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49715

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
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 and what proportion of adults in (a) the UK and (b) the smallest geographical areas in the UK for which information is held are functionally illiterate.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	197792
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p>The 2011 Skills for Life survey provides an estimate of adult literacy levels for people aged between 16 and 65 years-old in England, based on fieldwork conducted between May 2010 and February 2011. The headline findings of the survey were published in December 2011.[1] The survey results show that 14.9 per cent (5.1 million) of people had a literacy level below Level 1. Level 1 is viewed as the Level required to be ‘functionally literate', the level needed to get by in life and at work,[2] and so people below this level could be defined as having a low level of literacy. Level 1 is equivalent to GCSE grades D-G. Adults with skills below Level 1 can read or write, but their skills may be limited, for example, they may not be able to read bus or train timetables.</p><p> </p><p>The 2011 Skills for Life survey also provided Small Area modelled estimates[3] for sub-regional geographies. This analysis provides estimates of the proportions and numbers of people above and below the ‘functional literacy' threshold (i.e. National Qualification Framework Level 1) for sub-regional geographies in England. The smallest geographical area reported in this analysis are middle-layer super output areas – these are small areas of consistent size (of about 7,200 people) used for the collection and reporting of small area statistics by the Office of National Statistics.</p><p> </p><p>The recent OECD Survey of Adult Skills, published in 2013, based on fieldwork August 2011 and March 2012, included estimates of UK literacy levels, based on England and Northern Ireland (Scotland and Wales did not participate in the survey). National reports for England and Northern Ireland[4] based on the OECD survey note that 17 per cent of adults in England had low proficiency in literacy (i.e. at or below the OECD Level 1 in literacy, roughly equivalent to below NQF Level 1 literacy), compared to 18 per cent in Northern Ireland.</p><br /><p>[1] TNS-BMRB and AlphaPlus Consultancy Ltd. (2011) <em>2011 Skills for Life survey: headline findings,</em> Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, BIS research paper 57. Available online at: <a href="http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/0-9/11-1367-2011-skills-for-life-survey-findings.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/0-9/11-1367-2011-skills-for-life-survey-findings.pdf</a>, accessed on 07/05/2014.</p><p>[2] As defined in the Leitch review of skills. See Leitch, S. (2006) <em>Prosperity for All in the Global Economy – world class skills</em>, available online at: <a href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/6/4/leitch_finalreport051206.pdf" target="_blank">http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/6/4/leitch_finalreport051206.pdf</a>, accessed on 07/05/2014: page 61-62.</p><p>[3] Available online at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/2011-skills-for-life-survey-small-area-estimation-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/2011-skills-for-life-survey-small-area-estimation-data</a>, accessed on 6/2/14.</p><p>[4] NFER (2013) The International Survey of Adult Skills: adult literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills in England, BIS research report 139. Available online at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246534/bis-13-1221-international-survey-of-adult-skills-2012.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246534/bis-13-1221-international-survey-of-adult-skills-2012.pdf</a>, accessed on 07/05/14.; NFER (2013) The International Survey of Adult Skills: adult literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills in Northern Ireland, Department for Employment and Learning. Available online at: <a href="http://www.delni.gov.uk/international-survey-adult-skills-2012.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.delni.gov.uk/international-survey-adult-skills-2012.pdf</a>, accessed on 07/05/14.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

49744

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations have received how much funding from his Department aimed at supporting access to short breaks and respite provision for children, young people and their families experiencing all types of disadvantage in each of the last five financial years.
tabling member constituency	Blackpool North and Cleveleys
tabling member printed	Paul Maynard
uin	197818
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>Departmental records show that in each of the last five financial years, no funding was made in respect of supporting access to short breaks and respite provision for children, young people and their families.</p> answering member constituency Cardiff Central answering member printed Jenny Willott question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1497 label Biography information for Jenny Willott
tabling member	3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard

49783

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
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 he is taking to protect consumers from fraud and other doorstep crimes.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Mr Frank Field
uin	197891
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p>The Government takes doorstep crime very seriously and the issue has been identified as a top priority by the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP) which brings together enforcement, consumer education, and advocacy partners to identify, prioritise and coordinate collective action to tackle the issues causing greatest harm to consumers.</p><p> </p><p>Both the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and Trading Standards Scotland (TSS), which are funded by BIS, are putting resources into tackling doorstep crime and Trading Standards Officers across the country are cracking down on these fraudsters. In Lincolnshire for example, Trading Standards has teamed up with the Police and Community Lincs to raise awareness of doorstep crime amongst professionals caring for the elderly, including awareness of bogus callers, rogue traders, distraction burglary, and scam mail. To date 330 health and social care professionals who work regularly with 4,300 elderly and vulnerable people have been trained in how to spot potential victims and how to intervene at an early stage of a scam.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Doorstep Crime will also be the focus on this year's National Consumer Week in November 2014, when CPP Partners and the Government will work together to in raise consumer awareness of how to spot a bogus salesperson and where to report it.</p><p> </p><p>We are also hitting the perpetrators of fraud hard. A recent operation involving Trading Standards companies across the country and 20 police forces brought down a trio of fraudsters targeting vulnerable caravan park residents across the country. This resulted in 6 years of custodial sentences being handed down and the recovery of £20,000 in cash.</p><p> </p><p>We encourage anyone who believes that they have been the victim of doorstep crime or fraud to contact the Citizens Advice Consumer helpline on 08454 040506.</p> answering member constituency Cardiff Central answering member printed Jenny Willott question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1497 label Biography information for Jenny Willott
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

49788

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
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 the announcement of 25 April 2014, entitled Chancellor puts UK at forefront of ocean research with new polar science ship, if he will take steps to ensure that the new polar research ship is constructed in a UK shipyard.
tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
tabling member printed	John Woodcock
uin	197970
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p>This new polar flagship presents a significant opportunity for British business to show that they can compete with the best in the world. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will be working hard to make sure that British business are aware of the major opportunities around the project. The UK has world class skills and technology in this area and the Government hopes that UK marine and maritime companies will take the wider range of opportunities – from the design and building of the ship, through to its operation and maintenance.</p><p> </p><p>This ship will cost more than £200 million and legally it has to be procured through open competition. This ensures a fair process so that the UK gets the best possible product with the best value to the taxpayer. The Natural Environment Research Council's British Antarctic Survey will be operating the ship. They will be consulting the scientific community on the detailed specification for the ship shortly. An invitation to tender is expected to be issued in summer 2015.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Havant answering member printed Mr David Willetts question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 53 label Biography information for Lord Willetts
tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

49845

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is (1) the total sum, and (2) the percentage, of student loans that have been written off as bad debt.
tabling member printed	Lord Barnett
uin	HL6849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p>Information on the repayment status of student loans is available in the Student Loans Company (SLC) publication<em>‘Student Loans for Higher Education in England, Financial Year 2012-13'</em>.</p><p> </p><p>The Amount of Total Public Debt outstanding (including loans not yet due for repayment) at the start of Financial Year 2012-13 including interest was <strong>£40,271.5m</strong>, rising to <strong>£46,590.4m</strong> by the end of Financial Year 2012-13.</p><p> </p><p>The amount of debt written off or cancelled during the Financial Year 2012-13 was <strong>£27.0m</strong>. This figure is <strong>0.07%</strong> of the Total Public Debt outstanding at the start of Financial Year 2012-13 and <strong>0.06%</strong> of the Total Public Debt outstanding at the end of Financial Year 2012-13.</p><p> </p><p>Write offs occur for policy reasons; when borrowers die, become permanently disabled or when their loan reaches age thresholds. An estimate of ‘bad debt' has not been provided in the answer as there is no standard definition for this.</p><p> </p><p>Statistics referring to the Financial Year 2013-14 will be published in June 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1018 label Biography information for Lord Barnett

