Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed question first answered question first ministerially corrected answering member label attachment file name title previous answer version answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

420561

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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 Membership of EU
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the result of the Federation of Small Businesses poll showing that 47 per cent of small businesses would vote to stay in the European Union.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2536
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2015 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU. The reforms we have in mind will benefit business and investment, and we know that many businesses are supportive of them. As the Prime Minister made clear in his Bloomberg speech, this is about providing the certainty and reform that businesses have asked for.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis. Many of the reforms we have in mind will benefit business and investment, and we know that many businesses are supportive of them. As the Prime Minister made clear in his Bloomberg speech, this is about providing the certainty and reform that businesses have asked for.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"></ins></p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 26/10/2015 14:59:34 question first ministerially corrected 02/11/2015 11:52:17 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe previous answer version 25636 answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

420562

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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: Taxation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the concerns expressed by the Confederation of Business Industry and the EEF manufacturing organisation in response to the consultation on their proposals to introduce apprenticeships levy, whether further discussions on the proposal are taking place.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2537
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2015 answer text <p>We have a continuous dialogue with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and EEF (Engineering Employers' Federation) as major representative organisations and we will have further discussions with them, and many others, on the levy.</p><p>The public consultation on the Apprenticeship Levy closed on 2 October 2015 and the Department of Business Innovation and Skills are analysing the consultation responses, including those of the CBI and EEF.</p><br /> <br /> <br /> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 26/10/2015 14:57:59 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

420564

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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	Productivity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of figures from the Office for National Statistics on the United Kingdom's productivity as compared to other G7 countries, what steps are being taken to increase productivity.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2539
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2015 answer text <p>Closing the productivity gap represents a real opportunity for the UK to raise its living standards. In July the Chancellor published “Fixing the Foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation”. This report outlines a number of policies designed to improve UK productivity over the course of this parliament.</p><br /><p>Key new measures in the government’s productivity plan include:</p><br /><ul><li>A <strong>reformed planning system</strong>, with streamlined ‘zonal’ system for brownfield sites, and measures to ensure more land is made available for house building;</li></ul><br /><ul><li><strong>Simplifying and streamlining further education</strong> qualifications and inviting local areas to participate in the reshaping and commissioning of local provision;</li></ul><br /><ul><li>A <strong>network of prestigious Institutes of Technology</strong>, focused on delivering the higher level skills employers demand;</li></ul><br /><ul><li>Measures to <strong>sharpen incentives for providing outstanding teaching</strong> <strong>to university students</strong> and to <strong>open the higher education market to more new entrants;</strong></li></ul><br /><ul><li>A <strong>Digital Transformation Plan</strong> to support the adoption of digital technologies across the economy;</li></ul><br /><ul><li>A joint FCA/PRA <strong>New Bank Unit</strong> to promote competition in banking; and</li></ul><br /><ul><li>Building <strong>stronger trading links with emerging markets</strong>, and mobilising the whole of government behind exporting.</li></ul><br /> <br /><p>These policies build on the productivity improving measures announced in the Summer Budget, examples of which include:</p><br /><ul><li><strong>Cutting the UK’s Corporation Tax</strong> rate to 18%, the lowest in the G20;</li></ul><br /><ul><li>Setting the <strong>Annual Investment Allowance at its highest ever permanent level</strong>;</li></ul><br /><ul><li>Creating a <strong>Roads Fund</strong> through reforming Vehicle Excise Duty for new cars;</li></ul><br /><ul><li><strong>Funding new apprenticeships through a lev</strong>y on large employers, which will ensure that those who prioritise training get more out than they put in;</li></ul><br /><ul><li>Putting higher education funding on a more sustainable footing, with <strong>maintenance loans replacing grants</strong>;</li></ul><br /><ul><li><strong>Building a Northern Powerhouse</strong> and ensuring the productive potential of all parts of the UK is realised; and</li></ul><br /><ul><li><strong>Reforming Network Rail</strong> to ensure it can deliver a faster, more reliable and more efficient railway.</li></ul><br /> <br /><p>“Fixing the Foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation” can be found on the GOV.UK website, which is attached.</p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 23/10/2015 12:00:44 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe attachment 1 file name Productivity_Plan_print.pdf title Productivity Plan
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

418599

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
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	Construction: Equality
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage diversity in the construction and property sectors.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2191
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2015 answer text <p>The Government is working to improve the diversity and inclusiveness of the construction sector through the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). Actions include a new CLC led image and recruitment campaign for the sector, the CITB Fairness Inclusion and Respect initiative and CITB’s work with <em>Be Onsite</em>. More widely we have encouraged industry participation in wider initiatives such as <em>Your Life</em> and <em>Think, Act, Report</em>.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 23/09/2015 16:11:24 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

