The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many businesses have signed agreements with the Business Growth Service in each local authority area in the UK.
Anna Soubry
The attached table shows the number of businesses that have signed agreements with the Business Growth Service in each local authority area in the UK since the service launched in December 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Post Office has spent refurbishing the premises of the Crown Post Offices in (a) Crouch End and (b) Muswell Hill since January 2010.
George Freeman
Provision of its Crown branches is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited.
I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the staff costs are for (a) Crouch End Crown Post Office and (b) Muswell Hill Crown Post Office in 2015-16.
George Freeman
Provision of its Crown branches is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited.
I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how his Department decides on allocation of funding to research councils; and what assessment he has made of the grounds for significant changes being made to the relative size of allocations to each research council compared to allocations in previous years.
Joseph Johnson
The allocations will be published shortly. As in previous years, the allocations will be made by ministers following discussions with BIS delivery partners.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what academic research he has commissioned on the expected behavioural response of employers to the introduction of the apprenticeship levy.
Nick Boles
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have commissioned academics at The Institute of Employment Research and IFF Research to undertake detailed research into employers’ response to the apprenticeship levy. We expect to be able to publish this in late summer 2016.
Additionally we are in the process of commissioning further independent work in this area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the future of the Innovate UK Smart funding programme.
Joseph Johnson
Innovate UK is tasked with increasing growth and productivity across the UK through supporting business-led innovation. The number of different programmes it delivers has increased over the years and in some cases have become confusing for businesses, especially for SMEs, to navigate. Consequently, Innovate UK is currently simplifying its support to innovative businesses. Innovate UK intends to publish new Strategy and Delivery plans, which will outline its funding approaches and programmes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-02-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of his Department’s fiscal policies on the financial position of women.
Harriett Baldwin
In line with the Equality Act and the Government’s strong commitment to gender equality, ministers carefully consider the impacts for women when developing fiscal and other policies.
It is equally important for the future finances of both women and men that we have chosen to tackle the deficit; other Government policies including increases in the income tax personal allowance, the simplified state pension, auto enrolment into pensions, the National Living Wage, and free and tax-free childcare are also especially beneficial to women.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Tracey on 2016-02-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to widen access to financial advice.
Harriett Baldwin
The Government has launched the Financial Advice Market Review (FAMR). This will explore what more can be done to ensure people can access high quality, affordable advice to help them make informed financial decisions. The Review will establish what sorts of financial advice consumers need and examine ways to make financial advice work better for consumers. It will report back around the time of Budget.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2016-02-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the findings of the most recent OECD Interim Economic Outlook.
Harriett Baldwin
The OECD forecasts show the cocktail of risks facing the world this year, with expectations for global growth downgraded in 2016 and 2017. This is expected to have an impact on the UK as well, but we are forecast to be the fastest growing G7 economy this year.
We need to keep taking action to restore order to the public finances and deliver economic security for working people.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2016-02-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of successful prosecutions for tax evasion.
Mr David Gauke
At Summer Budget 2015, the Government announced an investment of £800 million to tackle non‑compliance and tax evasion.
This investment includes £266 million and 670 new HMRC staff to tackle tax fraud, which will lead to a tripling of the number of criminal investigations into the most serious and complex tax crimes.
The Government is also consulting on new criminal powers to tackle offshore tax evasion and corporate facilitation of tax evasion.
This all builds on the Government’s earlier investment into HMRC, which enabled the Department to achieve a seven-fold increase in the number of prosecutions over the course of the last parliament and contributed to the protection over £2 billion of vital public revenue last year.