Tag: Angela Eagle

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-05-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the oral contribution of the then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 989, whether he plans to keep the opposition front bench updated on the Insolvency Service’s investigation into BHS.

Anna Soubry

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the granting of market economy status to China.

Anna Soubry

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, EU Commissioners and EU counterparts about a range of issues, including Market Economy Status (MES) for China. He most recently discussed trade aspects of the steel industry with Trade Commissioner Malmstrom on 20 January.

We are awaiting a European Commission proposal on granting MES. We understand that the Commission will also be undertaking a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of granting MES as part of their consideration of this issue. We will examine any proposal and assessment carefully. The Prime Minister has previously stated that he will make the case for China to be granted MES but China will need to show that it is committed to becoming more open as it becomes more prosperous. In considering the Commission’s proposal it will be important to consider the wider trade and international political context including compliance with international commitments. If China is granted MES, the Commission will still be able to pursue anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases and impose measures where evidence of dumping or subsidy is found.

The government is strongly in favour of effective trade defences to tackle unfair trade practices. The Government voted in favour of anti-dumping measures on steel products in July and November and lobbied successfully for an investigation into re-bar. The Government is also pushing for faster, more effective action to deal with dumping of steel: this was one of the conclusions of the Extraordinary Competitiveness Council on Steel in November. The Secretary of State also raised the issue with the Trade Commissioner.

The Government is playing an active role in the European Commission’s steel stakeholder’s conference summit on 15 February and is supporting a robust discussion of the issue of overcapacity through the EU’s ongoing dialogue with the Chinese.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-05-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the oral contribution of the then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 989, for what reasons the Insolvency Service’s investigation into Comet was not shared with the opposition front bench.

Anna Soubry

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect that China’s potential Market Economy Status will have on the UK steel industry; and when he last met the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to discuss that matter.

Anna Soubry

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, EU Commissioners and EU counterparts about a range of issues, including Market Economy Status (MES) for China. He most recently discussed trade aspects of the steel industry with Trade Commissioner Malmstrom on 20 January.

We are awaiting a European Commission proposal on granting MES. We understand that the Commission will also be undertaking a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of granting MES as part of their consideration of this issue. We will examine any proposal and assessment carefully. The Prime Minister has previously stated that he will make the case for China to be granted MES but China will need to show that it is committed to becoming more open as it becomes more prosperous. In considering the Commission’s proposal it will be important to consider the wider trade and international political context including compliance with international commitments. If China is granted MES, the Commission will still be able to pursue anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases and impose measures where evidence of dumping or subsidy is found.

The government is strongly in favour of effective trade defences to tackle unfair trade practices. The Government voted in favour of anti-dumping measures on steel products in July and November and lobbied successfully for an investigation into re-bar. The Government is also pushing for faster, more effective action to deal with dumping of steel: this was one of the conclusions of the Extraordinary Competitiveness Council on Steel in November. The Secretary of State also raised the issue with the Trade Commissioner.

The Government is playing an active role in the European Commission’s steel stakeholder’s conference summit on 15 February and is supporting a robust discussion of the issue of overcapacity through the EU’s ongoing dialogue with the Chinese.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-05-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the oral contribution of the then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 989, if he will share the findings of the Insolvency Service’s investigation into Comet with the opposition front bench.

Anna Soubry

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Government will bring forward legislative proposals to increase the penalties for online infringement of copyright.

Mr Edward Vaizey

A consultation was held during summer 2015 on proposals to increase the maximum custodial sentence for online copyright infringement from two to ten years, to harmonise it with the penalty available for physical infringement. A summary of responses was published on 12 January.

Officials at the Intellectual Property Office are now giving consideration to the future direction and timings and will advise Ministers accordingly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-09-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the review of the Mersey tunnel tolls.

Andrew Jones

The Review of the Mersey Tunnel Tolls is being undertaken by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. I welcome the decision taken at its February meeting to reduce the cost of tolls to Fast Tag users. This was implemented from the 1^st April this year, bringing significant benefits to local people. The Combined Authority is continuing its Review of tolls, to ensure that a sustainable long term position can be reached. I understand that an update report is due to be presented to the Authority this Autumn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the cost to higher education budgets in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales of the replacement of maintenance grants with additional student loans, as a result of the Barnett formula.

Joseph Johnson

This reform in England reduces public sector net borrowing and was accounted for in the settlement for my department. Higher Education is a devolved matter and the Barnett formula was applied to the department’s Spending Review settlement in the usual way.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to comments made by the former Chancellor of the Exchequer at a meeting in Birkenhead on 4 May 2015 and pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2016 to Question 45786, whether he plans to directly intervene in the review of the Mersey tunnel tolls to reduce the cost of those tolls.

Andrew Jones

Under the Mersey Tunnels Act 2004, the power to set tolls for the Mersey Tunnels is vested in the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, who own and operate the Tunnels. The Combined Authority has already reduced the cost of tolls to fast tag users and will consider its strategic approach further, to inform the forthcoming report on its Review of tolls. This Review will inform the decision on future toll levels, which will be taken locally by the Combined Authority, as required by the Mersey Tunnels Act.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of replacing maintenance grants on the ability of the Government to reach its target of doubling the proportion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education between 2009 and 2020.

Joseph Johnson

An Equality Analysis of changes to the living costs support package for full-time students in 2016/17 was published on the GOV.UK website on 3^rd December 2015. Ministers considered the evidence in the analysis to assess the impact on particular groups and to inform their decisions on changes to the student support system.