418600

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
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	Directors: Ethnic Groups
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase the number of board members from ethnic minorities.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2192
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/09/2015 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>We believe it is the best interests of business to tap into the richest and widest talent pool.</p><p> </p><p>There are no current plans for any Government led activity to increase the number of board members from ethnic minorities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 25/09/2015 12:28:46 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

418601

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
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	Local Enterprise Partnerships
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to make local enterprise partnerships more accountable, without duplicating the work of local authorities.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2193
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2015 answer text <p>· LEPs are strategic partnerships made up of business, local authority leaders, and other public sector partners.</p><p> </p><p>· They are accountable for decisions they make, with democratic accountability provided through the local authority leader representation, and financial accountability through each LEP’s accountable local authority, which receive funds on behalf of their LEP.</p><p> </p><p>· To ensure basic accountability standards are upheld, Government has established a set of clear national standards and principles which are set out in the published Accountability Systems Statement for the local growth fund, and the underpinning LEP assurance framework. These standards are broadly equivalent to much of what we expect of local government, building on, rather than duplicating the existing local government framework set out in the Accountability Systems Statement for Local Government and for Fire and Rescue Authorities.</p><p> </p><p>· In line with this national framework, LEPs and their accountable local authorities have put in place local decision making systems to ensure funds are spent with regularity, propriety and value for money. These arrangements are published in each LEP’s own local assurance framework.</p><p> </p><p>· In parallel Government has also developed a coherent approach to the monitoring and evaluation of Growth Deals which LEPs are responsible for. LEPs will report against a range of data on inputs, outputs and outcomes providing clarity to Government and the public about what LEPs have delivered with their Local Growth Fund resources.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 28/09/2015 17:24:37 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

418602

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
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	Small Businesses: Stress
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the findings of the recent survey by insurance provider Simply Business, how they plan to support small business owners who have fallen ill due to stress and overwork.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2194
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2015 answer text <p>We understand the pressures faced by small business owners. This year we launched Fit for Work. While primarily aimed at helping employers with employees who are facing long term sickness absence, the self-employed can access free, impartial work related health advice through the advice element of the scheme. Fit for Work is a free service which provides both a supportive occupational health assessment and general health and work advice to employees, employers and General Practitioners (GPs), to help individuals stay in or return to work.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to making it easier for small business owners to run their business. We are helping small businesses access the finance they need to startup and grow with British Business Bank programmes already supporting £2.3 billion of finance to 40,000 smaller businesses. Small businesses have less regulation to follow, with savings to businesses of £10bn of red tape in the last Parliament, and have better access to business advice and support through GREATbusiness.gov.uk. The ‘My Business Support Tool’ helps businesses find the support they need quickly, and businesses can speak to or webchat with a helpline adviser direct using our Business Support helpline. Going forward, we have announced a new Small Business Commissioner to help small businesses to settle disputes and challenge unfair payment terms.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 28/09/2015 17:33:02 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

418194

registered interest
date	10/09/2015
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	Sunday Trading
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the statement from the Association of Convenience Stores that longer trading hours on Sundays would harm small retailers.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2165
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2015 answer text <p>Devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours will enable local areas to determine the Sunday trading hours that best reflects the needs of local people, providing greater choice over when and where they shop. There are many reasons why people may continue to choose small retailers. They offer a diverse range of products and services from convenient locations. This is one of the reasons why the convenience stores sector last year saw the opening of two new stores a day and growth in turnover of 5%.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 22/09/2015 13:12:14 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

418195

registered interest
date	10/09/2015
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	Small Businesses: Competition
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to support small businesses through changes to competition law.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2166
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2015 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>Through the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 and the establishment of the Competition and Markets Authority, we have ensured that businesses of all sizes, including small businesses, benefit from a simpler competition regime designed to provide greater certainty and improve the speed of decisions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition, when our reforms of private actions for competition damages and the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) rules come into force on 1 October they will assist small businesses who currently find it too costly to seek compensation for breaches of competition law. These include a cost-capped ‘fast track’ procedure to enable small businesses to challenge anti-competitive behaviour, and voluntary redress schemes to encourage faster, easier access to redress.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 23/09/2015 15:56:03 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

418196

registered interest
date	10/09/2015
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	Commodity Markets
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the 30 per cent drop in Anglo American PLC's profit, whether they are taking part in any discussions about the health of the United Kingdom commodity market.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL2167
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/09/2015 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Government has made no contact with Anglo American PLC, and no discussions have taken place about the health of the UK commodity market.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Conditions in the global commodity market remain challenging across all sectors, chiefly the result of the on-going glut in oil supply, the prospect of further capacity coming on stream from Iran and Iraq and continuing uncertainty regarding China’s economic prospects. BIS monitors metals markets, but responsibility for specific commodity markets is spread across different departments.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 25/09/2015 12:28:13 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick