The Government is working to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business by supporting businesses across the country. In Stafford, 42 Government backed Start-Up Loans have been drawn down since September 2012 with a value of over £218,000. A Regional Growth Fund award of £4m made in 2011 has attracted private investment of £56.5 million, delivering 1,600 jobs. Since May 2010, 26 loans have been drawn down in Stafford, worth over £2.6 million, from the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. Businesses in Stafford also have access to the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Growth Hub which was live from September 2014, which is one of a network of 39 Growth Hubs set up across England.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-01T10:23:44.133Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Business: Stafford"} , "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 is taking to support businesses in Stafford constituency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4109", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jeremy Lefroy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stafford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jeremy Lefroy"} ], "uin" : "38309"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521050", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521050/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 contained two specific policies to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in accessing finance.<\/p>
The first requires major banks to refer SMEs they reject for finance to designated \u2018finance platforms\u2019 that can help match SMEs with alternative finance providers. This will ensure that viable SMEs, including businesses in Stafford, that may not fit the major banks\u2019 risk appetite can still get the finance they need to grow and expand. Three platforms have recently been designated by HM Treasury on the advice of the British Business Bank and are expected to come into operation later this year.<\/p>
The second requires the major banks to share information on their SME customers, with the SME\u2019s permission, with other lenders through designated Credit Reference Agencies. This will improve the ability of challenger banks and alternative finance providers to conduct accurate risk assessments and level the playing field between providers and make it easier for SMEs to get finance from providers other than their bank.<\/p>
The Government is supporting the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) and Crowdfunding sectors, which provide alternative sources of finance for both businesses and individuals. The British Business Bank, for example, has invested £100m in SMEs via five P2P platforms.<\/p>
In addition, the British Business Bank\u2019s Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme has facilitated over £2.6 billion of bank lending and other finance to over 25,000 SMEs. Since the start of the scheme, 45 EFG loans have been drawn down in Stafford worth over £5 million. Government has also provided loans through the Start Up Loans Company to help new businesses in Stafford. 42 start up businesses in Stafford have secured a loan from the Start Up Loans Company, with a total value of over £218, 000.<\/p>
More widely, credit conditions for business continue to improve with net lending to SMEs in 2015 positive across the complete year, the first time this has happened since the financial crisis.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-01T10:22:58.727Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Business: Stafford"} , "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 recent steps his Department has taken to increase the level of access to credit for businesses in Stafford constituency in the last 12 months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4109", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jeremy Lefroy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stafford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jeremy Lefroy"} ], "uin" : "38310"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521051", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521051/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to ensuring that consumers are properly protected and that children\u2019s vulnerability and inexperience is not exploited by aggressive commercial practices. <\/strong>We welcomed the Office of Fair Trading\u2019s (OFT) investigation into whether children have been unfairly encouraged to spend money in online games and apps, in breach of consumer laws. The OFT\u2019s subsequent Principles for Online and App-based Games<\/em> were published in January 2014, to help ensure that online and app games publishers better understand their responsibilities and do not subject children to unfair or aggressive selling practices. The Competition and Markets Authority subsequently referred 3 games to the Advertising Standards Authority for further enforcement action.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3995", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Boles"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Boles"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-03T09:58:02.737Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Video Games: Internet"}
, "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 protect children from in-game selling and promotions when playing games online.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"}
], "uin" : "38300"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521052", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521052/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is committed to ensuring that consumers are properly protected and that children\u2019s vulnerability and inexperience is not exploited by aggressive commercial practices. <\/strong>We welcomed the Office of Fair Trading\u2019s (OFT) investigation into whether children have been unfairly encouraged to spend money in online games and apps, in breach of consumer laws. The OFT\u2019s subsequent Principles for Online and App-based Games,<\/em> which are based on the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008), were published in January 2014. The Competition and Markets Authority subsequently referred 3 games to the Advertising Standards Authority for further enforcement action. The Government continues to take a close interest in this issue.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3995", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Boles"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Boles"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-03T09:58:11.843Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Video Games: Internet"}
, "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 assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of legislation for protecting children from in-game selling and promotions when playing games online.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"}
], "uin" : "38301"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521057", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521057/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission\u2019s final report. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work and nor would it be appropriate to outline specific pieces of evidence before an announcement. Any work to inform an announcement will be set out in subsequent publications and associated consultation.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1562", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Scarborough and Whitby"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robert Goodwill"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-01T09:18:17.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "London Airports"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect of expansion at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick Airport on the number of jobs that will be created in the North East by (i) 2030 and (ii) 2050.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4449", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Turley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Redcar"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Anna Turley"}
], "uin" : "38316"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521058", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521058/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. The Government believes that banks should act in the best interests of their customers and continue to serve the needs of the consumer as well as the wider economy. Although decisions on opening and closing branches are commercial ones, in which the Government does not intervene, it is imperative that the banks live up to the spirit, as well as the letter, of the commitments in the protocol.<\/p> <\/p> The British Bankers\u2019 Association consulted relevant government departments and the regulator, as envisaged in the protocol, when it appointed Professor Russel Griggs to lead the independent review. The independent reviewer\u2019s role is to consider and identify best practice in implementation and, if appropriate, make recommendations for amendments to the protocol to ensure it continues to meet its objectives.<\/p> <\/p> The Government has not assessed the impact of the protocol or banks\u2019 compliance with their commitments in the protocol and as such will not submit formal evidence. However, the Government awaits the independent review\u2019s conclusions, and any recommendations that the reviewer makes for the future of the protocol, when they are published later this year.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "38319"}
, {"_value" : "38320"}
, {"_value" : "38334"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-01T13:53:25.53Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bank Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to submit evidence to the independent review of the British Bakers Association Access to Banking Protocol led by Professor Russell Griggs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/206", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Lammy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tottenham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Lammy"}
], "uin" : "38318"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521059", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521059/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. The Government believes that banks should act in the best interests of their customers and continue to serve the needs of the consumer as well as the wider economy. Although decisions on opening and closing branches are commercial ones, in which the Government does not intervene, it is imperative that the banks live up to the spirit, as well as the letter, of the commitments in the protocol.<\/p> <\/p> The British Bankers\u2019 Association consulted relevant government departments and the regulator, as envisaged in the protocol, when it appointed Professor Russel Griggs to lead the independent review. The independent reviewer\u2019s role is to consider and identify best practice in implementation and, if appropriate, make recommendations for amendments to the protocol to ensure it continues to meet its objectives.<\/p> <\/p> The Government has not assessed the impact of the protocol or banks\u2019 compliance with their commitments in the protocol and as such will not submit formal evidence. However, the Government awaits the independent review\u2019s conclusions, and any recommendations that the reviewer makes for the future of the protocol, when they are published later this year.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "38318"}
, {"_value" : "38319"}
, {"_value" : "38334"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-01T13:53:25.843Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bank Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions his Department has had with the British Bankers' Association Industry Protocol on how effectively banks have applied and implemented the Protocol during its first year and the efficacy of the Protocol in mitigating the effect of branch closures on (a) local businesses and (b) the elderly, disabled and other vulnerable customers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/206", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Lammy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tottenham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Lammy"}
], "uin" : "38320"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521060", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521060/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. The Government believes that banks should act in the best interests of their customers and continue to serve the needs of the consumer as well as the wider economy. Although decisions on opening and closing branches are commercial ones, in which the Government does not intervene, it is imperative that the banks live up to the spirit, as well as the letter, of the commitments in the protocol.<\/p> <\/p> The British Bankers\u2019 Association consulted relevant government departments and the regulator, as envisaged in the protocol, when it appointed Professor Russel Griggs to lead the independent review. The independent reviewer\u2019s role is to consider and identify best practice in implementation and, if appropriate, make recommendations for amendments to the protocol to ensure it continues to meet its objectives.<\/p> <\/p> The Government has not assessed the impact of the protocol or banks\u2019 compliance with their commitments in the protocol and as such will not submit formal evidence. However, the Government awaits the independent review\u2019s conclusions, and any recommendations that the reviewer makes for the future of the protocol, when they are published later this year.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "38318"}
, {"_value" : "38320"}
, {"_value" : "38334"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-01T13:53:25.7Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bank Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the British Bankers' Association Industry Protocol on Branch Closures in mitigating the effect of branch closures on local businesses and customers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/206", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Lammy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tottenham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Lammy"}
], "uin" : "38319"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521061", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521061/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government concluded its review of the enforcement provisions of the Consumer Protection against Unfair Trading Regulations (2008) in respect of copycat packaging in October 2015, and the Minister of State for Skills discussed the review with the British Brands Group the following month. The Intellectual Property Office have subsequently been working with industry stakeholders to deliver awareness training to trading standards about copycat packaging and the Government have committed to continue to provide training in the recently published IP Enforcement Strategy 2020.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3995", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Boles"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Boles"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-29T09:24:08.303Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electrical Goods: Packaging"}
, "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, with which organisations Ministers of his Department have met to discuss the review of enforcement of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 in respect of copycat packaging of branded electrical goods in the last three months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4480", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Carolyn Harris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Swansea East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Carolyn Harris"}
], "uin" : "38332"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521062", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/521062/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government believes that banks should act in the best interests of their customers and continue to serve the needs of the consumer as well as the wider economy. This is why the Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. The protocol commits each participating bank to carry out a number of steps when it is closing a branch, including the preparation of meaningful local impact assessments. After deciding to close a branch a bank must also engage with key local stakeholders to understand the potential impact of the close on the local community and branch users. The results of the engagement and the impact assessment will be published before the branch is closed.<\/p> <\/p> Professor Russel Griggs is leading an independent \u2018one year on\u2019 review of the protocol. The Government looks forward to seeing the conclusions of the review.<\/p> <\/p> However, banks and building societies need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy. Decisions on the opening and closing of individual branches are taken by the management of each bank on a commercial basis without intervention from Government.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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