Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK nuclear fuel needs are filled by UK produced fuels.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The UK is a world leader in the nuclear fuel cycle. As we transition from the needs of the current nuclear fleet, we are carefully considering with operators, fuel producers and the R&D community how best to meet the needs of future nuclear power stations, including opportunities provided by small and advanced modular reactors.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
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 Chancellor of the Exchequer on support for the (a) tourism and (b) hospitality sectors during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Answered by Paul Scully
This Department and our colleagues at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are in regular contact with HM Treasury colleagues to discuss the impact of support measures on the tourism and hospitality sectors.
We recognise the difficulties faced by businesses in these sectors and will continue to engage with stakeholders and across Government to assess how we can most effectively support them.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support businesses seeking to hire new employees during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
This Government is committed to both protecting existing jobs as well as supporting job creation to ensure we build back better after this crisis. At the heart of these plans is a £30 billion investment in jobs. In his Summer Economic Update, the Chancellor – as part of his Plan for Jobs - announced a £3 billion investment in green infrastructure to create thousands of green jobs, a cut to Stamp Duty to support an industry that employs almost 750,000 people, a £2 billion investment in the Kickstart scheme to get our youth into work, as well as doubling the number of work coaches and tripling the number of traineeships.
Our investment includes:
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance he has issued to (a) businesses and (b) service providers on making social distancing measures accessible for blind and partially sighted people.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has published guidance on safer working for a range of working environments, available on GOV.UK. The guidance does not change employers’ obligations to make reasonable adjustments for those with disabilities.
Our guidance also does not replace existing employment, health and safety or equalities legislation. It provides information to employers on how best to meet these responsibilities in the context of COVID-19.
The safer workplaces guidance provides some suggestions to help employers make their workplaces COVID-19 secure for their employees, visitors and customers. We expect all businesses to approach reopening in a sensible way, taking account of the Government’s guidance and discussing with neighbouring businesses and their local authorities where applicable.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department's timeframe is for the publication of the energy white paper.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has stated his intention to publish the energy white paper in the summer. We will provide more details in due course.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his Department has to support businesses through the transition period as the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Following my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s agreement to an extension to Article 50 until October 31 2019, we will continue to provide businesses with the information and advice they need to prepare for EU Exit.
Extensive engagement will continue to take place between Government and industry in preparation for EU exit. Through various channels, BEIS Ministers and officials have been engaging widely with businesses and trade associations each week on EU Exit. In particular, our communications and provision of materials to intermediaries is provided to ensure business obtain information quickly and efficiently.
We will continue to use the public information campaign which directs businesses to GOV.UK/euexit where they are able to find the latest advice and information on many aspects of leaving the EU that may affect them and outlines the steps they need to take.
We recognise the uncertainty that businesses have expressed and we are committed to maintaining and improving the excellent UK business environment. The British Business Bank programmes are supporting more than £5.9 billion of finance to over 82,000 smaller businesses.
Further, at Budget 2018, the Start-up Loans programme was extended by one year to April 2021 meaning that another 10,000 loans will be made to entrepreneurs. We are also currently taking action to reduce the costs of doing business, including cutting corporation tax to 19%.
Businesses can also apply for HMRC grants, depending on their circumstances to support private customs intermediaries, and traders to increase their capacities, and train employees in preparation for EU exit. Business can apply for this funding from HMRC until 31 May 2019.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to promote manufacturing in the North.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Government recognises that the North of England is home to a wealth of manufacturing assets that play a crucial role in boosting regional economies. Advanced Manufacturing – as identified in the Northern Powerhouse Independent Economic Review, published in 2016 – is one of the North’s ‘prime capabilities’, and an historic strength.
Through Made Smarter – our key national industrial digitalisation programme – we are investing over £140m to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In January 2019, we launched the Made Smarter North West Pilot; backed by £20m of government funding, this pilot is working with the Northern Powerhouse, and local partners, to provide support for up to 3000 manufacturing SMEs to adopt, and exploit, digital technology to increase their productivity. 600 of these SMEs will be able to receive intensive support, and 480 of those companies will be able to access grants of up to £20,000 to spend on specialist advice, kit, and technology.
In addition to Made Smarter, we are investing significantly in projects that will benefit the North, as well as the UK in general. We:
We want all areas across the country, including the North, to benefit from exciting new technologies that can transform industry, and society, giving our great cities the power, and resources that they need to reach their huge untapped potential.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the contribution to the UK economy of the shale gas industry to date.
Answered by Claire Perry
The shale gas industry has the potential to provide the UK with a new domestic energy source, reducing our need for imports, providing more jobs, and contributing to economic growth. However, the industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much of the UK’s shale resources can be extracted technically or economically and what the contribution to the UK economy could be.
We will continue to support responsible companies, working within our stringent regulatory regime, who are prepared to invest in this industry as they proceed with the exploration process, to test the size and value of the potential reserves.