Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 consultation published by his Department on 5 May 2019 on corporate transparency and register reform, what assessment he has made of the level of resources required by Companies House to implement the reforms recommended in that consultation.
Answered by Paul Scully
Companies House ensures it has the appropriate amount of resources to effectively manage the register. Staffing levels are made available in the Companies House Annual Report which is published after the end of the financial year.
The Department’s consultation received a significant number of responses and an official government response with proposals for the way forward will be published in due course. An assessment of the staffing levels required to implement the recommended reforms will be finalised as the proposals are finalised.
As proposals under the consultation have not yet been finalised, the staffing levels required have not been finalised.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government has plans to encourage (a) Ofgem and (b) Ofcom to cooperate on producing guidance for best practice in their dealings with SMEs operating in the (i) energy, (ii) communications and (iii) other sectors.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government wants all consumers to pay a fair price for their energy. In 2019 Ofgem launched a Strategic Review of the Microbusiness Retail Market to better understand the customer journey for microbusinesses and consider what solutions may be necessary to safeguard them as consumers. The regulator plans to publish a consultation this spring setting out its detailed policy solutions in response to the Review’s findings.
Microbusinesses display similar characteristics to domestic consumers when buying energy. Therefore, where they have exhausted their energy company’s own complaints procedure, businesses with up to 10 employees can make a complaint to the Ombudsman Services: Energy.
Larger businesses are more likely to be able to effectively procure their energy supply, as they procure other commodities for their businesses.
The Communications Act 2003 places a duty on Ofcom to ensure that Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures are available for domestic and small business customers (defined as up to 10 employees). All communications providers must be a member of an approved scheme, Ofcom currently approves two ADR Schemes: Ombudsman Services: Communications (OS) and the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).
In 2019 Ofcom published an independent review of the two approved ADR schemes. The review found that both schemes show a high level of decision-making accuracy with regard to case acceptance or rejection, and Ofcom is satisfied that both ADR Schemes are following the requirements set out in the ADR regulations and the Communications Act.
It is for Ofgem and Ofcom to review the evidence and to work with Government to determine whether further regulatory intervention, or other steps, are necessary to assist SMEs.
Though there are currently no plans to offer joint guidance between Ofcom, Ofgem and the FCA, they continue to cooperate on dealing with issues affecting SMEs in their respective sectors.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 introduce a redress service for SMEs in the (a) energy and (b) communications sectors that is equivalent to that service offered by the Financial Ombudsman Service to SMEs operating in the financial sector.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government wants all consumers to pay a fair price for their energy. In 2019 Ofgem launched a Strategic Review of the Microbusiness Retail Market to better understand the customer journey for microbusinesses and consider what solutions may be necessary to safeguard them as consumers. The regulator plans to publish a consultation this spring setting out its detailed policy solutions in response to the Review’s findings.
Microbusinesses display similar characteristics to domestic consumers when buying energy. Therefore, where they have exhausted their energy company’s own complaints procedure, businesses with up to 10 employees can make a complaint to the Ombudsman Services: Energy.
Larger businesses are more likely to be able to effectively procure their energy supply, as they procure other commodities for their businesses.
The Communications Act 2003 places a duty on Ofcom to ensure that Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures are available for domestic and small business customers (defined as up to 10 employees). All communications providers must be a member of an approved scheme, Ofcom currently approves two ADR Schemes: Ombudsman Services: Communications (OS) and the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).
In 2019 Ofcom published an independent review of the two approved ADR schemes. The review found that both schemes show a high level of decision-making accuracy with regard to case acceptance or rejection, and Ofcom is satisfied that both ADR Schemes are following the requirements set out in the ADR regulations and the Communications Act.
It is for Ofgem and Ofcom to review the evidence and to work with Government to determine whether further regulatory intervention, or other steps, are necessary to assist SMEs.
Though there are currently no plans to offer joint guidance between Ofcom, Ofgem and the FCA, they continue to cooperate on dealing with issues affecting SMEs in their respective sectors.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 effect of the definition of a microbusiness on access to complaint handling and dispute resolution processes by SMEs in the (a) energy and (b) communications sectors.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government wants all consumers to pay a fair price for their energy. In 2019 Ofgem launched a Strategic Review of the Microbusiness Retail Market to better understand the customer journey for microbusinesses and consider what solutions may be necessary to safeguard them as consumers. The regulator plans to publish a consultation this spring setting out its detailed policy solutions in response to the Review’s findings.
Microbusinesses display similar characteristics to domestic consumers when buying energy. Therefore, where they have exhausted their energy company’s own complaints procedure, businesses with up to 10 employees can make a complaint to the Ombudsman Services: Energy.
Larger businesses are more likely to be able to effectively procure their energy supply, as they procure other commodities for their businesses.
The Communications Act 2003 places a duty on Ofcom to ensure that Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures are available for domestic and small business customers (defined as up to 10 employees). All communications providers must be a member of an approved scheme, Ofcom currently approves two ADR Schemes: Ombudsman Services: Communications (OS) and the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).
In 2019 Ofcom published an independent review of the two approved ADR schemes. The review found that both schemes show a high level of decision-making accuracy with regard to case acceptance or rejection, and Ofcom is satisfied that both ADR Schemes are following the requirements set out in the ADR regulations and the Communications Act.
It is for Ofgem and Ofcom to review the evidence and to work with Government to determine whether further regulatory intervention, or other steps, are necessary to assist SMEs.
Though there are currently no plans to offer joint guidance between Ofcom, Ofgem and the FCA, they continue to cooperate on dealing with issues affecting SMEs in their respective sectors.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to encourage (a) innovation and (b) product development in the UK solar PV industry.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) provides grant funding to innovative businesses in many different ways, including Innovate UK‘s SMART grants, which deliver ambitious R&D innovations that can make a significant impact on the UK economy.
Through the Clean Growth Strategy, BEIS has committed £900 million of public funds to innovation, which includes £177 million to further reduce the cost of renewables.
We are also investing over £3 billion to support low carbon innovation in the UK up to 2021, to ensure that the UK continues to reap the benefits from the transition to a low carbon economy.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps she is taking to support the deployment of rooftop solar PV; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Low carbon electricity, including solar – whether at the household level or the national level – is central to the transition to the smart and flexible energy systems of the future.
Since 2010, we have quadrupled the electricity we generate from renewables – installing 99% of the UK’s solar capacity and over 800,000 installations – exceeding our historic projections on solar PV deployment. We now have over 13.3GW of solar capacity installed in the UK, which is enough to power over 3 million UK homes.
The Smart Export Guarantee, which came into force on 1 January 2020, gives small scale low-carbon electricity generators, such as homes with solar panels, the right to be paid for the renewable electricity they export to the grid. Renewable generators now have a several competitive tariffs to choose from, in some cases even higher than the FIT export tariff.
Permitted development rights have been introduced allowing the installation of solar panels up to 1 megawatt on domestic properties, schools, businesses and farm buildings without any need for planning permission.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
What recent steps his Department has taken to promote clean growth.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The UK is a world leader in clean growth – leading the G20 in cutting emissions while growing the economy.
The recent Offshore Wind Sector Deal is a fantastic example of how this government and industry are partnering to create good jobs in new low carbon supply chains whilst further decarbonising our power sector.
We are also working to support clean growth internationally, which is why we have bid to host COP26 in 2020, to demonstrate our commitment towards the Paris agreement and maintain momentum.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many employers use the Output Work system set out in Chapter 4 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015, SI 2015/621.
Answered by Margot James
There are no estimates available of the number of employers that use ‘output work’ as a way to pay the National Living or National Minimum Wage.
Guidance on work paid per task or piece of work done is available online:
https://www.gov.uk/minimum-wage-different-types-work/paid-per-task-or-piece-of-work-done
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will consider extending the exemptions that exist in the sea fishing industry to self-employed workers seeking Skills Funding Agency support for apprenticeships in the construction industry.
Answered by Nick Boles
Under Apprenticeship Frameworks, there are very specific instances where an apprentice is able to undertake an apprenticeship without being employed; where they are made redundant and where they are in an occupation that does not traditionally have an employer. In order to facilitate apprenticeships under these circumstances, specifically where employers do not exist, Government has provided funding to cover training and support. Fewer than 2000 apprenticeship starts fall under these conditions each year, of which fewer than 40 are in the sea fishing industry.
The role of an employer in an apprenticeship, where possible, is considered vital and ensures the apprentice receives appropriate training, pay and support during their apprenticeship programme. The Government is therefore not considering widening exemptions that exist into other sectors at this time.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress her Department has made on bringing about an EU suspension of the Minimum Import Price of solar Chinese solar modules pending the European Commission review of EU trade measures on Chinese solar manufacturea.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The EU launched an Expiry Review in December 2015 into the Minimum Import Price on solar panels entering the EU from China. We expect the investigation is expected to run until at least December 2016.
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change wrote to Commissioner Malmström in November 2015 to argue that the wider costs of the Minimum Import Price should be fully taken into account in the Expiry Review of the anti-dumping measures, given the benefits to the UK and EU of lower solar panel prices.
The Government will continue to engage with the Commission and do whatever we can to promote UK interests.