settled by conciliation by Acas, (ii) progressed to a tribunal claim and (iii) were not settled by conciliation by Acas but did not progress to a tribunal case.
	tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
	tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
	uin	9119
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2015 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">This information is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">The total number of potential tribunal claims for pregnancy-related detriment or dismissal notified to Acas under the early conciliation scheme by individuals in 2014-15 was 1,851. Of these:</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">· 308 were settled by Acas at early conciliation stage and recorded on a COT3 settlement document;</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">· 545 progressed to a tribunal claim being taken, 264 of which were subsequently settled on an Acas COT3 following further conciliation;</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">· 998 were not settled through Acas, but did not progress to a tribunal case.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">An additional 18 notifications were made by employers. Seventeen of these were settled by Acas and the other was neither settled nor progressed to a tribunal.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Government does not have data on the number of private settlements which settled claims before reaching a tribunal. The independently commissioned survey of early conciliation (a sample across all jurisdictions) found that 61 per cent of claimants (and their representatives) who did not settle but decided not to submit a tribunal claim reported that Acas was a factor in their decision.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Please note: (i) The jurisdictional provided to Acas is only indicative based on the information given by the prospective claimant; (ii) Counted individually there were a total of 1,882 notifications which means that a small number of claimants notified against more than one respondent.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 10/09/2015 16:40:49 question first ministerially corrected 14/09/2015 09:48:13 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles previous answer version 20420 answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson answering member 4039
	tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens