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147349

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the investor-state dispute settlement system in the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will not be dealt with by United Kingdom courts.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
uin	HL2753
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2014 answer text The Transatlantic Trade and Investment partnership (TTIP) will be an agreement with 28 EU countries and the US. In the case of the UK, it has over 90 existing bilateral investment treaties with other countries across the world, UK domestic courts and the UK legal system remain the main route for resolving the overwhelming majority of disputes that foreign investors may have with the actions of the UK Government. Investment protection provisions and Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) clauses in trade and investment treaties are nonetheless valued by investors for providing certainty and protection from discriminatory action by host governments. Well-formulated investment protection and ISDS provisions have the potential to encourage investment while placing effective safeguards on the Government’s ability to regulate in the public interest. The Government believes it is in the UK's interest to create modern investment provisions in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) to both encourage investment and create a potential model for future trade and investment agreements with other countries. As such, we would want the ISDS mechanism in TTIP to be in line with best practice, including the new The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Rules on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration. answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 19/11/2014 12:33:40 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
tabling member	4297 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

147352

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	Copyright
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their reasons for proposing an extended three-year transition period from April 2015 for the implementation of section 74 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, in the light of the current extent of counterfeiting.
tabling member printed	Lord Clement-Jones
uin	HL2756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2014 answer text The Government’s reasons for proposing a three-year transition period for implementing s74 Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 are set out in its recent consultation which concluded on 27 October 2014 (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transitional-provisions-for-the-repeal-of-section-52-of-the-cdpa). This does not represent an extended transition period but the Government’s provisional judgement as to the shortest reasonable period, taking into account the needs of both right owners and those using the current law to trade lawfully. The Government is considering the evidence it received and will make its decision on transitional provisions in the light of this. Current items made under the aegis of s52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 would not be considered counterfeits. Counterfeit products (i.e. goods which falsely carry the trade mark of a genuine brand without permission) are already subject to legal sanction under separate trade mark legislation. answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 21/11/2014 13:06:54 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	3396 label Biography information for Lord Clement-Jones

147375

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	European Union
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 24 October (HL2132), whether there are any similar investment protection treaties between the European Union and other countries.
tabling member printed	Lord Ashcroft
uin	HL2779
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2014 answer text <p>A large number of EU treaties offer some level of protection to investors or investment. All of these are publically available and can be found on the EUR-lex database of law at <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/" target="_blank">http://eur-lex.europa.eu</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 24/11/2014 13:31:16 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
tabling member	2568 label Biography information for Lord Ashcroft

147414

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	Apprentices: Risk Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what risk assessments employers taking on apprentices are required to undertake.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	213983
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government does not direct employers to undertake risk assessments for the recruitment of apprentices. Employers are required to follow their own employment practices in the same way as they would for the recruitment of any other employee.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 17/11/2014 14:58:10 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

147415

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	Riot Control Weapons: Hong Kong
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which companies have received licences for the export of tear gas to Hong Kong since January 2010.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	213989
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>Seven licences have been granted to four companies for the export of tear gas for Hong Kong since 2010.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The names of the companies who were granted these licences are exempt from disclosure because this information was provided in confidence and such information is commercially sensitive.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>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> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 17/11/2014 15:34:00 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

147416

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	Overseas Trade: Russia
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 cost to UK businesses of sanctions currently in operation on trade with Russia.
tabling member constituency	Oxford East
tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Smith
uin	214046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p>UK businesses exposure to sanctions has been relatively limited so far, although it is too early to be able to estimate the full impact of sanctions on UK businesses. UK businesses involved in the finance, energy and defence sectors in particular are facing various export restrictions, whilst some agricultural and food producers have been affected by Russia’s retaliatory measures. The Government is maintaining a close dialogue with affected companies and industry bodies.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 20/11/2014 16:17:48 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	95 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Smith

147417

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	New Businesses: Harlow
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 new businesses were started in the Harlow constituency in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	214048
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>BankSearch collates data on the number of new business bank accounts opened in Great Britain. This can be used as an indicative measure of business start-up activity and is the most comprehensive source available to the Department. Data goes as far back as 2008.</p><p>The estimated number of business start-ups (rounded) in the Harlow constituency for the years 2008 to 2013 are shown in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Total estimated number of business start-ups in the Harlow constituency</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>590</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>640</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>770</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>670</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Source: BankSearch, based on the number of new business bank accounts opened.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 17/11/2014 11:15:33 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

147418

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	Care Workers: 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 contribution of 5 November 2014 by the Minister of State in his Department, Official Report, column 240WH, on care workers, when the themed work on minimum wage enforcement in the care sector will start.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	213960
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2014 answer text <p>We are considering how further targeted enforcement in the care sector may be undertaken as part of our annual review of HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) service level agreement for national minimum wage enforcement, taking account of the Minister of State for Care and Support’s views that this sector should be prioritised. This service level agreement sets out priority areas for enforcement activity.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to targeted enforcement activity, HMRC respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should call the helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p><p>In relation to the last targeted enforcement activity, HMRC published findings on 25 November 2013. Over the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013, HMRC had made enquiries into 224 employers in the social care sector. Of the cases completed by the end of September 2014, HMRC have found non-compliance in 108 (48%) of their enquiries, identifying £1,319,729 arrears of pay for 6,550 workers, with penalties issued with a total value of £146,931.</p><p> </p><p>As part of this targeted enforcement activity, HMRC have collaborated with care sector representative bodies to improve understanding of compliance risks and design controls within payroll systems that prevent workers being underpaid the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health has recently published statutory guidance for local authorities as part of the package of secondary legislation that accompanies the Care Act. The chapter of statutory guidance on commissioning and market shaping explicitly states that local authorities should have evidence that contract terms, conditions and fee levels will not compromise care providers’ ability to pay at least minimum wages.</p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health is asking all Local Authorities to sign up to the Social Care Commitment which incorporates a statement about employer compliance with minimum wage legislation. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has written out to all its members encouraging them to support the Commitment as a way of raising standards in adult social care.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 19/11/2014 15:05:49 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

147419

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	Procurement
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 contracts signed by his Department with suppliers of services or consultants include a clause providing that if the contract is abrogated by the Government, the provider or consultant will be compensated for lost income since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Great Grimsby
tabling member printed	Austin Mitchell
uin	214000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p>The maintenance of central records of all contracts let by the Department commenced from August 2012. Therefore, I can provide information on contracts let in the period August 2012 to date only.</p><p> </p><p>No contracts put in place for the Department using UK SBS terms and conditions include provision for compensation for lost income in the event of abrogation by the customer. Indeed, UK SBS terms and conditions include clauses specifically excluding such activity. Where the Department’s needs have been met through the use of Crown Commercial Service frameworks, the terms and conditions applied will be those required by the respective framework.</p><p> </p><p>The Department’s contract opportunities with a value greater than £10,000 and all contracts subsequently awarded are published on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder" target="_blank">Contracts Finder</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 20/11/2014 15:47:11 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	372 label Biography information for Austin Mitchell

147420

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	SAFERjobs
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 4 November 2014 to Question 212650, how many potential cases of human trafficking have been intercepted by SAFERjobs in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	213967
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>SAFERjobs is not part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and we do not hold information on potential cases of human trafficking that may have been intercepted by SAFERjobs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>SAFERjobs (Safe Advice for Employment and Recruitment) SAFERjobs is a non-profit, joint industry and law enforcement organisation set up to raise awareness and combat criminal activities that may be attempted on those seeking a job, or through the services provided by the recruitment industry.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 17/11/2014 11:17:26 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield