Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label attachment file name title previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

168561

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	National Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, what his policy is on the future of the National Fund; whether he has considered the early application of the Fund to reduce the national debt; what other options for the future of the Fund he has considered and (a) dismissed and (b) kept under consideration; and what donations have been made to the Fund in each of the last 30 years.
tabling member constituency	Lewes
tabling member printed	Norman Baker
uin	217758
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>There has been correspondence between the Charity Commission, the trustees and the Attorney General’s Office over the National Fund.</p><p>The Fund is operated in accordance with its rules and section 9 of the Superannuation and Other Trust Funds (Validation) Act 1927. It is accumulating as the original donors intended.</p><p>Options are being considered for the future of the Fund, consistent with its object of extinguishing or reducing the national debt. These include a possible application to the court for directions. The consideration of these options includes looking at the history of donations to the Fund. Whilst this work is on-going, it would not be appropriate to comment further.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 11/12/2014 16:01:37 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	28 label Biography information for Norman Baker

168562

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	New Businesses
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many small businesses have been started in (a) England, (b) Yorkshire and (c) Barnsley in each year since May 2010.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	217724
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>The estimated number of business start-ups in a) England, b) Yorkshire and the Humber, c) Barnsley between 2010 and 2014 are shown in the table below. These statistics are compiled from BankSearch data, which does not report on the size of start-ups.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Estimated number of business start-ups (2010 to 2014)</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>Yorkshire and the Humber</p></td><td><p>Barnsley</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>433,300</p></td><td><p>33,780</p></td><td><p>1,190</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>458,020</p></td><td><p>34,410</p></td><td><p>1,150</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>440,400</p></td><td><p>33,310</p></td><td><p>1,120</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>398,860</p></td><td><p>29,630</p></td><td><p>1,050</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: BankSearch: number of new business bank accounts opened. All figures rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 16/12/2014 16:27:30 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 33056 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

168563

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Education Funding Agency: Skills Funding Agency
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has now made of the potential efficiency gains that could result from a merger of the Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency.
tabling member constituency	Lewes
tabling member printed	Norman Baker
uin	217761
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) constantly keeps its delivery arrangements under review to ensure that funding of skills programmes is efficient and effective, as well as responsive to policy priorities to increase take-up of apprenticeships and traineeships for young people.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Skills Funding Agency works closely with the Education Funding Agency on the funding of Further Education college provision and funding of apprenticeships and traineeships for 16-19 year olds. We have recently appointed Peter Lauener as joint Chief Executive of both agencies to make the most of the clear synergies between the two agencies. This exemplifies the commitment we have to promoting joined up Government. The Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency share a number of services to ensure they function as efficiently as possible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Skills Funding Agency has recently been through significant restructuring exercises reducing staffing levels by 50% and administration budget by 37%. In addition the regional office structure was reduced from 54 offices to six offices.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 11/12/2014 16:23:44 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	28 label Biography information for Norman Baker

168565

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to improve apprentice National Minimum Wage enforcement.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	217685
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to the National Minimum Wage and is absolutely clear that everyone who is entitled to it should receive it. Any worker who thinks they have been underpaid should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the helpline and calls from apprentices are prioritised for consideration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware that non-compliance involving apprentices is an issue and we are taking action. We are:</p><p> </p><p>· Ensuring that all training providers [in England] deliver on existing obligations to inform employers and apprentices of their NMW requirements.</p><p> </p><p>· Improving guidance and information more generally, to ensure we have clear and comprehensive information on the minimum wage rules. In England the National Apprenticeship Service includes information on the NMW in its information pack for employers taking on an apprentice.</p><p> </p><p>· Encouraging workers to call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline if they think they are not getting what they are legally entitled to through our communication campaign which began in Sept 2014.</p><p> </p><p>· Writing to level 2 &amp; 3 apprentices in England informing them of their NMW entitlement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to consider whether we can simplify the apprentice rate structure so that it is as clear and simple as possible, in order to support those employers who take on apprentices. The LPC will report back with their recommendations in February 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to take a tough approach towards all employers that do not comply with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, including through making their non-compliance public. 55 employers, including some who underpaid apprentices, have been named so far and between them they owed workers a total of over £139,000 in arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid arrears owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. This came into effect on 7 March 2014. We are introducing primary legislation so that the penalty can be calculated on a per worker basis which will substantially increase the penalty for some employers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There have been no prosecutions since 2010 involving apprentices. Prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. The Government usually pursues other means, which are more effective, to achieve the key goals of getting workers paid their arrears of wages and deter employers from being non-compliant. For example, the Government policy on the naming scheme and the increase in the NMW civil penalty will have considerable reputational and financial consequences for employers who are non-compliant with the NMW. However, HMRC will refer suitable cases to prosecutors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 217684 217744 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:21:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

