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 constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

106184

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Productivity
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livingston of Parkhead on 13 October (HL1890), what they consider to be the reasons for the differences between the output per worker per hour in the United Kingdom and those of the other G7 countries, as reported by the Office for National Statistics in its statistical bulletin <i>International Comparisons of Productivity—Final Estimates 2012</i>; and what plans they have to improve the United Kingdom’s relative position.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL2655
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>The most up to date productivity data for 2012 are in the table.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Current Price Productivity, 2012, G7 countries, Index UK=100</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong><em> </em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Japan</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Germany</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Canada</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Italy</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>France</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>US</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>UK</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>G7 excl. UK</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GDP per worker</strong></p></td><td><p>90</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>104</p></td><td><p>116</p></td><td><p>115</p></td><td><p>140</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>120</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GDP per hour worked</strong></p></td><td><p>85</p></td><td><p>129</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>109</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>130</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>117</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: International Comparisons of Productivity, First Estimates for 2013, ONS (Oct 2014)</p><p> </p><p>http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/icp/international-comparisons-of-productivity/2013---first-estimates/index.html</p><p> </p><p>Analysis undertaken by BIS (2012) to support Lord Heseltine’s Review of UK Competitiveness examined UK productivity in comparison to France, Germany and the USA. An analysis of productivity across all G7 countries has not yet been completed. The full analysis can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34647/12-1207-benchmarking-uk-competitiveness-in-the-global-economy.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> but the main findings were:</p><p> </p><p>The analysis decomposed the productivity gap (measured by output per hour worked) into two components:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Sector productivity effect – the share of the gap arising due to productivity in a given sector being higher in another country than in the UK.</li><li>Sector mix effect – the share of the gap arising due to employment in another country being more concentrated in high productivity sectors than in the UK.</li></ul><p> </p><p>When UK productivity is compared to France, Germany and the USA, the sector productivity effect in each of the comparator countries fully explains the gap. As such, higher productivity across almost all sectors in each of these economies accounts for the entirety of their lead over the UK. In fact, the UK’s favourable sector mix went some way towards reducing the gap, particularly against France.</p><p> </p><p>Naturally, the factors driving the gap vary by country. However, at the aggregate level, the UK tends to have lower capital per head than France and Germany and a less efficient use of inputs in production (Total Factor Productivity) than the USA (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32101/10-1213-economic-growth.pdf" target="_blank">BIS, 2010</a>). There is also a (smaller) gap between the UK and its major competitors in terms of skills. This is generally characterised as a gap in intermediate skills with France and Germany, and a gap in higher level skills relative to the USA.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Plans to Improve UK Productivity</strong></p><p> </p><p>Government policy focuses on delivering growth which in turn depends on productivity in the longer term. In this sense, the majority of longer run Government economic policy is ultimately about raising productivity.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s industrial strategy and ‘The Plan for Growth’ are creating the right environment for businesses to invest and grow. This will continue to support UK long-term productivity growth.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Data Revisions</strong></p><p> </p><p>Recent changes to national accounts methodology have slightly reduced the productivity gap between the UK and other leading G7 economies. Data for 2012 were revised and are provided in the table above. In case it is of interest, the most recent data for 2013 is also included in the table below. A full decomposition of the productivity gap has not yet been undertaken using the revised data.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Current Price Productivity, 2013, G7 countries, Index UK=100</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong><em> </em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Japan</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Germany</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Canada</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Italy</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>France</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>US</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>UK</em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>G7 excl. UK</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GDP per worker</strong></p></td><td><p>88</p></td><td><p>107</p></td><td><p>103</p></td><td><p>115</p></td><td><p>114</p></td><td><p>139</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>119</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>GDP per hour worked</strong></p></td><td><p>85</p></td><td><p>129</p></td><td><p>101</p></td><td><p>109</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>130</p></td><td><p>100</p></td><td><p>117</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: International Comparisons of Productivity, First Estimates for 2013, ONS (Oct 2014)</p><p> </p><p>http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/icp/international-comparisons-of-productivity/2013---first-estimates/index.html</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>References</p><p> </p><p>BIS (2010) Economic Growth, BIS Economics Paper No. 9</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32101/10-1213-economic-growth.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32101/10-1213-economic-growth.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>BIS (2012) Benchmarking UK Competitiveness in the Global Economy, BIS Economics Paper No. 19</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34647/12-1207-benchmarking-uk-competitiveness-in-the-global-economy.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34647/12-1207-benchmarking-uk-competitiveness-in-the-global-economy.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 17/11/2014 12:31:53 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

114515

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2014
	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 Membership of EU
	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 conclusions of <i>Where's the Insider Advantage</i>? <i>A review of the evidence that withdrawal from the EU would not harm the UK’s exports or foreign investment in the UK</i>, published by Civitas.
	tabling member printed	Lord Pearson of Rannoch
	uin	HL2689
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2014 answer text <p>The Civitas report aims to identify whether there are advantages to the UK of being an ‘EU insider’ in terms of setting the rules of the Single Market. The report focuses on growth in UK exports as the measure of this benefit. It does not account for the broader positive impacts of the Single Market on the UK, including enhanced competition and innovation at home.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The report refers to Switzerland as an example of a county that has negotiated Free trade Agreements (FTA) as a non-member of the EU. The impact on the UK’s exports of withdrawal from the EU would depend on whether the UK could negotiate similar trade agreements’ to those it currently has as a member of the EU. It would also depend on the FTA that it could negotiate with the EU itself. Switzerland has to pay to be part of the EU single market and to negotiate sector by sector, but does not determine the rules.</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 19/11/2014 14:58:58 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	3153 label Biography information for Lord Pearson of Rannoch

142586

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2014
	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	Minimum Wage
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 29 October (HL 2219), whether they have any plans to amend the minimum wage legislation to include interns and others not currently covered by it including those subject to the terms of the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975.
	tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
	uin	HL2696
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p>Many interns are already entitled to the National Minimum Wage. The term “intern” is not defined in any legislation: entitlement to the minimum wage depends on whether or not an individual is a worker for minimum wage purposes.</p><p> </p><p>The National Minimum Wage applies to all workers unless a specific exemption applies. If an intern is a worker they will be entitled to the minimum wage. An applicable exemption would be students in further or higher education performing work-experience for a period not exceeding 12 months which is part of their studies. It can be legitimate for employers to offer unpaid or ‘expenses-only’ opportunities in some circumstances – in particular where the individual is acting as a volunteer.</p><p> </p><p>Given this dependency on employment status, it is vital that employers and workers understand how this is determined. This is why last month, the Business Secretary announced a review of employment status, looking at how the system could be clarified, providing transparency for both individuals and employers. This is an internal review and findings will be presented to ministers early next year.</p><p> </p><p>There are currently no plans to specifically consider individuals covered by the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 20/11/2014 16:01:07 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

147349

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the investor-state dispute settlement system in the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will not be dealt with by United Kingdom courts.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
	uin	HL2753
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2014 answer text The Transatlantic Trade and Investment partnership (TTIP) will be an agreement with 28 EU countries and the US. In the case of the UK, it has over 90 existing bilateral investment treaties with other countries across the world, UK domestic courts and the UK legal system remain the main route for resolving the overwhelming majority of disputes that foreign investors may have with the actions of the UK Government. Investment protection provisions and Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) clauses in trade and investment treaties are nonetheless valued by investors for providing certainty and protection from discriminatory action by host governments. Well-formulated investment protection and ISDS provisions have the potential to encourage investment while placing effective safeguards on the Government’s ability to regulate in the public interest. The Government believes it is in the UK's interest to create modern investment provisions in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) to both encourage investment and create a potential model for future trade and investment agreements with other countries. As such, we would want the ISDS mechanism in TTIP to be in line with best practice, including the new The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Rules on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration. answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 19/11/2014 12:33:40 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
	tabling member	4297 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

147352

	registered interest
	date	10/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Copyright
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their reasons for proposing an extended three-year transition period from April 2015 for the implementation of section 74 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, in the light of the current extent of counterfeiting.
	tabling member printed	Lord Clement-Jones
	uin	HL2756
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2014 answer text The Government’s reasons for proposing a three-year transition period for implementing s74 Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 are set out in its recent consultation which concluded on 27 October 2014 (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transitional-provisions-for-the-repeal-of-section-52-of-the-cdpa). This does not represent an extended transition period but the Government’s provisional judgement as to the shortest reasonable period, taking into account the needs of both right owners and those using the current law to trade lawfully. The Government is considering the evidence it received and will make its decision on transitional provisions in the light of this. Current items made under the aegis of s52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 would not be considered counterfeits. Counterfeit products (i.e. goods which falsely carry the trade mark of a genuine brand without permission) are already subject to legal sanction under separate trade mark legislation. answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 21/11/2014 13:06:54 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	3396 label Biography information for Lord Clement-Jones

106193

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	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 steps his Department is taking to encourage offers of apprenticeships to adults without GCSEs.
	tabling member constituency	Dudley North
	tabling member printed	Ian Austin
	uin	213292
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>Apprenticeships are jobs and as such individual employers set their own entry requirements.</p><p>We have introduced Traineeships, working with employers, to offer people aged 16 – 24, often without GCSEs, an opportunity to develop the skills and experience needed to compete successfully for an apprenticeship or other job.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 10/11/2014 12:22:38 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

106194

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Training
	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 is taking to offer training to adults without GCSEs.
	tabling member constituency	Dudley North
	tabling member printed	Ian Austin
	uin	213293
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government supports a range of training opportunities for adults who are not qualified to GCSE level.</p><p> </p><p>We provide full funding for adults of any age, irrespective of employment status, to study English and Maths up to and including Level 2 qualifications and to take GCSEs in these subjects. We also fully fund adults aged 19 to 23 to study for their first full Level 2 or learning programmes pre-Level 2 to enable them to progress to Level 2 and above. These can cover a wide range of subjects, from vocational courses to GCSEs. In 2012/13 we supported 1.2m learners at level 2. For adults aged 24 who want to study subjects other than English and maths, we provide a subsidy and they make a contribution from their own resources.</p><p> </p><p>The Government supports some particular programmes operating partly or exclusively for adults who have not yet achieved GCSE. Traineeships provide work preparation training, English and Maths for those who need it, and vital work experience - combining to equip people with the skills and experience they need to compete for Apprenticeships and other jobs. Apprenticeships are real jobs with training and provide an opportunity for people, including those without GCSEs, to obtain high quality training in a particular career.</p><p> </p><p>Sector-based work academies combine sector-based training with a work experience placement lasting up to a maximum of 6 weeks along with a guaranteed job interview. They are designed to support benefit customers aged 18+ who are close to the labour market but have been unable to find sustained employment in a demand sector. In addition, individuals who are out of work and in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance (JSA), Employment Support Allowance in the Work Related Activity Group (ESA WRAG) or on Universal Credit (UC) with a skills need identified, are able to receive free training from Colleges and providers to help them get into work. Of all aims started by benefit claimants 89 per cent were at Level 2 and below.</p><p> </p><p>We support Adult Community Learning with funding of £210m which is designed to engage people who are most disadvantaged and furthest from learning such as those who do not yet have the confidence to go to a formal course. It has proven to be particularly effective in motivating people without qualifications.</p><p> </p><p>Some of those studying below GCSE have learning difficulties and disabilities and where it is needed, we fund the delivery of additional support for these learners so that they can participate fully in education and training. Working in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice, our prison education offer similarly provides offenders with the basic skills of maths and English, and with relevant vocational qualifications, that will allow them to secure employment on release. We know that employment reduces re-offending.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 11/11/2014 15:14:59 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

106195

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Minimum Wage: 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 representations he has received from the Scottish Government regarding the national minimum wage; and if he will place in the Library any representations so received.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
	tabling member printed	Margaret Curran
	uin	213286
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p>We have received no representations from the Scottish Government regarding the national minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 07/11/2014 14:00:35 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	3982 label Biography information for Margaret Curran

106198

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Minimum Wage: 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 estimate he has made of how many people earned less than the national minimum wage in Scotland in each year since 2010-11.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
	tabling member printed	Margaret Curran
	uin	213229
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The most reliable estimates come from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. These are set out below for Scotland. However, there are limitations to the survey. In particular, there is limited scope to use the data to identify where the National Minimum Wage apprentice rate would apply, rather than the equivalent age rate, prior to 2013-14. The apprentice minimum wage rate is lower than for the equivalent minimum age rates for workers. Not taking into account when the apprentice rate would apply will therefore tend to over-estimate the level of non-compliance. An estimate for 2013-14 is also provided below taking into account where the lower apprentice rate would apply.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Year</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Estimates of NMW non-compliance in Scotland</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Not taking into account when the apprentice rate would apply</p></td><td><p>Taking into account when the apprentice rate would apply</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>19,000</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>20,000</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>20,000</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>16,000</p></td><td><p>11,000</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p>Source: ASHE datasets for 2010-14</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" rowspan="3"><p>NMW rates are caclulated by taking age into account, data on apprentices is only available for 2013-14</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. Individuals should contact the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 07/11/2014 13:56:59 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	3982 label Biography information for Margaret Curran

106199

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Minimum Wage: 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 estimate he has made of how many people earn exactly the national minimum wage in Scotland.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
	tabling member printed	Margaret Curran
	uin	213230
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p>Using 2013-14 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data, an estimated 85,000 people earn the National Minimum Wage in Scotland.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The most reliable estimate comes from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. However, there are limitations to the survey. In particular, there is limited scope to use the data to identify where the apprentice rate would apply, rather than the equivalent age rate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 07/11/2014 13:58:10 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	3982 label Biography information for Margaret Curran