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
tabling member	label

Search

164308

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
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	Electronic Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to ensure its services are available online; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	215655
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2014 answer text <p>A number of BIS services are available online including transaction services (e.g. filing information and accounts at Companies House), as well as online guidance available on GOV.UK and information on BIS services. BIS also uses digital channels to engage stakeholders in developing policy making.</p><p>BIS is committed to the vision set out in the Government Digital Strategy, publishing its own digital strategy in 2012. BIS and Partner Organisations have embarked on a digital transformation programme that by 2020 will ensure that all services that can be redesigned as such will be 'digital by default' and available on GOV.UK. They will be redesigned around the needs of users i.e. businesses, students, employees and consumers.</p><p>As a critical first step, BIS is playing a key role as part of the Government's Digital Exemplar Programme covering organisations with services that have over 100k transactions annually. BIS provides 5 of the 25 exemplar services. These are:</p><ul><li>Patents Renewal (Intellectual Property Office (IPO))</li><li>Redundancy Payments (Insolvency Service)</li><li>Land Registry Digital Delivery Service</li><li>Apprenticeships (Skills Funding Agency)</li><li>Part-Time Student Finance (Student Loans Company)</li></ul><p>Each of these services have or are being redesigned to be digital by default. Two are already live - Patents Renewal and Part-Time Student Finance - and the remaining three will be publicly available by end March 2015.</p><p>Beyond the exemplar services, The BIS Digital and Technology 2020 roadmap will identify all current non-digital services across BIS and Partner Organisations that need to be redesigned to be digital by default by 2020 along with the estimated timelines for development and online availability.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/11/2014 15:37:12 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

164479

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	Employment: Discrimination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department is taking to tackle discrimination of disabled people in the UK workforce.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	David Simpson
uin	215738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is fully committed to the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits employers from discriminating against their disabled employees and job applicants with a disability. Employers are also required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees so that they can work on a similar basis to employees that do not have a disability. Where an employee or potential employee believes that they have experienced disability discrimination, they can make a claim to an employment tribunal within six months of the alleged discrimination taking place.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to ensuring that all disabled people have the opportunities, chances and support that they need to gain and remain in employment, and there is a range of available provision to help them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Equality Ac 2010 only applies to England Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own disability discrimination legislation - Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 01/12/2014 14:29:23 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1597 label Biography information for David Simpson

164115

registered interest
date	21/11/2014
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	Scottish Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to keep the people who lost money following the failure of firms involved in Scottish Power's cashback warranty scheme updated on progress on the review of whether there will be further investigations of that matter.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
uin	215591
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2014 answer text <p>The outcome and recommendations of the review have just been passed to me and I will need to consider them. Any enquiry into this matter may be by way of a publicly announced inspection or a confidential investigation. If a public inspection is to be carried out this will be announced in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 26/11/2014 15:22:25 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

164117

registered interest
date	21/11/2014
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	Social Services: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2014 to Question 213960, what plans he has to meet the Minister of State for Care and Support to discuss minimum wage enforcement in the care sector.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	215559
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2014 answer text <p>While I have regular discussions on a wide range of issues with Ministerial colleagues I do not currently have any plans to meet formally the Minister of State for Care and Support to discuss minimum wage enforcement in the care sector. We do, however, also ensure that our officials work closely, along with HM Revenue and Customs, to improve compliance in the sector.</p><p> </p><p>To make the Social Care Commitment, employers must first commit to ensuring good employment practice. The terms and conditions of acceptance for the Social Care Commitment includes paying the National Minimum Wage as a minimum.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills monitors and reviews activity against the Service Level Agreement with HM Revenue and Customs throughout the year, and is considering what further targeted enforcement action might be appropriate to inform the next Service Level Agreement, which will commence in April 2015. As set out in my answer to PQ 213960 on 5 November 2014, action by HMRC continues to follow up on the previous targeted enforcement in the care sector, in addition to responding to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.</p><p> </p><p>Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should call the Pay &amp; Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HM Revenue &amp; Customs investigate all complaints.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 215560 215561 question first answered 28/11/2014 14:22:43 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

164118

registered interest
date	21/11/2014
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	Social Services: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2014 to Question 213960, where in the Social Care Commitment reference is made to employer compliance with minimum wage legislation.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	215560
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2014 answer text <p>While I have regular discussions on a wide range of issues with Ministerial colleagues I do not currently have any plans to meet formally the Minister of State for Care and Support to discuss minimum wage enforcement in the care sector. We do, however, also ensure that our officials work closely, along with HM Revenue and Customs, to improve compliance in the sector.</p><p> </p><p>To make the Social Care Commitment, employers must first commit to ensuring good employment practice. The terms and conditions of acceptance for the Social Care Commitment includes paying the National Minimum Wage as a minimum.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills monitors and reviews activity against the Service Level Agreement with HM Revenue and Customs throughout the year, and is considering what further targeted enforcement action might be appropriate to inform the next Service Level Agreement, which will commence in April 2015. As set out in my answer to PQ 213960 on 5 November 2014, action by HMRC continues to follow up on the previous targeted enforcement in the care sector, in addition to responding to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.</p><p> </p><p>Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should call the Pay &amp; Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HM Revenue &amp; Customs investigate all complaints.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 215559 215561 question first answered 28/11/2014 14:22:43 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

164119

registered interest
date	21/11/2014
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	Social Services: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2014 to Question 213960, when the review of HM Revenue and Customs service level agreement for national minimum wage enforcement will be concluded.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
uin	215561
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2014 answer text <p>While I have regular discussions on a wide range of issues with Ministerial colleagues I do not currently have any plans to meet formally the Minister of State for Care and Support to discuss minimum wage enforcement in the care sector. We do, however, also ensure that our officials work closely, along with HM Revenue and Customs, to improve compliance in the sector.</p><p> </p><p>To make the Social Care Commitment, employers must first commit to ensuring good employment practice. The terms and conditions of acceptance for the Social Care Commitment includes paying the National Minimum Wage as a minimum.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills monitors and reviews activity against the Service Level Agreement with HM Revenue and Customs throughout the year, and is considering what further targeted enforcement action might be appropriate to inform the next Service Level Agreement, which will commence in April 2015. As set out in my answer to PQ 213960 on 5 November 2014, action by HMRC continues to follow up on the previous targeted enforcement in the care sector, in addition to responding to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.</p><p> </p><p>Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should call the Pay &amp; Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368. HM Revenue &amp; Customs investigate all complaints.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson grouped question UIN 215559 215560 question first answered 28/11/2014 14:22:43 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

156913

registered interest
date	20/11/2014
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	Insolvency
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 made of the effect on financial redress for creditors from April 2015 of changes to funding of insolvency litigation in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
uin	215424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2014 answer text <p>Insolvency trade body, R3, commissioned research to try to measure the impact of the civil justice reforms on insolvency litigation. This research estimates that contingency fee arrangement backed insolvency litigation realises £150m-160m per annum.</p><p>When the exemption for insolvency proceedings was introduced in 2013 the impact assessment made the assumption that by April 2015 alternative funding arrangements would have been developed for insolvency cases. On that basis it was assumed there would be no major impact on the volume of insolvency cases which were pursued, or on the value of assets recovered in the long-run, although the risk of recoveries falling was acknowledged.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/11/2014 15:41:30 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

156916

registered interest
date	20/11/2014
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	Insolvency
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the effect of the changes to insolvency litigation in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 on the Government's ability to tackle director misconduct.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
uin	215435
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>Ministers are regularly in touch about matters in which they have a common interest.</p><p> </p><p>The changes in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 are not expected to have any impact on the c.1, 200 directors we disqualify every year as a result of actions brought by officials in The Insolvency Service.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 25/11/2014 13:33:49 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

156917

registered interest
date	20/11/2014
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	Post Office Card Account
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 made of the future of the Post Office card account after March 2015.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Jason McCartney
uin	215421
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2014 answer text <p>The Post Office card account is a matter for the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not have a role in commercial negotiations between other Departments and Post Office Ltd.</p><p> </p><p>Post Office Ltd and the Department for Work and Pensions are currently discussing the future of the Post Office card account and an announcement will be made when these discussions are concluded.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 26/11/2014 15:21:53 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	3953 label Biography information for Jason McCartney

156919

registered interest
date	20/11/2014
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	Postal Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received form private sector mail delivery companies on delivering mail in urban areas of the UK; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such proposals on the Royal Mail's ability to deliver Universal Service Provision in rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	215390
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Ministers and officials meet intermittently with representatives of UK postal companies, though there have not been any recent representations from such operators specifically on the issue of delivering mail in urban areas of the country.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament gave Ofcom as an experienced and independent regulator the primary statutory duty to secure the provision of the universal service to all addresses – urban and rural – in the UK. Ofcom maintains an ongoing monitoring regime which tracks Royal Mail’s performance and any actual or potential market impacts on the provision of the universal service. Ofcom has said that their own evidence clearly shows that the service is not currently under threat.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ofcom has been reviewing the case which Royal Mail has been making about the potential impact of competition on their ability to provide that service and is expected to make a statement very shortly. More information about Ofcom’s regulatory regime can be found on its website (<a href="http://www.ofcom.org.uk/" target="_blank">www.ofcom.org.uk/</a>).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The BIS Select Committee is currently carrying out an inquiry into postal competition in the UK and postal operators have recently submitted their evidence on market competition to inform the inquiry. Copies of written submissions can be found on Parliament’s website (<a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/business-innovation-and-skills/inquiries/parliament-2010/competition-in-the-uk-postal-sector-/?type=Written#pnlPublicationFilter" target="_blank">http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/business-innovation-and-skills/inquiries/parliament-2010/competition-in-the-uk-postal-sector-/?type=Written#pnlPublicationFilter</a>).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 25/11/2014 13:43:59 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane