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178042

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	Textiles: Industry
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department holds on the number of textile manufacturers in (a) the UK, (b) Yorkshire, (c) Manchester, (d) Leeds, (e) Kirklees, and (f) Huddersfield.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	223532
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/02/2015 answer text <p>In 2014 there were 3,840 textile manufacturing enterprises in the UK, 420 of these in the Yorkshire and Humber region. Data is not published on the number of textile manufacturing enterprises at the sub-regional level requested.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Data from the Business Registers Employment Survey shows that in 2013 the textile manufacturing industry supported the following numbers of jobs. Note that these are survey estimates and as such subject to survey error particularly at more detailed geographical areas.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>UK</p></td><td><p>56,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire and Humber</p></td><td><p>7,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leeds</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Huddersfield</p></td><td><p>500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Greater Manchester</p></td><td><p>6,200</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock grouped question UIN 223535 question first answered 13/02/2015 15:43:14 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

178044

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	Textiles: Industry
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to support skills development in textile manufacturing.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	223533
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2015 answer text <p>Support is available to textile companies through a number of national initiatives such as the Business Growth Service, and through the Growth Hubs which are now being established across England by Local Enterprise Partnerships.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has invested in the Textiles Growth Programme through £12.8 million from round 4 of Regional Growth Fund (RGF). The programme, which is available for textile manufacturing companies across England (excluding London) will enable the UK to take advantage of a rapidly emerging trend for the re-shoring textile manufacturing and help grow the home and overseas markets in clothing with the Made in Britain mark. The Textiles Growth Programme, through the recent RGF Round 6, was awarded an additional £19.5 million on February 12<sup>th</sup> to provide continued support to manufacturing companies within the sector until end of March 2017. This brings the total RGF funds awarded to the Textile Growth Programme in support to the textile industry to £32.3 million.</p><p> </p><p>On Government support for skills, there is already a wide range of textile, fashion and design provision available at levels 2 and 3 (including access courses) in further education colleges. There are currently apprenticeship frameworks, both intermediate level 2 and advanced level 3, in Fashion and Textiles. There were 170 starts in 2013/14.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In line with apprenticeship Trailblazer reforms we have given the fashion industry approval to develop an apprenticeship standard for a fashion studio assistant, and the level 3 apprenticeship standard is currently in development. The British Fashion Council is fully engaged in this work, and is considering a bid for support to develop higher level apprenticeships, possibly to degree level.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>BIS awarded Huddersfield &amp; District Textile Training Centre (Textile Centre of Excellence) £2.28 million under the Round 1 Employer Ownership Pilot (EOP) to improve education of the industry including a programme of school engagement; encouraging employers to take on school leavers and graduates and develop a new pre-apprenticeship programme plus new apprenticeship model at level 2 and level 3. The project recorded a range of successful outcomes, and the Centre of Excellence will continue to provide its services to the sector now EOP project funding has ended.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In Q4 last year, two Textile projects were approved through the Local Response Fund Scheme with a total value of over £253,000.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Manchester College was awarded nearly £180,000 to develop the Textiles Task Force. It will work with the Alliance Project to address immediate skills shortages reported across the textiles sector and to support workforce development and employee progression.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>NWTexnet was also awarded over £75,000 for “Dynamic Portfolio Management”. This will enable the integration of new product development with a strategy for re-shoring manufacturing capacity. It will significantly rationalise the approach to product development and manufacturing in the sector while helping to up-skill staff so that the workforce is in place to take advantage of these re-shoring opportunities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of the Sector Mentoring Fund, Manchester Economic Solutions Ltd was awarded the sum of £77,500 in January 2014 to deliver Mentor Tex – Textile industry mentoring programme in key areas such as Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire. The scheme has attracted interest from a wide range of textiles businesses, with 35 mentees identified of which 23 have completed full profiles, 10 mentors identified with 7 completing full profiles.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>With regard to support for innovation, Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency and the prime channel through which the Government stimulates and supports business-led technology innovation. Companies in the sector can apply to its responsive support programmes such as Smart and Innovation Vouchers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Centre of Excellence in Huddersfield and the University of Leeds have already invested £6M and £4.2M, respectively, in textile infrastructure development and innovation. They have become a focus for skills training and technical and design innovation in the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock grouped question UIN 223534 question first answered 24/02/2015 16:47:26 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

178046

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	Textiles: Industry
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to support innovation in textile manufacturing.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	223534
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2015 answer text <p>Support is available to textile companies through a number of national initiatives such as the Business Growth Service, and through the Growth Hubs which are now being established across England by Local Enterprise Partnerships.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has invested in the Textiles Growth Programme through £12.8 million from round 4 of Regional Growth Fund (RGF). The programme, which is available for textile manufacturing companies across England (excluding London) will enable the UK to take advantage of a rapidly emerging trend for the re-shoring textile manufacturing and help grow the home and overseas markets in clothing with the Made in Britain mark. The Textiles Growth Programme, through the recent RGF Round 6, was awarded an additional £19.5 million on February 12<sup>th</sup> to provide continued support to manufacturing companies within the sector until end of March 2017. This brings the total RGF funds awarded to the Textile Growth Programme in support to the textile industry to £32.3 million.</p><p> </p><p>On Government support for skills, there is already a wide range of textile, fashion and design provision available at levels 2 and 3 (including access courses) in further education colleges. There are currently apprenticeship frameworks, both intermediate level 2 and advanced level 3, in Fashion and Textiles. There were 170 starts in 2013/14.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In line with apprenticeship Trailblazer reforms we have given the fashion industry approval to develop an apprenticeship standard for a fashion studio assistant, and the level 3 apprenticeship standard is currently in development. The British Fashion Council is fully engaged in this work, and is considering a bid for support to develop higher level apprenticeships, possibly to degree level.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>BIS awarded Huddersfield &amp; District Textile Training Centre (Textile Centre of Excellence) £2.28 million under the Round 1 Employer Ownership Pilot (EOP) to improve education of the industry including a programme of school engagement; encouraging employers to take on school leavers and graduates and develop a new pre-apprenticeship programme plus new apprenticeship model at level 2 and level 3. The project recorded a range of successful outcomes, and the Centre of Excellence will continue to provide its services to the sector now EOP project funding has ended.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In Q4 last year, two Textile projects were approved through the Local Response Fund Scheme with a total value of over £253,000.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Manchester College was awarded nearly £180,000 to develop the Textiles Task Force. It will work with the Alliance Project to address immediate skills shortages reported across the textiles sector and to support workforce development and employee progression.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>NWTexnet was also awarded over £75,000 for “Dynamic Portfolio Management”. This will enable the integration of new product development with a strategy for re-shoring manufacturing capacity. It will significantly rationalise the approach to product development and manufacturing in the sector while helping to up-skill staff so that the workforce is in place to take advantage of these re-shoring opportunities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of the Sector Mentoring Fund, Manchester Economic Solutions Ltd was awarded the sum of £77,500 in January 2014 to deliver Mentor Tex – Textile industry mentoring programme in key areas such as Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire. The scheme has attracted interest from a wide range of textiles businesses, with 35 mentees identified of which 23 have completed full profiles, 10 mentors identified with 7 completing full profiles.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>With regard to support for innovation, Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency and the prime channel through which the Government stimulates and supports business-led technology innovation. Companies in the sector can apply to its responsive support programmes such as Smart and Innovation Vouchers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Centre of Excellence in Huddersfield and the University of Leeds have already invested £6M and £4.2M, respectively, in textile infrastructure development and innovation. They have become a focus for skills training and technical and design innovation in the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock grouped question UIN 223533 question first answered 24/02/2015 16:47:26 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

178048

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	Textiles: Industry
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 estimate the number of people employed in textile manufacturing in (a) the UK, (b) Yorkshire, (c) Leeds, (d) Huddersfield and (e) Manchester.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	223535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/02/2015 answer text <p>In 2014 there were 3,840 textile manufacturing enterprises in the UK, 420 of these in the Yorkshire and Humber region. Data is not published on the number of textile manufacturing enterprises at the sub-regional level requested.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Data from the Business Registers Employment Survey shows that in 2013 the textile manufacturing industry supported the following numbers of jobs. Note that these are survey estimates and as such subject to survey error particularly at more detailed geographical areas.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>UK</p></td><td><p>56,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire and Humber</p></td><td><p>7,700</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leeds</p></td><td><p>800</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Huddersfield</p></td><td><p>500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Greater Manchester</p></td><td><p>6,200</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock grouped question UIN 223532 question first answered 13/02/2015 15:43:14 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

178053

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	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, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that employees working for companies with which his Department has contracted are paid more than National Minimum Wage.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	223538
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2015 answer text <p>Since 1 April 2014, the lowest paid contracted staff at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) offices across the UK have been paid £7.85 per hour, up £1.40 or nearly 22% from the previous £6.45 per hour rate. This increase restored and surpassed the real value of wages that had fallen in recent years. This means that BIS contractors are amongst the top 25% of contractors across Whitehall.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We absolutely encourage suppliers to pay above the National Minimum Wage where affordable and without cutting jobs - but this is a decision that must be taken by the suppliers themselves. We will always award contracts on the basis of the best value for money for the taxpayer most often following a competitive process, making use of the Crown Commercial Frameworks to ensure a consistent application with the rest of Government.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 12/02/2015 12:06:59 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

178057

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	Tax Avoidance
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 umbrella payroll companies have been subject to enforcement action by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	South Shields
tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
uin	223607
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2015 answer text <p>The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS) enforce the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (both as amended).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These regulations apply only to employment agencies which place people permanently with employers, and employment businesses who place people temporarily with hirers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If an umbrella company is providing payroll services they would not fall within the definition of either an employment agency or employment business and EAS would not have vires to take enforcement action.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If, however, they were providing work-finding services in addition to payroll services they could be investigated by EAS, but would be recorded in the investigation as either an employment agency or employment business.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Umbrella companies acting as employers are still required to comply with employment law and where individuals feel that their statutory employment protections have been breached, they are able to seek redress through the normal routes. However, it can be difficult for individuals to be sure of whether they are “employees” or “workers” and which employment protections they have. That is why, in October, the Business Secretary announced a review of employment status aimed at identifying options that provide more clarity and transparency up front.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 223605 223606 question first answered 12/02/2015 16:55:08 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

178059

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	Service Industries: Trade Agreements
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent progress has been made on the Trade in Services Agreement.
tabling member constituency	Warley
tabling member printed	Mr John Spellar
uin	223599
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>The Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) negotiations have now entered their eleventh round, with ten negotiation rounds completed by the end of 2014. The talks started formally in March 2013. Participants agreed on a basic text in September 2013 and most participants have indicated which of their services markets they are prepared to open and by how much. There is no set deadline for ending the negotiations but the talks are progressing well, with broad consensus across many areas.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Full details of progress in the negotiation and the EU approach can be found at <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/tisa/" target="_blank">http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/tisa/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 23/02/2015 14:03:32 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	318 label Biography information for John Spellar

178062

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	Tax Avoidance
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 complaints the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate has received about umbrella payroll companies in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	South Shields
tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
uin	223605
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2015 answer text <p>The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS) enforce the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (both as amended).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These regulations apply only to employment agencies which place people permanently with employers, and employment businesses who place people temporarily with hirers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If an umbrella company is providing payroll services they would not fall within the definition of either an employment agency or employment business and EAS would not have vires to take enforcement action.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If, however, they were providing work-finding services in addition to payroll services they could be investigated by EAS, but would be recorded in the investigation as either an employment agency or employment business.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Umbrella companies acting as employers are still required to comply with employment law and where individuals feel that their statutory employment protections have been breached, they are able to seek redress through the normal routes. However, it can be difficult for individuals to be sure of whether they are “employees” or “workers” and which employment protections they have. That is why, in October, the Business Secretary announced a review of employment status aimed at identifying options that provide more clarity and transparency up front.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 223606 223607 question first answered 12/02/2015 16:55:08 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

178063

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
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	Tax Avoidance
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 umbrella payroll companies have been investigated by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	South Shields
tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
uin	223606
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2015 answer text <p>The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS) enforce the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (both as amended).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These regulations apply only to employment agencies which place people permanently with employers, and employment businesses who place people temporarily with hirers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If an umbrella company is providing payroll services they would not fall within the definition of either an employment agency or employment business and EAS would not have vires to take enforcement action.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If, however, they were providing work-finding services in addition to payroll services they could be investigated by EAS, but would be recorded in the investigation as either an employment agency or employment business.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Umbrella companies acting as employers are still required to comply with employment law and where individuals feel that their statutory employment protections have been breached, they are able to seek redress through the normal routes. However, it can be difficult for individuals to be sure of whether they are “employees” or “workers” and which employment protections they have. That is why, in October, the Business Secretary announced a review of employment status aimed at identifying options that provide more clarity and transparency up front.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 223605 223607 question first answered 12/02/2015 16:55:08 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

178065

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Employment Tribunals Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average cost was of each case heard by an employment tribunal in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
tabling member printed	Meg Munn
uin	223678
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2015 answer text <p>Employment tribunal cases can vary in nature and complexity and some can last over more than one year, particularly where collective disputes are involved. Claims in employment tribunals can be classified into either single or multiple claims. Multiple claims are where two or more people bring proceedings arising out of the same facts, usually against a common employer. Where claims are grouped as multiples, they are processed administratively and managed judicially together. We call these groups of claims ‘multiple claims cases’. One multiple claim case would therefore involve two or more claims. Claims can be disposed of in a variety of ways, including being rejected either because they are out of time, or have no reasonable chance of success. A minority of cases are disposed of at a full hearing.</p><p>There are therefore many ways the term an employment tribunal case can be interpreted. The costs directly attributable to each claim / case are not collected, as current systems do not allow us to link staff, judicial and other costs to claims / cases. As a result, it is not possible to provide average costs per case over the last three years on a comparable basis.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 17/03/2015 16:44:05 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1448 label Biography information for Meg Munn