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167674

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	Tobacco: EU Law
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the revised EU Tobacco Products Directive on the JTI Gallaher factory.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	217070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2014 answer text <p>Over regulation, and in particular the new tobacco products directive, have been blamed for the closure of the JTI factory in Ballymena. I believe this is part of a wider picture.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The demand for cigarettes is falling. Smoking rates have continued to decline in the UK. In 1974 almost half of the UK population smoked. Rates had fallen to 18.7% last year. Around 68% of current smokers also want to quit and are increasingly aware of the health harms that smoking causes. The tobacco industry has recognised this declining market and consumer health concerns and are diversifying into electronic cigarettes and ‘heat not burn’ technology.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The directive itself is aimed at harmonising European rules for the marketing of tobacco products to ensure that barriers to trade across the union are minimised for those continuing to trade in this commodity. These new rules include specific measures aimed at protecting trade, with an enhanced track and trace system to be implemented to protect the revenue of legitimate businesses. It is true, and right, that in deciding these trade rules a high level of health protection was sought for all citizens across the EU and the European Commission’s impact assessment accepts that there is likely to be a further reduction in tobacco consumption of 2% as a result of the directive.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>However, this is just part of the picture on job losses. Job losses have resulted, in greater measure from the actions of the industry itself, for example from the mechanisation and streamlining of tobacco production than from tobacco control measures implemented by this Government.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health is currently finalising proposals to transpose the revised Tobacco Products Directive into UK law, and will consult on these proposals in early 2015. The Department will consider those proposals in due course.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 10/12/2014 15:30:24 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

167391

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Tuberculosis: Vaccination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department provides to research into finding new vaccines for antibiotic resistant strains of TB; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	216738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supports research into TB through the UK Research Councils who support a broad portfolio of research addressing different aspects of the disease. This includes research on vaccines and treatments for antibiotic resistant strains of TB.</p><p> </p><p>The Medical Research Council (MRC) currently supports five projects directly relating to antibiotic resistant strains of TB with a total value of £5.7m. These include studies which aim to identify novel targets for antibacterial drug discovery, the development of new TB vaccines and antibiotics, clinical trials with a focus on translational and implementation research relevant to developing countries, and health services and health systems research.</p><p> </p><p>The MRC is also leading an anti-microbial resistance (AMR) funders’ forum to coordinate activities in this area and an initiative involving all of the UK Research Councils on which aims to tackle resistance and try to develop treatments and diagnostic tools. In addition the MRC also supports a broader portfolio of research into TB likely to improve our understanding and inform future research into antibiotic resistant strains.</p><p> </p><p>The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) are funding research into new treatments for antibiotic resistant strains of TB in addition to research on vaccine development, which while not specifically addressing antibiotic resistant strains is likely to improve our understanding and inform future research.</p><p> </p><p>An Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded study aims identify barriers to tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment uptake while an EPSRC fellowship is looking at the transmission dynamics of TB.</p><p> </p><p>Researchers are also using the Diamond Light Source, to identify ways of disabling the enzyme that protects the TB bacteria and to understand the structure of the protein that enables the TB bacteria to survive in the human body. It is hoped that this work will make existing treatments easier and more effective and to help design new drugs. The Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).</p><p> </p><p>The UK is also a member of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) which aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected diseases. In December 2014 the second phase of the partnership, EDCTP2 was launched aiming to contribute over 1billion euros over the next 10 years. Further information can be found at: <a href="http://www.edctp.org/" target="_blank">http://www.edctp.org/</a></p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman grouped question UIN 216741 question first answered 09/12/2014 11:14:42 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

167392

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Ebola
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department provides to research into finding a cure for Ebola; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	216739
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supports research into Ebola through the UK Research Councils who support a number of research projects addressing different aspects of the disease. This includes work on vaccines, treatments and interventions, and finding a cure.</p><p> </p><p>Current Medical Research Council (MRC) funded research includes a £2.8m grant funding jointly by the MRC, the Wellcome Trust and DFID to allow a team led by the University of Oxford to test the safety of a candidate vaccine alongside similar trials in the US.</p><p> </p><p>The MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling, at Imperial College London, is an official WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling. Researchers there have been providing advice to the WHO regarding the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa and contributed to a study reviewing data since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2013 to determine the scale of the epidemic, better understand the spread of the disease, and explore what it will take to reverse the trend of infections.</p><p> </p><p>The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is supporting one £3.6m study which aims to improve our understanding of the cultural and political dimension to inform interventions. In addition researchers funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) are using the Diamond Light Source to investigate emerging viruses are making an Ebola protein for therapeutic antibodies. The Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron and is also funded by STFC.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is also a member of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) which aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected diseases, including Ebola. In December 2014 the second phase of the partnership, EDCTP2 was launched aiming to contribute over 1billion euros over the next 10 years. Further information can be found at: <a href="http://www.edctp.org/" target="_blank">http://www.edctp.org/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman grouped question UIN 216740 question first answered 09/12/2014 14:19:58 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

