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1136741

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Business: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the report entitled, The state of the nation: The UK Family Business Sector 2018-19 by Oxford Economics, published in July 2019, what steps his Department is taking to make it easier for family businesses to access external finance.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	272777
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>As the report notes, the family business sector is vital to the UK economy, employing over 13 million people and generating more than a quarter of the nation’s GDP. In May this year, I attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Family Business and discussed a range of issues including access to external finance. The authors of the Report, The Institute for Family Business, are also a member of the BEIS SME Advisory Board, who last met on 24 June.</p><p>As part of the modern Industrial Strategy, this Department’s aim is to improve access to finance for all UK businesses, including family-owned businesses. The Government-backed British Business Bank supports more than £6.4bn of finance to over 85,000 SMEs. The Bank’s online Finance Hub also helps small business owners identify potential sources of finance via the finance finder web tool.</p><p>The Business Bank has also established a UK Network, with team members based within each of the English regions and the three Devolved Nations. The UK Network works with small business finance intermediaries to enhance business finance ecosystems across the UK, so smaller businesses, wherever they are, can grow and prosper.</p><p>In addition, Government has actively supported and invested in the creation of 38 Growth Hubs (one in each Local Enterprise Partnership area), providing businesses across England support and advice via a free and impartial, local single point of contact. At the end of FY18/19, Government had invested £56.4 million in Growth Hubs.</p><p>The Government provides support and advice to all types of businesses through our core services including GOV.UK, the Business Support Helpline and Growth Hubs operating in England.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 16/07/2019 15:34:53 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1137187

	registered interest
	date	05/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Business: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018 in Belfast, what progress he has made in developing a business strategy for Northern Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	273750
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is supporting Northern Ireland business to develop and thrive. The British Business Bank has issued 1,009 loans in Northern Ireland since 2012, to an average value of £7,217 and £7,285,132 in total and we announced in May a £105 million economic package for the Derry/Londonderry region.</p><p> </p><p>BEIS officials have an ongoing working relationship with officials in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. However, it is essential that devolved government is restored in Northern Ireland to allow for local decision-making and to continue to strengthen the economy.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 15/07/2019 13:30:32 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 128433 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1137850

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Business: Public Holidays
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government has plans to compensate printers and other businesses for costs incurred by the date change for May Bank Holiday in 2020; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	North East Hertfordshire
	tabling member printed	Sir Oliver Heald
	uin	275093
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>The early May bank holiday will move from 4 to 8 May 2020 to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. This is to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to honour our heroes of the Second World War. The Government acknowledges that the decision will bring economic benefits to some sectors and businesses and some disruption to others. The Government has corresponded directly with representatives from the calendar printing industry and has no plans for compensation.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 16/07/2019 16:40:33 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	69 label Biography information for Sir Oliver Heald

1138436

	registered interest
	date	11/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Companies House: Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many people are employed at Companies House.
	tabling member constituency	Bootle
	tabling member printed	Peter Dowd
	uin	276212
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>The number of people employed at Companies House is 981. This figure includes both full time and part-time employees.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 16/07/2019 16:40:03 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4397 label Biography information for Peter Dowd

1137835

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Employment: Arbitration
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the (a) trends in the number and (b) effectiveness of the use of protected conversations since their introduction.
	tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
	tabling member printed	Justin Madders
	uin	275221
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>The introduction of ‘pre-termination negotiations’ or ‘protected conversations’ in July 2013, provided greater flexibility to the existing arrangements, for employers to have conversations with employees, with a view to ending their employment (even where no employment dispute exists), that can be treated as confidential.</p><p> </p><p>By their very nature, these conversations are not recorded and may only be disclosed in an employment tribunal to prove improper behaviour.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 16/07/2019 16:42:07 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1137480

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Employment: Bullying
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ban bullying in the workplace.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol North West
	tabling member printed	Darren Jones
	uin	274614
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>Any form of bullying and harassment is unacceptable and has no place in today’s workplace. Current legislation provides robust safeguards for employees against harassment in the workplace. This covers harassment on the grounds of gender, race, disability, religion or believe, sexual orientation or age. The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and the Protection from Harrassment Act 1997 make intentional harassment a criminal offence.</p><p> </p><p>However, whilst it is important to have a safety net of legislation to protect employees from the worst form of abuses, the best way to address bad behaviour is through cultural change within the workplace. Employers can, for example, establish good practices through a clear anti-harassment policy and ensuring all staff receive training in this area.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 15/07/2019 13:31:02 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4621 label Biography information for Darren Jones

1137849

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Hospitality Industry: Sexual Harassment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of the use of non-disclosure agreements for incidences of sexual harassment in the fast food hospitality sector.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	275108
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>Any form of sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace is clearly unacceptable. The Government does not accept any behaviour that causes people to feel intimidated or humiliated in the workplace.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has consulted on proposals to prevent the misuse of confidentiality clauses in cases of sexual harassment and discrimination. It will be publishing a response with its final proposals, in due course.</p><p> </p><p>We have launched a consultation on sexual harassment in the workplace led by the Government Equalities Office. This consultation welcomes suggestions of alternative interventions to prevent and better monitor cases of sexual harassment and discrimination.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 15/07/2019 13:30:15 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1137415

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Maternity Leave
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has held discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on extending the period of statutory maternity leave.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	274539
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>In the UK, employed pregnant women and new mothers have a ‘day one’ right to 52 weeks of Maternity Leave; and, if eligible, they are entitled to 39 weeks of pay.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has no current plans to extend the period of statutory Maternity Leave, and so I have not had any discussions on this subject with my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 15/07/2019 13:30:54 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1137818

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Post Office: Herbert Smith Freehills
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2019 to Question 272157, in what capacity the law firm Herbert Smith Freehills is acting on behalf of Post Office Limited; and for what reason that firm was not listed in the six law firms framework agreement, as outlined in Question 272157.
	tabling member constituency	North Durham
	tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
	uin	275136
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>A reference to Herbert Smith Freehills was omitted from my answer to Question 272157 inadvertently. I can confirm that the six law firms previously listed provide legal support to Post Office Limited and are permitted to subcontract to others within the terms of their contract with the Post Office. In addition, Post Office Limited has instructed Herbert Smith Freehills in respect of the Group Litigation.</p><p> </p><p>The selection of law firms to provide legal services to Post Office Limited is an operational matter for the company in which Government plays no role.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 16/07/2019 15:32:29 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 129146 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1138507

	registered interest
	date	11/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Postal Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) the Post Office Ltd and (b) sub-Postmasters for collecting parcels in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	276226
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The Post Office provides parcel services on behalf of Royal Mail and the costs of those services are a commercial matter between the two businesses.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 16/07/2019 15:31:48 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows