Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 publish the results from his Department's consultation on Tips, gratuities, cover and service charges; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Margot James
The Government is currently considering next steps in light of responses to the consultation.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands has received in financial support through local projects funded by the Green Investment Bank since that bank was established.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Green Investment Bank (GIB) has invested £17.6m in the £47m Birmingham Bio Power project. Details of this project can be found on the Green Investment Bank website: http://www.greeninvestmentbank.com/news-and-insights/2013/gib-and-foresight-group-forge-consortium-to-construct-478m-renewable-energy-plant-in-birmingham/.
In addition, some of GIB’s UK-wide investment platforms such as its indirect investment in LED lighting upgrades to Santander branches and NCP car parks are likely to have benefitted these areas. Further information on all of GIB’s investments can be found on its website: www.greeninvestmentbank.com
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 ensure that appropriate data standards for (a) the automotive sector and (b) other industries are in place to ensure security.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Government published its new National Cyber Security Strategy on 1st November 2016. In it, the link between data security and our national prosperity was vividly highlighted.
The strategy makes it clear that Government is committed to building a secure Internet and sets out an objective for “the majority of online products and services coming into use [to] become ‘secure by default’ by 2021.”
In the case of connected and automated vehicles, Government believes they should be “secure by design”, both to ensure safety and the protection of data, which may include personal data. Government is working closely with industry and the relevant international bodies to achieve this as part of a much wider programme of activity to ensure public trust and acceptance of these technologies, which is vital to realising their significant potential benefits.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 promote literacy in digital skills within industries to help reduce the skills gap in digital manufacturing.
Answered by Nick Hurd
We are taking action across the digital skills pipeline – from reforming the computing science curriculum to establishing a National Institute for Coding. In schools, we’ve announced £67 million for the next 5 years to recruit and train an extra 2,500 maths and physics teachers and upskill 15,000 existing maths and physics teachers.
Higher Apprenticeships and Degree Apprenticeships are helping bring on the technical skills that manufacturers need, and we have seen a 35.5% increase in apprenticeship starts in the Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies sector subject area since 2010/11.
There are 48 university technical colleges (UTCs) now open, providing high quality technical education for young people age 14-19, with a further 7 in development and a government commitment to establish a UTC within reach of every city.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received on the use of data and cyber security for autonomous vehicles; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Government believes connected and automated vehicles should be “secure by design”. Government is working closely with industry and the relevant international bodies to achieve this as part of a much wider programme of activity to ensure public trust and acceptance of these technologies, which is vital to realising their significant potential benefits.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 the Secretary of State for Education on the effect of National Minimum Wage enforcement for seafarers on the national maritime skills base.
Answered by Margot James
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a number of issues.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 the Secretary of State for Transport on the effect of National Minimum Wage enforcement on (a) seafarer pay and (b) employment and training opportunities for UK seafarers.
Answered by Margot James
My Rt hon friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a number of issues.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received from (a) individual shipping companies, (b) the UK Chamber of Shipping, (c) maritime trades unions and (d) the TUC on National Minimum Wage enforcement for seafarers since July 2016.
Answered by Margot James
Since July 2016, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not received any representations from the organisations referenced above on the subject of minimum wage enforcement for seafarers.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 section 3.9 of his Department's publication, Policy on HM Revenue and Customs' enforcement, prosecutions and naming employers who break national minimum wage law, whether that section remains his policy on national minimum wage enforcement for seafarers.
Answered by Margot James
Section 3.9 of the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage enforcement policy document is accurate as a general statement on the interaction between UK domestic law and international conventions and customs. However, there are some circumstances under which seafarers on non-UK flagged vessels operating in UK territorial waters might be eligible for the national minimum wage.
In collaboration with the Department for Transport and maritime stakeholders, we have been developing more detailed guidance on minimum wage law with respect to seafarers working on both UK and non-UK flagged ships, which will be published in due course.