167393

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Ebola: Vaccination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department provides to research into finding a vaccine for Ebola; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	216740
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supports research into Ebola through the UK Research Councils who support a number of research projects addressing different aspects of the disease. This includes work on vaccines, treatments and interventions, and finding a cure.</p><p> </p><p>Current Medical Research Council (MRC) funded research includes a £2.8m grant funding jointly by the MRC, the Wellcome Trust and DFID to allow a team led by the University of Oxford to test the safety of a candidate vaccine alongside similar trials in the US.</p><p> </p><p>The MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling, at Imperial College London, is an official WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling. Researchers there have been providing advice to the WHO regarding the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa and contributed to a study reviewing data since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2013 to determine the scale of the epidemic, better understand the spread of the disease, and explore what it will take to reverse the trend of infections.</p><p> </p><p>The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is supporting one £3.6m study which aims to improve our understanding of the cultural and political dimension to inform interventions. In addition researchers funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) are using the Diamond Light Source to investigate emerging viruses are making an Ebola protein for therapeutic antibodies. The Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron and is also funded by STFC.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is also a member of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) which aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected diseases, including Ebola. In December 2014 the second phase of the partnership, EDCTP2 was launched aiming to contribute over 1billion euros over the next 10 years. Further information can be found at: <a href="http://www.edctp.org/" target="_blank">http://www.edctp.org/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman grouped question UIN 216739 question first answered 09/12/2014 14:19:58 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

167394

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Tuberculosis
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department provides to research into finding new treatments for antibiotic resistant strains of TB; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	216741
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supports research into TB through the UK Research Councils who support a broad portfolio of research addressing different aspects of the disease. This includes research on vaccines and treatments for antibiotic resistant strains of TB.</p><p> </p><p>The Medical Research Council (MRC) currently supports five projects directly relating to antibiotic resistant strains of TB with a total value of £5.7m. These include studies which aim to identify novel targets for antibacterial drug discovery, the development of new TB vaccines and antibiotics, clinical trials with a focus on translational and implementation research relevant to developing countries, and health services and health systems research.</p><p> </p><p>The MRC is also leading an anti-microbial resistance (AMR) funders’ forum to coordinate activities in this area and an initiative involving all of the UK Research Councils on which aims to tackle resistance and try to develop treatments and diagnostic tools. In addition the MRC also supports a broader portfolio of research into TB likely to improve our understanding and inform future research into antibiotic resistant strains.</p><p> </p><p>The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) are funding research into new treatments for antibiotic resistant strains of TB in addition to research on vaccine development, which while not specifically addressing antibiotic resistant strains is likely to improve our understanding and inform future research.</p><p> </p><p>An Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded study aims identify barriers to tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment uptake while an EPSRC fellowship is looking at the transmission dynamics of TB.</p><p> </p><p>Researchers are also using the Diamond Light Source, to identify ways of disabling the enzyme that protects the TB bacteria and to understand the structure of the protein that enables the TB bacteria to survive in the human body. It is hoped that this work will make existing treatments easier and more effective and to help design new drugs. The Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).</p><p> </p><p>The UK is also a member of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) which aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected diseases. In December 2014 the second phase of the partnership, EDCTP2 was launched aiming to contribute over 1billion euros over the next 10 years. Further information can be found at: <a href="http://www.edctp.org/" target="_blank">http://www.edctp.org/</a></p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman grouped question UIN 216738 question first answered 09/12/2014 11:14:43 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

167395

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	HIV Infection: Vaccination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department provides to research into finding a vaccine for HIV; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	216742
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) supports research into HIV/AIDS through the UK Research Councils who support a broad portfolio of research addressing different aspects of the disease. This includes research on vaccines and interventions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Research supported by the Research Councils includes Medical Research Council (MRC) funded studies which aim to understand the mechanisms of HIV infection through to novel strategies for preventing and controlling infections through research on human behaviour and lifestyle. Research supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) includes an evaluation of the impact of health care schemes in Rwanda providing basic preventive and curative health care services and HIV/AIDS treatment in addition to Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded research on drug delivery and vaccine delivery technology involving nanomedicines.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Researchers are also using the Diamond Light Source to advance the understanding of how HIV and other retroviruses infect human cells and replicate to inform the development of better treatments. The Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK is also a member of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) which aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected diseases. In December 2014 the second phase of the partnership, EDCTP2 was launched aiming to contribute over 1billion euros over the next 10 years. Further information can be found at: <a href="http://www.edctp.org/" target="_blank">http://www.edctp.org/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman grouped question UIN 216743 question first answered 09/12/2014 13:12:54 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

167396

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	HIV Infection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department provides to research into finding a cure for HIV/AIDS; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	216743
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) supports research into HIV/AIDS through the UK Research Councils who support a broad portfolio of research addressing different aspects of the disease. This includes research on vaccines and interventions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Research supported by the Research Councils includes Medical Research Council (MRC) funded studies which aim to understand the mechanisms of HIV infection through to novel strategies for preventing and controlling infections through research on human behaviour and lifestyle. Research supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) includes an evaluation of the impact of health care schemes in Rwanda providing basic preventive and curative health care services and HIV/AIDS treatment in addition to Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded research on drug delivery and vaccine delivery technology involving nanomedicines.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Researchers are also using the Diamond Light Source to advance the understanding of how HIV and other retroviruses infect human cells and replicate to inform the development of better treatments. The Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron, funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK is also a member of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) which aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected diseases. In December 2014 the second phase of the partnership, EDCTP2 was launched aiming to contribute over 1billion euros over the next 10 years. Further information can be found at: <a href="http://www.edctp.org/" target="_blank">http://www.edctp.org/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman grouped question UIN 216742 question first answered 09/12/2014 13:12:54 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

166930

registered interest
date	01/12/2014
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	Animal Experiments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what research his Department has commissioned on the contribution of testing households products and their ingredients on animals to the UK economy; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Derby North
tabling member printed	Chris Williamson
uin	216683
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation &amp; Skills has not commissioned research on the contribution of testing household products and their ingredients on animals to the UK economy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Animal testing in the UK is licensed through the Home Office.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 08/12/2014 14:56:42 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	3976 label Biography information for Chris Williamson

156915

registered interest
date	20/11/2014
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	Bayer
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 (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with Bayer plc in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
uin	215405
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-business-innovation-skills&amp;publication_type=transparency-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-business-innovation-skills&amp;publication_type=transparency-data</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information for April – June 2014 is due to be published soon.</p><p> </p><p>Details of meetings with officials are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 25/11/2014 13:46:31 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

101761

registered interest
date	30/10/2014
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	Biotechnology
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 the number of jobs in each region and constituent part of the UK which are supported by the life science industry.
tabling member constituency	Salisbury
tabling member printed	John Glen
uin	212639
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p>There are no published official statistics on the regional distribution of life science industry jobs. The table below includes an estimate of employment in 2013 in companies active in three “health life science” sectors: Medical Biotechnology, Medical Technology and Pharmaceuticals, by region and by constituent part of the UK, obtained from the Bioscience and Health Technology company database used by the Office for Life Sciences. The figures are based on locations of active sites for which employment figures can be obtained. They do not include those employed by public or third sector organisations nor employment in companies whose main activity falls outside life sciences, including indirect suppliers to the sector.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Number of employees in health life science industry ‘000s 2013</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Midlands</p></td><td><p>9.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East of England</p></td><td><p>28.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Greater London</p></td><td><p>13.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North East England</p></td><td><p>7.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North West England</p></td><td><p>17.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East England</p></td><td><p>36.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West England</p></td><td><p>8.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Midlands</p></td><td><p>14.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire and the Humber</p></td><td><p>13.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England total</p></td><td><p>149.0</p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p>Northern Ireland</p></td><td><p>4.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>11.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>9.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UK Total</p></td><td><p>173.9</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Source: Bioscience and Health Technology database, an annual summary of the data was published as “Strength and Opportunity 2013, the landscape of the medical technology, medical biotechnology, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors in the UK”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 07/11/2014 16:53:00 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	4051 label Biography information for John Glen