49847

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
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 Ahmad of Wimbledon on 9 April (WA 302), what is the amount of student loan debt still available for sale, including the first tranche referred to.
tabling member printed	Lord Barnett
uin	HL6850
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p>The total amount of pre-2012 income contingent repayment student loan debt that Government intends to sell has not yet been determined. However, over a five year period, as announced at Autumn Statement 2013, sales are expected to generate between £10 billion and £15 billion in revenues, with a central estimate of around £12 billion.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1018 label Biography information for Lord Barnett

49849

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
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 Ahmad of Wimbledon on 9 April (WA 302), what are the current terms of income contingent repayment loans.
tabling member printed	Lord Barnett
uin	HL6851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p>The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations set out the terms and conditions of income contingent student loans. This is also set out in the booklet <em>Student Loans – a Guide to Terms and Conditions</em>, the latest copy of which can be accessed at http://www.sfengland.slc.co.uk/media/666045/sfe_t_c_guide_1415_d.pdf . Students are informed at the time of taking out their student loan that the regulations may change from time to time and this means that the terms of their loan may also change.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1018 label Biography information for Lord Barnett

49852

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 26 March (HL Deb, col 528), what was the basis on which he described the sale of the student loan book for £160 million as "value for money for the taxpayer"; and what was the original value of the loans.
tabling member printed	Lord Barnett
uin	HL6852
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p>The Mortgage Style loans offered for sale had a face value of around £890 million.</p><p>The sale of the Mortgage Style Loan Book was value for money as the purchase price exceeded the value of retention to Government.</p><p>The real value of the book is below the face value of the loans because of the subsidised nature of the loans and their age. These loans attract low interest rates and have an earnings threshold for repayment. The age-related write off combined with the earnings threshold means some borrowers never repay.</p><p> </p><p>The sale of Mortgage style Loans also allowed the Student Loans Company to focus on its core business of supplying income contingent loans (ICR) to current students and collecting repayments from those loans.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1018 label Biography information for Lord Barnett

49862

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women prisoners had GCSE C-grade or equivalent in English and maths on being imprisoned in (1) 2010, (2) 2011, and (3) 2012; and how many had such qualifications upon release.
tabling member printed	Baroness Wheatcroft
uin	HL6857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p>We do not centrally hold information on the prior attainment of prisoners or their qualifications upon release.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4199 label Biography information for Baroness Wheatcroft

49894

registered interest
date	06/05/2014
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government on what dates the Industrial Strategy Council has held meetings since it was set up; and, for each meeting, (1) who attended, and (2) what was the agenda.
tabling member printed	Lord Adonis
uin	HL6873
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p>The first meeting of the Industrial Strategy Council was on 14 May 2013. The agenda consisted of:</p><p>1. Role of the Council</p><p>2. September Conference</p><p>3. Supply chains</p><p>4. Witty Review</p><p> </p><p>The meeting was attended by:</p><p>Tera Allas, Keith Anderson, Gordon Ballard, Marcus Bryson, Vince Cable, Victor Chavez, John Cridland, Martin Donnelly, Warren East, Peter Hansford, Lord Hutton, Harry Keenan, Sir Richard Lambert, Janice Munday, Mark Turner, Robin Webb, Frances O'Grady, Michael Snyder, Keith Wiggins.</p><p> </p><p>The second meeting of the Industrial Strategy Council took place on 27<sup>th</sup> November 2013. The agenda consisted of:</p><p>1. Policy update</p><p>2. Progress update and next steps</p><p>3. Update on small businesses</p><p>4. Supply chains</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The meeting was attended by:</p><p>Keith Anderson, Gordon Ballard, Judith Batchelar, Marcus Bryson, Vince Cable, Neil</p><p> </p><p>Carson, John Cridland, Martin Donnelly, Warren East, Peter Hansford, Lord Hutton, Harry Keenan, Bernadette Kelly, Sir Richard Lambert, Janice Munday, Richard Parry-Jones.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The third meeting of the Industrial Strategy Council will take place on 19th May 2014.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	3743 label Biography information for Lord Adonis