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  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the size of the current account balance in 2014.

    Mr David Gauke

    The current account deficit in 2014 was 5.1% of GDP, with this net borrowing from the rest of the world helping fund the budget deficit. The Government’s plan to repair the public finances through fiscal consolidation should in turn improve the current account deficit, as set out in the latest forecasts of the Office for Budget Responsibility.

    The Government is also working to boost UK exports, including a £20m package of support for first time exporters and working alongside a more effective UKTI and better export finance.

  • Alasdair McDonnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alasdair McDonnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alasdair McDonnell on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much is expected to be allocated to Northern Ireland under the National Infrastructure pipeline in each of the next five years.

    Greg Hands

    The information requested can be obtained from “National Infrastructure Pipeline”, published in July 2015 and is available here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-pipeline-july-2015

    “

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11489, if he will make available the minutes of the Data Steering Group.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Data Steering Group has been established, chaired by the National Statistician, John Pullinger, which brings together leading experts to advise government on the strategic direction of the new Government Data Programme. Notes of these meetings will be made available on the Government Data Programme blog page on GOV.UK in due course.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11489, when the Chief Data Officer will be appointed.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Data Steering Group has been established, chaired by the National Statistician, John Pullinger, which brings together leading experts to advise government on the strategic direction of the new Government Data Programme. Notes of these meetings will be made available on the Government Data Programme blog page on GOV.UK in due course.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the funding was for the Digital Inclusion team in his Department in each year for which figures are available.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    As announced by the Prime Minister in Written StatementHCWS278 on 29 October 2015, policy responsibility for digital inclusion transferred from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 1 November 2015.

    Government is already investing in world class infrastructure (e.g. in the form of superfast broadband coverage) but access alone isn’t enough – people need the skills to benefit from online. The most recent funding figures available are £0.12m in 2013/14 and £0.30m in 2014/15. Our Digital Inclusion Strategy, published in April 2014, sets out how we plan to increase the level of digital engagement across the UK. Significantprogress in this area is already being made by public, private and voluntary sector organisations – dozens of which have signed up to the Digital Inclusion Charter.You can find more information on the Charter here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-digital-inclusion-strategy/uk-digital-inclusion-charter

    “

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether it is the Government’s policy to increase the membership of the House of Lords by over 100 members during the course of this Parliament.

    John Penrose

    The Government does not have a policy of the kind described in this question. Our policy on the House of Lords is described in the Conservative Party election manifesto 2015.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to encourage retailers to source their products from ethical and sustainable sources; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department encourages more responsible supply chain management by businesses, including retailers, by requiring companies to be more transparent about their business operations. UK listed companies are required to report on social and environmental matters where necessary for an understanding of their business.

    More widely, the Government supports the Ethical Trading Initiative which helps member companies realise their commitment to continuous improvement in ethical sourcing.

    We are also providing £18 million over six years to help Fairtrade International have a greater impact in their work and strengthen the global Fairtrade system.

    The Government also supports work by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on voluntary agreements such as the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan which encourages sustainability of clothing across the product life cycle including, for example, use of lower impact fibres. In addition, Government co-ordinates work on the UK statement on the sustainable production of palm oil, working with retailers and others towards achieving 100% sourcing of credibly certified sustainable palm oil in the UK.

    In October the transparency in supply chains provision (section 54) of the Modern Slavery Act came into force.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department is providing to higher education institutions to increase the number of post-doctoral positions offered; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government recognises the importance of sustaining a strong research community across the UK. In allocating Science and Research funding, the Government asks the Research Councils, Higher Education Funding Council for England, British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering and Royal Society to ensure that they are “maintaining a substantial flow of new researchers and high level skills”. Research Councils support 14,000 research staff and fellows, including 10,000 university researchers, many of whom are in early research careers. The National Academies provide over 690 early career research fellowships.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support UKTI has provided to Rio Tinto in locations where Rio Tinto invests or plans to invest.

    Anna Soubry

    UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) mining sector team has regular and ongoing engagement with Rio Tinto both in market and in the UK as we seek to realise economic benefit for the UK through the involvement of the UK’s mining supply chain in Rio Tinto’s projects.

    Rio Tinto closed its Lynemouth Aluminium facility in 2013. That same year UKTI was part of a Rapid Response taskforce (which included local Economic Development organisations and Rio Tinto), to explore redeployment and site re-marketing options.

    UKTI support included:

    – an audit of the unique characteristics and selling points of the site to determine the sectoral focus of Rio Tinto’s site marketing activity to potential investors.

    – research to assess from where the strongest investor interest was likely to come from.

  • Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what criteria were used to cap the value of the Government support package to £80 million for people affected by the closure of SSI Redcar.

    Anna Soubry

    The package, worth up to £80 million, announced to support former SSI workers and the Tees Valley economy more broadly was based on an initial assessment of what could make an immediate and lasting difference to the people affected and the local economy.

    We are looking closely Task Force to deliver proposals which they have identified will help recover from this closure, including funding to support apprentices complete their training, support for workers to retrain, and help for local businesses to grow. As the Prime Minister and Secretary of State have said, should more funding be needed, we will consider that.