Blog

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent estimate his Department has made of the average cost of each official of his Department based at (a) St Paul’s Place, Sheffield and (b) 1 Victoria Street, London.

    Joseph Johnson

    The average salary costs (incl. pension and National Insurance contributions) for an official in Sheffield is £46,698, whilst the average salary costs (incl. pension and National Insurance contributions) for an official in London is £58,910. This can largely be explained by the London-weighted salary differences and the differences in grade mix of staff in Sheffield and London. For example, almost 9% of London-based staff are SCS (costing around £18m in salaries), whilst only 2% of staff in Sheffield are SCS (costing around £0.5m in salaries).

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many representations he has received from (a) European and (b) American officials pertaining to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement in each of the last 12 months.

    Anna Soubry

    Ministers and officials in the Department, for Business, Innovation and Skills are in regular contact with officials from the European Commission, EU Member States and US, as we work to secure a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement that benefits UK businesses, workers and consumers. This includes discussions with negotiators, legislators, administrations, and various other stakeholders from the EU and US.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Sadiq Khan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to answer Question 21634, tabled by the Right hon. Member for Tooting on 8 January 2016.

    Nick Boles

    We will collate this information and deposit it in the Libraries of the House shortly.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effects on recruitment of further education staff of the Government’s restrictions on public sector pay increases.

    Nick Boles

    Further Education (FE) colleges are independent organisations. Each college determines the terms and conditions of its employees, in accordance with their own circumstances. FE Colleges are therefore not affected by the Government’s restrictions on public sector pay increases.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the expenditure of his Department which specifically related to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    Prior to 1 April 2014 the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership was handled alongside a number of other trade negotiations. On 1 April 2014 my Department established a Unit whose primary purpose is to assist with the negotiation of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership but which also handles certain other international matters. In April 2014 this Unit comprised 8 staff primarily working on TTIP and 4 working on other international matters. It currently comprises 10 staff working primarily of TTIP and 6 working on other international matters. Staff expenditure for this Unit in 14/15 was £793313, and in 15/16 is projected to be £916007. Total expenditure for this Unit in 14/15 was £886813 and in 15/16 is projected to be £926774.

    .

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the heads of further education colleges about the implications for recruitment and retention of college staff of the Government’s restrictions on public sector pay increases.

    Nick Boles

    Further Education (FE) colleges are independent organisations. Each college determines the terms and conditions of its employees, in accordance with their own circumstances. FE Colleges are therefore not affected by the Government’s restrictions on public sector pay increases.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the implementation of the Prime Minister’s commitment of April 2015 to utilise the proceeds of the £227 million fine on Deutsche Bank to create a new three-year fund to create 50,000 apprenticeships.

    Nick Boles

    This Government will be spending twice as much in cash terms on apprenticeships by 2020 compared to 2010. Spending on apprenticeships in England will be £2.5bn in 2019-20. The Department for Business Innovation and Skills spending review settlement for apprenticeships reflects the government’s commitment regarding the proceeds of the Libor fine the FCA announced in April 2015.

    Further announcements that support the Government’s commitment to delivering employment opportunities for young people will be announced in due course.

    .

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the likely timetable for conclusion of negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    There have now been twelve rounds of negotiations for the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The twelfth round took place in Brussels last week. We are making progress and our ambition remains to reach a political agreement on the bulk of the deal during the Obama presidency.

  • Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Karl McCartney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Government made of the effect on (a) high streets, (b) small businesses and (c) post offices of the temporary changes to Sunday trading laws during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

    Anna Soubry

    The Office for National Statistics analysed the impact of the short term Olympic relaxation of the Sunday trading rules and found that it was not possible to make any inference from the data. They found no definite pattern amongst the growth rates of retail sales and noted that other factors, such as the weather and time of year, will have impacted sales.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of how much of his Department’s staff expenditure was specifically related to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    Prior to 1 April 2014 the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership was handled alongside a number of other trade negotiations. On 1 April 2014 my Department established a Unit whose primary purpose is to assist with the negotiation of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership but which also handles certain other international matters. In April 2014 this Unit comprised 8 staff primarily working on TTIP and 4 working on other international matters. It currently comprises 10 staff working primarily of TTIP and 6 working on other international matters. Staff expenditure for this Unit in 14/15 was £793313, and in 15/16 is projected to be £916007. Total expenditure for this Unit in 14/15 was £886813 and in 15/16 is projected to be £926774.

    .