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176946

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
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	Small Businesses: Productivity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve the productivity of small businesses.
tabling member printed	Lord Harrison
uin	HL4576
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2015 answer text <p>Government policy focuses on delivering growth which in turn depends on productivity in the longer term.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have already set out our four key growth ambitions: creating the most competitive tax system in the G20, making the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business, encouraging investment and exports, and creating a more educated workforce. And through our industrial strategy, the whole of government is taking a long-term strategic approach to working in partnership with businesses to increase global competitiveness, support innovation and maximise export potential.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The right tax environment is vital to help businesses flourish so we have cut the main rate of Corporation Tax from 28% to 21% and announced further cuts to 20% by 2015 – the joint lowest rate in the G20 major economies. We have helped businesses with the cost of hiring staff by introducing a new Employer Allowance which cuts £2,000 from the National Insurance bills of small firms. To support small businesses in local communities, the ‘high street discount’ for around 300,000 shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants will go up from £1,000 to £1,500, from April 2015 to March 2016. This is in addition to doubling Small Business Rate Relief for a further year which means 380,000 of the smallest businesses will pay no rates at all.</p><p> </p><p><br> <br></p><p> </p><p>R&amp;D Tax Credits are the single largest Government support for business investment in R&amp;D. They are designed to encourage greater R&amp;D spend by business leading, in turn, to greater investment in innovation and improved products and processes. The rate of relief under the SME scheme is one of the most competitive rates in the world and, at Autumn Statement 2014, was increased from 225% to 230% of qualifying R&amp;D expenditure from April 2015. Innovate UK is the Government’s prime channel for supporting business-led technology innovation. It delivers a range of programmes in support of businesses undertaking R&amp;D including Collaborative R&amp;D, Smart and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. Innovate UK also provides opportunities for innovative businesses through the growing network of Catapult centres. Under the Coalition Government, Innovate UK, with partner and business contributions, has invested around £3.5 billion in innovation projects across the UK.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More businesses are getting access to the finance they need to start up and grow with Start-Up Loans offered to over 25,000 businesses; so far lending over £129 million. The British Business Bank has facilitated £890m of new lending and investment to over 21,000 small businesses in the year to the end of September 2014. And we have facilitated over £1.67 billion of lending to over 16,000 small businesses since May 2010, through our Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. We have brought together all Government advice and support in one place at GREATbusiness.gov.uk, where the ‘My Business Support Tool’ helps businesses find the support they need quickly, and businesses can speak to or webchat with a helpline adviser direct using the Business Support helpline. Businesses can also access our new Business Growth Service on the website, which brings together expert advice to improve and grow in one place, including Growth Accelerator, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and export advice and finance.</p><p> </p><p>Small businesses have less regulation to follow with a £10 billion cumulative net saving to businesses as a result of our deregulation work. Through the Red Tape Challenge, we have reviewed over 5,600 regulations and identified 3,000 to scrap or improve. We are on track to surpass our target of saving business £850 million per year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>And around 48,000 businesses have been helped by our UKTI support – of which 90% were small businesses. This support helped generate additional sales of over £49 billion and created or safeguarded over 220,000 jobs over the last year.<br> <br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 17/02/2015 15:53:23 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	2488 label Biography information for Lord Harrison

176947

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Private Infrastructure Development Group
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average amount of Department for International Development money deposited in the Private Infrastructure Development Group bank account between January 2012 and February 2015; and why.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4577
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2015 answer text <p>The total funds deposited in the PIDG between 2012 and 2014 was £360 million. Further information on DFID funding to PIDG is available at <a href="http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/projects/GB-1-203232/" target="_blank">http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/projects/GB-1-203232/</a> .</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Northover question first answered 19/02/2015 09:28:02 answering member 2539 label Biography information for Baroness Northover
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

176948

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Private Infrastructure Development Group
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 cost of travel for employees of the Private Infrastructure Development Group.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4578
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2015 answer text <p>In 2012 an independent review was conducted which led to the approval of a stronger travel policy that is bench marked to comparable organisations.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Northover question first answered 16/02/2015 17:30:39 answering member 2539 label Biography information for Baroness Northover
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

