Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with retail trade associations on the matter of Intu going into administration; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
We understand this will be a worrying time for Intu’s employees and their families and stand ready to support those who may be affected.
I hold regular calls with non-food retailers and business representative organisations where I have had the chance to speak to and hear directly from a wide range of organisations and businesses.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the amount of nuclear waste transported from the UK to Russia in each of the last five years.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
There have been no shipments or other transports of nuclear waste from the UK to Russia in the last five years.
The Government’s policy is to not allow the export of radioactive waste, except for treatment or processing, under the presumption it will be returned to the UK.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether it is Government policy to support the creation of the Future Circular Collider; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As a member of CERN’s governing Council, the UK has agreed to the 2020 update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics, and to the commencement of a technical and financial feasibility study for a next-generation hadron collider.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the costs incurred to date of developing a UK satellite system similar to the European Galileo system; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The purpose of any project engineering, design and development process is to research and understand what would best suit the UK’s requirements. We are taking the appropriate time to investigate the requirements, design specifications and costs as fully as possible.
The UK GNSS programme incurred costs of approximately £45.5m up to March 31st 2020.
For the period 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020 the GNSS Programme is managing costs within its budget allocation of approximately £18.7m.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the Government's policy is on developing its own satellite system as a replacement for the Galileo system.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government has made clear its ambitions in space through a new ministerial level National Space Council and by developing a Space Strategy to bring long term strategic and commercial benefits for the UK. The Government recognises the contribution the space sector makes to our economy, national security, global influence and in helping the nation to tackle the COVID crisis.
The GNSS programme is currently in its Engineering Design and Development Phase to research and understand what would best suit the UK's requirements.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Information Commissioner on pubs and restaurants being required to collect the names and addresses of customers after they reopen on 4 July 2020 as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department for Health and Social Care is responsible for the NHS Test and Trace programme. Following the announcement that some businesses will be asked to keep a temporary record of their customers and visitors, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy hosted a meeting with representatives of the hospitality and hairdressing sector on 26 June. The Information Commissioner was involved in the discussions.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will list the dates of meetings he has held with pub and restaurant trade bodies to discuss their reopening on 4 July 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government holds many meetings with companies, including representatives from the public house and restaurant trade bodies to discuss a wide range of business issues, including their reopening from 4 July 2020.
Details of meetings held by Ministers in the Department are recorded in our transparency data, which is published at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the ability of pubs and restaurants to collect, process and handle the data collection required of them as part of the plans for their reopening on 4 July 2020; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department for Health and Social Care is responsible for the NHS Test and Trace programme. Following the announcement that some businesses will be asked to keep a temporary record of their customers and visitors, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy hosted a meeting with representatives of the hospitality and hairdressing sector on 26 June. The Information Commissioner was involved in the discussions.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on medical research charities; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Ministers in BEIS and officials have met regularly with the Association of Medical Research Charities and their members over the last months. The AMRC have shared information on the potential challenges as a result of Covid-19, in particular on the extent of cancer related research which they support in universities. We are aware of range of risks to the sustainability of universities research from potential loss of income from international students from other research funders, such as charities.
On 27th June, we announced a major package of support for universities to enable them to continue their research and innovation activities that are being impacted by Covid-19. From the Autumn, Government will provide a package consisting of low-interest loans with long pay-back periods, supplemented by a small amount of government grants, to cover up to 80% of a university’s income losses from international students for the academic year 20/21, up to the value of their non-publicly funded research activity. Universities will need to demonstrate how these funds are being utilised to sustain research in areas typically funded by charities and business.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many (a) solar panels and (b) wind turbines his Department's buildings (a) have in 2020 and (b) had in each of the last five years.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
At its headquarters building at 1 Victoria Street in London, the Department has 28 solar panels which each measure approximately 1.5m x 0.5m. The number of solar panels is the same for the last five years and for 2020. The Department does not currently have any wind turbines at its 1 Victoria Street headquarters building, or in the last five years.