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156806

	registered interest
	date	19/11/2014
	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	Consumers: Protection
	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 an assessment of the potential merits of consolidating Government schemes relating to the accreditation of tradespeople.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
	tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
	uin	215318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government aims to foster greater collaboration between schemes aimed at protecting the consumer as it believes that such collaborations will both enhance clarity and protection to the consumer and thus further marginalise the unscrupulous trader. To support these ambitions relevant Departments are engaged in exploratory discussions to foster closer working between government-sponsored schemes in the home repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) market.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 25/11/2014 13:08:48 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

171774

	registered interest
	date	02/01/2015
	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	City Link
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Insolvency Service plans to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the administration of Citylink.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
	tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
	uin	219631
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2015 answer text <p>In the first instance, it will be for the appointed Administrators to investigate the events leading up to the collapse of Citylink. The Administrators also have a statutory obligation to report confidentially to The Insolvency Service about the conduct of the directors. If misconduct is alleged the Secretary of State then has a discretionary power to seek the disqualification of the directors where it is believed to be in the public interest</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Insolvency Service also has discretionary powers under the Companies Acts to conduct enquiries on behalf of the Secretary of State where it appears that there has been misconduct in relation to the affairs of any company, including those not subject to formal insolvency. Any individual or organisation with evidence of misconduct should send full details of their complaint and all the supporting evidence to: Intelligence Hub, Investigations and Enforcement Services, The Insolvency Service, 3rd Floor Cannon House, 18 Priory Queensway, Birmingham B4 6FD (email: intelligence.live@insolvency.gsi.gov.uk)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has powers to use information arising from such enquiries, to seek the disqualification of the directors of the company, petition the court to wind up the company or bring criminal proceedings.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 07/01/2015 14:17:32 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

171776

	registered interest
	date	02/01/2015
	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	City Link
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when his Department was first made aware that there would be insufficient funds from the administration of Citylink to pay statutory redundancy payments to that company's former employees.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
	tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
	uin	219633
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2015 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was notified of the impending administration of City Link Limited on 23 December 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is typical that an insolvent company has insufficient money to pay their creditors in full (including employees). This is why there are special arrangements for employees who are made redundant under the insolvency provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to ensure that they receive a basic minimum of the debts owed by the employer from the National Insurance Fund.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 07/01/2015 14:14:34 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

76657

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2014
	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	Electrical Goods: Safety
	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 review the guidance his Department issues on electrical appliance recalls to reflect the consequences of recent high-profile recall actions.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
	tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
	uin	204837
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2014 answer text <p>This Department contributes to the EU guidance for corrective action, including product recalls. This guidance provides best practice for any specific case where corrective action is required, including exceptional cases where a recall is justified. The guidance was last revised in 2011. BIS officials continue to work with interested parties, including other EU Member States, trade associations, such as AMDEA, and others such Electrical Safety First to consider options for improving the overall effectiveness of product recalls, including what, if any, additional guidance should be provided.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 15/07/2014 14:35:59 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	tabling member	1419 label Biography information for Ann McKechin

76688

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2014
	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	Electrical Goods: Safety
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how his Department is supporting manufacturers to improve their performance on the recall of electrical appliances.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
	tabling member printed	Ann McKechin
	uin	204822
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2014 answer text <p>Manufactures and importers are responsible for taking corrective action, including recall, on products they have placed on the market which subsequently turn out to be defective. They have a duty to advise the relevant enforcement authority: either Trading Standards or the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The enforcement authority provides assistance on the appropriate corrective action and can, if required, direct the specific course of action to be taken. This Department supports both Trading Standards and HSE in their duties. This Department also contributes to EU best practice guidance in this area and is working with interested parties to consider options for improving the effectiveness of product recalls.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 15/07/2014 14:39:09 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
	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

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