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446189

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Iron and Steel: Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations the Government has received from the Welsh Government on the steel industry in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
uin	23244
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2016 answer text <br /><p>The Government has had discussions and corresponded with the Welsh Government on a number of occasions over the last five years on issues of importance to the steel industry in Wales. The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport in the Welsh Government attended and made representations at the Steel Summit in Rotherham on 16 October 2015. More recently, I spoke with the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport on 25<sup>th</sup> November, 15th December and on 14th January about the situation in the steel industry and progress on the “five asks” of the UK steel sector.</p><p><strong></strong></p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 26/01/2016 16:49:12 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

446190

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Pay
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 prevalence of employers withholding wages from employees; and what steps he is taking to prevent that practice.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Ben Howlett
uin	23246
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2016 answer text <p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not collate this information centrally, however, I refer my Hon. Friend to the additional information which was placed in the Libraries of the House in response to a question from the Hon. Member for Islington South and Finsbury UIN <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-19/17042/" target="_blank">17042</a>. Acas were notified of 12,791 Early Conciliation claims relating to the Wages Act from April to September 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, there were 9,494 Employment Tribunal claims relating to unauthorised deductions from wages in the most recent six months for which HMCTS data is available (April to September 2015, <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics</a>).</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government publishes clear advice for employers and workers on deductions from pay which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/understanding-your-pay/deductions-from-your-pay" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/understanding-your-pay/deductions-from-your-pay</a>. A worker’s pay cannot be reduced below the National Minimum Wage (NMW) except in very limited circumstances – even if the worker agrees to the deduction.</p><p> </p><p>HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) enforces the NMW, and anyone concerned about underpayment of the NMW should call Acas’s confidential helpline on 0300 123 1100 or visit <a href="http://www.acas.org.uk/nmw" target="_blank">http://www.acas.org.uk/nmw</a>. HMRC will respond to every complaint they receive.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 14/03/2016 16:54:34 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4445 label Biography information for Ben Howlett

446191

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Easter
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the implications are for the Government's policy of bringing into force provisions of the Easter Act 1928 to fix a date for Easter of recent comments by the Archbishop of Canterbury; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Yorkshire
tabling member printed	Sir Greg Knight
uin	23267
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2016 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>I understand that the Archbishop of Canterbury has recently indicated that he is working with other Christian churches to agree on a fixed date for Easter. At present, Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon following the spring equinox. The suggestion is that Easter be fixed in the second or third Sunday in April. The Easter Act 1928, which remains on the Statute Book, would set the date for Easter to fall on the Sunday that follows the second Saturday in April (i.e. between 9 and 15 April). The Act has not been brought into force. To so would require an Order in Council, with the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The Act also requires that, before the Order is made, “regard shall be had to any opinion officially expressed by any Church or other Christian Body.&quot; If the Christian churches were to agree on moving to a fixed date for Easter then the Government would consider, depending on what date is agreed, whether to bring into force the Easter Act 1928 or to make such other legislative provision as may be needed. However, there is no indication yet whether or when a date will be agreed or what that date would be.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 04/02/2016 17:30:18 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	1200 label Biography information for Sir Greg Knight

446192

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Students: Southwark
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 students from the London Borough of Southwark are in receipt of student maintenance grants.
tabling member constituency	Camberwell and Peckham
tabling member printed	Ms Harriet Harman
uin	23259
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2016 answer text <p>Statistics showing the number of English applicants awarded Maintenance Grants are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘<em>Student Support for Higher Education in England</em>’.</p><p><a href="http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx</a></p><br /><p>Data provided by the SLC indicates that there were 5,980 applicants from the London Borough of Southwark awarded Maintenance Grants in the academic year 2014/15.</p><p>An awarded applicant will only receive payments once SLC have received confirmation from the applicant’s provider that the student has been registered on the course.</p> answering member constituency Orpington answering member printed Joseph Johnson question first answered 29/01/2016 13:49:02 answering member 4039 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone
tabling member	150 label Biography information for Ms Harriet Harman

446193

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Green Investment Bank: Privatisation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department plans to include an undertaking to retain the staff of the Green Investment Bank as a condition when privatising that body.
tabling member constituency	Newport East
tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
uin	23262
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2016 answer text <p>It is the Department’s intention to sell the Green Investment Bank (GIB) as a going concern along with its business and staff. The GIB’s commercial value lies in its unique green specialism, including its green specialist staff. Any investor spending large sums investing in this bank will be investing precisely in this green specialism and staff.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 26/01/2016 16:43:15 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

446194

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Green Investment Bank: Privatisation
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 plans to take to ensure that the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank represents value for money to the public purse.
tabling member constituency	Newport East
tabling member printed	Jessica Morden
uin	23263
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2016 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><br /><p><strong></strong></p><p>The Government is following best practice recommended by the National Audit Office (NAO) to ensure a sale of the Green Investment Bank achieves value for money. This includes following the NAO’s recommendations on Government asset sales that were set out in its report on the sale of the Government’s shares in Eurostar.</p><br /><p>We are consulting with the NAO about the approach we are taking, and will continue to assess whether we are achieving value for money for the taxpayer through all stages of this process.</p><p><strong></strong></p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 25/01/2016 15:44:11 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1548 label Biography information for Jessica Morden

446195

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Iron and Steel: Government Assistance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether all companies in the steel industry which are entitled to state aid for renewables obligation and feed-in tariffs are receiving that compensation.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	23288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2016 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>On 14 December, the EU Commission approved our first state aid case - to commence relief from the indirect costs of the Renewables Obligation and small-scale Feed-in-Tariff. eligible companies are now able to apply for compensation, and those that apply by the end of the financial year will receive payments from the date of approval. Scheme guidance and application forms were published on 19 January 2016 and details can be found on the GOV.UK website. This compensation is in addition to the £60 million of support the Government has already given to the steel industry to mitigate the impact of climate policy.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 24/02/2016 14:39:01 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

446196

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Iron and Steel: China
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 his EU counterparts on the potential effect of China obtaining market economy status on steel dumping across the EU.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	23291
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2016 answer text <p>My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, EU Commissioners and EU counterparts about a range of issues, including Market Economy Status (MES) for China. He most recently discussed trade aspects of the steel industry with Trade Commissioner Malmstrom on 20 January.</p><br /><p>We are awaiting a European Commission proposal on granting MES. We understand that the Commission will also be undertaking a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of granting MES as part of their consideration of this issue. We will examine any proposal and assessment carefully. The Prime Minister has previously stated that he will make the case for China to be granted MES but China will need to show that it is committed to becoming more open as it becomes more prosperous. In considering the Commission’s proposal it will be important to consider the wider trade and international political context including compliance with international commitments. If China is granted MES, the Commission will still be able to pursue anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases and impose measures where evidence of dumping or subsidy is found.</p><br /><p>The government is strongly in favour of effective trade defences to tackle unfair trade practices. The Government voted in favour of anti-dumping measures on steel products in July and November and lobbied successfully for an investigation into re-bar. The Government is also pushing for faster, more effective action to deal with dumping of steel: this was one of the conclusions of the Extraordinary Competitiveness Council on Steel in November. The Secretary of State also raised the issue with the Trade Commissioner.</p><p>The Government is playing an active role in the European Commission’s steel stakeholder’s conference summit on 15 February and is supporting a robust discussion of the issue of overcapacity through the EU’s ongoing dialogue with the Chinese.</p><br /> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry grouped question UIN 23292 23293 23407 question first answered 27/01/2016 17:20:52 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

446197

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	Iron and Steel: China
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 the Government has requested be taken at EU level to respond to the effects of over-production of Chinese steel.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	23292
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2016 answer text <p>My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, EU Commissioners and EU counterparts about a range of issues, including Market Economy Status (MES) for China. He most recently discussed trade aspects of the steel industry with Trade Commissioner Malmstrom on 20 January.</p><br /><p>We are awaiting a European Commission proposal on granting MES. We understand that the Commission will also be undertaking a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of granting MES as part of their consideration of this issue. We will examine any proposal and assessment carefully. The Prime Minister has previously stated that he will make the case for China to be granted MES but China will need to show that it is committed to becoming more open as it becomes more prosperous. In considering the Commission’s proposal it will be important to consider the wider trade and international political context including compliance with international commitments. If China is granted MES, the Commission will still be able to pursue anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases and impose measures where evidence of dumping or subsidy is found.</p><br /><p>The government is strongly in favour of effective trade defences to tackle unfair trade practices. The Government voted in favour of anti-dumping measures on steel products in July and November and lobbied successfully for an investigation into re-bar. The Government is also pushing for faster, more effective action to deal with dumping of steel: this was one of the conclusions of the Extraordinary Competitiveness Council on Steel in November. The Secretary of State also raised the issue with the Trade Commissioner.</p><p>The Government is playing an active role in the European Commission’s steel stakeholder’s conference summit on 15 February and is supporting a robust discussion of the issue of overcapacity through the EU’s ongoing dialogue with the Chinese.</p><br /> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry grouped question UIN 23291 23293 23407 question first answered 27/01/2016 17:20:52 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

446198

registered interest
date	20/01/2016
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	EU External Trade: China
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the granting of market economy status to China.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	23293
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2016 answer text <p>My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, EU Commissioners and EU counterparts about a range of issues, including Market Economy Status (MES) for China. He most recently discussed trade aspects of the steel industry with Trade Commissioner Malmstrom on 20 January.</p><br /><p>We are awaiting a European Commission proposal on granting MES. We understand that the Commission will also be undertaking a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of granting MES as part of their consideration of this issue. We will examine any proposal and assessment carefully. The Prime Minister has previously stated that he will make the case for China to be granted MES but China will need to show that it is committed to becoming more open as it becomes more prosperous. In considering the Commission’s proposal it will be important to consider the wider trade and international political context including compliance with international commitments. If China is granted MES, the Commission will still be able to pursue anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases and impose measures where evidence of dumping or subsidy is found.</p><br /><p>The government is strongly in favour of effective trade defences to tackle unfair trade practices. The Government voted in favour of anti-dumping measures on steel products in July and November and lobbied successfully for an investigation into re-bar. The Government is also pushing for faster, more effective action to deal with dumping of steel: this was one of the conclusions of the Extraordinary Competitiveness Council on Steel in November. The Secretary of State also raised the issue with the Trade Commissioner.</p><p>The Government is playing an active role in the European Commission’s steel stakeholder’s conference summit on 15 February and is supporting a robust discussion of the issue of overcapacity through the EU’s ongoing dialogue with the Chinese.</p><br /> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry grouped question UIN 23291 23292 23407 question first answered 27/01/2016 17:20:52 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle