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1404812

registered interest
date	20/01/2022
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	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
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 steps his Department is taking to support the growth and sustainability of independent shops, cafes, and restaurants on high streets.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	108624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2022 answer text <p>In July 2021, the Department launched the first-ever hospitality strategy to support the reopening, recovery and resilience of England’s pubs, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs. We have also launched the Hospitality Sector Council to oversee the delivery of the strategy, including working with the sector to make hospitality a career option of choice and looking at the labour and skills shortages.</p><p> </p><p>In order to help address the immediate challenges of labour shortages in the hospitality sector, the Department for Work and Pensions is working hard to fill ongoing vacancies by using work coaches to help find local talent, and Plans for Jobs programmes, such as Kickstart and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education has also added hospitality and catering qualifications to the Free Courses for Jobs, as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee. Additionally, we are increasing employer-led apprenticeship funding to £2.7 billion by 2024-25, extending the £3,000 incentive payment for every apprentice a business hires up until 31 January 2022, and improving the apprenticeship system for employers.</p><p> </p><p>On 15 July, we published the Build Back Better High Streets Strategy, where we committed to continue working with the retail sector, and the Retail Sector Council in particular, on its long-term strategic needs to ensure that businesses are profitable, resilient, innovative and support local economies in socially and environmentally responsible ways.</p><p> </p><p>On 20 January, BEIS and HMT jointly launched Help to Grow Digital, a UK wide Government scheme offering eligible small and medium sized businesses access to digital technology to supercharge their business growth and help drive our recovery from coronavirus.</p><p>On 18 August, the Retail Sector Council launched a national online initiative to help small independent retailers (SMEs) cut their carbon footprint and become more environmentally friendly<strong>.</strong> <a href="https://greenstreet.org.uk/" target="_blank">Green Street</a> is an informative and accessible Hub, built by retailers for retailers to encourage planet friendly shopping.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 27/01/2022 11:39:43 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1399818

registered interest
date	05/01/2022
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 Sector: Recruitment
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 long-term measures the Government has put in place to support the hospitality sector to meet its recruitment needs.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	98433
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2022 answer text <p>The Department has launched the first-ever hospitality strategy to support the reopening, recovery and resilience of England’s pubs, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs. As part of this, we have set up the Hospitality Sector Council to oversee the delivery of the strategy, including working with the sector to make hospitality a career option of choice and looking at the labour and skills shortages.</p><p> </p><p>In order to help address the immediate challenges of labour shortages in the hospitality sector, the Department for Work and Pensions is working hard to fill ongoing vacancies by using work coaches to help find local talent, and Plans for Jobs programmes, such as Kickstart and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes. The Department for Education has also added hospitality and catering qualifications to the Free Courses for Jobs, as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee. Additionally, we are increasing employer-led apprenticeship funding to £2.7 billion by 2024-25, extending the £3,000 incentive payment for every apprentice a business hires up until 31 January 2022, and improving the apprenticeship system for employers.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 13/01/2022 10:39:09 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1363910

registered interest
date	27/10/2021
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	ACAS
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 steps his Department is taking to help (a) promote awareness of the services offered by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACSA) and (b) ensure ACAS is easily contactable.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	64741
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2021 answer text <p>The Department has worked closely with Acas to promote their services through awareness campaigns, including a joint campaign on social media and radio aimed at vulnerable workers and recently publicising the launch of Acas’s disability hub on their website. Additionally, BEIS funds Acas to provide support and guidance on workplace matters, which any member of the public can access through its website and by contacting their helpline between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 03/11/2021 15:30:07 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1347744

registered interest
date	16/07/2021
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	ACAS
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 his Department has made of the adequacy of services delivered by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	34591
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2021 answer text <p>BEIS officials review Acas’ performance on a regular basis as set out in the ‘Acas Framework Document’. This document sets out the broad framework within which Acas operates including the performance expectations for the services they deliver.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 26/07/2021 14:37:18 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1343690

registered interest
date	05/07/2021
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	Shops: Empty Property
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 estimate he has made of the number of high street shops which have been empty for more than twelve months.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	27312
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2021 answer text <p>BEIS does not hold this data but in 2019 the Local Data Company’s report on Retail &amp; Leisure Market vacancies put the 1 year+ vacancy rate at 7.4%. ONS data indicates that there were nearly 320,000 retail units in the UK in 2019 which suggests around 22,700 stores had been vacant for a year or more. This represents the most recent estimate available.</p><p> </p><p>In order to mitigate against a rise in the number of vacant units, the Government has introduced a range of measures to protect businesses that are struggling to pay their rent due to Covid-19. We have extended the moratorium on commercial landlords’ right to forfeiture for the non-payment of rent to the 25 March 2022 and we will introduce legislation to help landlords and tenants resolve historic Covid-19 rent debt through binding arbitration if necessary.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to reduce the financial burden on retailers by providing eligible retail properties in England with 66% business rates relief for the period from 1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022, capped at £2 million per business for properties that were required to be closed on 5 January 2021, or £105,000 per business for other eligible properties.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 13/07/2021 15:53:55 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1307040

registered interest
date	12/04/2021
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: Mental Health
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 steps his Department is taking to ensure that contracts of employment take into consideration the mental health needs of employees.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	179556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2021 answer text <p>Under health and safety legislation, employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees; Under equality legislation employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, which can include those with mental health needs.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is working to equip employers with the knowledge and confidence to manage health and disability in the workplace. This includes advice on creating inclusive workplaces and working practices and help providing modifications and adjustments where needed to support individual employees, covering both mental and physical health conditions.</p><p> </p><p>In 2019, Public Health England published a series of toolkits in partnership with Business in the Community to help every organisation support the mental and physical health of its employees. Government continues to work with Business Leaders via the ‘Thriving at Work Leadership Council' to break down stigma and also promotes mental health resources available at the Mental Health at Work website. The Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Confident scheme will continue working with employers to actively promote best practice in supporting the mental and physical health of employees.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 21/04/2021 09:43:37 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1288045

registered interest
date	22/02/2021
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	Personal Care Services: Wolverhampton South West
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 steps he is taking to support hair and beauty businesses in Wolverhampton South West constituency.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	156563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2021 answer text <p>We have put in place one of the most generous packages of support in the world worth over £280 billion. For Hair and Beauty businesses, this includes business rates holidays, various loans schemes and the extended furlough scheme. Closed businesses such as hairdressers, like those in your constituency, can also receive a grant of up to £3,000 a month and a one-off payment up to a maximum £9,000.</p><p> </p><p>I meet with the sector regularly to understand the impact of the pandemic on businesses.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 02/03/2021 16:49:07 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1286442

registered interest
date	11/02/2021
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	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, if he will take steps to extend the range of roles that are eligible for the right to reasonable time off work to carry out public duties.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	153370
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2021 answer text <p>The Government is keen to see greater corporate responsibility on the part of employers and encourages the public sector, charities and businesses to consider their impact on society. Employer-supported volunteering can help to build stronger communities and a stronger economy, by helping charities and community groups to do more and by creating a more motivated and productive workforce.</p><p> </p><p>Employees have the right to reasonable time off work to carry out specified public duties such as those of a magistrate or a local councillor. There are currently no plans to extend the range of roles.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 26/02/2021 11:57:28 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1280796

registered interest
date	26/01/2021
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	Utilities: Costs
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 steps the Government is taking to help reduce the cost of utility bills for vulnerable people experiencing financial hardship.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	143909
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2021 answer text <p>The Government and regulators have worked with regulated industries to support consumers who are struggling financially.</p><p> </p><p>Examples of the support provided include in the financial services sector, where the FCA advises that consumers can apply, until the end of March, for payment deferrals including on mortgages, loans, credit cards, overdrafts, and motor finance. In the energy sector, BEIS secured a voluntary agreement with energy companies to support their customers impacted by Covid-19 and struggling with energy bills, including taking action to keep households on supply. Ofcom has also recently asked telecoms providers to bring in further support, including proactively engaging with those in debt, and waiving penalty charges.</p><p> </p><p>Details of the support available to consumers struggling to pay their essential bills can be found here: <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fnews%2Fadvice-for-people-who-are-struggling-to-pay-essential-bills-because-of-coronavirus&amp;data=04%7C01%7CDominic.Hember%40beis.gov.uk%7C4025dd8b5a664e30f58008d8c2e55f38%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637473637680298988%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=2ETn8jWXXvt0FUS2UYyTr9zr%2BuaeBTTFCzzCyn0kZZA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/advice-for-people-who-are-struggling-to-pay-essential-bills-because-of-coronavirus</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has also through the COVID Winter Grant Scheme provided £170m to local authorities in England, to provide support for vulnerable households particularly affected by the pandemic, and help with the cost of food, energy, water bills and other essentials.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 03/02/2021 17:20:03 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson

1280005

registered interest
date	25/01/2021
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	Night-time Economy: Coronavirus
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 take steps to roll out lateral flow testing to support the safe re-opening of venues in the night-time economy.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
tabling member printed	Stuart Anderson
uin	143112
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>The Government recently (10 January 2021) announced the expansion of rapid, regular testing to include people without symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), which is now available across the country. The offer is currently targeting people who are unable to work from home during the national lockdown. The Government will keep under review any further expansion to support wider sectors. All coronavirus business support information is available on GOV.UK.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 02/02/2021 15:40:53 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4742 label Biography information for Stuart Anderson