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  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of amending the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 on the number of house fires.

    Michael Fallon

    BIS is currently exploring options for a revised match test in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. It will not have a material effect on the fire safety of UK domestic upholstered furniture, but could lead to a small overall decrease in house fires as it will include currently unregulated materials in products which can contribute to the ignitability of furniture. The test will also reduce the levels of flame retardant chemicals in UK furniture. These contribute to smoke toxicity when burned and can have adverse effects on human health and the environment when they break down into constituent parts. These changes should bring savings to the industry of £30-50 million a year.

  • Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what research he commissioned on the effects of the closure of the Hull Official Receiver’s office before the decision to close that office; and if he will make a statement.

    Jenny Willott

    Before taking the decision to close the Hull office the Insolvency Service reviewed the impact on customers, employees, and the agency’s finances; the strategic viability of the move; and how it could be delivered.

  • Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what bodies he consulted before the decision was made to close the Hull Official Receiver’s office.

    Jenny Willott

    Extensive discussions have taken place between the Insolvency Service and Trade Union officials in connection with the estates review, in the context of the estates strategy. As customer service will be maintained in the Hull area, no other bodies were contacted prior to the decision.

  • Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much work from outside the Hull region was undertaken by staff in the Hull Official Receiver’s office in the last 12 months.

    Jenny Willott

    The Official Receiver’s office in Hull imported 866 cases from outside the Hull region in the last 12 months.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many workplaces employ apprentices in each (a) region and (b) parliamentary constituency.

    Matthew Hancock

    I am placing the information sought by my hon Friend in the libraries of the House. Table 1 shows the number of workplaces that employ Apprentices by Region and Table 2 shows the number of workplaces that employ Apprentices by Parliamentary Constituency.

    The tables will also be published online through the FE Data Library:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-other-statistics-and-research

    “

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the default rate has been on each of the Government’s export guarantee funds since May 2010.

    Michael Fallon

    UK Export Finance (UKEF) supports UK exports, principally through the provision of guarantees to banks extending loans to overseas buyers and insurance to UK exporters against the risk of non-payment. From 1 May 2010 to 31 March 2014, the percentage of guarantees and insurance policies issued by UKEF that have subsequently defaulted resulting in a claim being paid, or where a claim is currently under examination, is 0.2%.

    Given the tenor of transactions that UKEF typically supports, which can be up to 15 years, an in-year default rate does not give a clear indicator of the performance of UKEF’s portfolio. In accordance with the financial objectives and risk measures agreed with HM Treasury, UKEF measures the Expected Loss of its portfolio. Expected Loss is the statistical estimate of the amount of UKEF’s contingent liability which could be expected to turn into claims that are irrecoverable. Full details of UKEF’s performance and risk management can be found in its Annual Report and Account which is available in the libraries of the House.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the stabilisation period in respect of the privatisation of Royal Mail, as detailed in the engagement letter between his Department and the underwriting banks, ends; and how that period has been defined.

    Michael Fallon

    The stabilisation period, also known as a "greenshoe" or "over-allotment" option, is a market-standard provision that allows the Initial Public Offering’s (IPO) stabilisation manager to provide share price stabilisation (if required) for up to 30 days post-commencement of conditional dealings. In the case of the Royal Mail, the stabilisation manager was UBS and the stabilisation period ended on 8 November.

    In the engagement letter, the payment of the discretionary fee was linked to the ending of the stabilisation period. However, we informed the banks involved that a decision would not be taken in the timeframe set out in the engagement letter given the volatility of the Royal Mail share price after the IPO.

    We have not set a rigid timetable for the decision on the payment of the discretionary fee which remains unpaid.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure there is a Liverpool City Region representative on the HS2 Growth Taskforce chaired by Lord Deighton.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The HS2 Growth Taskforce launched its final report in March 2014, delivering 19 recommendations to government to help get our cities, transport network, people and businesses ready to maximise the growth potential from HS2.

    While the taskforce membership was drawn from across the country and represented many different fields of expertise, it was not possible to include representatives from every area that will benefit from HS2.

    Recognising the importance of engaging closely with Liverpool in producing their recommendations, the taskforce went to the city in January 2014 to hear the views of local partners and businesses from across the city region.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what criteria were used for targeting the Skills Funding Agency’s reduction in funding for adult qualifications; and what account the decisions to reduce that funding took of each such course’s effect on (a) skills development and (b) employability of participants.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Skills Funding Agency’s review of vocational qualifications is not about a reduction in funding. Within agreed budgets, the review has sought to ensure funding is redirected in support of qualifications which are high quality, demanded by learners and valued by employers. The Agency has removed these low quality qualifications from the scope of public funding to ensure we only fund those vocational qualifications which are recognised by employers and enable someone to be employable in a particular occupation or sector. The goal is to promote both the skills development and employability of participants.

  • Edward Leigh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Edward Leigh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Leigh on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Attorney General, whether he has given advice to the Government on whether the removal of President Yanukovich was in accord with the provisions of Article III of the Constitution of Ukraine.

    Oliver Heald

    By long-standing convention, observed by successive administrations and embodied in the Ministerial Code, the fact that the Law Officers may or may not have advised or have been requested to advise on a particular issue, and the content of any advice, is not disclosed outside Government.