168569

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to page 5 of his Department's publication, National Minimum Wage, Interim government evidence for the 2015 Low Pay Commission report, published in October 2014, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the rate of non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for apprentices; and what steps he plans to take to increase the rate of compliance with the apprentice NMW.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	217744
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to the National Minimum Wage and is absolutely clear that everyone who is entitled to it should receive it. Any worker who thinks they have been underpaid should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the helpline and calls from apprentices are prioritised for consideration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware that non-compliance involving apprentices is an issue and we are taking action. We are:</p><p> </p><p>· Ensuring that all training providers [in England] deliver on existing obligations to inform employers and apprentices of their NMW requirements.</p><p> </p><p>· Improving guidance and information more generally, to ensure we have clear and comprehensive information on the minimum wage rules. In England the National Apprenticeship Service includes information on the NMW in its information pack for employers taking on an apprentice.</p><p> </p><p>· Encouraging workers to call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline if they think they are not getting what they are legally entitled to through our communication campaign which began in Sept 2014.</p><p> </p><p>· Writing to level 2 &amp; 3 apprentices in England informing them of their NMW entitlement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to consider whether we can simplify the apprentice rate structure so that it is as clear and simple as possible, in order to support those employers who take on apprentices. The LPC will report back with their recommendations in February 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to take a tough approach towards all employers that do not comply with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, including through making their non-compliance public. 55 employers, including some who underpaid apprentices, have been named so far and between them they owed workers a total of over £139,000 in arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid arrears owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. This came into effect on 7 March 2014. We are introducing primary legislation so that the penalty can be calculated on a per worker basis which will substantially increase the penalty for some employers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There have been no prosecutions since 2010 involving apprentices. Prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. The Government usually pursues other means, which are more effective, to achieve the key goals of getting workers paid their arrears of wages and deter employers from being non-compliant. For example, the Government policy on the naming scheme and the increase in the NMW civil penalty will have considerable reputational and financial consequences for employers who are non-compliant with the NMW. However, HMRC will refer suitable cases to prosecutors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 217684 217685 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:21:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

168570

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Research: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funding for research and development his Department has allocated to each industry sector; and what the (a) total tax receipt and (b) proportion of total tax receipts from each of those sectors was in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	Angus
tabling member printed	Mr Mike Weir
uin	217753
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) funding for industrial R&amp;D is delivered by Innovate UK which allocates the majority of its support on a thematic rather than a sectoral basis.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The programmes and projects supported can be spread across a number of sectors, and a sectoral analysis is not available.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes Business Enterprise R&amp;D (BERD) data on how much UK government as a whole funds R&amp;D performed in businesses. This is analysed by 33 product groups but again this information doesn’t map easily to industrial sectors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Tax receipts are a matter for HM Revenue and Customs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark question first answered 15/12/2014 15:40:09 answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark previous answer version 33054 answering member constituency Tunbridge Wells answering member printed Greg Clark answering member 1578 label Biography information for Greg Clark
tabling member	1384 label Biography information for Mike Weir

168574

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Apprentices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many employers have been prosecuted for non-payment of the apprentice National Minimum Wage in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	217684
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to the National Minimum Wage and is absolutely clear that everyone who is entitled to it should receive it. Any worker who thinks they have been underpaid should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the helpline and calls from apprentices are prioritised for consideration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware that non-compliance involving apprentices is an issue and we are taking action. We are:</p><p> </p><p>· Ensuring that all training providers [in England] deliver on existing obligations to inform employers and apprentices of their NMW requirements.</p><p> </p><p>· Improving guidance and information more generally, to ensure we have clear and comprehensive information on the minimum wage rules. In England the National Apprenticeship Service includes information on the NMW in its information pack for employers taking on an apprentice.</p><p> </p><p>· Encouraging workers to call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline if they think they are not getting what they are legally entitled to through our communication campaign which began in Sept 2014.</p><p> </p><p>· Writing to level 2 &amp; 3 apprentices in England informing them of their NMW entitlement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to consider whether we can simplify the apprentice rate structure so that it is as clear and simple as possible, in order to support those employers who take on apprentices. The LPC will report back with their recommendations in February 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to take a tough approach towards all employers that do not comply with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, including through making their non-compliance public. 55 employers, including some who underpaid apprentices, have been named so far and between them they owed workers a total of over £139,000 in arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid arrears owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. This came into effect on 7 March 2014. We are introducing primary legislation so that the penalty can be calculated on a per worker basis which will substantially increase the penalty for some employers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There have been no prosecutions since 2010 involving apprentices. Prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. The Government usually pursues other means, which are more effective, to achieve the key goals of getting workers paid their arrears of wages and deter employers from being non-compliant. For example, the Government policy on the naming scheme and the increase in the NMW civil penalty will have considerable reputational and financial consequences for employers who are non-compliant with the NMW. However, HMRC will refer suitable cases to prosecutors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 217685 217744 question first answered 11/12/2014 16:21:02 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

168575

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Energy: Prices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will discuss with his counterparts in the devolved administrations the effect of the number of energy suppliers on the consumer price across the UK; and where that price is (a) highest and (b) lowest.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	217636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>Competition in the energy markets is crucial to keeping prices as low as possible and to raising consumer confidence in the energy market. Since 2010 we have seen 12 new companies enter the British domestic market challenging the existing companies. Despite this there are concerns about the level of competition therefore Ofgem has referred the market to the Competition and Markets Authority for a full Market Investigation.</p><p>Energy policy is devolved to the Northern Irish Assembly.</p><p>DECC publish regional electricity and gas bills information in Quarterly Energy Prices. Differences between regions are due to several factors including regional variation in pricing and the proportion of consumers who have switched supplier onto cheaper tariffs. DECC estimate that in 2013 the average retail electricity bill was highest in the North Scotland and lowest in the East Midlands and that the average retail gas bill is highest in London and lowest in North Scotland.</p><p> </p><p><em>Source: DECC Quarterly Energy Prices, table 2.2.3 for electricity and 2.3.3 for gas <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/annual-domestic-energy-price-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/annual-domestic-energy-price-statistics</a>. Provisional estimates for regional bills for 2014 will be published Thursday 18th December 2014. Northern Ireland data is included in the electricity comparison but DECC do not publish gas bills for Northern Ireland.)</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 15/12/2014 17:53:25 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 33058 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

168581

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Low Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of how many working people earn less than £10,600 per annum.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	217635
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading East answering member printed Mr Rob Wilson question first answered 11/12/2014 09:45:12 answering member 1556 label Biography information for Mr Rob Wilson attachment 1 file name PQ 217635 ONS 455.pdf title ONS Letter to Member - Working people on £10,600
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

168582

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Government Departments: Disclosure of Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to publish minutes and lists of attendees of ministerial meetings with external organisations alongside other information available to the public on the gov.uk website.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	217639
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>There are no such plans.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Horsham answering member printed Mr Francis Maude question first answered 11/12/2014 09:48:53 answering member 115 label Biography information for Lord Maude of Horsham
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy