The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will (a) publish and (b) provide to the recognised trade unions, a detailed cost analysis for the closure of Hull Official Receiver’s office.
Jenny Willott
The Insolvency Service has provided a cost analysis to the Trade Unions, on a confidential basis. In view of its commercial nature, I do not consider it appropriate to publish this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what facilities his Department has identified to allow (a) company directors, (b) bankrupts and (c) others to be interviewed locally after the closure of the Hull Official Receiver’s office.
Jenny Willott
The Insolvency Service announced its decision to close its Hull office on 27 March 2014 and indicated that the intention was to preserve the services to customers by opening an interview facility in the Hull area. Also on 27 March 2014 I wrote to local Members of Parliament to share their views on local issues that might influence the location of a local interview facility. These views, along with analysis of customer information, will be used to select the precise location. The facility will be operational by the time of the closure, in November 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in what circumstances he uses a calculation of the (a) value of preventing a fatality, (b) willingness to pay and (c) cost-per-quality adjusted life year approach to quantify the value of a policy intervention; what other tools he uses to quantify the benefit of a policy intervention; and if he will make a statement.
Jenny Willott
The Green Book and associated supplementary guidance is publicly available on the Treasury web site. It sets out a range of approaches and methods that may be appropriate in a number of different appraisal circumstances.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Miss Anne McIntosh on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received on illegal pump imports into the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Michael Fallon
I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
We have had no representations on illegal pump imports. The National Measurement Office (NMO) is the designated Market Surveillance Authority for the UK for products subject to regulations made under the Ecodesign for Energy -related Products Directive, including those for pumps. It takes an intelligence-led and risk-based approach to market surveillance; any evidence of illegal imports should be sent to the NMO (https://www.gov.uk/placing-energy-related-products-on-the-uk-market) for follow-up and appropriate enforcement action.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Insolvency Service paid for fruitless payments in respect of individual and corporate insolvencies in each of the last five years.
Jenny Willott
The information requested is presented in the following table.
|
Year |
Amount Paid |
Number of cases |
|
2012-13 |
172,560.24 |
55 |
|
2011-12 |
247,231.73 |
100 |
|
2010-11 |
279,527.57 |
93 |
|
2009-10 |
575,783.47 |
80 |
|
2008-09 |
256,956.93 |
41 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the potential cost of buying out the lease for the Hull Official Receiver’s office.
Jenny Willott
No assessment of the costs of buying out the lease have been made. The financial information considered when the decision to close the office was made assumed that the Insolvency Service would be responsible for lease payments until the lease end in September 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, on which date authority was given for the closure of the Hull Official Receiver’s office; and who gave such authority.
Jenny Willott
The decision to close the Insolvency Service office in Hull was made by the Insolvency Service Board on 18 March 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what negotiations took place with trade unions prior to the decision to close the Hull Official Receiver’s office; and on what dates those negotiations took place.
Jenny Willott
Extensive discussions have taken place between the Insolvency Service and trade union officials in connection with the estates review of our 36 offices throughout the last 2 years, in the context of continued falling case numbers. As a result of this on-going consultation, changes have been made to our excess fares, home moves and flexible working policies, to support those affected by office closures. The trade unions were made aware on 25 February 2014 that the future of the Hull office was being considered, and were invited to provide any views they wished. Following the announcement of the office closure on 27 March 2014 a 90 day formal consultation period with employees and their trade unions representatives commenced. The purpose of the consultation is to ensure that the Insolvency Service explores what the decision means for each of its employees, as well as discussing and agreeing the support that it can provide.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he has taken to ensure that the Official Receiver’s statutory duties are completed in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire once the Hull Official Receiver’s office is closed.
Jenny Willott
The Official Receiver’s office will be based in Leeds, and in common with other Official Receivers, be responsible for insolvencies over a geographical area, which will include the East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull. An interview facility will be opened in the Hull area so that face-to-face interviews can be undertaken locally as needed and there is no reduction in the service provided to customers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what review was undertaken of the Hull Official Receiver’s office before his Department’s decision to close that office; what the timescale for that review was; and what evidence was collected in that review.
Jenny Willott
The decision on Hull was one of a number of decisions made by the Insolvency Service Board n the context of a review of the Insolvency Service’s estate. That review covered all 36 buildings occupied by the Insolvency Service and had the objectives of ensuring that its estate met the Insolvency Service’s needs to provide efficiency and excellent customer service and to reduce costs against a context of significant falls in case numbers. The review of the estates strategy started in early 2013 and Hull was in the final phase of buildings being reviewed in February 2014. The Board considered the options of remaining in the same accommodation in Hull, moving to alternative Government property in Hull and moving the Hull operation to Leeds. The evidence collected comprised, for each option, impact on customers, impact on employees, an assessment of strategic benefits, financial impact and how any move could be delivered.