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100100

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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	Innovation
	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 the EU Precautionary Principle on the scale of scientific innovation in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Windsor
	tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
	uin	211393
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department has made no systematic assessment of the effect of the precautionary principle on scientific innovation in the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 30/10/2014 16:14:04 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark
	tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

100843

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2014
	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	Social Services: Pay
	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 his Department has made of the merits of HM Revenue and Customs launching pro-active investigations into the non-payment of the national minimum wage.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	211865
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government has not undertaken a formal assessment of the merits of pro-active investigations but believes they are an important part of enforcement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC published findings from their targeted social care evaluation on 25 November 2013. Over the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2013, HMRC had made enquiries into 224 employers in the social care sector. Of the cases completed by the end of September 2014, HMRC have found non-compliance in 108 (48%) of their enquiries, identifying £1,319,729 arrears of pay for 6,550 workers, with penalties issued with a total value of £146,931.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of this targeted enforcement activity, HMRC have collaborated with care sector representative bodies to improve understanding of compliance risks and design controls within payroll systems that prevent workers being underpaid the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health has recently published statutory guidance for local authorities as part of the package of secondary legislation that accompanies the Care Act. The chapter of statutory guidance on commissioning and market shaping explicitly states that local authorities should have evidence that contract terms, conditions and fee levels will not compromise care providers’ ability to pay at least minimum wages. A copy of the guidance can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-2014-statutory-guidance-for-implementation" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-2014-statutory-guidance-for-implementation</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department of Health is asking all Local Authorities to sign up to the Social Care Commitment which incorporates a statement about employer compliance with minimum wage legislation. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has written out to all its members encouraging them to support the Commitment as a way of raising standards in adult social care.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We regularly update our Guidance on Gov.UK and we will continue to work with the sector to improve understanding and compliance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should call the Pay &amp; Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HM Revenue &amp; Customs investigate all complaints.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 03/11/2014 11:47:07 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

101311

	registered interest
	date	28/10/2014
	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	Mobile Phones: Contracts
	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 take steps to ensure that mobile telephone operators and other companies display the total cost of consumer contracts over the contracts' lifetime, including predicted inflation rises at the point of sale.
	tabling member constituency	Brigg and Goole
	tabling member printed	Andrew Percy
	uin	212259
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 set out the information that a consumer must be given before they enter into a contract with a trader. This includes “the total price of the goods or services inclusive of taxes, or where the nature of the goods or services is such that the price cannot reasonably be calculated in advance, the manner in which the price is to be calculated”.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To further safeguard consumers, Ofcom introduced new rules in January 2014 which mean that for contracts entered into after 23 January 2014, when the agreed core price increases mid-contract, consumers can exit their contracts without penalty and hence can switch to another provider or tariff. This applies to all communications provider<em>s.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 03/11/2014 16:21:56 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	3939 label Biography information for Andrew Percy

100294

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	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	New Businesses: Lancashire
	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 start-up loans have been granted to businesses in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire to date.
	tabling member constituency	Pendle
	tabling member printed	Andrew Stephenson
	uin	211613
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>In total more than 21,000 Start Up Loans have been issued to budding entrepreneurs across the country since the scheme launched in June 2012. 38 loans have been issued in Pendle constituency out of 794 loans in total across Lancashire.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 29/10/2014 14:54:01 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson

100082

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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	UK Export Finance
	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 successful applicants to the UK Export Finance direct lending facility have been small and medium-sized enterprises in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
	tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
	uin	211319
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>UK Export Finance’s direct lending facility was launched in 2013-14. It was recently amended to make it more readily accessible, and has recently completed its first deal.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 28/10/2014 16:01:54 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

99769

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	Arms Trade: Gulf States
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the value was of UK arms exports to (a) Saudi Arabia and (b) Bahrain in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
	tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
	uin	211158
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>We do not hold data on actual arms sales, only on export licences we have granted, available at: <a href="https://www.exportcontroldb.bis.gov.uk/sdb/fox/sdb/SDBHOME" target="_blank">https://www.exportcontroldb.bis.gov.uk/sdb/fox/sdb/SDBHOME</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 28/10/2014 16:09:49 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

99770

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	Arms Trade: Exports
	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 arms exports licences have been revoked by the Government in the last year; and for which countries these licences have been revoked.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
	tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
	uin	211160
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>15 arms related licences for direct export to Russia have been revoked;</p><p> </p><p>10 arms related licences have been revoked where Russia was listed as a 3<sup>rd</sup> party and ultimate end user for these licences. Of these licences 5 were for direct export to France, 4 for Italy and 1 for South Africa.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 28/10/2014 16:11:28 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

99771

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	Riot Control Weapons: Hong Kong
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the value of the UK's tear gas exports to Hong Kong was in the last year.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
	tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
	uin	211161
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>We do not hold data on actual exports, only on export licences we have granted. They are available to view at: <a href="https://www.exportcontroldb.bis.gov.uk/sdb/fox/sdb/SDBHOME" target="_blank">https://www.exportcontroldb.bis.gov.uk/sdb/fox/sdb/SDBHOME</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 28/10/2014 16:14:45 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
	tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

100004

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	Unpaid Work
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent proposal by the Child Poverty and Social Justice Commission that unpaid internships should be illegal.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Berridge
	uin	HL2219
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is absolutely clear: exploitation of interns is unacceptable and we don’t hesitate to act where we find that employment law has been broken and someone who is entitled to the minimum wage hasn’t been paid it.</p><p> </p><p>Complaints from interns about non-payment of the minimum wage are prioritised by HMRC for investigation and HMRC will investigate every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.</p><p> </p><p>Research shows that internships and work experience programmes can be valuable opportunities for young people taking their first steps in the labour market. Our work on interns and the National Minimum Wage aims to achieve the right balance between ensuring that opportunities for young people are not cut off and minimising the risk of exploitation.</p><p> </p><p>Our concern, if we were to prohibit unpaid internships, is that this may lead to employers recruiting interns through informal and privileged networks with adverse effects on social mobility or have adverse consequences on the number of available opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>There is no definition of an internship in minimum wage legislation and interns are considered in the same way as everyone else with regards to whether the minimum wage is due. The key issue is whether or not they are workers as defined by minimum wage legislation. If they are, then they are eligible for the minimum wage unless a specific exemption applies. Volunteers are not workers and are not eligible for the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 29/10/2014 16:15:22 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge

100662

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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 Offices: Rhyl
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress has been made on the proposed relocation or closure of Rhyl Post Office.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	211757
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>The proposed franchising of some of its Crown Post Offices is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited (POL). I understand that the company continues to explore all options for Rhyl with a view to finding a retail partner for the franchise. In the event that a suitable new retail partner cannot be found, POL has given a commitment that a post office service will be retained within the area.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As this is the operational responsibility of the company I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 30/10/2014 15:32:33 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane