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1134258

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Business: Billing
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 evidence base the Government used in reaching the decision to provide a £1 million business fund for the use of technology to help reduce late payments.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	268622
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>A £9 million Business Basics Programme was announced in the Industrial Strategy, to test innovative ways of encouraging SMEs to take up the proven technology and business practices that can boost productivity. I announced in the recent Government Response to the Call for Evidence on Creating a Responsible Payment Culture that, as part of that Programme, we will launch a Business Basics fund competition up to £1 million. This will provide funding to trial how to get businesses to take up proven technology and business practices, including a focus on payment technology.</p><p> </p><p>Government has worked closely with trade bodies and businesses to develop this. Mike Cherry, FSB National Chairman, said of the recent announcement: “Small businesses will be delighted with today’s announcement” and “the measures today could finally see an end to poor payment practice. Changing our business culture will boost the small business community, productivity and growth.”</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 02/07/2019 14:10:49 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1134259

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Business: Billing
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 effect of the £1 million technology fund for businesses on the issue of late payments.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	268623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Technology adoption can boost productivity in the UK. The £9 million Business Basics Programme was announced in the Industrial Strategy, to test innovative ways of encouraging SMEs to take up the proven technology and business practices that can boost productivity.</p><p> </p><p>Government believes there is also a role for the Commissioner to run a campaign to promote technological solutions to SMEs to reduce late payment, improve cash flow and encourage better credit management. This fits with the Commissioner’s role in offering advice and guidance on payment matters to SMEs.</p><p> </p><p>It is envisaged that this combined approach will improve awareness of the use of technology and begin to make inroads to improve administrative processes that underpin business operations such as streamlining invoicing, payment and credit management, ultimately making payment practices more efficient and businesses more productive.</p><p> </p><p>Government has worked closely with trade bodies and businesses to develop this. Mike Cherry, FSB National Chairman, said of the recent announcement: “Small businesses will be delighted with today’s announcement” and “the measures today could finally see an end to poor payment practice. Changing our business culture will boost the small business community, productivity and growth.”</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 02/07/2019 14:10:55 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1134260

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Business: Billing
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 page seven of the Government's response to the paper entitled, Creating a responsible payment culture: a call for evidence on tackling late payment, what the evidential basis is for the statement there was no real consensus, either with regard to the extent of the issue itself or what the best solution to the problem is.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	268624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>We received 283 responses and respondents expressed a wide range of views in relation to payment practices and experiences. From the wide-ranging evidence provided it is clear there is no ‘magic bullet’ solution. That is why are taking action with a broad package of policy measures to tackle late payments and continue to change culture.</p><p> </p><p>Government has worked closely with trade bodies and businesses to develop this. Mike Cherry, FSB National Chairman, said of the recent announcement: “Small businesses will be delighted with today’s announcement” and “the measures today could finally see an end to poor payment practice. Changing our business culture will boost the small business community, productivity and growth.”</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 02/07/2019 14:11:01 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1144620

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Reserve Forces: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the daily rate of pay for armed forces reservists is calculated from the regular equivalents.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	286771
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>In order to safeguard operational effectiveness, the Armed Forces are exempt from the provisions of the 1998 National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act. Nevertheless, we aim to ensure that the Armed Forces are remunerated in line with NMW provisions.</p><p>The daily pay offered to Part-Time Volunteer Reserve (PTVR) personnel is derived from the equivalent annual salary paid to their Regular counterparts. The annual salary is made up of base pay plus X-Factor, the latter reflecting the different conditions in Service life experienced by members of the Armed Forces compared to conditions in civilian life, averaged over a whole career and across all three Services. All pay rates, including X-Factor percentages, are recommended by the independent Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (AFPRB). At present, full-time Regular personnel are paid X-Factor at 14½% and PTVR personnel get 5% X-Factor. In giving their recommendations, the AFPRB give due consideration to the needs of the Services to recruit and retain suitably able, motivated and qualified people.</p><p>Following the Government's acceptance of the AFPRB's most recent recommendations (HCWS1770), the current annual starting salary for a Regular private or equivalent (pay increment OR2-1) has risen to £20,000 p.a., whilst the equivalent PTVR annual salary, derived using the lower level of X-Factor, has risen to £18,341 p.a. PTVR daily rates of pay are calculated by dividing the annual salary by 365¼, and a day's pay is earned through voluntary attendance of eight hours or more. For an eight-hour day, this is the equivalent of £6.28 per hour. In addition, PTVR personnel are provided with additional payments in lieu of untaken leave, equivalent to just over 10% of their pay; they may also claim an annual tax-free training bounty of up £470 in their first year of service where they meet their unit's minimum training requirements (approximately 30 days' relevant attendance). When PTVR personnel are called-up, for example for operational deployment, they are paid the same annual salary as their Regular counterparts, i.e. the rate inclusive of the higher level of X-Factor, and they also gain access to the same range of allowances payable for Regular service.</p><p>This Government will continue to work with the independent AFPRB to ensure that all members of the Armed Forces are fairly remunerated for the work that they do.</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer grouped question UIN 286772 286773 286774 question first answered 09/09/2019 15:42:47 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1144621

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Reserve Forces: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the minimum number of hours is that an armed forces reservist is expected to work to qualify for a day's pay.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	286772
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>In order to safeguard operational effectiveness, the Armed Forces are exempt from the provisions of the 1998 National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act. Nevertheless, we aim to ensure that the Armed Forces are remunerated in line with NMW provisions.</p><p>The daily pay offered to Part-Time Volunteer Reserve (PTVR) personnel is derived from the equivalent annual salary paid to their Regular counterparts. The annual salary is made up of base pay plus X-Factor, the latter reflecting the different conditions in Service life experienced by members of the Armed Forces compared to conditions in civilian life, averaged over a whole career and across all three Services. All pay rates, including X-Factor percentages, are recommended by the independent Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (AFPRB). At present, full-time Regular personnel are paid X-Factor at 14½% and PTVR personnel get 5% X-Factor. In giving their recommendations, the AFPRB give due consideration to the needs of the Services to recruit and retain suitably able, motivated and qualified people.</p><p>Following the Government's acceptance of the AFPRB's most recent recommendations (HCWS1770), the current annual starting salary for a Regular private or equivalent (pay increment OR2-1) has risen to £20,000 p.a., whilst the equivalent PTVR annual salary, derived using the lower level of X-Factor, has risen to £18,341 p.a. PTVR daily rates of pay are calculated by dividing the annual salary by 365¼, and a day's pay is earned through voluntary attendance of eight hours or more. For an eight-hour day, this is the equivalent of £6.28 per hour. In addition, PTVR personnel are provided with additional payments in lieu of untaken leave, equivalent to just over 10% of their pay; they may also claim an annual tax-free training bounty of up £470 in their first year of service where they meet their unit's minimum training requirements (approximately 30 days' relevant attendance). When PTVR personnel are called-up, for example for operational deployment, they are paid the same annual salary as their Regular counterparts, i.e. the rate inclusive of the higher level of X-Factor, and they also gain access to the same range of allowances payable for Regular service.</p><p>This Government will continue to work with the independent AFPRB to ensure that all members of the Armed Forces are fairly remunerated for the work that they do.</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer grouped question UIN 286771 286773 286774 question first answered 09/09/2019 15:42:48 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1144622

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Reserve Forces: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the equivalent hourly rate would be for a (a) Private and (b)equivalent rank (OR-2-1) in the Armed Forces Reserves working an eight hour day.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	286773
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>In order to safeguard operational effectiveness, the Armed Forces are exempt from the provisions of the 1998 National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act. Nevertheless, we aim to ensure that the Armed Forces are remunerated in line with NMW provisions.</p><p>The daily pay offered to Part-Time Volunteer Reserve (PTVR) personnel is derived from the equivalent annual salary paid to their Regular counterparts. The annual salary is made up of base pay plus X-Factor, the latter reflecting the different conditions in Service life experienced by members of the Armed Forces compared to conditions in civilian life, averaged over a whole career and across all three Services. All pay rates, including X-Factor percentages, are recommended by the independent Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (AFPRB). At present, full-time Regular personnel are paid X-Factor at 14½% and PTVR personnel get 5% X-Factor. In giving their recommendations, the AFPRB give due consideration to the needs of the Services to recruit and retain suitably able, motivated and qualified people.</p><p>Following the Government's acceptance of the AFPRB's most recent recommendations (HCWS1770), the current annual starting salary for a Regular private or equivalent (pay increment OR2-1) has risen to £20,000 p.a., whilst the equivalent PTVR annual salary, derived using the lower level of X-Factor, has risen to £18,341 p.a. PTVR daily rates of pay are calculated by dividing the annual salary by 365¼, and a day's pay is earned through voluntary attendance of eight hours or more. For an eight-hour day, this is the equivalent of £6.28 per hour. In addition, PTVR personnel are provided with additional payments in lieu of untaken leave, equivalent to just over 10% of their pay; they may also claim an annual tax-free training bounty of up £470 in their first year of service where they meet their unit's minimum training requirements (approximately 30 days' relevant attendance). When PTVR personnel are called-up, for example for operational deployment, they are paid the same annual salary as their Regular counterparts, i.e. the rate inclusive of the higher level of X-Factor, and they also gain access to the same range of allowances payable for Regular service.</p><p>This Government will continue to work with the independent AFPRB to ensure that all members of the Armed Forces are fairly remunerated for the work that they do.</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer grouped question UIN 286771 286772 286774 question first answered 09/09/2019 15:42:48 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1144623

