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78339

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Takeovers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions and meetings (a) officials and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with the European Commission on takeovers and public interest tests since 20 April 2014.
tabling member constituency	Streatham
tabling member printed	Mr Chuka Umunna
uin	206299
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>Ministers and officials frequently have conversations with the European Commission on a range of issues. Since 20 April 2014, this issue was discussed at a meeting between officials on 16 May 2014.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 22/07/2014 14:35:15 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4128 label Biography information for Chuka Umunna

78342

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Sunday Trading
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what studies, statistics or other briefings have been commissioned or purchased by his Department on the issue of Sunday trading in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Streatham
tabling member printed	Mr Chuka Umunna
uin	206300
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not commissioned or purchased any studies on the issue of Sunday Trading in the past 12 months.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 22/07/2014 13:24:08 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4128 label Biography information for Chuka Umunna

78344

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Post Boxes
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 number of post boxes that have been decommissioned since the privatisation of Royal Mail.
tabling member constituency	Angus
tabling member printed	Mr Mike Weir
uin	206301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Providing Royal Mail maintains its network of access points in accordance with the framework set by Ofcom, the postal regulator, decisions relating to local post boxes are made on operational grounds by Royal Mail’s management. The company’s decisions are not subject to a consultation procedure though it does have a system of notifying and advising customers where the removal or relocation of a post box is considered necessary.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Following a consultation last year, Ofcom enhanced regulatory protection to cover all UK addresses. This was based on extensive market research to inform its understanding of the reasonable needs of postal users. Royal Mail is now required to ensure that there is a post box within 0.5 miles of at least 98% of delivery points (i.e. addresses) nationally; and for the remaining 2% of delivery points, Royal Mail must provide or procure the provision of access to the universal service by other means (for example, collection on delivery from very remote or isolated locations such as farmhouses) to meet the reasonable needs of users. Ofcom monitors Royal Mail’s national provision of access under this framework.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Royal Mail is currently exceeding the agreed level of provision on a national basis.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 206302 206303 206304 question first answered 22/07/2014 13:45:33 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1384 label Biography information for Mike Weir

78346

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Post Boxes
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 he has made of the adequacy of the procedures for consultation before the decommissioning of post boxes by Royal Mail.
tabling member constituency	Angus
tabling member printed	Mr Mike Weir
uin	206302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Providing Royal Mail maintains its network of access points in accordance with the framework set by Ofcom, the postal regulator, decisions relating to local post boxes are made on operational grounds by Royal Mail’s management. The company’s decisions are not subject to a consultation procedure though it does have a system of notifying and advising customers where the removal or relocation of a post box is considered necessary.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Following a consultation last year, Ofcom enhanced regulatory protection to cover all UK addresses. This was based on extensive market research to inform its understanding of the reasonable needs of postal users. Royal Mail is now required to ensure that there is a post box within 0.5 miles of at least 98% of delivery points (i.e. addresses) nationally; and for the remaining 2% of delivery points, Royal Mail must provide or procure the provision of access to the universal service by other means (for example, collection on delivery from very remote or isolated locations such as farmhouses) to meet the reasonable needs of users. Ofcom monitors Royal Mail’s national provision of access under this framework.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Royal Mail is currently exceeding the agreed level of provision on a national basis.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 206301 206303 206304 question first answered 22/07/2014 13:45:33 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1384 label Biography information for Mike Weir

78348

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Post Boxes
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 make representations to Royal Mail on the need to conduct local consultation prior to the decommissioning of post boxes.
tabling member constituency	Angus
tabling member printed	Mr Mike Weir
uin	206303
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Providing Royal Mail maintains its network of access points in accordance with the framework set by Ofcom, the postal regulator, decisions relating to local post boxes are made on operational grounds by Royal Mail’s management. The company’s decisions are not subject to a consultation procedure though it does have a system of notifying and advising customers where the removal or relocation of a post box is considered necessary.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Following a consultation last year, Ofcom enhanced regulatory protection to cover all UK addresses. This was based on extensive market research to inform its understanding of the reasonable needs of postal users. Royal Mail is now required to ensure that there is a post box within 0.5 miles of at least 98% of delivery points (i.e. addresses) nationally; and for the remaining 2% of delivery points, Royal Mail must provide or procure the provision of access to the universal service by other means (for example, collection on delivery from very remote or isolated locations such as farmhouses) to meet the reasonable needs of users. Ofcom monitors Royal Mail’s national provision of access under this framework.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Royal Mail is currently exceeding the agreed level of provision on a national basis.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 206301 206302 206304 question first answered 22/07/2014 13:45:33 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1384 label Biography information for Mike Weir

78349

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Post Boxes
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 all data he holds on the effect of the decommissioning of post boxes on (a) elderly and (b) disabled people.
tabling member constituency	Angus
tabling member printed	Mr Mike Weir
uin	206304
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Providing Royal Mail maintains its network of access points in accordance with the framework set by Ofcom, the postal regulator, decisions relating to local post boxes are made on operational grounds by Royal Mail’s management. The company’s decisions are not subject to a consultation procedure though it does have a system of notifying and advising customers where the removal or relocation of a post box is considered necessary.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Following a consultation last year, Ofcom enhanced regulatory protection to cover all UK addresses. This was based on extensive market research to inform its understanding of the reasonable needs of postal users. Royal Mail is now required to ensure that there is a post box within 0.5 miles of at least 98% of delivery points (i.e. addresses) nationally; and for the remaining 2% of delivery points, Royal Mail must provide or procure the provision of access to the universal service by other means (for example, collection on delivery from very remote or isolated locations such as farmhouses) to meet the reasonable needs of users. Ofcom monitors Royal Mail’s national provision of access under this framework.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Royal Mail is currently exceeding the agreed level of provision on a national basis.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 206301 206302 206303 question first answered 22/07/2014 13:45:34 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1384 label Biography information for Mike Weir

78356

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Students: Loans
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 policy is on privatising part or all of the Student Loan book before May 2015.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
uin	206295
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>This Government has sold £160 million of mortgage-style student loans on the condition that no terms of the loans can be changed. This follows the previous government’s record of selling £2 billion of mortgage-style student loans. At Autumn Statement 2013 the government committed to selling the pre-Browne Income Contingent Student Loan Book in a number of tranches, with a first sale intended to occur by the end of financial year 2015/16. There are no plans to conduct a sale during this parliament.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 22/07/2014 13:20:28 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark previous answer version 11768 answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark
tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

78357

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Postal Services: Competition
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 he has made of the effect of direct delivery competition on Royal Mail and the sustainability of the universal service obligation.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
uin	206359
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament established Ofcom, as an independent regulator for postal services, and gave them the primary duty to secure the ongoing provision of the universal service in the United Kingdom. To this end Ofcom must have regard for the financial sustainability of the universal service and has the powers to intervene if the provision of the universal service is ever at risk.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has put in place an ongoing and forward looking monitoring regime to closely track any potential impacts of postal competition on the provision of the universal service in the UK. Ofcom is committed to carrying out a full review on end-to-end competition next year, though it has made very clear that it would carry out an earlier review if market developments dictated the need to do so. At the present time, end-to-end competition accounts for less than 0.5% of letter volumes in the United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 21/07/2014 14:00:44 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

78358

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Royal Mail
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Answer of 9 April 2014, Official Report, column 292W, on Royal Mail, by what date he expects to make a decision on whether a discretionary payment will be made; and whether he expects this decision to be made after the report of Lord Myners on the privatisation of Royal Mail has been submitted.
tabling member constituency	Streatham
tabling member printed	Mr Chuka Umunna
uin	206362
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>No decision has been made about the payment of the discretionary element of the fee and we have not set a timetable for making the decision. We will consider a number of factors when deciding whether to award this.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 22/07/2014 14:54:53 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	4128 label Biography information for Chuka Umunna

78360

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Billing
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 suppliers to his Department have been paid within the time specified on their invoice in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
uin	206340
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><strong>Final Approved answer to 15933</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The prompt payment of supplier invoices is very important to the Department and we aim to pay all supplier invoices as quickly as possible to meet the Government’s aim of ensuring that at least 80% of supplier invoices are paid within 5 working days. This goes beyond the Department’s standard payment terms and conditions that requires payment of a correctly submitted supplier invoice within 30 calendar days of receipt. The Department’s achievement over the last three years goes well beyond the aim and in doing so the vast majority of supplier invoices are paid within the standard time period. The detail of payment within 5 working days and standard 30 calendar days over the last three financial years is as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>F/Yr</p></td><td><p>% Paid in 5 Working Days</p></td><td><p>% Paid in 30 Calendar Days</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>11/12</p></td><td><p>95%</p></td><td><p>99.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12/13</p></td><td><p>94.8%</p></td><td><p>99.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>13/14</p></td><td><p>97.7%</p></td><td><p>99.1%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 21/07/2014 13:44:41 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin