The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2016 to Question 45581, when his Department expects to be able to provide a breakdown of the costs incurred in the creation of his Department.
Margot James
The Department will provide a breakdown in the Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received on the ability of the Pubs Code Adjudicator to enact its role impartially.
Margot James
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received one letter from the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Iain Wright) as Chair of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and one letter from the hon. Member in his capacity as Chair of the British Pub Confederation. The Department has also received correspondence from members of the Pubs Advisory Service and the British Pub Confederation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what processes are in place to enable complaints about the Pubs Code Adjudicator to be submitted.
Margot James
The office of the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) will publish its complaints policy shortly. It will explain how the PCA will deal with any complaints about the behaviour or conduct of the Adjudicator or any member of the PCA team and how the PCA will ensure that every complaint is dealt with fairly and impartially.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the compliance of pub-owning businesses with the Pubs Code.
Margot James
The Pubs Code came into force 3 months ago, on 21 July 2016. It is therefore too early to have made an assessment of the compliance of pub-owning businesses with the Code.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the expected cost is of the merger of the Department for Energy and Climate Change with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Mr Nick Hurd
A breakdown of transition costs will be provided in the Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to complete the ratification of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Mr Nick Hurd
An explanatory memorandum initiating the UK’s domestic approval of the Agreement was laid on 7th October 2016 with a view to completing the domestic procedures that will enable ratification before the end of the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to encourage UK nationals with expertise in trade negotiations to return to the UK from other EU countries to act as negotiators.
Greg Hands
The Department for International Trade has already established a strong and capable trade policy team with significant negotiating experience. The team has more than doubled in size since 23 June and is still growing. We will continue to hire the brightest and best talent from within the UK civil service and from elsewhere in order to deliver the best outcomes for the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to increase the number of skilled trade negotiators in British embassies, consulates and high commissions overseas.
Greg Hands
The Department for International Trade has already established a strong and capable trade policy team with significant negotiating experience. The team has more than doubled in size since 23 June and is still growing. We will continue to hire the brightest and best talent from within the UK civil service and from elsewhere in order to deliver the best outcomes for the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harris of Haringey on 2016-10-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 12 October (HL Deb, col 1889–90), whether any of the information supplied in response to the 20 information requests made by the Home Office of the National Pupil Database since April 2012 related to the information now being sought from schools as part of the school census on pupils’ nationality; and whether such information will be supplied in response to future requests for information.
Lord Nash
Data on nationality and country of birth have not and will not be shared with the Home Office or anyone else. It is solely for DfE research.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Harris of Haringey on 2016-10-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 12 October (HL Deb, col 1889–90), what steps they have taken to inform parents that the provision of information about their child’s nationality for inclusion in the school censure is optional and that they can decline to provide that information without any adverse consequences.
Lord Nash
The Department for Education publishes guidance for schools on administering the school census. It is up to schools to then work with parents and guardians to collect this data. As stated in the guidance (section 5.3.5) the requested information on nationality is as declared by the parent or guardian. The parent or guardian may decline to provide this information to the school without consequences. In such a case, the school would record this as ‘refused’ to meet its statutory duty to make a return.
However, the Department is aware that a number of schools have not implemented the collection in accordance with the guidance. We will, therefore, work with the sector to consider how it can better support schools in collecting school census data for future rounds.
To address any uncertainties, I have placed an information note in the House Libraries. This note has also been published on the Department’s public website.
The guidance is available on the Government’s website, www.gov.uk, by searching for ‘School census 2016 to 2017: guide for schools and LAs’.