Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

164523

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2014
	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	Package Holidays: EU Action
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on the Package Travel Directive and what is their definition of Assisted Travel Arrangements.
	tabling member printed	Lord Harrison
	uin	HL3116
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>Negotiations in the European Council are nearing completion. The proposal was discussed at the Competitiveness Council of Ministers on 4 December and a General Approach was agreed by Member States’ Ministers. We expect final agreement to be achieved in the New Year following the completion of the next stage in the negotiation; discussions between the Presidency of the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The definition of Assisted Travel Arrangements in the text agreed at Council is:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>'assisted travel arrangement' means at least two different types of travel services purchased for the purpose of the same trip or holiday, not constituting a package within the meaning of paragraph 2(b), resulting in the conclusion of separate contracts with the individual travel service providers, if a trader facilitates:</p><p> </p><p>(a) on the occasion of a single visit or contact with its point of sale, the separate selection and separate payment of each travel service by travellers, or</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(b) in a targeted manner, the procurement of additional travel services from other traders where contracts with such other traders are concluded not more than 48 hours after the confirmation of the first travel service.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong><br> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 08/12/2014 16:42:09 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2488 label Biography information for Lord Harrison

164530

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2014
	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	Poland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment for the last full year of the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and Poland.
	tabling member printed	Lord Patten
	uin	HL3123
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>In 2013 the UK had a trade deficit with Poland of £4.3 billion. This consists of UK exports to Poland of £5.2 billion and UK imports from Poland of £9.5 billion in 2013. These data are taken from The United Kingdom Balance of Payments 2014 (The Pink Book).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMG is actively seeking to encourage more exports to Poland, including through six UKTI regional strategic campaigns in key sectors designed to match Polish opportunities with UK capabilities. There is also a new British Business Centre run by the British-Polish Chamber of Commerce in Warsaw, which provides a broader range of support to small and medium sized companies wanting to export to Poland.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 08/12/2014 14:15:15 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

166095

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Sign Language: Interpreters
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the market for British Sign Language interpreters to meet the needs of the deaf community.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
	uin	HL3153
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL) provision in England through the Adult Skills Budget (ASB). Colleges and providers have the freedom and flexibility to use the ASB as best fits the needs of their local learners and businesses. This includes BSL qualifications, for those wishing to learn for their own use or to become an interpreter.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe grouped question UIN HL3154 question first answered 03/12/2014 16:16:06 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

166096

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Sign Language: Interpreters
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there are enough fully qualified British Sign Language interpreters to support the needs of the deaf community.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
	uin	HL3154
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL) provision in England through the Adult Skills Budget (ASB). Colleges and providers have the freedom and flexibility to use the ASB as best fits the needs of their local learners and businesses. This includes BSL qualifications, for those wishing to learn for their own use or to become an interpreter.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe grouped question UIN HL3153 question first answered 03/12/2014 16:16:06 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

166107

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	UK Trade with EU
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total trade deficit or surplus with the European Union in goods and services between 2010 and 2013; and what is their estimate of any deficit in 2014 to date.
	tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
	uin	HL3165
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>UK’s trade deficit with the European Union was £28.5bn in 2010, £21.7bn in 2011, £39.5bn in 2012 and £56.2bn in 2013.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Currently, UK trade balance figures cover the period up to the second quarter of 2014. In the first half of 2014, UK’s trade deficit with the European Union was £25.5bn.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Source: ONS UK Economic Accounts 2014Q2</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 02/12/2014 12:28:47 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

166120

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Higher Education: Northern Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which department in which administration based where is responsible for all aspects of the funding and operations of the two universities in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL3178
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>The Northern Ireland Department for Employment and Learning has responsibility for higher education in Northern Ireland, including providing institutional funding for research.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition, as the UK operates a dual support system for funding research in universities, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, through Research Councils UK, competitively provides grants for individual research projects and programmes across the UK.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 08/12/2014 17:53:57 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

166197

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

166200

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Students: Sponsorship
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to increase the sponsorship of students by employers.
	tabling member printed	Lord Storey
	uin	HL3184
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government's view is that the best way to produce more employable graduates, with the particular ‘skill-sets’ required for the workplace, is for employers, either individually or jointly, to work directly with universities and colleges. They can and should help with course design and delivery, provide work placements, and, where appropriate, offer sponsorship for students. The Government is also promoting and making more funding available for higher apprenticeships which enables apprentices working with an employer to achieve up to degree and masters level as an in work progression route combining theoretical and applied skills.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 09/12/2014 13:06:44 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

166630

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	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	Post Offices
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many post offices and sub-post offices have closed in the United Kingdom since 2005.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL3221
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>In November 2010, this Government published its policy statement “Securing the Post Office network in the digital age”, which made a clear commitment that this Government would end the programmes of closure of the previous administration, and instead invest in the Post Office to secure a network of at least 11,500 branches with a sustainable long-term future.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Since 2010, this Government has committed nearly £2 billion to maintain, modernise and protect the Post Office network, and this is clearly reflected in the network figures that show the size of the network is now stabilised. It is important to note that within a network of over 11,500 branches that is overwhelmingly operated by independent agents, there will be fluctuations in the number of open branches as subpostmasters leave the network for a number of reasons, such as retirement. Where a replacement is not immediately available, the Post Office works hard to restore access to services in the community.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Post Office makes details of the size of its network available to Parliament on a regular basis. These show that at on 31 March 2005, there were 14,609 post offices. The comparative figure at the end of the 2013-14 reporting year showed there were 11,697 branches. The following table sets out changes to the network size for the years between 2005 and 2014:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Reporting date</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Post Office network size</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2005</p></td><td><p>14,609</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2006</p></td><td><p>14,376</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2007</p></td><td><p>14,219</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2008</p></td><td><p>13,567</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2009</p></td><td><p>11,952</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2010</p></td><td><p>11,905</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2011</p></td><td><p>11,820</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2012</p></td><td><p>11,818</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2013</p></td><td><p>11,780</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2014</p></td><td><p>11,697</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 08/12/2014 15:39:37 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

166636

	registered interest
	date	27/11/2014
	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	Higher Education
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of massive open online courses on traditional higher education.
	tabling member printed	Lord Storey
	uin	HL3227
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government has not conducted a formal assessment of the impact of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 11/12/2014 12:49:11 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey