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174947

registered interest
date	21/01/2015
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	Arab States
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage tariff reductions, labour mobility, mutual recognition of university degrees, trade integration and increased exports, throughout the Arab world.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4326
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text <p>The UK is taking steps both bilaterally and in the European Union to support stronger economic ties with Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>The Gulf Cooperation Council suspended negotiations with the EU in 2008. However, the UK is working closely with European partners to build on existing Association Agreements (AA) in the region through the Union for the Mediterranean which brings together the EU and 15 countries of the MENA and Southern Mediterranean region. This work is an opportunity to reduce tariffs and further open up these markets for British businesses. The UK has also supported the opening of trade talks with Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt. Of these, the most advanced trade talks are with Morocco; very recently an agreement was concluded to protect Geographical Indications (GIs).</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>UK Trade and Investment also has offices throughout the region working with business to increase UK exports, including a Middle East and North Africa marketing hub in Dubai. The Gulf region is also one of the priorities in the Government’s strategy for international education. In this regard the Government has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Higher Education and Research with Kuwait (June 2014), and one on Mutual Recognition of Qualifications with the UAE (May 2013).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 02/02/2015 15:35:58 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

172688

registered interest
date	08/01/2015
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	City Link
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will examine the financial support undertakings given to City Link by its owner; and whether they have estimated the cost to the taxpayer of the withdrawal of the committed support.
tabling member printed	Lord Myners
uin	HL4008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2015 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The Insolvency Service will consider the conduct of the directors of City Link in connection with the management of the company. This would include any issues associated with financial support offered by its owner or by third parties.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is not uncommon that an insolvent company has insufficient money to pay their creditors in full - including employees - and that is why there are special arrangements for employees who are made redundant on the insolvency of their employer. These provisions ensure employees receive a basic minimum of the debts owed by the employer from the National Insurance Fund.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is too early to provide an estimate of the cost of the payments to former employees of City Link. However, I can confirm that there are statutory limits on these payments, such as the £464 cap on a week’s pay.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 20/01/2015 12:51:55 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	3869 label Biography information for Lord Myners

172701

registered interest
date	08/01/2015
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	Poland
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 16 December 2014 (HL3123), what action they are taking to correct the trade deficit with Poland.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL4021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2015 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Government is actively engaged in encouraging more exports to Poland. UKTI Poland is part of a nine country regional network, focussed on helping British firms secure business wins and benefit from high value opportunities in key sectors (energy, infrastructure, defence &amp; security, healthcare and life sciences, services and advanced engineering), together with FCO colleagues. The aim is to match Polish opportunities with UK capabilities, facilitate access to key Polish official stakeholders and, through, HMG’s accredited partner, the British Polish Chamber of Commerce Trade Team to provide tailored support to small and medium sized companies looking to export to Poland.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 14/01/2015 16:48:56 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

169689

registered interest
date	11/12/2014
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	UK Membership of EU
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livingston of Parkhead on 19 November (HL2689), what research they have conducted since 1992 to determine the impact on United Kingdom trade of the free trade agreements negotiated on the United Kingdom's behalf by the European Commission.
tabling member printed	Lord Pearson of Rannoch
uin	HL3676
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p> </p><p /> <p>The Department conducts Impact Assessments of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) between the European Union (EU) and other major economies, including, as far as possible, impacts on United Kingdom (UK) trade. Impact Assessments have been published on the FTAs between the European Union and Korea; and between the EU and the Andean countries (Colombia and Peru). These are available at <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2010/328/pdfs/ukia_20100328_en.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2010/328/pdfs/ukia_20100328_en.pdf</a> and <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2013/151/pdfs/ukia_20130151_en.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2013/151/pdfs/ukia_20130151_en.pdf</a>.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>The Department published research into the potential impact on the UK of an FTA between the EU and the United States (US) in 2013. This research has informed the Government’s approach to the Transatlantic Trade &amp; Investment Partnership (TTIP), currently under negotiation. This research estimates a long-term permanent annual increase in bilateral trade between the UK and US of around £38 billion. The study is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/198115/bis-13-869-economic-impact-on-uk-of-tranatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership-between-eu-and-us.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/198115/bis-13-869-economic-impact-on-uk-of-tranatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership-between-eu-and-us.pdf</a>.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>To assess the impacts of other FTAs on the UK, the Department draws on analysis conducted by the European Commission. The European Commission has conducted research into the estimated impact on the EU of FTAs it has negotiated and is negotiating on the UK’s behalf. The studies also consider the impact of FTAs on bilateral trade. These Impact Assessments are available at: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/policy-making/analysis/sustainability-impact-assessments/assessments/" target="_blank">http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/policy-making/analysis/sustainability-impact-assessments/assessments/</a></p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>The European Commission has also commissioned an evaluation of the impact on EU trade of several Free Trade Agreements concluded since 1992, including with Chile and South Africa. This found that the FTA with Chile had increased the EU’s exports to Chile by 148% and the FTA with South Africa had increased the EU’s exports to South Africa by 63% compared to what would have been without the FTAs. This study is available at: <a href="http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2011/may/tradoc_147905.pdf" target="_blank">http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2011/may/tradoc_147905.pdf</a>.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 16/12/2014 17:35:04 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
tabling member	3153 label Biography information for Lord Pearson of Rannoch

169690

registered interest
date	11/12/2014
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	UK Trade with EU
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livingston of Parkhead on 19 November (HL2689), what research they have conducted since 1992 to determine the benefits of the European Single Market for United Kingdom trade.
tabling member printed	Lord Pearson of Rannoch
uin	HL3677
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>The joint HMG and Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) e-book on the UK and the Future of the Single Market, “Twenty Years On” (2012), looked at a wide range of benefits of the European Single Market to the UK. Specifically related to trade, the report notes that European markets account for just under half of UK exports of goods and services and following the enlargements of 2004 and 2007, which had a positive effect on the UK’s trade with the new Member States, UK exports to the EU12 have doubled since 2004.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A BIS Economics Paper on “The economic consequences for the UK and the EU of completing the Single Market” (BIS, 2011), which concluded that if all Member States removed barriers to the full implementation of the Single Market, UK exports would increase 47%.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>UK and the Future of the Single Market, “Twenty Years On” (2012)</em></p><p> </p><p><em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34715/12-199-twenty-years-on-uk-and-future-single-market.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34715/12-199-twenty-years-on-uk-and-future-single-market.pdf</a> </em></p><p> </p><p><em> </em></p><p> </p><p><em>The economic consequences for the UK and the EU of completing the Single Market” (BIS, 2011)</em></p><p> </p><p><em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/83815/economic_consequences_for_the_UK_and_the_EU_of_completing_the_Single_Market.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/83815/economic_consequences_for_the_UK_and_the_EU_of_completing_the_Single_Market.pdf</a></em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 17/12/2014 16:44:56 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
tabling member	3153 label Biography information for Lord Pearson of Rannoch

169064

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
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	Private Equity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to introduce any further transparency requirements for companies owned or substantially owned by private equity funds.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL3554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/12/2014 answer text <p>Measures to create a central, public register of people with significant control over UK companies are contained within the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill. Where a private equity fund owns more than 25% of a UK company’s shares or voting rights – or otherwise exercises significant control over that company - the company will need to disclose information on the control of the fund in line with the requirements in Schedule 3 of the Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government does not have any plans to introduce any further transparency requirements on such companies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 22/12/2014 14:52:51 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

167636

registered interest
date	03/12/2014
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	Arms Trade: Israel
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livingston of Parkhead on 18 August (HL1576) on British military exports to Israel, whether they will clarify the uses of components for combat aircraft, drones, targeting equipment, military radar, weapon night sights, anti-armour ammunition, sniper rifles and high powered radio frequency weapons systems; and whether those components constitute a particular weapon or system being used for internal repression or external aggression as specified in the Export Control Act 2002.
tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
uin	HL3408
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government’s review of extant export licences for Israel, the results of which were announced on 12 August, found that the vast majority of licences are not for items that could be used by Israeli forces in operations in Gaza. However the review did identify 12 licences for components which could be part of equipment used by Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza. These licences include components for combat aircraft, components for military radars, and components for targeting equipment. The Government will suspend these licences in the event of a resumption of significant hostilities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The majority of the remaining licences are for components to be incorporated into other equipment for onward supply to third countries, for test or demonstration purposes, or for hunting and sports shooting.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is currently conducting a further review of licences for Israel. The outcome of the review will be announced in due course.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 17/12/2014 16:51:50 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

167251

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Sri Lanka
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that the European Union decision in 2010 to remove trade concessions from Sri Lanka pending the government of that country improving its human rights record has created a precedent for other countries.
tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
uin	HL3352
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>In 2010 some trade preferences, known as GSP+, were removed from Sri Lanka by the European Union following investigations and reports which found significant shortcomings in respect of Sri Lanka’s implementation of three human rights conventions. Sri Lanka continues to receive beneficial but less generous trade preferences from the EU under the ‘standard’ GSP scheme.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As was the case for Sri Lanka, any decision for the EU to remove GSP+ preferences from a country is based on the objective criteria and following the process established in the GSP Regulation as agreed by European Member States and the European Parliament.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Livingston of Parkhead question first answered 15/12/2014 17:51:12 answering member 4278 label Biography information for Lord Livingston of Parkhead
tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

166095

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
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	Sign Language: Interpreters
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the market for British Sign Language interpreters to meet the needs of the deaf community.
tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
uin	HL3153
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL) provision in England through the Adult Skills Budget (ASB). Colleges and providers have the freedom and flexibility to use the ASB as best fits the needs of their local learners and businesses. This includes BSL qualifications, for those wishing to learn for their own use or to become an interpreter.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe grouped question UIN HL3154 question first answered 03/12/2014 16:16:06 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

166096

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
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	Sign Language: Interpreters
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there are enough fully qualified British Sign Language interpreters to support the needs of the deaf community.
tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
uin	HL3154
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL) provision in England through the Adult Skills Budget (ASB). Colleges and providers have the freedom and flexibility to use the ASB as best fits the needs of their local learners and businesses. This includes BSL qualifications, for those wishing to learn for their own use or to become an interpreter.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe grouped question UIN HL3153 question first answered 03/12/2014 16:16:06 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath