The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Government is involved in discussions with Tata UK on whether Tata UK plans to reverse the sale of some or all of its UK assets.
Anna Soubry
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on people accessing services of a contract being terminated early by the Skills Funding Agency due to the provider being at risk of failure.
Nick Boles
The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) does not terminate contracts on the grounds of a provider being ‘at risk of failure’. When the Skills Funding Agency terminates a provider’s contract early, whatever the reason for the termination, it ensures that an alternative provider is in place to enable employers and learners to continue their programme if they wish to do so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department takes to limit the effect on service users of contracts with sub-contractors being terminated early due to the provider being at risk of failure.
Nick Boles
Where a subcontractor is impacted by the Skills Funding Agency’s (SFA) decision to terminate a provider contract, the SFA ensures that the learners can remain in their programme of learning either through the subcontractor or through a transfer to another provider depending on the circumstances of the termination. However, the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) does not terminate contracts on the grounds of a provider being ‘at risk of failure’.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many contracts have been terminated early by the Skills Funding Agency due to the provider being at risk of failure in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015.
Nick Boles
The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) does not terminate contracts on the grounds of a provider being ‘at risk of failure’.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of how many apprenticeships were lost as a result of the early termination of contracts by the Skills Funding Agency because the provider was at risk of failure in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015.
Nick Boles
The Skills Funding Agency has not estimated the number of apprenticeships that have been lost as a result of early termination of contracts in 2013, 2014 and 2015 because the Skills Funding Agency ensures that an alternative provider is in place to enable apprentices to continue their programme should they choose to do so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-04.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how his Department plans to assess for payment of the apprenticeship levy companies whose paybill during the financial year in question varies above or below the £3 million published threshold for paying that levy.
Greg Hands
The Government plans for assessment of the levy is set out in the latest guidance published by the Department of Business Innovation and skills "Apprenticeship levy: how it will work" in the section "Calculating what you pay" available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-levy-how-it-will-work/apprenticeship-levy-how-it-will-work. The levy allowance will operate on a monthly basis and will accumulate throughout the year.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects to publish equality impact assessments relating to area reviews of post-16 education and training.
Nick Boles
The Government will produce an evaluation of the area review programme and its potential to impact on groups protected by the Equality Act 2010.
The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit, which supports the individual reviews, will work with the local steering groups overseeing the reviews to make sure that equality issues are considered in each review.
The reviews do not, however, mandate action. Colleges are independent corporations and it will be for each college’s governing body to assess the potential impact on groups protected by the Act, as part of its decision to accept or reject any recommendation requiring a change to their provision. This does not therefore require a modification of the outcomes of a review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how he plans to modify the outcome area reviews of post-16 education and training to take account of equality impact assessments available only after a review has concluded.
Nick Boles
The Government will produce an evaluation of the area review programme and its potential to impact on groups protected by the Equality Act 2010.
The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit, which supports the individual reviews, will work with the local steering groups overseeing the reviews to make sure that equality issues are considered in each review.
The reviews do not, however, mandate action. Colleges are independent corporations and it will be for each college’s governing body to assess the potential impact on groups protected by the Act, as part of its decision to accept or reject any recommendation requiring a change to their provision. This does not therefore require a modification of the outcomes of a review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects to (a) receive and (b) publish the final recommendations for wave 1 of the area reviews of post-16 education and training.
Nick Boles
As each area review reaches its conclusion, we will receive confirmation of the recommendations that have been agreed and I have agreed to meet with MPs from the area to discuss those recommendations.
As we have set out in the published guidance for area reviews, we will publish a report relating to each review once it has finished. This will include the final recommendations agreed by each review.
The exact timing of both of these will depend on the progress of each individual review. We expect most reports from the first wave to be published before the Summer recess.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which government websites include a link to information on the EU referendum.
John Penrose
The only Government websites currently linking to information on the EU referendum are Gov.uk and eureferendum.gov.uk.
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