Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Taskforce on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform independent report, dated 16 June 2021, which of the proposals contained in that report are Government policy as of September 2022.
Answered by Dean Russell
The Taskforce on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform’s (TIGRR) report shows how, with ambition and vision, the UK can deliver on the opportunities of Brexit. The Benefits of Brexit paper outlines how the government is driving forward our commitments in response to TIGRR, including forging ahead to reform our data laws, setting out a 10 year plan to make Britain a global AI superpower, building on the successes of the Vaccine Taskforce to ensure we have the world’s most innovative life sciences sector, as well as reforms to the financial services and agriculture sectors. These reforms will create a new pro-growth, high standards regulatory framework that gives businesses the confidence to innovate, invest and create jobs.
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, introduced to Parliament on 22nd September, will help to accelerate delivery of the recommendations from TIGRR.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
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 potential impact of rising energy costs on the rate of business deaths.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government monitors the economy using a range of data sources. In a dynamic and competitive economy, a proportion of businesses will cease trading each year, for a range of reasons.
The recently announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-outlines-plans-to-help-cut-energy-bills-for-businesses) all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. The Government will publish a review of the scheme after 3 months to inform decisions on future support after March 2023. The review will focus in particular on identifying the most vulnerable non-domestic customers and how the government will continue assisting them with energy costs. Continuing support to those deemed eligible would begin at the end of the initial 6-month support scheme, without a gap.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
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 impact of not securing membership to Horizon Europe on the UK's science sector.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
At the UK-EU Specialised Committee meeting on 22 September, which marked the end of the consultations period, the UK once again requested that the EU fulfil its obligation to finalise the UK’s association to EU Programmes. It is regrettable that the EU continues to decline this request. The UK government is now considering next steps. Our priority is to support the UK’s world leading R&D sector and we have already outlined potential options for doing so.
Our preference remains association to the EU programmes as agreed under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), including Horizon Europe, and we continue to do everything we can to secure this. The EU is in breach of the agreement reached under the TCA for the UK to participate in EU programmes and these unjustified delays are causing uncertainty for our research and business communities. That is why we entered into formal consultations with the EU, which are a mechanism set out in the TCA to resolve issues between the UK and the EU.
The 2021 Spending Review confirmed that if we are unable to associate, the funding allocated to Horizon association will go to UK government R&D programmes, including international partnerships.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to publish a response to the consultation entitled Choice on units of measurement: markings and sales.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The consultation ‘Choice on units of measurement: markings and sales’ closed on 26 August. We are reviewing the responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
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 impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill on the prospects of the UK's future involvement in Horizon Europe.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
It is disappointing that the EU has politicised scientific cooperation by inappropriately linking the UK participation in EU Programmes and the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Our preference remains association to the EU programmes as agreed under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), including Horizon Europe, and we continue to do everything we can to secure this. The EU is in breach of the agreement reached under the TCA for the UK to participate in EU programmes and these unjustified delays are causing uncertainty for our research and business communities. That is why we entered into formal consultations with the EU, which are a mechanism set out in the TCA to resolve issues between the UK and the EU. At the UK-EU Specialised Committee meeting on 22 September, which marked the end of the consultations period, the UK again request that the EU fulfil its obligation to finalise the UK’s association to EU Programmes. It is regrettable that the EU continues to decline this request. The UK government is now considering next steps. Our priority is to support the UK’s world leading R&D sector and we have already outlined potential options for doing so.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether it is his Department's policy to present information in internal documents and briefings using (a) imperial and (b) metric measurements.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy uses both imperial measures and metric units in internal documents and briefings.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made on levels of business investment in the UK compared to that in other countries.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Office for National Statistics has calculated that the UK’s business investment was £207bn in 2021. This amounted to 14.3% of GDP, the lowest of all nations in the G7 by this measure.
The Government is committed to boosting business led growth and investment across all parts of the UK.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on audit reform.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
The Government will prepare and publish a draft Bill on audit and corporate governance during this session of Parliament. The Government will bring forward legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.