Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much his Department has spent on (a) Uber for Business and (b) other Uber transactions since 28 October 2016.
Answered by Margot James
The Department has spent £60.69 on transactions with Uber GB through Government Procurement Cards since 28 October 2016.
The Department does not hold information on individual travel claims centrally.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
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 on establishing and appointing a Small Business Commissioner under the Enterprise Act 2016; and what the timescale is for the appointment of that Commissioner.
Answered by Margot James
We expect to appoint the Commissioner in 2017 and we are completing the rest of the implementation in parallel. This includes consulting on, preparing and laying secondary legislation on the Commissioner’s complaints handling function. Our public consultation on these Regulations closed in December and we are preparing the Government Response. Work is also ongoing to setup the Commissioner’s office and create a web presence.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
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 effectiveness of the Small Business Research Initiative; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
We do not currently hold data on individual firms. However, we do hold information on the number of contracts awarded under the scheme.
Firms are awarded Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) funding through contracts on a competitive basis in two phases:
(i) Phase 1, which typically provides up to £100,000 for companies to test the feasibility of their ideas;
(ii) Phase 2, which typically provides up to £1,000,000 for companies to develop a prototype or demonstrator.
The details of Phase 1 and Phase 2 SBRI contracts awarded are below:
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 |
Phase 1 | 340 | 164 | 246 | 313 | 327 | 418 | 268 |
Phase 2 | 93 | 21 | 28 | 106 | 55 | 96 | 55 |
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On 21 November, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that she had asked David Connell from the Centre for Business Research at the Cambridge Judge Business School to review the Small Business Research Initiative.
The review is examining how we can maximise the impact of the SBRI programme to improve procurement outcomes for government, support and stimulate innovation by SMEs.
The review will report in spring this year.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many firms have received funding through the Small Business Research Initiative to (a) test an idea and (b) develop a prototype in each year since that body was established.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
We do not currently hold data on individual firms. However, we do hold information on the number of contracts awarded under the scheme.
Firms are awarded Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) funding through contracts on a competitive basis in two phases:
(i) Phase 1, which typically provides up to £100,000 for companies to test the feasibility of their ideas;
(ii) Phase 2, which typically provides up to £1,000,000 for companies to develop a prototype or demonstrator.
The details of Phase 1 and Phase 2 SBRI contracts awarded are below:
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 |
Phase 1 | 340 | 164 | 246 | 313 | 327 | 418 | 268 |
Phase 2 | 93 | 21 | 28 | 106 | 55 | 96 | 55 |
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On 21 November, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that she had asked David Connell from the Centre for Business Research at the Cambridge Judge Business School to review the Small Business Research Initiative.
The review is examining how we can maximise the impact of the SBRI programme to improve procurement outcomes for government, support and stimulate innovation by SMEs.
The review will report in spring this year.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
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 (a) increase in sales, (b) additional investment attracted, (c) creation of jobs and (d) creation of intellectual property resulting from the work of the Small Business Research Initiative in each year since that body was established.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
We do not currently hold data on individual firms. However, we do hold information on the number of contracts awarded under the scheme.
Firms are awarded Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) funding through contracts on a competitive basis in two phases:
(i) Phase 1, which typically provides up to £100,000 for companies to test the feasibility of their ideas;
(ii) Phase 2, which typically provides up to £1,000,000 for companies to develop a prototype or demonstrator.
The details of Phase 1 and Phase 2 SBRI contracts awarded are below:
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 |
Phase 1 | 340 | 164 | 246 | 313 | 327 | 418 | 268 |
Phase 2 | 93 | 21 | 28 | 106 | 55 | 96 | 55 |
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|
|
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|
|
|
On 21 November, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that she had asked David Connell from the Centre for Business Research at the Cambridge Judge Business School to review the Small Business Research Initiative.
The review is examining how we can maximise the impact of the SBRI programme to improve procurement outcomes for government, support and stimulate innovation by SMEs.
The review will report in spring this year.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
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 implications for his Department's polices on Hinckley Point C of power outages at EDF nuclear reactors in France; and if he will amend the loan guarantees for the construction of Hinckley Point C to make them contingent on the start of power generation at the European Pressurised Reactor at Flamanville by 2020.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The power outages in France do not involve the EPR reactor type to be built at Hinkley Point. There are strong commercial incentives in the Contract for Difference for EDF to build and commission the Hinkley Point C power plant on time. In respect of the loan guarantee, EDF has confirmed to the Secretary of State that it will not be taking up the guarantee.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many cases have been submitted to the Pubs Code Adjudicator for arbitration; and in how many of those cases (a) objections have been made by one of the parties relating to the conduct of the case by the Adjudicator, on the grounds of a conflict of interest and (b) an alternative arbitrator has been appointed.
Answered by Margot James
79 referrals for arbitration have been submitted to the Pubs Code Adjudicator in the first four months of its operation from 21 July to 21 November 2016. 77 of these were valid or accepted for arbitration, while two were out of scope. Of those 77 referrals, an objection to the conduct of the case by the Adjudicator on the grounds of a conflict of interest has been made in 8 cases. No alternative arbitrators have been appointed by the Pubs Code Adjudicator.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what consultations he had with the Pubs Code Adjudicator prior to the publication of the Adjudicator's conflict of interest policy.
Answered by Margot James
In line with the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, the Pubs Code Adjudicator consulted my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State before making procedural arrangements in dealing with conflict of interest. The Pubs Code Adjudicator sent his conflict of interest policy to my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State on 13 July, prior to its publication on 21 July.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the reasons are for the increase in costs of £1.6 billion by Cavendish Fluor Partnership for the clean-up project for 12 Magnox reactors.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA’s) contract with Cavendish Fluor Partnership (CFP) contains a provision to allow for a period of consolidation between the NDA and CFP, ensuring the contract is in line with delivery on the ground.
The NDA’s consolidation process has not yet concluded and therefore it is not appropriate to comment on this figure.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
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 effectiveness of management of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in response to the judgement arising from Energy Solutions EU Limited and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority of 29 July 2016; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is Government’s primary assurance body providing challenge and oversight of the site’s major projects and procurements. Government monitors the NDA closely to hold it to account, ensure it is delivering high quality work and that it is value for money.
The NDA has sought leave to appeal the 29 July judgement. It is therefore not appropriate for the Government to comment further.