The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential risks to undersea internet and telephony cables; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government continually assesses a range of possible risks to the UK’s infrastructure, and arrangements are in place across Government and industry to ensure the ongoing resilience and availability of services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department has taken to embed the family test into its policy making.
Matthew Hancock
Officials in my Department have liaised with the Department for Work and Pensions as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it into the policy process. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) contracts and (b) sub-contracts (i) his Department and (ii) agencies of his Department have awarded (A) Netcracker Technology and (B) Computer Sciences Corporation.
Matthew Hancock
Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:http://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive
Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to promote British business in (a) Australia, (b) Canada and (c) New Zealand.
Anna Soubry
We are taking forward our manifesto commitment to strengthen relationships with Australia and New Zealand and bilateral trade plays an important part of this. Our trade campaigns are focussed on the strongest growing sectors that match UK business strengths. Australia continues to offer particularly good opportunities for UK firms in transport infrastructure witha Laing O’Rourke led consortium winning a £2.1bn highway upgrade project earlier in the year. Other sectors of opportunity include: defence, urban regeneration & construction, airports, rail, ICT & software, food & beverage. The changing dynamics in the world economy have reduced demand for UK oil & gas expertise but we are continuing to explore opportunities in renewable energy.
We are also using the GREAT Campaign to provide platforms for UK firms to network through business events around Rugby World Cup, Bond, the Clipper Yacht Race, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Melbourne and a broader Culture is GREAT campaign in Victoria. Trade missions from London, Northern Ireland and a sports infrastructure themed mission organised by Major Events International have all visited Australia in 2015. We are also supporting the launching of EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement talks and we maintain a strong flow of ministerial and high-level official contacts in support of the bilateral relationship including on trade and investment.
In New Zealand particularly good opportunities continue for UK firms in transport infrastructure, defence,construction, airports, rail, and food & beverage. Our campaigns have exposed senior New Zealand infrastructure leaders to UK infrastructure best practice which has helped eight UK companies win contracts totalling over £28m this financial year.
We are using the GREAT Campaign here to provide platforms for UK firms to network through business events around Rugby World Cup, Bond and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Wellington. Trade missions from London and companies from Northern Ireland visited in 2015. We also strongly support the launch of negotiations on an EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and we will continue to use ministerial engagement in 2016 to further trade and business objectives.
In Canada, our efforts are focussed on those sectors with the highest potential for British business and where the UK has competitive advantage. These include: energy, infrastructure, transport, financial services, creative industries and defence and security. Activities in the past three months to deliver this include: a Northern Ireland Minister led trade mission to Montreal & Toronto; securing business for UK film producers at the Toronto International Film Festival; deliver a 12 day programme of GREAT activity in Toronto and supporting low carbon technology at the opening of Shell’s Carbon Capture and Storage facility in Alberta.
In 2016 we will promote the Canada EU comprehensive economic and trade agreement which will deliver substantial benefit for UK business. This will include publication of a report to highlight specific opportunities for UK business afforded by CETA and a roadshow of profile raising UK events targeted at businesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will list (a) his Department’s correspondence and (b) meetings with the former hon. Member for Redcar between May 2010 and May 2015 on SSI Redcar.
Anna Soubry
It is an established convention that Minsters of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested by the hon Member.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the level of growth of small and medium-sized enterprises across West Yorkshire since 2010.
Anna Soubry
Statistics on the small and medium-sized business population are not available for West Yorkshire. Covering a larger geographical area, The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ Business Population Estimates, in 2015 show there were 50,200 (15%) more small and medium-sized businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber region than in 2010.
The closest suitable geography is that of the Local Enterprise Partnership. ONS statistics show there were 98,500 small and medium-sized businesses registered for VAT or PAYE in 2015 in the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership area. The figure reported for 2010 was 83,200, although this was calculated on a different basis and is not strictly comparable.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent estimate he has made of the number of employees who receive payment of service charges, tips, gratuities and cover charges through their employer; and in what industries such employees work.
Nick Boles
The Government has not made a recent estimate of the number of employees who receive payment of service charges, tips, gratuities and cover charges through their employer.
The Government launched a call for evidence in this area which closed on 10th November. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will analyse responses and make public the key findings in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department has taken to embed the family test into its policy making.
Anna Soubry
The Family Test is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in a proportionate way in the development of all new policy in line with the Family Test guidance, published by DWP –
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on director conduct of the funding of insolvency litigation being brought under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
Dominic Raab
An Impact Assessment was published when the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 received Royal Assent in May 2012.
The Ministry of Justice is in the process of considering the way forward in relation to the application to insolvency litigation of the no win no fee reforms in Part 2 of the Act.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the Resource Account and Budgeting charge of outstanding debt which will be written off for 24+ Advanced Learner Loans in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.
Nick Boles
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) models the proportion of loans which we expect will not be repaid – the resource accounting and budgeting charge (RAB charge). The RAB charge is estimated to be 50% in 2013-14 and 55% in 2014-15. BIS is collecting data on learners as it emerges and based on this data we regularly review and update the RAB charge estimate.
We publish the RAB charge once a year in BIS’ accounts.