Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of successful applicants to the UK Export Finance letter of credit guarantee scheme have been small to medium sized enterprises in each of the last five years.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The table below shows the proportion, expressed as a percentage, of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the total number of exporters UK Export Finance (UKEF) has supported broken down by UKEF product for the last five financial full years.
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 |
Buyer Credit | 0% | 0% | 0% | 11% | 7% |
Bond Support Scheme* | - | - | 67% | 78% | 91% |
Export Insurance Policy | 20% | 75% | 75% | 54% | 63% |
Export Working Capital Scheme* | - | - | 0% | 83% | 100% |
Letter of Credit Guarantee Scheme | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 50% |
Supplier Credit Facility | 0% | 50% | 29% | 33% | 0% |
*Products launched in 2011/12
SMEs are defined by the EU as companies that have fewer than 250 employees, and either a turnover of less than €50m or a balance sheet total of less than €43m.
Information on UKEFs Bond Support Scheme has been included given that it was introduced specifically to support to smaller exporters, especially SMEs.
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of successful applicants to the UK Export Finance buyer credit facility of credit guarantee scheme have been small to medium sized enterprises in each of the last five years.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The table below shows the proportion, expressed as a percentage, of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the total number of exporters UK Export Finance (UKEF) has supported broken down by UKEF product for the last five financial full years.
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 |
Buyer Credit | 0% | 0% | 0% | 11% | 7% |
Bond Support Scheme* | - | - | 67% | 78% | 91% |
Export Insurance Policy | 20% | 75% | 75% | 54% | 63% |
Export Working Capital Scheme* | - | - | 0% | 83% | 100% |
Letter of Credit Guarantee Scheme | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 50% |
Supplier Credit Facility | 0% | 50% | 29% | 33% | 0% |
*Products launched in 2011/12
SMEs are defined by the EU as companies that have fewer than 250 employees, and either a turnover of less than €50m or a balance sheet total of less than €43m.
Information on UKEFs Bond Support Scheme has been included given that it was introduced specifically to support to smaller exporters, especially SMEs.
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria were used to determine the location of new posts within the HM Revenue and Customs Debt Management Directorate.
Answered by David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs' Debt Management and Banking directorate has looked at existing capacity across its locations, specific functional requirements and IT infrastructure and used the availability of people and management to determine locations.
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will confirm why HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff currently employed in the Personal Tax Operations Directorate office in Glasgow and who wish to be transferred to HMRC Debt Management Directorate are not allowed to continue to work in HMRC Glasgow offices.
Answered by David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Debt Management & Banking Directorate is recruiting staff in locations across the country where it has specific functional requirements and the IT infrastructure to support the work.
It has posts immediately available in East Kilbride and Cumbernauld. These jobs have been made available to all staff on fixed term appointments nationwide, including those currently working in Glasgow. Some of these members of staff have applied for jobs in East Kilbride and Cumbernauld. HMRC is continuing to look at options for the remaining staff within the Personal Tax line of business who want to continue their employment with HMRC.
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the work of the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Debt Management Directorate can be carried out at any (a) HMRC office and (b) HMRC office currently used for the work of the Personal Tax Operations Directorate.
Answered by David Gauke
Wherever possible, HM Revenue & Customs aims to fill vacancies in the locations where its existing functions are already based. This is to ensure that suitable accommodation and IT is available and appropriate management to support new employees is in place on site.
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on privatising part or all of the Student Loan book before May 2015.
Answered by Greg Clark
This Government has sold £160 million of mortgage-style student loans on the condition that no terms of the loans can be changed. This follows the previous government’s record of selling £2 billion of mortgage-style student loans. At Autumn Statement 2013 the government committed to selling the pre-Browne Income Contingent Student Loan Book in a number of tranches, with a first sale intended to occur by the end of financial year 2015/16. There are no plans to conduct a sale during this parliament.
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of direct delivery competition on Royal Mail and the sustainability of the universal service obligation.
Answered by Jo Swinson
Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament established Ofcom, as an independent regulator for postal services, and gave them the primary duty to secure the ongoing provision of the universal service in the United Kingdom. To this end Ofcom must have regard for the financial sustainability of the universal service and has the powers to intervene if the provision of the universal service is ever at risk.
Ofcom has put in place an ongoing and forward looking monitoring regime to closely track any potential impacts of postal competition on the provision of the universal service in the UK. Ofcom is committed to carrying out a full review on end-to-end competition next year, though it has made very clear that it would carry out an earlier review if market developments dictated the need to do so. At the present time, end-to-end competition accounts for less than 0.5% of letter volumes in the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of suppliers to his Department have been paid within the time specified on their invoice in each of the last three years.
Answered by Jo Swinson
Final Approved answer to 15933
The prompt payment of supplier invoices is very important to the Department and we aim to pay all supplier invoices as quickly as possible to meet the Government’s aim of ensuring that at least 80% of supplier invoices are paid within 5 working days. This goes beyond the Department’s standard payment terms and conditions that requires payment of a correctly submitted supplier invoice within 30 calendar days of receipt. The Department’s achievement over the last three years goes well beyond the aim and in doing so the vast majority of supplier invoices are paid within the standard time period. The detail of payment within 5 working days and standard 30 calendar days over the last three financial years is as follows:
F/Yr | % Paid in 5 Working Days | % Paid in 30 Calendar Days |
11/12 | 95% | 99.6% |
12/13 | 94.8% | 99.6% |
13/14 | 97.7% | 99.1% |
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will review the guidance his Department issues on electrical appliance recalls to reflect the consequences of recent high-profile recall actions.
Answered by Jo Swinson
This Department contributes to the EU guidance for corrective action, including product recalls. This guidance provides best practice for any specific case where corrective action is required, including exceptional cases where a recall is justified. The guidance was last revised in 2011. BIS officials continue to work with interested parties, including other EU Member States, trade associations, such as AMDEA, and others such Electrical Safety First to consider options for improving the overall effectiveness of product recalls, including what, if any, additional guidance should be provided.
Asked by: Ann McKechin (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how his Department is supporting manufacturers to improve their performance on the recall of electrical appliances.
Answered by Jo Swinson
Manufactures and importers are responsible for taking corrective action, including recall, on products they have placed on the market which subsequently turn out to be defective. They have a duty to advise the relevant enforcement authority: either Trading Standards or the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The enforcement authority provides assistance on the appropriate corrective action and can, if required, direct the specific course of action to be taken. This Department supports both Trading Standards and HSE in their duties. This Department also contributes to EU best practice guidance in this area and is working with interested parties to consider options for improving the effectiveness of product recalls.