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227700

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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 Offices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to his Department's announcement of 27 November 2013 on Post Office branch modernisation, how many Post Offices have benefited to date from the dedicated fund to support smaller community branches.
tabling member constituency	Torridge and West Devon
tabling member printed	Mr Geoffrey Cox
uin	227769
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Since the landmark £20 million Post Office Community Fund started accepting applications in June 2014 more than 340 Community post offices have applied for funding. More than 250 of these proposals have been approved to date and of these more than 85 have been completed, bringing significant benefits to communities, customers and subpostmasters across the UK. The fund remains open for applications and the Government encourages eligible branches to apply for investment.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 19/03/2015 16:28:38 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1508 label Biography information for Sir Geoffrey Cox

228065

registered interest
date	18/03/2015
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	Investment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent steps he has taken to encourage asset owners to do more to engage with investee companies as part of their stewardship duties.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Dr Julian Huppert
uin	228100
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>The Government has taken a variety of significant steps to promote stewardship and engagement on the part of institutional investors. A key focus has been to work closely with the investment industry on initiatives involving both institutional investors and asset managers, acknowledging that while some institutional investors engage directly with companies, many others delegate to asset managers to engage on their behalf.</p><p>Specific achievements include:</p><ul><li>a strengthening of the Stewardship Code to emphasise engagement on companies’ long-term strategy;</li><li>the creation of an Investor Forum to improve the amount and effectiveness of collective engagement by key institutional investors;</li><li>the development, by the National Association of Pension Funds, of a new Stewardship Disclosure Framework to encourage asset managers to report on their activities and to enable investors to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The Government has comprehensively reformed the legislative framework for corporate reporting to boost transparency on company directors’ remuneration and ensure annual reports are more focused on long-term company strategy. In this way we are encouraging companies to report the information which is relevant to long-term stewardship investors.</p><p>The Law Commission’s report on the fiduciary duties of investment intermediaries, commissioned by the Government, concluded that fiduciary investors such as pension scheme trustees should consider whether and how to engage with companies to promote their long-term success, either directly or through their investment managers. The Government is now taking forward the Law Commission’s recommendations in a number of areas, including by consulting currently on whether the Occupational Pension Schemes (Investment) Regulations 2005 should be amended to require trustees to state their policy on stewardship with reference to the Stewardship Code.</p><p>This work has been part of a broader commitment – in response to the Kay Review of equity markets - to address the longstanding concern that short-termism has impeded the creation of sustainable value by British companies. The Government published a comprehensive progress report on the implementation of the Review in October 2014. This is available online at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/367070/bis-14-1157-implementation-of-the-kay-review-progress-report.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/367070/bis-14-1157-implementation-of-the-kay-review-progress-report.pdf</a></p><p>The Government is now undertaking further work in a number of areas, including:</p><ul><li>supporting the work of the Financial Reporting Council to monitor how signatories to the Stewardship Code are delivering against their commitment;</li><li>supporting the work of the Association of Member Nominated Trustees (AMNT) to develop “Red Line Voting” – an initiative which will enable pension schemes and other investors to adopt common voting positions on a range of governance issues; and research to examine how shares are held by institutional and individual investors – to provide an insight into how the Government can encourage greater investment engagement.</li></ul> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 23/03/2015 14:41:50 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	3931 label Biography information for Dr Julian Huppert

228072

registered interest
date	18/03/2015
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	Ouija Boards
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 bring forward legislative proposals for regulating the sale of ouija boards.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	228164
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to regulate the sale of Ouija boards.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 23/03/2015 14:43:25 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

228261

registered interest
date	18/03/2015
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 Agency Standards Inspectorate
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he plans to increase the resources and staffing available to the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	228233
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS) enforce the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (both as amended).</p><p>We have doubled EAS resource this financial year and will increase resource again for the financial year 2015/16. This additional resource is being used for targeted enforcement in high risk areas in order to protect the most vulnerable agency workers.</p><p>In February, EAS inspectors led a targeted enforcement operation in the Sheffield area. They were accompanied by officers from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC’s) National Minimum Wage (NMW) team and, on some visits, by the Pensions Regulator.</p><p>During the inspections of 15 employment businesses, EAS identified 32 potential breaches of the Conduct Regulations, as well as a potential breach of the Employment Agencies Act. Where breaches were identified, warning letters were issued and the agencies were required to change practices and demonstrate compliance or face further enforcement action.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 23/03/2015 14:44:45 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

227954

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which approved news applications staff in the Government Equalities Office are authorised to download and use on their work-provided phones and tablets.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	227972
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>GEO users are not prevented from downloading any news applications for use on their work-provided phones and tablets.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/03/2015 17:38:43 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

227689

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Staff
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 and what proportion of employees in his Department identify as (a) white or white British, (b) Asian or Asian British, (c) Black or Black British, (d) mixed or multiple ethnic group and (e) another ethnicity.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
uin	227951
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>Table 1 gives the proportion of staff in each ethnic group in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. These proportions are statistical estimates derived from the 2014 Civil Service People Survey.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: Ethnicity of staff in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Ethnicity</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Estimated Proportion</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>White or White British</p><p> </p></td><td><p>77%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Asian or Asian British</p></td><td><p>5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Black or Black British</p></td><td><p>5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mixed or multiple ethnic group</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Any Other Ethnicity</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Undeclared Ethnicity</p></td><td><p>10%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>Source: Civil Service People Survey 2014</strong></p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/03/2015 11:26:54 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

227691

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Easter
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 bring into force the provision contained in the Easter Act 1928 to fix the date of Easter; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Yorkshire
tabling member printed	Sir Greg Knight
uin	227857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills does not intend to bring the Easter Act 1928 into force in the near future. The Easter Act 1928 would set the date for Easter to fall on a Sunday between 9 and 15 April each year. The Easter Act 1928 remains on the Statute Book, but has not been brought into force. To do so would require an Order in Council, with the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The Act also requires that, before the Order is made, &quot;regard shall be had to any opinion officially expressed by any Church or other Christian Body.&quot; There is no indication that the Churches are keen to move to a date for Easter fixed in accordance with the Easter Act 1928.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/03/2015 15:31:38 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1200 label Biography information for Sir Greg Knight

227695

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	ICT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which news applications staff in his Department are authorised to download and use on their work-provided phones and tablets.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	227816
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Staff are not prevented from downloading any news applications for use on their work-provided phones and tablets.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/03/2015 10:29:40 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

228837

registered interest
date	20/03/2015
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	Natural History Museum
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will hold discussions with the Natural History Museum on targeting boys and girls equally.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	228562
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text <p>The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in regular contact with the Natural History Museum and, following its recent collaboration with Marks and Spencer on a dinosaur-themed clothing line, the Museum has confirmed it is working with the retailer to expand the range to include products for girls. Products in the Museum shop are displayed without gender differentiation for children and the Museum’s own children’s clothing range is cut for a unisex fit.</p><p> </p><p>It is vital that stereotypes and biases do not limit the potential of young people and the Government believes that children should be encouraged to explore the widest range of interests regardless of gender. The Museum’s education programmes and exhibitions support this work, and its scientists are a diverse group of role models, helping to inspire the next generation.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 25/03/2015 16:33:42 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

228064

registered interest
date	18/03/2015
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	Fire Prevention: Furniture
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills of 25 November 2014, Official Report, column 257WH, what progress he has made on reviewing proposals to amend the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
tabling member constituency	Pendle
tabling member printed	Andrew Stephenson
uin	228089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been carefully analysing the responses to the consultation on the proposed amendments to certain test schedules in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. The Government response to this consultation was published on 25 March 2015 and can be accessed at <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/furniture-fire-safety-regulations-proposed-amendments" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/consultations/furniture-fire-safety-regulations-proposed-amendments</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 26/03/2015 13:11:46 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson