The qualifying period for unfair dismissal was increased to two years in 2012. From initial analysis we cannot see any clear signs that this has had a negative impact on employment. ONS Labour Market Statistics show a decreasing trend in unemployment figures and according to the CBI/Accenture employment trends survey 2014, half of employers (50%) expect their workforce to be larger in 12 months\u2019 time.<\/p>
<\/p>
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<\/p>
The Ministry of Justice has initiated a review of the impact of employment tribunal fees. We will consider the outcome of this review in due course.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4284", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Neville-Rolfe"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-15T16:09:38.487Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Unfair Dismissal"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the difficulties faced by employees who are sacked in their first two years of employment, in the light of changes to employment law and employment tribunal fees.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2170", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ouseley"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Ouseley"} ], "uin" : "HL382"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349515", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349515/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Export Control Organisation only holds data on licences issued and refused that fall within strategic export controls.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
No such licences have been granted for the Burmese police force.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4284", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Neville-Rolfe"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-24T11:16:01.423Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Burma: Police"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what equipment has been exported from the United Kingdom to Burma for use by the Burmese police force in the past two years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4180", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Nye"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Nye"} ], "uin" : "HL384"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349664", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349664/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
As was the case for the recent sale, any future sales would require us to work with advisers to consider our sale options and assess which one best meets the stated sale objectives.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
However, at any time, Royal Mail shares are directly available to retail investors as they are freely traded on the stock market.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-16T10:20:21.777Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Royal Mail"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what provision he plans to make in the sale of the remaining public stake of Royal Mail for shares to be made available to retail investors directly; and what evidence he has consulted or research he has commissioned in relation to that option.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4128", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chuka Umunna"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Streatham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Chuka Umunna"} ], "uin" : "1836"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349666", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349666/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The accelerated book build process, used in the recent sale, did not involve the concept of priority investors in the same way as a typical Initial Public Offering process would. There was not a need for early engagement by potential investors.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
All leading long term investors were invited to bid for shares.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-16T10:18:18.853Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Royal Mail"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department plans to seek and identify priority investors in respect of its sale of the remaining public stake in Royal Mail; and whether he intends to prioritise long-term investors in that sale.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4128", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chuka Umunna"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Streatham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Chuka Umunna"} ], "uin" : "1838"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349667", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349667/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government has appointed Rothschild to provide independent financial advice and Freshfields to provide external legal advice. The syndicate of banks were Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-16T10:19:19.923Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Royal Mail"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which banks or syndicate of banks are (a) advising the Government and (b) overseeing the sale of the remaining public stake in Royal Mail; and whether any other banks, institutions or firms have involvement in that process.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4128", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chuka Umunna"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Streatham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Chuka Umunna"} ], "uin" : "1839"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349727", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349727/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
These reports related to the Royal Mail Initial Public Offering. The recent sale of shares was through an accelerated bookbuild process to institutional investors.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-16T10:17:02.073Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Royal Mail"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what safeguards he plans to put in place in relation to the sale of the remaining public stake in Royal Mail in light of the reports into the privatisation of Royal Mail in 2013 of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, National Audit Office and the Noble Lord Myners; and which specific recommendations of those reports he plans to adopt directly.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4128", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chuka Umunna"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Streatham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Chuka Umunna"} ], "uin" : "1840"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349808", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349808/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The majority of the Department\u2019s £450m savings will be delivered through known underspends and releasing unallocated funding. Officials in my department are working with the Skills Funding Agency to determine how Further Education savings can best be achieved in line with ministers\u2019 priorities.<\/p>
<\/p>
All spending decisions for 16-17 and beyond will be taken as part of the Spending Review, the timetable for which is yet to be finalised.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3995", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Boles"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Boles"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-16T10:59:04.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Further Education: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement on reducing spending of 4 June 2015, if he will make it his policy to maintain the existing level of funding to further education colleges over the next five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4445", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ben Howlett"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ben Howlett"} ], "uin" : "1859"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349265", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349265/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supports research in these areas through the UK Research Councils, which support a strong portfolio of research addressing different aspects of these diseases and global health priorities. Basic, clinical and translational research into pathogens implicated in human infectious diseases is primarily supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC). Much of the fundamental research in these areas is supported through the MRC\u2019s infections portfolio. This provides the basis for further research funded through targeted support for translation and global health, to ensure that the findings from basic research are translated into practice and new treatments.<\/p>
A new UK Research and Development Vaccines Network has recently been announced, which will bring together the UK\u2019s leaders in vaccine development and research to focus on the most serious global health threats. Up to £20m will be invested from the outset to focus on the most threatening diseases including Ebola, Lassa, Marburg and Crimean-Congo Fever.<\/p>
The UK, through the MRC and the Department for International Development, is a member of and contributes funding to the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), which aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, microbicides and diagnostics against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other neglected diseases.<\/p>