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  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people he estimates will (a) relocate to London and (b) leave his Department following the announcement to close his Department’s Sheffield office.

    Joseph Johnson

    The intention to close the BIS Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place is subject to consultation with the Departmental Trade Unions. These are taking place now and, therefore, it is not possible to estimate how many staff will relocate to London or leave the Department.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the benefits to his Department of conducting policy work outside of London.

    Joseph Johnson

    Since summer 2015 the Department has been reviewing its business model. By 2020, we want to simplify our structure, become more digital, be cheaper for taxpayers and better for users. As part of this we anticipate reducing the number of our locations from more than 80 to approximately 7 centres plus a regional footprint for the provision of local services. The intention to close the BIS Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place is based on a strategy to simplify delivery and focus expertise in specific areas. Consistent with this strategy the policy function will be in one place, close to Ministers, and the Department has made a decision to locate all its policy functions in the HQ in London. By 2020 the majority of employees in BIS and our Partner Organisations will continue to be based outside of London.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish the cost-benefit analysis related to his Department’s decision to close its Sheffield office.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department intends to close the Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place by January 2018. This intention is based on the strategic vision for the Department by 2020 that seeks to save 30-40% of its operating costs, reduce the number of locations it operates from (from currently around 80 to 7 centres and a regional footprint for the provision of local services), and halves the number of its Partner Organisations.

    The location strategy is based on the need to simplify delivery and focus expertise in specific areas. This includes locating the policy function in one place, close to Ministers, in the HQ in London. This decision was based on on-going analysis and discussions, leading to the decision by the Executive Board.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the publication, entitled The Department for Education review, published in November 2012, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential benefits of departmental regional office bases to the delivery of his Department’s policies.

    Joseph Johnson

    There have been no conversations between the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Secretary of State for Education on the subjects above.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending trade defence instruments to add a further exemption to the lesser duty rules in cases of social and environmental dumping.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government supports the use of the lesser duty rule in trade defence cases, as it allows for protection against unfair trade while at the same time avoiding the imposition of disproportionate costs on the wider economy. We do not support changes that would lessen its effectiveness as a trade defence instrument.

  • Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on UK productivity of the planned introduction of research and development grants.

    Joseph Johnson

    Innovation is a key driver of productivity and the UK ranks among the best in the world in various indices. The Government is focussed on creating the best conditions for innovative businesses to flourish and will be protecting, in cash terms, total spending on business led innovation through Innovate UK.

    We are exploring the range of finance products, including loans, available in a number of other countries. We will also be conducting market research to engage with, and further understand the needs of, innovative businesses in the UK.

    The Government also intends to commence pilots to test specific finance products before progressing to full roll out.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, further to the oral contribution of the Minister for Skills of 2 February 2016, Official Report, column 776, whether his Department intends to bring forward amendments relating to check-off and facilities time before the Trade Union Bill reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords.

    Nick Boles

    Government amendments to Clause 12 (Facility Time Reporting) and Clause 13 (Facility Time cap) of the Trade Union Bill were included in the Bill at Lords Committee.

    The remaining stages in the Lords are amending stages and the Government will table amendments as necessary.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on levels of exports of changes in the budget of UK Trade and Investment between 2015 and 2020.

    Anna Soubry

    Savings will broadly be delivered through implementing a new digital infrastructure to provide cost-effective access to export services; contractual efficiencies; and prioritising market and sector opportunities that will add most value to UK export levels. This is about being more efficient and delivering for UK businesses, including through enhancing direct support and developing the private sector market.

    HM Treasury has recognised the importance of the exports agenda by agreeing that £175m of further proposed savings between 2016-17 and 2019-20 should be reinvested in priority areas. The Government is committed to driving a step-change in UK exports and the reinvestment secured to refocus UK Trade & Investment will help us deliver this.

  • Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Derek Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Thomas on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations were received from (a) USDAW, (b) other trade unions, (c) ACS and (d) other trade and workers’ associations in response to the government’s consultation, Devolving Sunday trading rules, published on 5 August 2015; and what (i) number and (ii) proportion of those respondents answered (A) yes, (B) no and (C) otherwise to Question 1 in that consultation.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government received 7,171 responses to the consultation, though a significantly smaller number used the standard online consultation form and addressed the questions directly.

    USDAW responded to the consultation and its representatives met with officials during the course of the consultation. USDAW answered no to Question 1 in the consultation.

    TUC and the National Union of General and Municipal Workers (GMB) also responded to the consultation and their representatives met with officials during the course of the consultation. UNISON responded to the consultation but did not meet with officials. All three (100%) responded no to Question 1 in the consultation.

    ACS responded to the consultation and its representatives met with officials during the course of the consultation answered no to Question 1 in the consultation.

    The department does not hold full data from this consultation broken down by respondent type as a large portion of respondents chose to respond in their own words rather than addressing the consultation questions directly, and/or did not indicate the type of organisation they represented.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to paragraph 2.9 of Devolving Sunday Trading Rules: government response, published in February 2016, from which organised campaigns the six petitions were received.

    Anna Soubry

    The six petitions referenced in that paragraph were locally organised petitions which we believe were arranged by individuals. These were in addition to the national campaigns organised by the Christian Institute, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) and CitizenGo.