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100084

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
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	UK Export Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of successful applicants to the UK Export Finance export working capital scheme have been small to medium sized enterprises in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
uin	211332
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The table below shows the proportion, expressed as a percentage, of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the total number of exporters UK Export Finance (UKEF) has supported broken down by UKEF product for the last five financial full years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Buyer Credit</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>11%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bond Support Scheme*</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>67%</p></td><td><p>78%</p></td><td><p>91%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Export Insurance Policy</p></td><td><p>20%</p></td><td><p>75%</p></td><td><p>75%</p></td><td><p>54%</p></td><td><p>63%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Export Working Capital Scheme*</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>-</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>83%</p></td><td><p>100%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Letter of Credit Guarantee Scheme</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>50%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Supplier Credit Facility</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td><td><p>50%</p></td><td><p>29%</p></td><td><p>33%</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>*Products launched in 2011/12</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>SMEs are defined by the EU as companies that have fewer than 250 employees, and either a turnover of less than €50m or a balance sheet total of less than €43m.</p><p> </p><p>Information on UKEFs Bond Support Scheme has been included given that it was introduced specifically to support to smaller exporters, especially SMEs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock grouped question UIN 211331 211333 211334 211335 question first answered 27/10/2014 14:39:53 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 24211 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

100088

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
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	ACAS
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to evaluate the effect of the ACAS early conciliation service on keeping workplace disputes out of court.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	211244
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>Early Conciliation was introduced in April 2014 and it is too early to make any meaningful assessment on the effect of Early Conciliation on Employment Tribunal cases at this stage. However, officials in the Department and Acas are already monitoring the impact of Early Conciliation and I will make an announcement on evaluation in due course, once we have a sufficient evidence base to do so.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/10/2014 11:30:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

100102

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
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	Video Games
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funds distributed by the Technology Strategy Board were allocated to the video games sector in each of the last three years; and what proportion of the total funding from that Board this represented in each such year.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Wavertree
tabling member printed	Luciana Berger
uin	211397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>Innovate UK is the new name for the Technology Strategy Board.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In 2011/12 Innovate UK did not provide any funds to organisations in the video games sector. In 2012/13, it provided £277k (0.06% of its core budget) to organisations in the video games sector and in 2013/14 it provided £1.9m (0.4% of its core budget).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The figures above do not include any awards made under Innovate UK’s Smart or Knowledge Transfer Partnership programmes, as this information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 24/10/2014 06:55:43 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	4036 label Biography information for Luciana Berger

100103

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
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	Minimum Wage
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 Answer of 25 June 2014 to Question 201383, how much was spent on national minimum wage enforcement in 2013-14.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	211245
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>£7.5m was spent by HM Revenue and Customs on the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in 2013/14.</p><p>We have increased the budget allocation for National Minimum Wage enforcement in 2014/15 to £9.2m. This extra funding will enable HMRC to increase the number of compliance officers working in this area who, as well as continuing to respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline, will also undertake targeted enforcement, focusing on the worst offending employers in the highest-risk sectors.</p><p>Anyone who believes they are entitled to the National Minimum Wage and has not received it should contact this free and confidential helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/10/2014 11:29:09 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

99773

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Written Questions
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 place in the Library a copy of his Department's latest internal guidance for officials on the drafting of answers to parliamentary questions.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	211071
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>A copy of the Department’s internal guidance will be placed in the Libraries of the House.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Office of the Leader of the House also provides guidance to all Departments on the practice of answering Parliamentary Questions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The full Guide is available on the gov.uk website at: http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A copy of this guidance has already been placed in the libraries of the House. The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons intends to review the Guide to Parliamentary Work in the coming months.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:36:52 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson attachment 1 file name mpst-WrittenPQs - 211071 attachment.doc title Parliamentary Unit Process and Guidance
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

99775

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	NHS: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
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 his Department has made of the potential effect of including the National Health Service in the negative list of exclusion for negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment partnership.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh South
tabling member printed	Ian Murray
uin	211053
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will not change the fact that it is up to UK Government alone to decide how UK public services, including the NHS, are run. The UK has insisted on maintaining the same safeguards for the NHS in TTIP as it has in all recent trade agreements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This position was confirmed by the European Commission</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 23/10/2014 17:00:03 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 24061 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	3966 label Biography information for Ian Murray

99776

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Scottish Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he last reviewed the adequacy of prior investigations in connection with the nature of the warranties sold by Scottish Power to its customers between 1980 and 1999 and any potential losses suffered by such customers.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Mr William Bain
uin	211060
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>It is not the policy of the Secretary of State to announce or comment on confidential enquiries conducted using powers contained in the Companies Acts.</p><p>However, the Secretary of State has recently received further information regarding the Extended Warranty schemes sold by Scottish Power between 1997 and 2001 from the liquidators of two companies involved in administering the schemes. Officials are currently reviewing this information together with the conclusions of an earlier investigation to determine what further action, if any, is appropriate.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:06:40 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1610 label Biography information for Mr William Bain

99777

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Arms Trade: Exports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his Department's policy is on reviewing export licences to a country where defence equipment supplied by UK firms has previously been used for internal repression.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	211054
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>The UK aims to operate one of the most rigorous and transparent export control systems in the world. All export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account all prevailing circumstances at the time of application. In particular, Criterion Two concerns the ‘respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law’. The Government will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Export licences are kept under review in the light of changing international circumstances. A cross-government mechanism can suspend or revoke extant licences when a changing situation, such as an outbreak of conflict or acts of internal repression, means the licence would no longer be consistent with the Consolidated Criteria.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 24/10/2014 06:57:14 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 24060 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

99778

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Scottish Power
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 reopen the enquiry into the nature of the warranties sold by Scottish Power to its customers between 1980 and 1999 and any potential losses suffered by such customers.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Mr William Bain
uin	211059
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has recently received further information regarding the Extended Warranty schemes sold by Scottish Power between 1997 and 2001 from the liquidators of two companies involved in administering the schemes. Officials are currently reviewing this information together with the conclusions of an earlier investigation to determine what further action, if any, is appropriate, within the limits of his powers of investigation under the Companies Acts.</p><p> </p><p>The liquidators have also notified other regulators who may have an interest in this matter and who will be considering their own courses of action.</p><p> </p><p>It should be noted that any decision whether or not to commence an investigation using s447 Companies Act 1986 is confidential and the existence or otherwise of such an investigation will not be announced or commented on.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:09:30 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1610 label Biography information for Mr William Bain

99779

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Interest Rate Hedging Products
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 discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the interest rate swap redress scheme.
tabling member constituency	Aberconwy
tabling member printed	Guto Bebb
uin	211066
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>We have asked the Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for an assurance that redress offers which take the form of a substitute hedging product are only being offered where it is fair and reasonable to do so. In response, the FCA has said that robust oversight and challenge processes are in place to ensure that this is the case and that a replacement product offer can only be made if an independent reviewer is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to support the decision.</p><p>In addition, my officials liaise regularly with the FCA to draw the regulator’s attention to swaps redress cases that have been raised with the department where we think this is justified.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 27/10/2014 14:15:56 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	3910 label Biography information for Guto Bebb