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170297

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2014
	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	Scottish Power
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he received reports from the MacDonald Partnership in relation to mis-sold Scottish Power Power Plan warranties; what the titles of such reports were; and when he plans to respond to those reports.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	218595
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>The initial report from Mr MacDonald was received on 17 July 2014 for review by the Insolvency Service. Further information including another more detailed report was received from him during September and October 2014, and these again have been reviewed by the Insolvency Service. The reports are confidential.</p><p> </p><p>The reports themselves do not require a direct response but I can confirm that the Insolvency Service has completed its review of this material and is in communication with Mr MacDonald.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 17/12/2014 11:11:20 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

114569

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2014
	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	Young People: Training
	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 take steps to ensure that EU and UK funding programmes aimed at increasing young people's skills prioritise interpersonal skills known to be highly valued by employers.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
	uin	213502
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>Our mainstream vocational education programmes in England are designed to equip people with the wide range of vocational and generic skills that employers need:</p><p> </p><p>• Employers are in the driving seat of new apprenticeships – by designing frameworks and standards so that they contain the elements, and young people are equipped with the skills, that employers need.</p><p> </p><p>• Work experience and employability skills are key elements of traineeships which are designed for those who are motivated to work but lack the necessary skills, behaviours and experience.</p><p> </p><p>• Projects under the Employer Ownership Pilot cover a wide range of training provision led by employers. Many of these training areas will cover interpersonal skills as it is ultimately for employers to decide which areas of training they value and are of most importance.</p><p> </p><p>• Ofsted inspection of vocational education provision includes consideration of employability skills.</p><p> </p><p>One of the main priorities of the new European Social Fund (ESF) programme for 2014-2020 is to develop the skills of the potential and existing workforce, with special emphasis on helping young people. There will be particular focus on reducing the relatively high proportion of people with low levels of qualifications/skills and developing those skills, including interpersonal skills which have been identified by employers as meeting their needs.</p><p> </p><p>Young people are being given better support to get ready for employment through the Department for Education’s 16-19 Study Programmes. These focus on exactly the areas that employers say matter, such as employability skills and work experience, and under which schools and colleges could chose to prioritise activity which relates to inter-personal skills.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 17/11/2014 11:53:30 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

114735

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2014
	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	World Expo: Italy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress he has made on (a) sponsors for, (b) exhibitors and (c) construction of the UK Pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Islwyn
	tabling member printed	Chris Evans
	uin	213636
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2014 answer text <p>UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is in discussion with a number of potential sponsors, and will announce sponsorships as they are contractually confirmed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>UK companies will be offered a range of opportunities to promote their products, services and expertise; at the UK Pavilion; in the centre of Milan as part of a global business programme; and as part of the wider campaign ‘Grown In Britain’ which will be delivered internationally through UKTI/Foreign &amp; Commonwealth Office global networks.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Construction is proceeding according to timetable. The Expo organisers handed over the UK lot on 28 October 2014. The foundations of our Pavilion are complete. The manufacture of prefabricated elements of the Pavilion has begun in York. Construction on-site in Milan will begin imminently.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 14/11/2014 14:49:21 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	4040 label Biography information for Chris Evans

166454

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2014
	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	Window Blinds: Safety
	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 children under the age of three died from entanglement in looped blind cords in the UK in (a) 2012 and (b) 2013.
	tabling member constituency	Ochil and South Perthshire
	tabling member printed	Gordon Banks
	uin	216237
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>The latest figures available from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents are that there were three reported deaths in 2012, and two reported deaths in 2013 of children under the age of three from entanglement in looped blind cords.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 01/12/2014 10:08:45 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1589 label Biography information for Gordon Banks

165869

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	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	Water
	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 reduce water (a) usage and (b) bills in his Department; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
	tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
	uin	215952
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), including 9 arm-lengths bodies, has a baseline for water use of 283,495m<sup>3 </sup>across the estate. In April 2014 the Department achieved a 45% reduction compared to the baseline.</p><p> </p><p>One method for reducing water consumption since April 2014 has been to install waterless urinals throughout the building at 1 Victoria Street. In addition to this, BIS has also reduced flush capacity by 3 litres so far in year 2014/15.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is aiming to build on the current reduction by the end of year 2014/15 and we anticipate that the decrease in water usage by BIS will equate to a significant financial saving.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 02/12/2014 17:35:35 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