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Reserve Forces: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the lowest paid armed forces Reserve personnel are paid rates equivalent to the National Living Wage.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	286774
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>In order to safeguard operational effectiveness, the Armed Forces are exempt from the provisions of the 1998 National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act. Nevertheless, we aim to ensure that the Armed Forces are remunerated in line with NMW provisions.</p><p>The daily pay offered to Part-Time Volunteer Reserve (PTVR) personnel is derived from the equivalent annual salary paid to their Regular counterparts. The annual salary is made up of base pay plus X-Factor, the latter reflecting the different conditions in Service life experienced by members of the Armed Forces compared to conditions in civilian life, averaged over a whole career and across all three Services. All pay rates, including X-Factor percentages, are recommended by the independent Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (AFPRB). At present, full-time Regular personnel are paid X-Factor at 14½% and PTVR personnel get 5% X-Factor. In giving their recommendations, the AFPRB give due consideration to the needs of the Services to recruit and retain suitably able, motivated and qualified people.</p><p>Following the Government's acceptance of the AFPRB's most recent recommendations (HCWS1770), the current annual starting salary for a Regular private or equivalent (pay increment OR2-1) has risen to £20,000 p.a., whilst the equivalent PTVR annual salary, derived using the lower level of X-Factor, has risen to £18,341 p.a. PTVR daily rates of pay are calculated by dividing the annual salary by 365¼, and a day's pay is earned through voluntary attendance of eight hours or more. For an eight-hour day, this is the equivalent of £6.28 per hour. In addition, PTVR personnel are provided with additional payments in lieu of untaken leave, equivalent to just over 10% of their pay; they may also claim an annual tax-free training bounty of up £470 in their first year of service where they meet their unit's minimum training requirements (approximately 30 days' relevant attendance). When PTVR personnel are called-up, for example for operational deployment, they are paid the same annual salary as their Regular counterparts, i.e. the rate inclusive of the higher level of X-Factor, and they also gain access to the same range of allowances payable for Regular service.</p><p>This Government will continue to work with the independent AFPRB to ensure that all members of the Armed Forces are fairly remunerated for the work that they do.</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer grouped question UIN 286771 286772 286773 question first answered 09/09/2019 15:42:48 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1146068

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Department for International Trade
answering dept id	202
answering dept short name	International Trade
answering dept sort name	International Trade
hansard heading	Trade Agreements: USA
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will ensure that the NHS is not included in a trade deal with the US Administration; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	290914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/10/2019 answer text <p>As we leave the European Union, the UK will continue to ensure that public services – including the NHS – are protected in all trade agreements it is party to, whether transitioned from an EU context or as a result of new negotiations.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has been consistently clear about its commitment to the guiding principles of the NHS – that it is universal and free at the point of need. Our position is definitive: the NHS is not, and never will be, for sale to the private sector, whether overseas or domestic. The Government will ensure no trade agreements will ever be able to alter these fundamental facts.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth West answering member printed Conor Burns question first answered 01/10/2019 14:11:44 answering member 3922 label Biography information for Sir Conor Burns
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1146086

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Brexit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to avoid a recession in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	290915
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s preference is to leave the EU with a deal and is working in an energetic and determined way to get that deal. The Government has been stepping up preparations for leaving the EU. We have made more than £8 billion available to prepare for EU Exit since the referendum, including £2.1 billion specifically for No Deal planning.</p><p> </p><p>The fundamentals of the British economy are strong – wages are growing at the fastest rate in over a decade, employment is at a joint record high and the unemployment rate is at its lowest in over 40 years. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, we will be ready, and HM Treasury will be ready to support the economy if needed.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 03/10/2019 18:16:07 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman

1146091

registered interest
date	25/09/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Visas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will reconsider the £30,000 salary threshold for immigrant workers.
tabling member constituency	Aberdeen North
tabling member printed	Kirsty Blackman
uin	290918
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/10/2019 answer text <p>On 24 June 2019, the Government asked the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to consider the operation of salary thresholds in the future immigration system, including the impact of exemptions from minimum salary thresholds.</p><p>The MAC is due to report by January 2020.</p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy question first answered 04/10/2019 14:48:12 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
tabling member	4357 label Biography information for Kirsty Blackman