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170297

registered interest
date	15/12/2014
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	Scottish Power
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he received reports from the MacDonald Partnership in relation to mis-sold Scottish Power Power Plan warranties; what the titles of such reports were; and when he plans to respond to those reports.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
uin	218595
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>The initial report from Mr MacDonald was received on 17 July 2014 for review by the Insolvency Service. Further information including another more detailed report was received from him during September and October 2014, and these again have been reviewed by the Insolvency Service. The reports are confidential.</p><p> </p><p>The reports themselves do not require a direct response but I can confirm that the Insolvency Service has completed its review of this material and is in communication with Mr MacDonald.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 17/12/2014 11:11:20 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

170296

registered interest
date	15/12/2014
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	Scottish Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress has been made on implementing the findings of the original report compiled by the Office of Fair Trading and Department of Trade and Industry regarding the collapse of Scottish Power's Power Plan.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
uin	218594
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/01/2015 answer text <p>Statutory investigations by the Department of Trade and Industry (now Business, Innovation and Skills) using Companies Act powers are confidential and their findings cannot be disclosed outside strict statutory gateways.</p><p> </p><p>The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) did not directly investigate the collapse of Scottish Power’s Power Plan. In 2003 an investigation was undertaken by the OFT into the terms and conditions used in contracts with consumers purchasing goods under the PowerPlan scheme sold by Scottish Power plc. As a result a series of recommendations regarding those terms and conditions were made to the companies who operated the scheme, and I understand that the recommendations were implemented by the companies before they entered insolvency.</p><p> </p><p>More generally, the OFT investigated the market for extended warranties in the UK in 2002 and, having found that competition in the market did not appear to be working effectively, referred the market to the Competition Commission (CC). Following the CC’s report in 2003, the DTI implemented the Supply of Extended Warranties on Domestic Electrical Goods Order which came into force in April 2005. The OFT undertook a further study of the market for extended warranties in 2012.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 06/01/2015 17:15:43 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

170298

registered interest
date	15/12/2014
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	Scottish Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what meetings he has had with his ministerial colleagues on what steps to take in response to allegations that Scottish Power mis-sold cashback warranties in the 1990s.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
uin	218620
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No meetings have been held between myself, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills or other ministerial colleagues concerning this matter. The Secretary of State and I have both met with the Insolvency Service for briefing on their conclusions following review of material submitted by liquidators of two companies involved in administering the cash-back warranty scheme.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 18/12/2014 12:11:50 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

170299

registered interest
date	15/12/2014
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	Scottish Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to keep the people who lost money following the failure of firms involved in Scottish Power's cash back warranty scheme updated on progress on the review of whether there will be a further investigation of that matter.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
uin	218621
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Investigations conducted under section 447 Companies Act 1985 are confidential, therefore it is not possible to announce whether or not such an investigation is taking place, or to report on the investigation outside of strict statutory gateways.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Whether or not an investigation under section 432 Companies Act 1985 is being undertaken is something which can be announced, and I am able to confirm that such an investigation will not be commenced at this stage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Because the liquidation of the companies involved in the scheme is still under way, I do not propose to make a public announcement about the outcome of any review. However the creditors of those companies will receive reports from the liquidators if they are to be paid further dividends.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 18/12/2014 12:10:36 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

170300

registered interest
date	15/12/2014
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	Company Investigations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Insolvency Service plans to conduct any inquiries under sections 432 or 447 of the Companies Act 1985 in the next six months.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
uin	218622
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>For the financial year 2014-15 The Insolvency Service anticipates conducting between 140 and 160 investigations under section 447 Companies Act 1985. This is part of the normal function of the Insolvency Service so I can confirm that investigations will be conducted using this power in the next six months, though it is not possible to say how many.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The circumstances giving rise to an investigation using section 432 Companies Act 1985 are much less common, and I cannot at present state whether any such investigations will be commenced within the next six months.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 18/12/2014 12:08:00 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

171034

registered interest
date	17/12/2014
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if his Department will publish the apprentice pay survey for 2014 showing what apprentices are paid by age, gender, ethnicity, industry sector and apprenticeship level.
tabling member constituency	Eastbourne
tabling member printed	Stephen Lloyd
uin	219128
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/01/2015 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The 2014 Apprentice Pay Survey was published on .Gov.uk on 18 December 2014. The report shows levels of pay by age, gender, ethnicity, industry sector and apprenticeship level.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 05/01/2015 16:38:51 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	3968 label Biography information for Stephen Lloyd

176133

registered interest
date	27/01/2015
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	Bank Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which trustees or directors of organisations which were subject to the closure of their banking facilities have subsequently become trustees or directors of other organisations which have received public funds in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	North East Cambridgeshire
tabling member printed	Stephen Barclay
uin	222186
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>The Government does not hold this information.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 04/02/2015 10:42:14 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay

171495

registered interest
date	18/12/2014
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	Confederation of British Industry
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have contributed in annual membership fees to the Confederation of British Industry in each year since 2007.
tabling member constituency	Stone
tabling member printed	Sir William Cash
uin	219412
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/01/2015 answer text <p>Since 2007, the core Department has made no contributions in annual membership fees to the Confederation of British Industry.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I have approached the Chief Executives of the Department’s Executive Agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to my Hon. Friend directly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 05/01/2015 16:25:04 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson attachment 1 file name 219412 (29029) Executive Agencies.pdf title Letters from Executive Agencies
tabling member	288 label Biography information for Sir William Cash

171496

registered interest
date	18/12/2014
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	Confederation of British Industry
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what payments (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have made to the Confederation of British Industry in each year since 2007; and what the purpose was of each such payment.
tabling member constituency	Stone
tabling member printed	Sir William Cash
uin	219413
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/01/2015 answer text <p>Since 2007, the core Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has made the following payments to the Confederation of British Industry:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>2011 - £120 to cover costs of a training event for a BIS member of staff</p><p> </p><p>2014 - £180 to cover costs of a training event for a BIS member of staff</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In other years, no payments were made.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I have approached the Chief Executives of the Department’s Executive Agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to my Hon. Friend directly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 05/01/2015 16:26:42 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson attachment 1 file name 219413 (29031) Executive Agencies.pdf title Letters from Executive Agencies
tabling member	288 label Biography information for Sir William Cash

176822

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Delivery Services
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 ensure consumers are aware of their rights when they receive poor service from parcel delivery firms.
tabling member constituency	East Yorkshire
tabling member printed	Sir Greg Knight
uin	222750
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2015 answer text <p>On 31 July last year the UK Statement of Principles on Parcel Deliveries, developed through collaboration between Citizens Advice and the British Retail Consortium, was published. The Principles set out best practice for businesses, such as parcel delivery firms, on how they can ensure fair delivery prices, consumers can obtain delivery cost information upfront and get clear directions to the terms and conditions. This will help consumers to be better informed about online retailers’ pricing policies in particular with regard to delivering to consumers in remote communities. The Statement of Principles is available on the Citizens Advice website: <a href="http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotland/news/whats_new_sep14_statement_of_principles_for_parcel_deliveries_now_covers_the_uk.htm" target="_blank">http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotland/news/whats_new_sep14_statement_of_principles_for_parcel_deliveries_now_covers_the_uk.htm</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If a consumer has a problem with a parcel delivery firm they can contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or through their website (<a href="https://www.adviceguide.org.uk/" target="_blank">https://www.adviceguide.org.uk</a>) which offers a free service on how consumers can proceed with their complaints.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Citizens Advice provides guidance on what consumers can do if they suffer delivery problems. This advice can be found on their website: <a href="http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_common_problems_with_products_e/consumer_problems_with_delivery_e.htm" target="_blank">http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_common_problems_with_products_e/consumer_problems_with_delivery_e.htm</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Consumer Rights Bill which is currently before Parliament, will clarify and enhance consumer rights and remedies when contracting with traders for the provision of services, such as parcel delivery firms. This will make it clear for the first time that if traders breach the rights set out in the Bill, the trader is required to re-perform the service to bring it up to scratch or failing that offers a reduction in price. We have been working closely with consumer groups, including Citizens Advice, to develop an effective publicity campaign, including the use of social media to raise consumers’ awareness of these new rights. The Citizens Advice website will be updated by 1 October 2015 when the Bill is anticipated to come into force.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 05/02/2015 09:48:05 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1200 label Biography information for Sir Greg Knight