166675

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2014
	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	Warships: Export Controls
	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 export licences his Department has issued for the supply of military equipment for incorporation into the Vladivostok Mistral-class amphibious assault ship.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	216432
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2014 answer text <p>Eleven licences were granted for the supply of military equipment for incorporation into a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship. The goods licences were granted for as follows:</p><p> </p><p>components for military communications equipment, military communications equipment, software for military communications equipment, technology for military communications equipment, components for military auxiliary/support vessels, technology for military auxiliary/support vessels, components for military guidance/navigation equipment, equipment for the use of military guidance/navigation equipment, components for combat naval vessels, components for military radars, general naval vessel components.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is not clear whether the components were for the Vladivostok, or the second Mistral-class amphibious assault ship being built in France on behalf of the Russian Navy.</p><p> </p><p>Granting of licenses has been suspended.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 10/12/2014 15:32:16 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

101302

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2014
	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 UK Trade and Investment were allocated to the video games sector in each of the last three years; and what proportion of the total funding from UK Trade and Investment that represented in each such year.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Wavertree
	tabling member printed	Luciana Berger
	uin	212362
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) works with the video games sector, to support exports and attract inward investment. A new international strategy for the Creative Industries has been co-produced with the sector, and there is a joint commitment to its implementation. For example UKTI and the UKIE worked together to deliver the Digital Gaming event at the International Festival of Business in Liverpool in July this year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>UKTI supports sectorally-focused groups, including those from the games sector, through both the Trade Access Programme (TAP) and through the Events and Missions Programme. The amount allocated specifically to the video games sector under these two programmes are shown in the table below together with a figure which gives the value as a percentage of programme expenditure as a whole (across all sectors). In addition, video games companies enjoy the support of UKTI through general services available to all companies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2011-12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total TAP Support for Video Games Sector</p></td><td><p><strong>£53,400</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£68,560</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£220,100</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>% of Total TAP Funding</p></td><td><p><strong>0.80%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0.80%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1.40%</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Video Games Events &amp; Missions Spend</p></td><td><p><strong>£69,000</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£0</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£25,000</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>% of Total Events and Missions Spend</p></td><td><p><strong>0.82%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>n/a</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>0.18%</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 10/11/2014 11:47:46 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 25810 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	4036 label Biography information for Luciana Berger

100841

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2014
	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 Trade and Investment
	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 UK Trade and Investment staff worked in each of the industrial sectors on 1 April 2014; and what the budget for each such sector is in 2014-15.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
	uin	211850
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) works in line with the Government’s Industrial Strategy. The whole UKTI network works predominantly in these priority sectors to support UK exporters and attract foreign direct investment to the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the number of civil service staff working in our core sector teams in our HQ, and the budget allocated to each team[1].</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>Staff</p></td><td><p>Budget, £m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Advanced Manufacturing</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>1.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UKTI Agri-Tech Organisation</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UKTI Automotive Investment Organisation</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Construction</p></td><td><p>10.5</p></td><td><p>1.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Consumer &amp; Retail</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>2.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Creative Industries &amp; Global Sports</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>2.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UKTI Education</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>1.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Energy</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>2.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UKTI Financial Services Organisation</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>2.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Healthcare UK</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>1.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Information Economy</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>3.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Innovation Gateway</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UKTI Life Science Organisation</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>2.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UKTI Offshore Wind Investment Organisation</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UKTI DSO</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>10.5</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] This core resource is supplemented by specialist contractors, sector teams in our global network, and our trade advisors in the English regions. The core budget is supplemented by funding for cross-cutting activity including trade fairs and missions, marketing, and the services provided by our 430 Trade Advisors in the English regions to help UK companies export to new markets.</p><p>It should be noted that UKTI DSO operates as a separate unit, whereas the other UKTI sector teams utilise more shared resource in addition to the numbers tabled below.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 11/11/2014 15:17:07 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

100081

	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 line of credit facility have been small and medium-sized enterprises in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
	tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
	uin	211318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>Exporters do not apply for lines of credit. Lines of credit are umbrella buyer credit facilities put in place at the request of an overseas buyer to purchase goods and services from a number of UK exporters.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 06/11/2014 16:00:10 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

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