176949

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Russia: Ukraine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Russia following the shelling of Mariupol in Ukraine on 26 January.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2015 answer text <p>As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), made clear in his press statement on 25 January, we condemn in the strongest terms Russian-backed separatist attacks in Mariupol on 24 January which killed at least 30 innocent civilians, including children, and wounded many others. Recent announcements by the separatist leaders of further offensives, and their blatant refusal to abide by the ceasefire, raise serious questions about the commitments they made at Minsk. We call on Russia to stop its material support to the separatists immediately, and use its considerable influence over the separatist leadership to stop these indiscriminate attacks. The Foreign Secretary's messages have been reiterated in all meetings between UK and Russian officials in both Moscow and London since the separatist attacks in Mariupol.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 12/02/2015 14:15:52 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

176950

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Russia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total sum payable by Russia following judgments of the European Court of Human Rights; whether payments have been made in some cases; and whether they will make representations about any delays in payments.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2015 answer text <p>The British Government does not hold this information as the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is the body responsible for supervising Member States’ implementation of the European Court of Human Rights’ judgments, including on payment of just satisfaction. The UK plays an active role in the Committee of Ministers, and has regularly used this forum to press Russia to comply with Court rulings, in line with its international human rights obligations.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 06/02/2015 13:26:05 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

176951

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Azerbaijan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan about its reported actions in (1) arresting and detaining key persons in civil organisations and human rights defenders, (2) freezing the bank accounts of non-governmental organisations and of certain private individuals, (3) denying registration to new non-governmental organisations, and (4) alleged breaches of Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights; and whether all these matters were raised during Azerbaijan's presidency of the Council of Europe.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4581
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2015 answer text <p>The UK consistently raises human rights concerns with the Government of Azerbaijan, including during Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), visited Baku in November 2014 and discussed concerns about the human rights situation in Azerbaijan with both the President and the Foreign Minister. In addition to statements from Mr Lidington, the UK has supported EU and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) statements on human rights issues. In August 2014 we discussed the treatment of non-governmental organisations with Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the UK. In the Council of Europe, the UK has made a number of statements about the arrest and detention of members of civil society, in addition to raising it bilaterally. As a member of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan is a party to the European Convention on Human Rights, and we regularly encourage Azerbaijan to implement its Council of Europe commitments.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 11/02/2015 14:00:12 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

176952

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Russia: Ukraine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are investigating the whereabouts and the current wellbeing of Mustafa Dzhemiler and Refat Chubarov, Crimean Tatar leaders, following their exiling from Crimea; and if so, with what result.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4582
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2015 answer text <p>Mustafa Dzhemilev, former leader of the Crimean Tatars and Refat Chubarov, his successor, are currently living in exile in Kyiv. They have both been banned from entering Crimea for a period of five years by the so called Crimean “authorities” on fabricated charges of extremism. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), met Mustafa Dzhemilev on 4 December in the margins of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council in Basel. He expressed UK concerns at the harassment and intimidation being experienced by the Crimean Tatar community since the illegal annexation of the peninsula by Russia in March last year and reaffirmed the UK’s solidarity with the people of Crimea. Both Mustafa Dzhemilev and Refat Chubarov regularly brief the international community in Kyiv on the situation in Crimea, and our Embassy in Kyiv has frequent contact with them.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 11/02/2015 14:46:35 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

176953

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Iraq Committee of Inquiry
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is responsible for deciding the terms of service of the Chair and members of the Chilcot inquiry.
tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
uin	HL4583
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>The Prime Minister of the day appointed the Chair and Committee Members of the Iraq Inquiry. The Cabinet Office, as the sponsor department, is responsible for the terms of service for the Chair and Committee members of the Iraq Inquiry.</p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 23/02/2015 13:03:29 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire
tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill

176954

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Iraq Committee of Inquiry
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial or other incentives are in place to ensure that the Chair and members of the Chilcot inquiry complete their work within a reasonable time.
tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
uin	HL4584
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>Members of the Inquiry Committee are paid a daily rate with no bonus incentives. Sir John Chilcot has said that he and his colleagues intend to deliver their report to the Prime Minister as soon as it is possible to do so.</p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 23/02/2015 13:03:07 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire
tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill

176955

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Law: Conferences
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Islamic countries have been invited to participate in the Global Law Summit marking 800 years since Magna Carta; and which Islamic countries will send delegations.
tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
uin	HL4585
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2015 answer text <p>A large number of delegations have been invited, and will be attending, from around the globe. We are pleased that this will include over 90 Ministers and Attorneys General representing at least 65 governments and that delegates will come from countries of many different religions and many different types of legal system.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 12/02/2015 17:53:19 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill