Government policy focuses on delivering growth which in turn depends on productivity in the longer term.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
We have already set out our four key growth ambitions: creating the most competitive tax system in the G20, making the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business, encouraging investment and exports, and creating a more educated workforce. And through our industrial strategy, the whole of government is taking a long-term strategic approach to working in partnership with businesses to increase global competitiveness, support innovation and maximise export potential.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The right tax environment is vital to help businesses flourish so we have cut the main rate of Corporation Tax from 28% to 21% and announced further cuts to 20% by 2015 \u2013 the joint lowest rate in the G20 major economies. We have helped businesses with the cost of hiring staff by introducing a new Employer Allowance which cuts £2,000 from the National Insurance bills of small firms. To support small businesses in local communities, the \u2018high street discount\u2019 for around 300,000 shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants will go up from £1,000 to £1,500, from April 2015 to March 2016. This is in addition to doubling Small Business Rate Relief for a further year which means 380,000 of the smallest businesses will pay no rates at all.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
R&D Tax Credits are the single largest Government support for business investment in R&D. They are designed to encourage greater R&D spend by business leading, in turn, to greater investment in innovation and improved products and processes. The rate of relief under the SME scheme is one of the most competitive rates in the world and, at Autumn Statement 2014, was increased from 225% to 230% of qualifying R&D expenditure from April 2015. Innovate UK is the Government\u2019s prime channel for supporting business-led technology innovation. It delivers a range of programmes in support of businesses undertaking R&D including Collaborative R&D, Smart and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. Innovate UK also provides opportunities for innovative businesses through the growing network of Catapult centres. Under the Coalition Government, Innovate UK, with partner and business contributions, has invested around £3.5 billion in innovation projects across the UK.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
More businesses are getting access to the finance they need to start up and grow with Start-Up Loans offered to over 25,000 businesses; so far lending over £129 million. The British Business Bank has facilitated £890m of new lending and investment to over 21,000 small businesses in the year to the end of September 2014. And we have facilitated over £1.67 billion of lending to over 16,000 small businesses since May 2010, through our Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. We have brought together all Government advice and support in one place at GREATbusiness.gov.uk, where the \u2018My Business Support Tool\u2019 helps businesses find the support they need quickly, and businesses can speak to or webchat with a helpline adviser direct using the Business Support helpline. Businesses can also access our new Business Growth Service on the website, which brings together expert advice to improve and grow in one place, including Growth Accelerator, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and export advice and finance.<\/p>
<\/p>
Small businesses have less regulation to follow with a £10 billion cumulative net saving to businesses as a result of our deregulation work. Through the Red Tape Challenge, we have reviewed over 5,600 regulations and identified 3,000 to scrap or improve. We are on track to surpass our target of saving business £850 million per year.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
And around 48,000 businesses have been helped by our UKTI support \u2013 of which 90% were small businesses. This support helped generate additional sales of over £49 billion and created or safeguarded over 220,000 jobs over the last year.
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4284", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Neville-Rolfe"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-02-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-17T15:53:23.607Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Small Businesses: Productivity"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what steps they are taking to improve the productivity of small businesses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2488", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Harrison"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Harrison"}
], "uin" : "HL4576"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/176968", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/176968/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Current UK copyright law is found in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended). It protects the rights of creators, including fine artists and photographers, enabling them to stop people copying either the whole or any substantial part of their work, either directly or indirectly, without the permission of the artist or photographer. This may include, among other things, the reproduction of a photograph in a painting.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> However, UK law, in line with the European copyright framework, also provides a number of exceptions to copyright, where, in limited circumstances, some copying may be permitted without requiring permission and without infringing copyright. For example, one UK exception to copyright permits 'fair dealing' with a work for the purposes of caricature, parody or pastiche. European law is clear that the application of that exception in any particular case must strike a fair balance between the interests and rights of rights holder on the one hand and the freedom of expression of the user on the other, taking all the circumstances into account.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> In the recent case against the artist Luc Tuymans, the Belgian court ruled that it was not satisfied that the reproduction in that particular case satisfied the criteria for \u2018parody.\u2019 Parody is an autonomous concept in European copyright law.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4284", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Neville-Rolfe"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-02-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-09T12:19:20.257Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Art Works: Copyright"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, in the light of the recent action against the artist Luc Tuymans, what is the current law in the United Kingdom regarding the copying or reproduction by fine artists of work by other artists, including fine artists and photographers and other image-makers through media such as drawing, painting or the use of collage.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3391", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Earl of Clancarty"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Earl of Clancarty"}
], "uin" : "HL4598"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177064", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177064/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Start Up Loans records indicate that, as of the 31st December 2014, the proportion of loans facilitated by the Start Up Loans Company to people of Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi ethnic origin, of the total drawn down by Black and minority ethnic people is as follows:<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Pakistani \u2013 4.8%<\/p> <\/p> Indian \u2013 4.2%<\/p> <\/p> Bangladeshi \u2013 2.2%<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> 1,040 (out of the total loan book) did not wish to provide their ethnicity.<\/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" : "2015-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-13T14:39:24.94Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "New Businesses: Government Assistance"}
, "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, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2015 to Question 220513, what proportion of those start-up loans drawn down by Black and minority ethnic people were to individuals of (a) Pakistani, (b) Indian and (c) Bangladeshi ethnic origin.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3987", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rehman Chishti"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gillingham and Rainham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rehman Chishti"}
], "uin" : "222840"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177065", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177065/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Lenders participating in the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme originate loans to eligible business entities using their own capital.<\/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" : "2015-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-13T14:22:47.777Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme"}
, "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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2015 to Question 221259, on how many occasions banks which have accessed funds on behalf of borrowers under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme have subsequently made a claim on the public purse following default.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Hanson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Delyn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Hanson"}
], "uin" : "222830"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177066", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177066/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) is provided in favour of the Lender and consequently no companies in receipt of a loan facilitated by the scheme have received public funds through the EFG scheme following liquidation.<\/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" : "2015-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-13T12:19:59.51Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme"}
, "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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2015 to Question 221259, how many companies which accessed funds under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme subsequently received public funds following liquidation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Hanson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Delyn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Hanson"}
], "uin" : "222831"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177067", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177067/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Delivery of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) is fully devolved to the participating lenders and loans can be made to several types of businesses, including limited companies. Up to the 31st December 2014, the number of businesses that have been recorded by all lenders as having defaulted on the terms of their loan, at some stage during the life of their loan, is 4,495. Not all defaults will necessarily lead to a claim being made against the guarantee.<\/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" : "2015-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-13T14:25:24.423Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme"}
, "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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2015 to Question 221259, how many companies which accessed funds from each lender under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme have defaulted.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Hanson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Delyn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Hanson"}
], "uin" : "222832"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177068", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177068/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Small businesses are vital to our economy and our small business owners have driven this economic recovery. The Start-Up Loan Scheme has provided 18 loans, with a value of £44,515, to people starting a business in the Glasgow South West constituency.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We are committed to making Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business, and are doing this in a number of ways:<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/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" : "2015-02-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177068/answer/previousversion/43142", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-09T09:59:24.867Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Small Businesses: Glasgow"}
, "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 his Department has taken that benefit micro enterprises in Glasgow South West constituency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/611", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Ian Davidson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow South West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Ian Davidson"}
], "uin" : "222864"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177069", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177069/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department is aware that the practice of suppliers having to pay to join or remain on a supplier list can cause significant difficulties. As a result, the Government has already taken action to prohibit this practice in certain circumstances.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Our recent consultation, which closed on 2 February, sought to understand the prevalence and impact of this practice in more detail. We will provide a summary of responses shortly. This consultation will strengthen the evidence we have on supplier lists, and will allow us to understand the necessary scope, and implications of possible further changes. This will ensure that any action is appropriately targeted and achieves real change on the ground.<\/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" : "2015-02-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-23T12:02:02.413Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Business: Procurement"}
, "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, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ban large firms requiring pay to stay agreements from companies seeking to remain or become their approved suppliers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/545", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Flynn"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newport West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Flynn"}
], "uin" : "222851"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177070", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/177070/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) publishes young participation rates by Parliamentary Constituency. These show the proportion of young people in each parliamentary constituency who entered higher education by the age of 19, for each cohort of 18 year olds between 1998 and 2011. These can be viewed at the following link:<\/p> <\/p>