As part of our measures to promote the UK to foreign investors and encourage them to locate their Headquarters in the UK, we have cut our corporate tax to 21 per cent and will reduce it further to 20% in 2015. We offer R&D tax credits, and companies placing intellectual property here can take advantage of the Patent Box.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
These lower barriers to market entry allow easier access to the UK\u2019s lucrative $65bn telecoms sector and also the wider European market. UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and its partners in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales coordinate the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment working with local partners and overseas Posts.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Most of the major global companies in the telecoms sector have a UK presence. Key account management has been introduced for a number of these through a cross-Government \u201cStrategic Relationships Team\u201d, to provide a central point of contact to help reach government efficiently.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
We are investing over £780 million to achieve a transformation in broadband in the UK, and large parts of the country will have access to high speed 4G mobile broadband services, with 98 per cent coverage in place by 2017.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-06T17:06:00.74624Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Telecommunications: Foreign Investment in UK"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to promote the UK as a hub for global trade to foreign investors involved in the telecoms industry.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1388", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Belfast North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Nigel Dodds"} ], "uin" : "212747"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92126", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/92126/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK-Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty was negotiated in 2008-09. It aims to protect investors from discriminatory treatment. The agreement includes Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions to enable investors to claim compensation through independent international arbitration if they believe the standards of protection set out in the treaty have been breached whilst protecting the ability of the host government to regulate in the public interest in areas such as the environment.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-14T16:28:28.6482155Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-09-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign Investment: Colombia"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he has taken to ensure that the forthcoming UK-Colombia bilateral investment treaty includes adequate protection for UK investors.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1388", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Belfast North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Nigel Dodds"} ], "uin" : "209779"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/78640", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/78640/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
<\/p>
Small businesses are vital to the economy and this Government is supporting people to start up a business in a number of ways.<\/p>
<\/p>
The website www.greatbusiness.gov.uk<\/a> provides general support and advice for entrepreneurs starting out; specific support available in Northern Ireland is available at www.investni.com<\/a> . We recognise that a key issue for many start-ups is accessing affordable finance. The British Business Bank recently published \u201cThe Business Finance Guide: A Journey from Start-Up to Growth<\/em>\u201d which is available on the British Business Bank Website. It is a unique guide that sets out the main things to consider and outlines sources of finance available to businesses \u2013 ranging from start-ups to growing businesses.<\/p> <\/p> For those looking for start up finance and advice there are Start-Up Loans: 24 loans worth over £100, 000 have been drawn down in Belfast since the scheme began in 2012.<\/p> <\/p>"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to support employed people who wish to start their own business.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1388", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Nigel Dodds"}
], "uin" : "206554"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/78717", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/78717/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Securing significant progress on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations is a top priority for the Government\u2019s trade agenda. We are pushing for a broad agreement that eliminates the vast majority of tariffs on trade between the two markets and reduces other unnecessary barriers to trade.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Ministers in the Scottish and Welsh Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive, through regular Joint Ministerial Committee meetings, have an opportunity to input into the UK position, where appropriate, and Ministers have been kept abreast of development. Officials from the Devolved Administrations are also invited to frequent cross-Whitehall meetings on TTIP, and are in regular contact with trade policy officials in Whitehall.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the UK's policy is on EU negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; and what consultation his Department has had with the devolved administrations in formulating this policy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Nigel Dodds"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64873", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64873/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK recognises the value of learning from others by keeping abreast of developments in Europe and internationally. However, we believe that this can be achieved through less bureaucratic routes than a European Alliance for Apprenticeships. In England, we do not propose to participate but the devolved administrations are free to do so if they believe that the Alliance is the appropriate framework for sharing best practice.<\/p> We are already taking strong action to improve opportunities for young people by funding record numbers of apprenticeships, new traineeships and improved maths and English training. These actions, along with the record number of jobs, have contributed to the 32.8% fall in youth unemployment over the past year.<\/p>"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department has taken to create synergies with the European Alliance for Apprenticeships in improving work opportunities for young people.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1388", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn"}
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