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46704

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
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
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 people who run a small or medium-sized enterprise as a secondary form of income alongside another job.
tabling member constituency	Harlow
tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
uin	195098
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>Information is not available to answer this question. However, data from the Office for National Statistics estimate that around 400,000 people describe themselves as self employed in their second jobs between October 2012 and September 2013.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

46706

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
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
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 he has taken to increase the availability of credit for small businesses in (a) Bolton North East constituency and (b) England in the last year.
tabling member constituency	Bolton North East
tabling member printed	Mr David Crausby
uin	195045
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring businesses can access the finance they need for investment and growth.</p><p> </p><p>The Bank of England and HM Treasury announced in November that the Funding for Lending scheme would be focused on lending to businesses to reflect the success that the scheme has had with households. Lending under the Funding for Lending Scheme has totalled over £16bn according to the latest figures.</p><p> </p><p>The British Business Bank is being established to ensure that business finance markets work efficiently and effectively for smaller businesses, and its loan guarantee and investment programmes supported £660 million of lending and investment in 2013 across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>A breakdown of the value of debt finance facilitated to businesses in Bolton North East constituency and England through British Business Bank programmes in the last year is detailed in the table below.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Enterprise</strong><strong> Finance Guarantee Scheme (drawn down)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Start Up Loans Scheme </strong></p><p><strong>(drawn down)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Lending facilitated by the Business Finance Partnership</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bolton North East Constituency</p></td><td><p>7 Loans with a value of £1.14m</p></td><td><p>24 loans with a value of £117 330</p></td><td><p>North West Region: 462 loans with a value of nearly £ 27m</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>2857 loans with a value of £307.6 million</p></td><td><p>13432 with a value over £75m</p></td><td><p>3721 loans provided with a value of nearly £226m</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	437 label Biography information for Sir David Crausby

46707

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
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
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 assessment he has made of the quality and performance of UK Trade and Investment support for UK-Nigeria partnerships in (a) financial services, (b) the creative industries and (c) educational services.
tabling member constituency	Bedford
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	195048
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) carries out an in-depth assessment of its overall impact each quarter via the Performance Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS). Generic assessments of specific sectors are carried out externally on behalf of UKTI. The business impact of individual services and activities is also monitored by the teams delivering them.</p><p> </p><p>UKTI delivers a range of services in relation to Nigeria in the sectors specified, both bespoke services for individual companies and broader activities. These are in line with sector strategies for the market. Some recent examples include a financial services mission to Nigeria in March organised by UKTI, in partnership with Nigerian Diaspora individuals working in the City of London. Also in March, UKTI Nigeria worked with UK and Nigerian stakeholders to deliver an SME event in Lagos focused on creative industries. This was followed in early April by a videoconference between UK and Nigerian companies engaged in fashion retail. UKTI was also involved in a local education event in Lagos in early April during which Nigerian requirements were successfully matched to UK companies offering relevant expertise.</p><p> </p><p>All participants who commented on these events reported that they found their participation useful. All have identified follow up actions and UKTI will be monitoring successes which ensue.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

46711

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
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
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 raising the cap on the amount of student loan accessible by students studying at alternative learning providers.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hodge Hill
tabling member printed	Mr Liam Byrne
uin	195051
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>There currently are no plans to raise the cap on the amount of student loan accessible by students studying at alternative providers. Alternative providers are not subject to the same regulatory conditions as those providers whose students can access fee loans of up to £9000. In particular, the fees that they may charge students are not subject to a cap, nor are these providers required to put in place an Access Agreement.</p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Mr David Willetts question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 53 label Biography information for Lord Willetts
tabling member	1171 label Biography information for Liam Byrne

46730

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which parties have received the £30 million for the Garden Bridge announced in the National Infrastructure Plan.
tabling member constituency	Bishop Auckland
tabling member printed	Helen Goodman
uin	195166
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>HM TREASURY</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Helen Goodman MP</p><p> </p><p><strong>BISHOP AUCKLAND</strong></p><p> </p><p>To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which parties have received the £30 million for the Garden Bridge announced in the National Infrastructure Plan. 195166</p><p> </p><p>DANNY ALEXANDER</p><p>The £30 million contribution to the Garden Bridge from Government is conditional on a business case being produced that demonstrates the project represents good value for money. The business case is expected to be complete by mid 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Should the business case demonstrate that the project represents good value for money, Government will agree the detailed terms of funding with the Garden Bridge Trust.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey answering member printed Danny Alexander question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1535 label Biography information for Danny Alexander
tabling member	1484 label Biography information for Helen Goodman

46738

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many unauthorised school absences there have been in (a) St Albans constituency, (b) Hertfordshire, (c) the East of England and (d) the UK since 2010; and what steps he is taking to reduce such absences.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Mrs Anne Main
uin	195130
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education publishes statistics on England only. Information on unauthorised pupil absence in St Albans constituency has been provided in the following table. Pupil absence rates at regional and local authority level are available in the local authority tables in the absence statistical first release for each year[1].</p><p> </p><p>We know from evidence that pupils who have regular attendance at school are four times more likely to achieve five or more A*-C grades at GCSE including English and maths than those pupils who are persistently absent[2]. This is why the Department for Education reduced the threshold at which pupils are classified as being persistently absent, from 20 to 15 per cent of school missed. This measure enables schools to identify earlier those pupils with troubling attendance patterns, and to do something about them.</p><p> </p><p>In 2012, we increased the level of the school attendance penalty fines of £50 and £100 to £60 and £120 respectively; and in 2013 reduced the overall timescales for paying fines from 42 to 28 days. Our reforms are working. In 2012/13 persistent absence was 300,895 pupils – a fall of almost a third from 2010. 130,000 fewer pupils are now persistent absentees.</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="7">STATE-FUNDED PRIMARY, STATE-FUNDED SECONDARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS (1)(2)(3)(4):</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE RATES (5)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">Academic years 2009/10 - 2012/13</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">St Albans parliamentary constituency</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td>Unauthorised absence rate (5)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2009/10</td><td> </td><td>0.7</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2010/11</td><td> </td><td>0.6</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2011/12</td><td> </td><td>0.6</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2012/13</td><td> </td><td>0.6</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td>Source: School Census</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">(1) Includes middle schools as deemed.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">(2) Includes primary academies, including free schools.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="10">(3) Includes city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="17">(4) Includes maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and special academies. Excludes general hospital schools, independent special schools and independent schools approved for SEN pupils.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="10">(5) The number of sessions missed due to unauthorised absence expressed as a percentage of the total number of possible sessions.</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>[1]<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-pupil-absence" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-pupil-absence</a></p><p>[2]<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/183445/DFE-RR171.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/183445/DFE-RR171.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency South West Norfolk answering member printed Elizabeth Truss question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4097 label Biography information for Elizabeth Truss
tabling member	1568 label Biography information for Mrs Anne Main

46742

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent representations he has received on the regulatory regime associated with fracking.
tabling member constituency	Thirsk and Malton
tabling member printed	Miss Anne McIntosh
uin	195089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>The Department has received a number of comments and has been made aware of recommendations by a variety of interested parties, including Non-Governmental Organisations and members of the public, that are relevant to the UK's shale gas regulatory regime. The UK has a strong regulatory system which provides a comprehensive and fit for purpose regime for exploratory activities, but we want continuously to improve it. The Office for Unconventional Gas and Oil (OUGO) works closely with regulators and others to ensure that regulation is also fit for purpose for production; and that it remains robust enough to safeguard public safety and protect the environment.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is presently conducting a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on further onshore licensing. The SEA consultation closed on 28 March. Some of the responses to this consultation are relevant to the UK's shale gas regulatory regime. All responses will be carefully considered before any decision is made on further licensing.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

46743

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what research his Department has conducted on the accuracy of assumptions made in the National Housing Condition Survey that all stone properties built before 1920 are of solid wall construction.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Test
tabling member printed	Dr Alan Whitehead
uin	195067
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>DECC has not undertaken any research into the accuracy of the assumptions made in the English Housing Survey that all stone properties built before 1920 are of solid wall construction.</p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Gregory Barker question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1389 label Biography information for Lord Barker of Battle
tabling member	62 label Biography information for Dr Alan Whitehead

46745

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions his Department has had with other government departments on extending the winter fuel payment to people on the higher rate of disability living allowance for care or mobility and the equivalent enhanced rate of the new personal independence payment; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	195087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>Winter fuel payments is a DWP policy.</p><p> </p><p>However, people with disabilities may be able to access the Warm Home Discount Scheme and receive a rebate off their electricity bill. They may also be able to access the Energy Companies Obligation through which they can get help with insulation and heating measures.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Gregory Barker question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1389 label Biography information for Lord Barker of Battle
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

46748

registered interest
date	03/04/2014
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
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 Environment Agency staff have been redeployed to inspect flood defence assets in each of the last five months.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	195064
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p>The Environment Agency has 100 members of staff fully trained in asset inspection who have all been deployed in the last five months. Only trained staff are used to inspect assets.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner