Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wycombe)
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 total number of jobs in the UK in the supply chains of the (a) aerospace sector and (b) automotive sector.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Based on employment data and employment multipliers supplied by the Office for National Statistics we estimate the following number of direct jobs in the automotive and aerospace sectors themselves and additionally the number of indirect jobs in their respective UK supply chains in 2017.
We define supply chain jobs as those in other areas of the UK economy supported by the demand created by domestic purchases of goods and services made by the sector in question.
| Direct jobs 2017 (‘000s) | Indirect jobs 2017 (‘000s) |
Aerospace | 121 | 153 |
Automotive | 179 | 269 |
Sources: ONS Employee Jobs and Self-Employed Jobs, ONS Employment Multipliers
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wycombe)
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 has undertaken an impact assessment of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on WTO terms on the aerospace and automotive sectors.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Government is undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. We continue to engage with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy, and all regions and nations of the UK, in order to inform our negotiations. However, it is not standard practice to provide a running commentary on ongoing analysis. In addition, ministers have a specific responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to release information that would undermine our negotiating position.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wycombe)
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 trade unions representing Tata Steel employees on Tata Steel's announcement on 8 May 2018 that it plans to sell its Engineering Steels Service Centre in Wolverhampton.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Ministers and officials regularly engage with trade unions to discuss a range of issues concerning the steel sector.
With regards to their announcement on the 8th May, Tata Steel have been clear that they will act as a responsible seller. The UK steel industry sits entirely within the private sector, and whilst the sale of its Engineering Steels Service Centre in Wolverhampton is a commercial decision for Tata, we will continue to work closely with them, the unions, and any new partners.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wycombe)
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 representatives of Tata Steel on its announcement on 8 May 2018 that it plans to sell its Engineering Steels Service Centre in Wolverhampton.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Ministers and officials regularly engage with Tata to discuss a range of issues concerning the steel sector.
With regards to their announcement on the 8th May, Tata Steel have been clear that they will act as a responsible seller. The UK steel industry sits entirely within the private sector, and whilst the sale of its Engineering Steels Service Centre in Wolverhampton is a commercial decision for Tata, we will continue to work closely with them, the unions, and any new partners.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with companies inheriting contracts from Carillion on the extension of TUPE rights to Carillion employees.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28th February 2018 to Question UIN 129511.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he expects the (a) Insolvency Service's investigation into the conduct of Carillion's directors and (b) Financial Reporting Council's investigation into the preparation of Carillion’s accounts to conclude; whether he has received any provisional conclusions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
For the official receiver, the amount of time an investigation takes is dependent on the size and complexity of the business. As this is a large and complex case, it is not possible at this early stage to specify a timeframe. Should the official receiver find any evidence of director misconduct this would be referred to the Insolvency Service for further investigation. The Secretary of State has not received any provisional conclusions from the investigation, nor would he expect to do so from either the official receiver or the insolvency service. Investigations by the official receiver and the insolvency service are conducted separately from Ministers, as is the making of decisions arising from investigations on any possible prosecution or director’s disqualification.
For the Financial Reporting Council, the timing of the investigation depends on the size and complexity of the issues to be considered, but will be taken forward as quickly as possible. At the conclusion of an investigation, the matter may be referred to an independent tribunal which the FRC would convene for the purpose of hearing the case and determining final sanction.
Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with companies inheriting contracts from Carillion on the extension of TUPE rights to Carillion employees; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
Some elements of TUPE do not apply in liquidation, specifically the continuity of service to those employees who transfer to new employers.
Importing employers may well decide to offer terms to transferring employees which recognise existing employment rights; that is a matter for the importing employer, though the Government has the aspiration to ensure transferred employees are no worse off. The Official Receiver is doing all he can to facilitate this wherever possible.