Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what fee structures are published by primary trading standards authorities for services to appliance manufacturers.
Answered by Margot James
Local Authorities are required to publish clear and transparent information explaining any charges under the primary authority scheme, and the basis on which they are calculated. They can recover only those costs reasonably incurred in providing the service and they must have regard to the guidance issued by HM Treasury in “Managing Public Money” in calculating these costs.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress has been made by the Steering Group created as a result of the Government's response to the independent review by Lynn Faulds Wood, UK consumer product recall, published 18 February 2016.
Answered by Margot James
In October 2016 the Steering Group was replaced by a new Working Group on Product Recalls and Safety with a permanent Chair, wider representation, and a broader remit. It was also asked to report to a much tighter timeframe than the Steering Group it replaced.
I received the Working Group’s initial recommendations to further improve the safety of white goods and the recall system in December 2016 and work started immediately to take these forward. In June this year, I asked the Working Group to review their report in light of the Grenfell Tower fire and their final report was published on 19th July.
Significant progress has already been made by the Working Group to develop a code of practice on corrective action and product recalls together with the British Standards Institution (BSI), and a public consultation will be published in the autumn. The Report also sets out the further work that is underway to strengthen the product safety framework including promoting the registration of appliances and better understanding consumer responses to safety information and recall communications.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
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 potential merits of free electrical appliance tests in tower blocks in England; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Margot James
The UK has one of the highest sets of product safety requirements in the EU, which requires goods to meet strict safety rules before they are put into use.
I have asked the Working Group on Product Recalls and Safety to consider the merits of making safety check on white goods used in tower blocks and will liaise with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Home Office over their recommendations.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
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 white goods manufacturers on fridge freezer safety since the Grenfell Tower fire.
Answered by Margot James
Shortly after the Grenfell Tower fire I spoke to the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) to ensure their members were ready to take any actions necessary should investigations into the cause of the fire show that white goods were involved. I also attended the Working Group on Product Recalls and Safety where AMDEA were represented on 22 June.
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy also spoke directly to the UK Managing Director and the Global CEO of Whirlpool to ensure they are taking all necessary steps to ensure consumer safety.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department is monitoring content that is publicly available on social networking sites using overt monitoring techniques.
Answered by Margot James
The Department engages and makes use of social media to understand public and stakeholder sentiment and to respond where appropriate. The information gathered through monitoring enables the department to develop policy, provide real-time insights so we can respond quickly to users and anticipate potential issues. The department also undertakes systematic social media monitoring to evaluate campaigns and programmes of work.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will it his policy not to provide financial assistance under the Tradeshow Access Programme in cases in which (a) doing so would contribute to the sale of security equipment to countries with poor human rights records and (b) that equipment could contribute to human rights abuses.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Financial assistance under the Tradeshow Access Programme is only offered to companies whose products comply with the United Kingdom’s strict export control legislation and in respect of all relevant international treaties and obligations.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what formal assessments UKTI has made of potential risks to human rights of the Tradeshow Access Programme; and what guidelines or criteria were used for those assessments.
Answered by Anna Soubry
There has been no formal assessment of potential risks to human rights of the Tradeshow Access Programme. However, companies using the programme are bound by UK law and exports are made in accordance with the UK’s strict export control legislation and in respect of all relevant international treaties and obligations.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which companies received funding under the Tradeshow Access Programme to attend the Dubai security fair.
Answered by Anna Soubry
59 businesses have applied for Tradeshow Access Programme funding in support of their exhibiting costs at the Dubai security fair 2016. Funding will not be issued to the applicants until there is confirmation of attendance and eligibility for support. A list of supported business will be made available once they have received their funding.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish details of UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation meetings with Saudi Arabian officials.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Since May 2015 UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) officials have met with Saudi Arabian officials from the Ministry of National Guard, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, King Abulaziz City for Science and Technology, Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs, ArRiyadh Development Authority and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.