Asked by: Oliver Colvile (Conservative - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
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 effect on the luxury yacht building industry in the UK since the EU referendum.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Department works closely with the marine engineering and manufacturing sector, which includes the yacht building industry. The Ministerial Working Group for Maritime Growth continues to engage with the industry on the issues and opportunities for the maritime sector resulting from the UK leaving the EU.
Asked by: Oliver Colvile (Conservative - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the availability of skilled construction workers.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Government continues to monitor the potential impacts that leaving the EU may have on the availability of skilled workers. We cannot speculate on the outcome of Brexit negotiations, but the Government has made it clear that the UK remains open to the talent we need from Europe and the rest of the world.
The Department for Education (DfE) is currently working closely with employers in the construction industry to develop new apprenticeships for the sector. While evidence suggests there are sufficient learners going through the skills system, with over 200,000 construction qualifications being taken each year, reforms set out in the skills plan (July 2016) will ensure these qualifications become more relevant and meet the industry’s needs.
Asked by: Oliver Colvile (Conservative - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has to tackle future skills shortages in the construction industry.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy works closely with the Department for Education (DfE) which is responsible for skills policy and also the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the body that supports training and skills in construction.
DfE is currently working with employers in the construction industry to develop new apprenticeships for the sector. While evidence suggests there are sufficient learners going through the skills system, with over 200,000 construction qualifications being taken each year, reforms set out in the skills plan (July 2016) will ensure these qualifications become more relevant and meet the industry’s needs.
Additionally, the Construction Leadership Council, the business led sector council which advises Government on key strategic issues, has investigated the labour model in their construction and commissioned an independent report from Mark Farmer ( published in October 2016, http://www.cast-consultancy.com/news-casts/farmer-review-uk-construction-labour-model-3) making recommendations for industry and Government. Both the Government and the Construction Leadership Council is currently considering the review’s recommendations.
Asked by: Oliver Colvile (Conservative - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the average time taken for housing associations' titles to be registered at the Land Registry has been in each month of the last three years for which figures are available.
Answered by Margot James
The data requested is complex and will take some time to collate. I will place this in the Libraries of the House as soon as the information is available.
Asked by: Oliver Colvile (Conservative - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
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 maximise the potential benefits of the UK leaving the EU for businesses.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The UK remains the top destination in Europe for Foreign Direct Investment, unemployment is at its lowest level since 2005. It has a record number of private businesses, and we are going to build on these fundamental strengths to make a Britain that works for everyone; that remains the same outward-looking, globally-minded, big-thinking country it has always been.
Asked by: Oliver Colvile (Conservative - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the potential economic benefits of tidal power lagoons will be considered in the development of the Government's new Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The independent review on Tidal Lagoons in the UK, headed by Charles Hendry will report towards the end of the year and will consider, among other things, whether and in what circumstances tidal lagoons could play a cost effective role in the energy mix.
Asked by: Oliver Colvile (Conservative - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
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 plans to include tidal power lagoons in the forthcoming industrial strategy.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The independent review on Tidal Lagoons in the UK, headed by Charles Hendry will report towards the end of the year and will consider, among other things, whether and in what circumstances tidal lagoons could play a cost effective role in the energy mix.