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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he last reviewed his Department’s industrial strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry

At the Science and Technology Select Committee on the science budget and spending review held on Tuesday 19 January my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills stated that he wanted to see sector strategies that were formed under the coalition Government’s industrial strategy refreshed, as those strategies were put in place a number of years ago. My right hon. Friend has had meetings with many of the sector councils to discuss this and will continue to meet with sector councils and others, to consider what more the Government can do to support these industries and their growth.

My right hon. Friend also explained that there is an open door policy from his department to all industries, including newer industries and those that don’t yet have formal sector strategies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much his Department has spent on its industrial strategy in each year in which that strategy has been in force.

Anna Soubry

The industrial strategy was launched under the coalition Government in September 2012. The strategy was characterised by support for a number of sectors, in several areas where government action (via investment or otherwise) was identified to have an impact in promoting jobs and growth.

These areas were access to finance, support for emerging technologies, creating a pipeline of skilled workers, government procurement and the development of supply chains.

The figures below show how much money has been spent in the spend areas of Aerospace, Automotive and Agri-tech, in each year that it has been in force:

	13/14 (£)	14/15 (£)	15/16 (£) (Forecast)
Euro-Transonic Wind-tunnel (part of the Agri-tech Catalyst)	1,111,747	683,000	1,195,000
Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI)	72,697,664	132,544,663	128,877,536
Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)	–	16,009,948	32,358,783
Agri-Tech Catalyst	1,648,790	1,959,154	24,837,890
Total	75,458,201	151,196,766	187,269,209

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for how long the proposed apprenticeship levy vouchers will be valid.

Nick Boles

Levy funds will expire 18 months after they enter an employers’ digital apprenticeship service account unless they are spent on apprenticeship training. This will also apply to any top-ups in the account. Expiration will take place automatically, but an employer’s digital apprenticeship service account will let them know in good time when any funds are due to expire so that the funds can be spent if the employer wishes to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether employers who pay the proposed apprenticeship levy and provide training will be able to use levy vouchers in their own organisations.

Nick Boles

Employers will be free to spend levy money on apprenticeships training which they judge best meets their needs. If the employer is a registered training provider, they could use the levy money on in-house training which meets the required quality standards for an apprenticeship.

Where an employer wishes to provide their own in-house training, they must be registered on the Skills Funding Agency’s Register of Training Organisations. All providers are subject to inspection and reports by Ofsted on apprenticeship training provision.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the reasons are for the reduction in the proportion of his Department’s budget spent with small and medium-sized enterprises between 2013 and 2015.

Anna Soubry

It is an established convention that Ministers of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested by the hon Member.

However, the Department continues to improve its data collection so that the full extent of indirect spending with SMEs is captured, working closely with the Crown Commercial Service and prime contractors. The Department actively explores the possibility of contracting directly with SMEs throughout its procurement processes whilst adhering to the relevant public procurement regulations.