{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptSortName=Business%2C+Energy+and+Industrial+Strategy&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-07-22T16%3A52%3A12.34Z", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptSortName=Business%2C+Energy+and+Industrial+Strategy&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-07-22T16%3A52%3A12.34Z", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptSortName=Business%2C+Energy+and+Industrial+Strategy&_metadata=all&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-07-22T16%3A52%3A12.34Z", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&answeringDeptSortName=Business%2C+Energy+and+Industrial+Strategy&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-07-22T16%3A52%3A12.34Z", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptSortName=Business%2C+Energy+and+Industrial+Strategy&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-07-22T16%3A52%3A12.34Z", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?answeringDeptSortName=Business%2C+Energy+and+Industrial+Strategy&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-07-22T16%3A52%3A12.34Z", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139700", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139700/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions with Avara. This is a commercial matter which BEIS have been monitoring for some time, however we have not sought to intervene while staff consultation and the administration process are underway.<\/p>

<\/p>

AstraZeneca announced on Wednesday that they have set aside funding of up to £12m, to be administered independently, to make sure their former employees at the Avlon site receive full severance should the ongoing administration of the site not generate enough funds to cover redundancy costs.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:50:37.263Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Avara Avlon Pharma Services: Insolvency"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Astrazeneca and Avara Avlon about the (a) three year guarantee on enhanced redundancy payments and terms for staff agreed as part of the sale of the company for £1 in December 2016 and the (b) collapse of Avara Avalon.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1548", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jessica Morden"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newport East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jessica Morden"} ], "uin" : "278449"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139826", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139826/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department of International Trade are closely monitoring the situation. We are working with the company, the local authority and Local Enterprise Partnerships to support their efforts in helping to preserve highly skilled jobs in the area and to help find a buyer for the site.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:31:20.28Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Novartis: Great Grimsby"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which ministers he has appointed to the taskforce to find a new buyer for the Novartis site in Great Grimsby.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4464", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Melanie Onn"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Grimsby"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Melanie Onn"} ], "uin" : "278551"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139872", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139872/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 December 2018 by the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Richard Harrington MP) to Question 198212<\/a>.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:03:05.287Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Global Navigation Satellite Systems"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost of a UK global navigation satellite system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1541", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Nia Griffith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Llanelli"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nia Griffith"} ], "uin" : "278448"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139877", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139877/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

This consultation is still open. I am grateful for the hon. Member\u2019s interest and encourage him to submit his views before it closes on 5 August.<\/p>

<\/p>

After the consultation has closed and following analysis by the Department of the responses, the Government will consider what measures it proposes to implement or explore further.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "278463"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:52:12.34Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Companies: Registration"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many additional staff his Department plans to recruit to Companies House to monitor the verification process outlined in his Department's consultation on corporate transparency and register reform published on 5 May 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3943", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jonathan Edwards"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carmarthen East and Dinefwr"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jonathan Edwards"} ], "uin" : "278461"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139950", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139950/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The 2015 report was commissioned and published by BEIS, and considered during the 2015 Spending Review, together with other evidence and analysis. It provides the most recent published assessment of leverage rates between public and private sector R&D.<\/p>

The Department is committed to continuously improving and developing a robust R&D evidence base across the Department and its partner organisations, such as UKRI.<\/p>

<\/p>

New research on R&D that meets the professional standards for analysis in Government is published on Gov.UK. Best practices in quality assurance are essential to ensure that partners and the public can have trust in Government analysis.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:26:20.84Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Research: Finance"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July to Question 273388 and with reference to the 2015 report of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills entitled Research and development: relationship between public and private investment, whether his Department has conducted further analysis since the publication of that report on the finding that an extra £1 of public funding would give rise to an increase in private funding of between £1.13 and £1.60.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"} ], "uin" : "278489"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139951", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139951/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

UK Research and Innovation leads on engagement with industry in developing the challenges under the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) and advises BEIS on projects. We are expecting to meet more than 1:1 match between industry and government funding for Wave 3 of the ISCF. Recently, we announced £220 million allocated from UK Research Partnership Investment Fund, which will bring in a further £500 million in private R&D funding; and £153 million of government funding on quantum technologies, with an additional £205 million expected to be pledged by industry.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:04:11.233Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Science: Finance"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2019 to Question 273388, what (a) discussions he has had with and (b) advice he has received from UK Research and Innovation on the quantitative relationship between (i) public and (ii) private sector investment in science.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"} ], "uin" : "278490"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139222", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139222/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central (Chi Onwurah MP) on 9 May 2019 to Question 249283<\/a>. Further to that answer, on 11 July 2019 the Government announced £135 million of funding to support National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs). The NIHR ARC scheme will support high-quality applied health and care research to make tangible improvements for patients, the public and to health and care services. NIHR ARCs will work with local partners and patients and the public from across the local communities they serve, and particularly with Academic Health Science Networks, to tackle local health and care priorities.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:18:24.917Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Research: Finance"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the equity of the distribution of research and development spending for areas with poor health outcomes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4398", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Green"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bolton West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Green"} ], "uin" : "277765"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139223", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139223/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The 2.4% R&D Roadmap will set overall direction for how we can achieve the 2.4% R&D ambition by 2027, and 3% in the longer term, through the use of strategic public funding to leverage private R&D investment.<\/p>

It aims to transform R&D intensity across all sectors of the economy, supporting the development of new technologies, industries, and products that bring growth, good jobs across the UK, and social improvements for all.<\/p>

The 2.4% R&D Roadmap will bring together Government, academia, and industry to collaboratively focus their efforts on increasing R&D investment. In the area of health, this includes the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS R&D activity, and work with industry in taking forward the Life Sciences Sector Deal. The 2.4% R&D Roadmap will also align closely with the Industrial Strategy\u2019s Grand Challenges. This includes the Ageing Society Grand Challenge which will create new demands for technologies, products and services for an ageing population, and the AI and Data Grand Challenge which will use data, artificial intelligence, and innovation to transform the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and dementia by 2030.<\/p>

In order to achieve the 2.4% R&D target, we need to accelerate the growth and build on R&D strengths across the UK. The Government has put in place a number of initiatives to support every part of the UK to identify and leverage their R&D strengths, from Science and Innovation Audits to the Strength in Places Fund. The Strength in Places Fund (SIPF) is investing £237m up to 2021-22 in growing new and existing centres of excellence for research and innovation across the UK.<\/p>

We are working with Local Economic Partnerships as they develop Local Industrial Strategies to identify science and innovation strengths and the action needed to unlock R&D growth in places across the country.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:15:15.653Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Research: Finance"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the Government's target of increasing research and development funding to 2.4 per cent of GDP benefits the areas with the poorest health outcomes, particularly parts of the north of England.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4398", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Green"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bolton West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Green"} ], "uin" : "277766"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139245", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139245/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Department Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not have any employees paid less than the Living Wage Foundation London living wage.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:35:03.517Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Living Wage"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many workers employed by his Department are paid less than the Living Wage Foundation London living wage.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4031", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachel Reeves"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachel Reeves"} ], "uin" : "277710"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139246", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139246/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Government is committed to ensuring fair remuneration for workers across the economy. In April 2019, the National Living Wage (NLW) rate was increased to £8.21 per hour, a rise of 4.9 percent. This means that the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW will have increased by over £2,750 since the policy was introduced. We are also supporting and encouraging employers to pay more where possible and appropriate.<\/p>

In line with this, at the end of last year, at the request of my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State, officials in BEIS undertook a review of the pay of staff working through its contractors, in order to ensure they receive a wage which is fair and directly comparable to other employers across the local labour market.<\/p>

As a result of this review, the Department agreed with its contractors (Aramark and ISS) that, from 1 March 2019, they would align the pay of their cleaning, catering, mailroom and security staff to the appropriate median rates for those occupations as identified in the 2018 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). This survey captures pay details for around 300,000 employees from the HMRC Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system down to Local Authority level and is therefore a robust and reliable source of pay data.<\/p>

The immediate change for some staff has been significant. For example, some of our lowest paid security guards saw an increase of over 15%. Pay for staff working through our contractors will continue to track the median rate in future years<\/p>

The Department does not currently intend to seek accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:33:22.58Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Living Wage"} , "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to gain Living Wage Foundation accreditation as a living wage employer.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4031", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachel Reeves"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachel Reeves"} ], "uin" : "277711"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "next" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=1&answeringDeptSortName=Business%2C+Energy+and+Industrial+Strategy&max-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2019-07-22T16%3A52%3A12.34Z", "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 8612, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }