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1125416

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Parental 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, what steps his Department is taking to support shared parental leave.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	251985
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>In 2018 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Government Equalities Office funded a £1.5m campaign to raise awareness of the Shared Parental Leave and Pay scheme amongst parents. This was followed by further communications activity, aimed at employers, in 2019. Both campaigns were underpinned by improved tools and guidance for parents which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/shared-parental-leave-and-pay-guidance-and-tools-for-parents.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 13/05/2019 13:27:20 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1037102

registered interest
date	07/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy: Billing
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 is his Department taking to help people that are not computer literate to (a) compare and (b) switch energy company tariffs.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	205874
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government created the Big Energy Saving Network, to provide face to face support for vulnerable consumers to switch and save, led by Citizens Advice and delivered by third sector organisations and community groups. In addition many Ofgem accredited price comparison sites offer a free telephone service.</p><p> </p><p>We are also working closely with Ofgem to deliver midata in energy, which will streamline tariff comparisons by allowing switching companies to access key energy data, with customers’ consent, and include a telephone access route for those consumers who are less confident using computers.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 14/01/2019 15:54:07 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1037104

registered interest
date	07/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy: Conservation
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 consumers reduce their energy usage.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	205875
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to help all consumers – both households and businesses – to reduce their energy usage, taking control of their bills and helping us meet our clean growth ambitions.</p><p> </p><p>In our Clean Growth Strategy, we set out our aspiration to upgrade as many homes as possible to an Energy Performance Certificate Band C by 2035, where practical, cost effective and affordable. We have taken a number of steps to deliver this aim: this year, we launched the digitally-led Simple Energy Advice service to provide impartial, tailored advice on how homeowners can cut energy bills and make their homes greener, and also launched a new quality mark, through Trustmark, to help give consumers confidence in the quality of the measures being installed in their homes. And, in April 2018, we introduced new legislation requiring landlords of both residential and commercial buildings to improve their properties to Energy Performance Certificate Band E or higher. We will also shortly publish an action plan on building the market for energy efficiency, outlining a range of market-based measures in line with this aspiration.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside this, the Energy Company Obligation obligates the larger energy suppliers to install energy efficiency and heating measures to people’s homes to help reduce their energy use. Since January 2013, the scheme has delivered over 2.4 million improvements in around 1.9m homes. It is funded at £640m per year and this level of support will continue to 2028, meaning the Government will drive more than £6 billion of investment in domestic energy efficiency over the next ten years.</p><p> </p><p>The Clean Growth Strategy also set out our ambition to enable business consumers to reduce their energy usage by improving energy efficiency by at least 20% by 2030. We have introduced a more streamlined energy and carbon reporting framework to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions and associated energy costs. We have also launched a new £18 million Industrial Heat Recovery Support Programme supporting the recovery and re-use of industrial waste heat, and committed £8.8 million to promote innovative approaches to energy management using smart meters. We also announced at Budget 2018 up to £315m for an Industrial Energy Transformation Fund to support businesses with high energy use to invest in energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures, and that we would bring forward proposals on a new energy efficiency scheme for small and medium sized enterprises.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 15/01/2019 14:58:24 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1037106

registered interest
date	07/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Small Businesses: Government Assistance
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 small businesses to grow.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	205876
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2019 answer text <p>Through our modern Industrial Strategy, we are making the UK one of the best places in the world for businesses to start up and grow.</p><p> </p><p>The Government-owned British Business Bank is supporting nearly 78,000 small businesses with over £5.5 billion of finance; and we’ve extended funding for the Start Up Loans Company until 2021, supporting 10,000 more entrepreneurs.</p><p> </p><p>We’re also providing £56m of funding to boost business productivity, including £11m to create a Small Business Leadership Programme.</p><p> </p><p>Business across England can also access tailored advice and support through one of the 38 Local Growth Hubs, one in each Local Enterprise Partnership Area. These bring together public and private sector partners to deliver business support, making it easy for business to access the help and advice they need.</p><p> </p><p>We have launched the £9 million Business Basics Programme, as announced in the Industrial Strategy, to test innovative ways of encouraging SMEs to take up the good practices that can help them to become more productive.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), drives productivity and growth by supporting businesses to realise the potential of new technologies, develop ideas and make them a commercial success.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 14/01/2019 17:44:34 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1037107

registered interest
date	07/01/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy: Research
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has allocated funding for new research on clean energy.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	205877
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government has committed to spending over £2.5bn on research into low carbon innovation, including clean energy, between 2015 and 2021. This includes £505m of spending on BEIS’s Energy Innovation Programme, which aims to accelerate the commercial deployment of clean energy technologies and processes into the coming decades, and up to £1.2 billion of funding from UK Research and Innovation, including funding for the Energy Systems Catapult and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult. Recent announcements of funding have included £102m for the Prospering from the Energy Revolution challenge, to develop future smart energy systems and prove their use at scale, and up to £170m for decarbonising Industrial Clusters.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Further information</p><p>Prospering from the Energy Revolution: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prospering-from-the-energy-revolution-full-programme-details" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prospering-from-the-energy-revolution-full-programme-details</a></p><p>Decarbonising Industrial Clusters: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/world-first-carbon-net-zero-hub-of-heavy-industry-to-help-uk-seize-global-economic-opportunities-of-clean-growth" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/world-first-carbon-net-zero-hub-of-heavy-industry-to-help-uk-seize-global-economic-opportunities-of-clean-growth</a></p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 15/01/2019 14:58:35 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

1010279

registered interest
date	19/11/2018
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 high street retailers increase footfall.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	192882
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2018 answer text <p>This Department is clear that we want all types of retail to thrive now and in the future, and wants to support the sector as it responds to change. This is why in March we established the industry led Retail Sector Council to bring Government and industry together to boost the sector’s productivity and promote its future.</p><p>In addition, in Autumn budget 2018, we announced a number of measures as part of an Action Plan, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support the sustainable transformation of our high streets. This plan includes:</p><ul><li>A £675m Future High Streets Fund, to support local areas in England to invest in town centre infrastructure, including to increase access to high streets and support redevelopment and densification around high streets. The Fund will also support the regeneration of heritage high streets (up to £55m of the overall Fund). MHCLG has published a fact sheet setting out more details about the Fund<p> </p></li><li>Supporting local leadership with a High Streets Taskforce, giving high streets and town centres expert advice to adapt and thrive. This will provide hands-on support to local areas to develop data-driven innovative strategies and connect local areas to relevant experts<p> </p></li><li>A planning consultation to help support change on the high street. This will aim to make it easier for high streets to adapt for the future, with a wider range of retail, residential and other uses. A second consultation will be published in 2019, including how to support the more effective use of tools such as Compulsory Purchase Orders and Local Development Orders<p> </p></li><li>Piloting a register of empty commercial properties to support wider regeneration of our high streets and town centres<p> </p></li><li>Launching an ‘Open Doors’ pilot in five town centres to bring empty properties back into use by matching landlords of vacant premises with local community groups looking for space.</li></ul><p> </p><p>This Action plan is in addition to existing measures including:</p><p> </p><ul><li>An expert panel chaired by Sir John Timpson, whose recommendations informed the budget package. The panel are drawing on existing evidence and their own experiences to investigate the challenges facing our high streets and town centres and to advise on the best practical measures to help them thrive now and in the future. We look forward to receiving their full recommendations.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The Future High Street Forum, chaired by the Minister for High Streets. The Forum consists of developers, investors and retailers. It provides joint business and government leadership to better enable our high streets and town centres to adapt and compete in the face of changing consumer and social trends.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Government support for Business Improvement Districts, recognising the important role they play in allowing local businesses to work together to shape and improve their high streets and towns.</li></ul> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 27/11/2018 14:43:43 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

997562

registered interest
date	30/10/2018
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	Clothing: Retail Trade
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 discussions he has had with large clothing companies based in the EU who have stores in the UK on their future relationship with the UK after the UK leaves the European Union.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	185560
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>This department engages regularly with businesses across a range of sectors including clothing retailers who have stores in the UK. Many of these businesses also have a European base, and we understand their concerns about retaining frictionless trade.</p><p>This is why Government has been clear that the best outcome is for the UK to leave the EU with a deal and why, following months of intensive work and detailed discussions, we proposed a third option for our future economic relationship, based on the frictionless trade in goods.</p><p>At March European Council, the UK and EU agreed that during the implementation period, the UK would be treated as a Member State for the purposes of international agreements, including trade agreements.</p><p>This provides certainty and confidence that there will be no disruption to existing relationships underpinned by international agreements as we move into the Implementation Period.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 05/11/2018 16:30:17 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

997290

registered interest
date	29/10/2018
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	Electricity: Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions has he had with his counterpart in the Republic of Ireland on the shared electricity network between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	184925
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to facilitating the continuation of the Single Electricity Market (SEM) between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and is keen to work with the Irish Government and the EU to ensure that the SEM is maintained in any future scenario.</p><p>The Department has a strong relationship with counterparts in Ireland and officials hold regular discussions on both EU exit and other issues of common interest. For example, the Permanent Secretary visited Ireland on 26 October and met with his counterpart at the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 05/11/2018 10:48:37 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

997292

registered interest
date	29/10/2018
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	Energy: Meters
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 encourage people to install a smart meter in their home.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	184927
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government established a regulatory framework requiring industry to establish an independent organisation (Smart Energy GB) to undertake consumer engagement.</p><p> </p><p>Smart Energy GB is responsible for the national public engagement campaign for the roll-out of smart meters in Great Britain, including advertising campaigns on TV, print, online and radio. They have made progress in ensuring that households across Great Britain understand the benefits of smart meters and have generated significant levels of consumer demand to upgrade from analogue meters to smart meters.</p><p> </p><p>Their recent research, published in October, showed that consumer demand for smart meters is strong, with 98% of people in Great Britain now aware of smart meters and their benefits.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 05/11/2018 10:48:28 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

988702

registered interest
date	16/10/2018
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	Natural Gas: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to increase access to the natural gas network in Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	180144
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2018 answer text <p>The Government acknowledges the value that a gas connection can bring to households and businesses. However, as energy is a devolved matter, any extensions to the gas network in Northern Ireland would be a matter for a restored Northern Ireland Assembly.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 24/10/2018 16:51:55 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson