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1130855

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Technology: New Businesses
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to continue to increase the number of UK technology business start-ups after Brexit.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL16222
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <p>We are confident the digital technology sector and its startup community will continue to go from strength to strength. As outlined in our Digital Strategy and Charter, our ambition is to ensure the UK is the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business - and that ambition remains after we leave the EU. Tech Nation and Dealroom have released figures showing that investment in UK tech reached £6.8 billion ($8.7bn) last year and has already reached £3.8 billion ($4.8bn) in the first half of 2019, showing that the UK tech ecosystem is still world-leading and remains in a strong position.</p><p>Through our extensive engagement with the sector, we understand that the primary barriers to growth for startups are having adequate access to both finance and talent. That is why for finance, Government announced a new £2.5 billion British Patient Capital programme, which is expected to attract a further £5 billion in private investment, in order to support UK companies with high growth potential to access the long-term investment they need to grow and go global.</p><p>To continue to attract international talent, we have doubled the number of Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visas to 2,000, and taken doctors and nurses out of the Tier 2 visa cap, freeing up many more skilled worker visas to other sectors, including tech. At the end of March this year, Home Office launched the new Start-Up and Innovator visa routes for entrepreneurs, which will replace a route exclusively for graduates, opening it up to other talented business founders.</p><p>In the Autumn Budget 2017 we also announced investment of £21 million to expand Tech City UK into a nationwide network – Tech Nation – aimed at accelerating the growth of the digital tech sector across the country. The funding will help Tech Nation support 40,000 entrepreneurs and up to 4,000 start-ups as they scale their businesses across the UK including Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Newcastle. And at London Tech Week last week, the PM launched a study into tech competitiveness - this will identify key opportunities and support mechanisms for business growth in the digital tech sector.</p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 24/06/2019 11:33:17 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1130867

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Homelessness
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recent research by St Mungo’s and Homeless Link showing reductions in local authority funding and in spending on homelessness between 2008-09 and 2017-18 and and an increase in rough sleeping since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	262413
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>This Government is clear that nobody should be without a roof over their head. That is why we have committed to ending rough sleeping for good, with the aim of halving it by 2022.</p><p>Last summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy. This sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all. The Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period.</p><p>We are giving serious consideration to the findings of the report from St Mungo’s and Homeless Link. Housing-related support services are a local government responsibility. To deepen our understanding, we are undertaking a review of housing-related support services in order to build a comprehensive picture of current arrangements and how support and housing fit together.</p><p>We also know that we need to build more social homes, which will help us to achieve our goal of preventing homelessness. The Government has made £9 billion available through the Affordable Homes Programme to March 2022, to deliver 250,000 new affordable homes of a wide range of tenures - including social rent. The expanded programme will provide homes to meet the housing needs of a range of people in different circumstances and different housing markets – building the right homes in the right places.</p><p>We understand the importance of giving local areas security around funding. The Chancellor has said that there will be a spending review this year. Decisions about the future of homelessness funding, along with all other government funding, will be made at this point. Ministers have made clear that homelessness and rough sleeping are a key priority for this Government. We are working with other government departments to assess what more can be done to combat rough sleeping and wider homelessness. This work is being overseen by the Ministerial Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce and will be an important part of our preparations for the forthcoming Spending Review.</p><p>While there is more work to be done in this area, there are some positive developments which I would like to point to. For the first time since 2010, the annual rough sleeping statistics saw a decrease in the number of those sleeping rough. Whilst only 2 per cent, this is in the face of average yearly increases of nearly 16 per cent. The annual rough sleeping statistics also showed a 19 per cent decrease in the number of those sleeping rough amongst the 83 local authorities that were part of the first phase of our Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) in comparison with 2017. We are currently carrying out an evaluation of the impact of our RSI, that will help to determine what effect our funding has had on reducing numbers of rough sleepers</p><p><br>In its first year, RSI funding provided over 1,750 new bed spaces and 500 staff across the country. This year we have expanded the initiative with an investment of £46 million providing funding for an estimated 2,600 bed spaces and 750 staff. £12 million of this is for areas new to the programme, bringing the total authorities funded to 246.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 17/06/2019 16:10:55 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1130868

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Educational Exchanges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department provides to EU universities wanting to send non-EU students to UK universities on exchange programmes.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	262364
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>The terms of international exchanges are the responsibility of individual higher education institutions. The main exchange programme supported through public funding in the UK is Erasmus+, a European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport, which provides funding for both EU and non-EU students to come to UK universities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 13/06/2019 16:03:57 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1130870

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Anaerobic Digestion: Biofuels
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth of 16 October 2019, Official Report column 498, what progress the Government has made on reviewing the use of anaerobic digesters and the sustainable sourcing of biofuels.
tabling member constituency	Gordon
tabling member printed	Colin Clark
uin	262415
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>The Committee on Climate Change published their report on ‘Biomass in a low carbon economy’ in November 2018. The report was a significant contribution to the evidence base and will inform future policy development on renewable energy, including the use of anaerobic digesters and sustainability criteria for biomass.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 17/06/2019 12:31:08 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
tabling member	4650 label Biography information for Colin Clark

1130877

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the allocation of revenues from the Immigration Skills Charge in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	262354
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2019 answer text <p>In 2017-18, income from the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) contributed £75 million to the department’s skills budget.</p><p>While the income raised is not additional funding for skills, the ISC is helping to maintain the department’s existing skills budget and existing level of investment in skills in England. As such, it is not possible to provide a breakdown of how the department’s ISC allocation is spent.</p><p>The ISC ensures that we can continue to invest in developing the skills that the country needs and also addresses skills gaps in the workforce. Similarly, it helps to maintain funding levels for each of the devolved administrations.</p><p>My letter of 17 January 2019 to the chairs of the Education and Home Affairs committees about the ISC, has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and is available to view at the following link: <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/" target="_blank">www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/</a>.</p><p>An internal review of the ISC, based on Home Office data, was undertaken in the second quarter of 2018. We continue to keep this policy under review.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton grouped question UIN 262355 question first answered 14/06/2019 12:49:59 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton previous answer version 122726 answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130881

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Workplace Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy that Independent Governance Committees attached to contract-based workplace pensions have a duty to monitor the suitability of the retail fund choices available to scheme members.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	262256
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced rules in 2015 to require contract-based pension providers to set up independent governance committees (IGCs) to address poor consumer outcomes.</p><p>IGCs have a duty to scrutinise the value for money of the provider’s workplace personal pension schemes, taking into account transaction costs, raising concerns and making recommendations to the provider’s board as appropriate. IGCs have a duty to assess whether all the investment choices available, including default options, are suitable for the interests of consumers.</p><p>In 2016, the FCA reviewed IGCs and found that they were “generally effective” in influencing and advancing cost reductions for members. The review also found that the Independent Project Board’s work in auditing high legacy charges and implementing IGCs had been successful. As a result, a substantial majority of consumers received improved outcomes regarding costs and charges, with 1m consumers receiving reduced costs and charges.</p><p>The FCA has announced that it will undertake a further review of IGCs in 2019/20.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen grouped question UIN 262255 262257 question first answered 13/06/2019 13:34:39 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1130884

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Compassionate Leave
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of providing a statutory entitlement to up to 10 days paid care leave.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	262228
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the challenges of balancing work and care. Improving support for carers to do so is a key part of the action plan that we published in June 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working with colleagues across Government to consider the question of dedicated employment rights for carers alongside existing employment rights (such as the right to request flexible working and the right to time off for family and dependants).</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 262229 question first answered 13/06/2019 13:04:04 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1130885

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Compassionate Leave
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing the statutory right for employees taking longer-term unpaid care leave to return to their original employment after their caring duties have finished.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	262229
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the challenges of balancing work and care. Improving support for carers to do so is a key part of the action plan that we published in June 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is working with colleagues across Government to consider the question of dedicated employment rights for carers alongside existing employment rights (such as the right to request flexible working and the right to time off for family and dependants).</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 262228 question first answered 13/06/2019 13:04:04 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1130934

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Child Benefit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what processes his Department uses with further education institutions to verify a child's full-time attendance in education in relation to the eligibility for child benefit payments.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Ladywood
tabling member printed	Shabana Mahmood
uin	262339
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>HMRC does not approach education institutions to verify information regarding eligibility for child benefit payments. The claimant is required to provide all the information necessary to support their claim. Details on how to claim can be found on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a></p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 13/06/2019 15:41:38 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	3914 label Biography information for Shabana Mahmood

1130941

registered interest
date	10/06/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Agriculture: Subsidies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff at each grade are working full-time on the environmental land management scheme programme.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	262220
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>These questions have been answered as one to enable the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELM) approach to be outlined in full in a single place.</p><p> </p><p>An ELM is being developed to pay land managers public money for delivering environmental public goods. This is a large programme of work with 81 full time staff with grades ranging from Administrative Officer to Deputy Director.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has taken a number of steps to ensure it has strong risk and programme management foundations in place and will continue to assess and manage these as appropriate. It is not Government policy to publish departmental risk registers given the inherent risks involved.</p><p> </p><p>ELM is scheduled to be rolled out from late 2024, with a National Pilot beginning in late 2021. Detailed planning of the pilot is in train. The pilot will run for three years, and will aim to assess the end-to-end operability and deliverability of the scheme and allow us to identify and refine any issues or barriers that occur in practice.</p><p> </p><p>To support the development of ELM we are undertaking a number of test and trials. The work is being facilitated by a range of stakeholders, including farmer groups, representative bodies and non-governmental organisations, and covers a range of geographies and sectors. 47 proposals are being taken forward in phase 1. We are working closely with stakeholders to finalise these. Depending on the complexity of the test or trial we anticipate the first of these commencing in Autumn 2019. We have received over 200 proposals for phase 2. We will prioritise those proposals that fill gaps in scheme delivery components, outcomes and land management sectors identified from the coverage of the first 47 proposals.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with stakeholders to understand how much funding they might require from the Government to support the delivery of the tests and trials in line with value for money principles.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill grouped question UIN 262215 262216 262217 262218 262219 question first answered 17/06/2019 11:12:03 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew