Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
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 provisions in the Regional Growth Fund grant to Waterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton (WWRD) to maintain manufacturing jobs on site and the recent announcement of 103 job losses at WWRD, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of that grant award to WWRD.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Regional Growth Fund award to WWRD UK Ltd is monitored for a ten year period until 31 March 2022, as such the Regional Growth Fund team continue to discuss project developments with the Company, as they do with all Regional Growth Fund awards.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Wedgwood Waterford Royal Doulton on (a) their restructure and (b) the effect of that restructure on (i) the UK ceramics manufacturing sector and (ii) their Regional Growth Fund grant award.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Regional Growth Fund team have been in discussions with WWRD UK Ltd regarding the restructure and the effect of the restructure in relation to the Regional Growth Fund grant award.
Whilst the Global restructuring of WWRD UK Ltd and the associated job losses at the Barlaston facility is disappointing, with a consequential impact on individual employees and the local economy, I understand high end products, design, product development and global marketing of products will continue to be based in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations he has made to the US to oppose retaliatory duties of up to 100 per cent against British ceramic products.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The UK is working closely with the EU and European partners to support a negotiated settlement to the Airbus and Boeing disputes. Through the EU, we are challenging in the WTO the US’s claim that it is entitled to impose retaliatory tariffs on the UK. However, it would not be appropriate for the UK to make representations to the US on specific products whilst we are contesting the right of the US to impose any tariffs at all.
We are clear that a tariff war would not be in the interests of UK, EU or US industry. We agree with EU and others that we do not want to see the disputes escalate further. The UK will continue to work closely with the EU on next steps.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the British ceramic industry of US trade action against EU products.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The UK is working closely with the EU and European partners to support a negotiated settlement to the Airbus and Boeing disputes. Through the EU, we are challenging in the WTO the US’s claim that it is entitled to impose retaliatory tariffs on the UK. However, it would not be appropriate for the UK to make representations to the US on specific products whilst we are contesting the right of the US to impose any tariffs at all.
We are clear that a tariff war would not be in the interests of UK, EU or US industry. We agree with EU and others that we do not want to see the disputes escalate further. The UK will continue to work closely with the EU on next steps.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
What assessment he has made of the potential economic effect of US retaliatory trade actions on the UK ceramics sector.
Answered by George Hollingbery
We are clear that a tariff war would not be in the interests of UK, EU or US industry. The UK continues to work closely with the EU and European partners to support a negotiated settlement to the Airbus and Boeing disputes.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Trade Barriers (Revocation) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018, what mechanisms exist for the UK ceramic industry to secure departmental action on any market access problems experienced in overseas markets.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Government has established a dedicated market access team within the Department for International Trade to improve how market access barriers experienced by UK exporters are identified and tackled.
In addition to the usual engagement channels and regular dialogues between the Government and the ceramic industry, we will have a dedicated form through the gov.uk website where businesses will be able to report market access barriers they face. This will be available shortly.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, whether he has made a risk assessment of the award of the AWACS contract to Boeing for the provision of the E-7 wedgetail.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The E-7 is based on the proven and widely used 737 NG aircraft generation of which nearly 7,000 have been produced since it was first introduced in 1996. The two recent tragic incidents involved the different 737 MAX aircraft generation. It would not be appropriate to speculate on these accidents until the competent regulatory bodies have issued their formal reports.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria his Department uses for the allocation of funding under the Prevent programme.
Answered by Ben Wallace
Prevent funding is prioritised based on threat and risk across the country where we assess the risk of radicalisation to be highest.
A number of factors, including local and national intelligence / information, the number of TACT arrests and disrupted plots, as well as Channel referral data, are used to help determine the locations where the threat from terrorism and radicalisation is greatest.
Each priority area receives funding for a dedicated Prevent Coordinator and for civil society organisations to deliver campaigns and activity that counter terrorist narratives and build resilience in communities against radicalisation. We do not provide detailed information about the funding allocation of local Prevent projects by area.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the local economy of restricted access to free to use ATMs.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Information on ATM numbers by Parliamentary Constituency is publicly available on the LINK website.
LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, has committed to maintain the broad geographical coverage of the ATM network in the UK. The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator, which regulates LINK, is closely monitoring developments within ATM provision and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over its commitments.
LINK has put in place specific arrangements to protect free-to-use ATMs more than 1 kilometre away from the next nearest free-to-use ATM. Furthermore, LINK recently announced new additional premiums to safeguard the presence of free-to-use ATMs in remote and deprived areas.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of towns without free access to the ATM network.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Information on ATM numbers by Parliamentary Constituency is publicly available on the LINK website.
LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, has committed to maintain the broad geographical coverage of the ATM network in the UK. The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator, which regulates LINK, is closely monitoring developments within ATM provision and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over its commitments.
LINK has put in place specific arrangements to protect free-to-use ATMs more than 1 kilometre away from the next nearest free-to-use ATM. Furthermore, LINK recently announced new additional premiums to safeguard the presence of free-to-use ATMs in remote and deprived areas.