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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

99948

	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	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, what recent steps he has taken to ensure employer compliance with minimum wage legislation.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
	uin	211009
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Individuals who are entitled to the National Minimum Wage should receive it and we are committed to taking the steps necessary to improve compliance; ensuring employers understand their responsibilities and workers know their rights, and ensuring robust enforcement of the law.</p><p>Detailed guidance, including how to calculate the minimum wage, is available on the gov.uk website. Confidential advice is also available for both workers and employers through the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. Any worker who is concerned that they have not been paid what they are legally entitled to or who wants to make a complaint, should call the helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p><p>We have taken a number of steps to strengthen enforcement activity. This year, HMRC’s enforcement budget has increased by £1.2million to £9.2 million. This extra funding will enable HMRC to increase the number of National Minimum Wage compliance officers who, as well as continuing to respond to every complaint, will also undertake targeted enforcement, focusing on the worst offending employers in the highest-risk sectors.</p><p>Employers who are found to have broken the law face substantially higher penalties. We increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid wages owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. The increase came into effect on 7 March 2014. Since revising the Government’s naming scheme, we have also named 30 employers who between them owed over £50,000 in arrears, to provide further incentive to all employers to comply.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:11:14 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

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

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

92442

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2014
	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	Riot Control Weapons: Exports
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, under what circumstances of internal repression or violation of international humanitarian law an export licence for tear gas would be suspended or withdrawn.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
	uin	210001
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and the prevailing circumstances at the time of each application. Criterion 2 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. An export licence would not be granted if there was a clear risk that the goods to be exported might be used for internal repression.</p><p> </p><p>Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts overseas have a standing requirement to monitor developments in human rights and conflicts in their respective countries and to report back if there are any developments that might affect licensing policy. In addition, open source material such as NGO reporting is used to make such assessments.</p><p> </p><p>Licences are revoked on a case-by-case basis if the proposed export is judged to be no longer compatible with the Consolidated Criteria. Existing licences, and the processing of new export licences, may be suspended, again on a case-by-case basis, where the security conditions in the export destination deteriorate to the point that it is not possible to make a judgement as to whether a particular licence remains consistent with the Consolidated Criteria.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 27/10/2014 11:42:25 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

100092

	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	Zero Hours Contracts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to help workers on zero hours contracts who desire regular, contracted employment.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	211362
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Under the Flexible Working Regulations, brought in on 30 June, all employees with 26 continuous weeks of service have the right to request flexible working from their employer. Individuals on zero hours contracts, who are employees, can request a change in their contracts, which could also include a request to move to a fixed hours contract.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:48:39 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

100093

	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	STEM Subjects: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to increase the participation of women in STEM fields.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	211363
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government is backing the three-year Your Life campaign, which aims to increase the number of people participating in a wide range of careers that need skills in science, technology, engineering and maths, particularly women. To date more than 200 organisations have pledged action to the campaign to boost the role of women in STEM fields. A publicity drive to encourage young people, especially girls, aged 14 to 16 to take STEM subjects, will launch in November 2014.</p><p>We fund the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering to run a joint STEM Diversity Programme to understand and address issues of diversity, including gender, in the STEM workforce. Actions include a 10 point plan to ensure that women in science, technology, engineering and manufacturing have the same opportunities to progress in their career as their male counterparts</p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 27/10/2014 15:01:24 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

92445

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2014
	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	Timber
	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 prosecutions the National Measurement Office have brought for offences relating to illegally felled timber in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Basingstoke
	tabling member printed	Maria Miller
	uin	210035
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>This is a matter for the National Measurement Office.</p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 27/10/2014 12:08:36 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark attachment 1 file name Response to Maria Miller PQ 2014 22680.pdf title National Measurement Office response.
	tabling member	1480 label Biography information for Dame Maria Miller

93414

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	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	Asylum: English Language
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance is given to successful asylum seekers who wish to learn English.
	tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
	uin	HL2080
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Refugees recognised by the UK Government, along with their husband, wife, civil partner and children, are eligible for funding to attend an English for Speakers of Other Languages course. The level of funding is determined by existing eligibility rules, which are set out in the Skills Funding Agency’s rules at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287917/Funding_rules_2014_15.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287917/Funding_rules_2014_15.pdf</a>. Education and skills funding is devolved and the eligibility criteria apply to England.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Those isolated by their lack of English can also access pre-entry level English training through the Department for Communities and Local Government’s £6million Community-Based English Language programme, which offers tuition to 24,000 adults most isolated by their lack of English in 29 target areas.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 27/10/2014 16:44:21 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

92991

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2014
	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	Overseas Students
	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 overseas students were studying at each UK university in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014.
	tabling member constituency	Leicester East
	tabling member printed	Keith Vaz
	uin	210184
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Higher Education Statistics Agency collects and publishes data on student enrolments at UK Higher Education Institutions. Statistics on enrolments by country of domicile, mode of study, level of study and institution can be accessed via the following link for the latest available academic years, which are 2011/12 and 2012/13.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/1973/239/" target="_blank">https://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/1973/239/</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information on enrolments at UK Higher Education Institutions in the academic year 2013/14 will become available from Higher Education Statistics Agency in January 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 27/10/2014 14:41:24 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark previous answer version 22387 answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark
	tabling member	338 label Biography information for Keith Vaz