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Written Question
Postal Services: Universal Service Obligation
Thursday 12th January 2023

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of a reduction of the Universal Service Obligation to five days with no Saturday deliveries on senders of non-USO mail.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government has no current plans to change the statutory minimum requirements of the universal postal service, set out in the Postal Services Act 2011, which requires letter deliveries to every UK address, six days a week at standard price.

There is a clear and transparent process for how changes to the universal postal service should be considered and any change would need to be made through secondary legislation and agreed by Parliament.


Written Question
Postal Services: Universal Service Obligation
Monday 9th January 2023

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of a reduction in the Universal Service Obligation to five days with no Saturday deliveries on the Post Office and sub-postmasters.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government has no current plans to change the statutory minimum requirements of the universal postal service, set out in the Postal Services Act 2011, which requires letter deliveries to every UK address, six days a week at standard price.

There is a clear and transparent process for how changes to the universal postal service should be considered and any change would need to be made through secondary legislation and agreed by Parliament.


Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Thursday 5th January 2023

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for North Durham of 16 August 2021 on Ultra Electronics.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to the Rt hon. Member on 30 December 2022 about Ultra Electronics.


Written Question
Life Sciences: Innovation
Tuesday 6th December 2022

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

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 of (a) artificial intelligence, (b) organ-on-a-chip technology and (c) other New Approach Methodologies to benefit the UK economy: and whether he considers the development of these technologies to be a particular area of strength for the UK.

Answered by George Freeman

Harnessing the potential of AI is predicted to grow the economy by £232bn or 10.3% of GDP by 2030. In 2021 the Government published its National AI Strategy – a 10 year plan to ensure the UK remains a leader in AI. We are behind only the US and China and home to a third of Europe’s AI companies – more than 1,300 with a turnover of $2B.

Through UK Research and Innovation, the National Centre for reduction, replacement and refinement of animal testing in medicine has committed £100 million in research to develop new approach methodologies, including organ-on-a-chip.


Written Question
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Astra Asset Management UK
Thursday 1st December 2022

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met with Astra Asset Management UK in the past two years.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Ministers regularly meet with external stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.

The latest published data covers April to June 2022, further data will be published in due course.

Details of meetings held by civil servants are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Shipping: Energy
Thursday 20th October 2022

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he will hold discussions with maritime sector representatives on (a) the potential impact of trends in the level of energy costs on and (b) ensuring the supply of fuel to that sector.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

My Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Science and Investment Security will be meeting with representatives from the maritime sector for a general introduction in the near future.

The recently announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-outlines-plans-to-help-cut-energy-bills-for-businesses ensures that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. A review of the scheme, to be published in three months, will identify the most vulnerable non-domestic customers and how the government will continue assisting them with energy costs after the initial six months.


Written Question
Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme
Wednesday 19th October 2022

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme will be introduced; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delays to the introduction of that scheme on the number of contracts that will be agreed through it.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

Shipbuilding falls within my Ministerial portfolio, and the Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme is a key priority for early delivery. I am bringing forward our specific proposals for the scheme to Government colleagues, with a view to updating Parliament and launching a scheme this calendar year. BEIS is not aware of any immediate lending cases that have been disadvantaged by the delay in launching the scheme.


Written Question
Cobham Ultra Acquisitions: Ultra Electronics
Friday 22nd July 2022

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to Answer of 13 July to Question 32496, with reference to the proposed undertakings offered by Cobham Ultra Acquisitions Limited in relation to its acquisition of Ultra Electronics Holdings plc, whether the Government will take a shareholding in Ultra Electronics.

Answered by Jane Hunt

The Government has no such plans.


Written Question
Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre: Finance
Friday 15th July 2022

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what funding his Department has allocated to the British Geological Survey for the establishment of the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre (CMIC).

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Up to £3.6 million of funding is available for the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre over 3 years.


Written Question
Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre: Staff
Friday 15th July 2022

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many full time equivalent staff from his Department were employed in the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre as on 7 July 2022.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

All full-time staff will be employed by the British Geological Survey, which is delivering the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre.