Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that medical research involving the use of animals is only being undertaken where there is no alternative.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Government considers that the carefully regulated use of animals in scientific research remains a vital tool in improving the understanding of how biological systems work both in health and disease, and in the development of safe new medicines, treatments and technologies.
At the same time, the Government believes that animals should only be used when there is no viable alternative. The Government actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs), and supports ongoing UK-led efforts to encourage greater global uptake of non-animal alternatives.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
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.
Answered by 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.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report by the Social Market Foundation on the effect of single parents of a relaxation of Sunday trading hours.
Answered by Anna Soubry
In formulating its final proposals, the Government has carefully considered all the evidence submitted during the consultation process.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the potential effect on levels of employment in convenience stores of proposals to devolve Sunday trading restrictions; and what the evidential basis for that estimate was.
Answered by Anna Soubry
My Department has carried out an assessment of the impacts of devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours. This will be published shortly.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the 2012 temporary liberalisation of Sunday trading regulations on its proposals for the devolution of such regulations to local authorities.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The ONS analysed the impact of the short term Olympic relaxation of the Sunday trading rules and found that it was not possible to make any inference from the data. They found no definite pattern amongst the growth rates of retail sales and noted that other factors, such as the weather and time of year, will have impacted sales.
In formulating its final proposals, the Government has carefully considered all the evidence submitted during the consultation process.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on the profit of convenience stores of proposals to devolve Sunday trading restrictions; and what the evidential basis for that estimate was.
Answered by Anna Soubry
My Department has carried out an assessment of the impacts of devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours and this will be published shortly.