Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) business start-ups and (b) business closures in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) Tyne and Wear and (iv) the North East in each year since 2010.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The Office for National Statistics’ Business Demography survey details the change in number of UK businesses.
When looking at business start-ups and business closures we look at business births and business deaths. The Office of National Statistics defines business births as new business registrations and business deaths as businesses that have ceased to trade.
The following table gives the number of business birth and deaths in the Jarrow Constituency, South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear Metropolitan County and North East Region from 2010 to 2016.
| Jarrow Constituency | South Tyneside | Tyne and Wear Metropolitan County | North East Region | ||||
Year | Number of Business Births | Number of Business Deaths | Number of Business Births | Number of Business Deaths | Number of Business Births | Number of Business Deaths | Number of Business Births | Number of Business Deaths |
2010 | 150 | 170 | 290 | 315 | 2,460 | 2,925 | 5,975 | 6,925 |
2011 | 175 | 160 | 325 | 295 | 2,935 | 2,705 | 7,070 | 6,200 |
2012 | 200 | 190 | 390 | 335 | 3,120 | 2,980 | 7,265 | 7,035 |
2013 | 275 | 175 | 560 | 300 | 4,160 | 2,750 | 9,685 | 6,530 |
2014 | 310 | 190 | 565 | 375 | 4,080 | 3,145 | 9,650 | 7,070 |
2015 | 275 | 190 | 540 | 410 | 4,145 | 3,340 | 9,635 | 7,785 |
2016 | 330 | 220 | 645 | 440 | 4,380 | 3,760 | 10,180 | 8,530 |
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
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 (a) commercial and (b) military shipbuilding in the North East.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The National Shipbuilding Strategy sets out plans for procuring all future naval ships. Future warship procurement will be by competition between UK shipyards, and international partners will be encouraged to work with them to produce the best possible commercial solution. Non-warships, such as support shipping, will be procured by international competition. BEIS is supporting the Maritime Enterprise Working Group (MEWG) set up to lead the industry response to the National Shipbuilding Strategy. The MEWG is led by Peter French, former Chief Executive of BMT Group, and is supported by the Society for Maritime Industries (SMI). The MEWG’’s membership consists of high ranking industry members from different parts of the country, including the North East. The group’s priorities include looking at improving competitiveness and productivity in the shipyards and supply chain to help shipbuilding companies improve their capability when bidding for, both, commercial and naval contracts. BEIS ensures that the work of the MEWG is used appropriately in the wider work being done across Whitehall on the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
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 paragraph 4.31 of the Autumn Budget 2017, for what reasons (a) 18 to 20 year olds and (b) 16 to 17 year olds are paid less than the level of the National Minimum Wage set for 21 to 24 year olds.
Answered by Margot James
The Government sets age-related minimum wages in order to protect younger workers, who may otherwise be more vulnerable to being unemployed than older workers.
The 2017 Low Pay Commission report (Figure 3.15) shows the unemployment rates for young people not in full-time education in the UK is 31.3 per cent for 16-18 year olds, 15.5 per cent for 18-20 year olds. This compares to 8.4 per cent for those aged 21 to 24 in the second quarter of 2017.
The Government is setting minimum thresholds only and we recognise and commend those employers who seek to set higher rates of pay.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
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 paragraph 4.7 of the Autumn Budget 2017, how much of the additional funding in the modern Industrial Strategy will be allocated on projects in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, and (c) the North East.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government is committed to providing high quality infrastructure to support economic growth and prosperity across all regions of the UK. We will ensure our infrastructure investments actively support our long-term productivity, providing greater certainty and clear strategic direction.
The Transforming Cities Fund will provide £1.7bn to drive productivity by improving connectivity, reducing congestion and utilising new mobility services and technology, transform local productivity in city-regions.
We have already seen investment for projects for the North East that include:
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
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 paragraph 4.41 of the Autumn Budget 2017, how much of the additional public investment in economic infrastructure his Department plans to allocate to projects in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, and (c) the North East.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government is committed to providing high quality infrastructure to support economic growth and prosperity across all regions of the UK. We will ensure our infrastructure investments actively support our long-term productivity, providing greater certainty and clear strategic direction.
The Transforming Cities Fund will provide £1.7bn to drive productivity by improving connectivity, reducing congestion and utilising new mobility services and technology, transform local productivity in city-regions.
We have already seen investment for projects for the North East that include:
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
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 paragraph 4.54 of the Autumn Budget 2017, how the Government plans to increase the productivity levels of the North East in its upcoming Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Claire Perry
Local industrial strategies will identify local strengths, future opportunities and the action needed in each area to boost productivity and competiveness, based on rigorous analysis.
Through our Industrial Strategy, we will make sure that we are using all the tools we have to stimulate growth in places such as the North East. This includes through the North East LEP Growth Deal which is supporting jobs growth and economic development with £379.6m of Local Growth Fund. The North East LEP estimates that their Growth Deal will lead to the creation of 8,000 jobs.
Whilst it is not region specific the North East can take advantage of the further investment of £725m in a second wave of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund across the UK to respond to some of the greatest global challenges and opportunities and support sector productivity. We will also increase the National Productivity Investment Fund, by £8bn taking it to £31bn and extending to 2022-23. This will support investments in transport, housing and digital infrastructure. In addition:
815,000 people living and working in the North of Tyne will benefit from an ambitious devolution deal agreed between the government and the North of Tyne authorities. This includes a new £600 million long-term investment fund over the next thirty years to be spent on local priorities, such as skills and employment, adult education, and rural productivity.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has any plans to develop carbon capture and storage projects in the North East.
Answered by Claire Perry
Carbon capture usage & storage (CCUS) has huge potential to decarbonise the economy and maximise economic opportunities for the UK. We have reaffirmed a commitment to deploy CCUS in the UK subject to its costs coming down sufficiently, investing up to a £100 million in leading edge CCUS and industrial energy innovation.
I welcome the work undertaken by the Teesside Collective on the potential for CCUS in the North East. As set out in the Clean Growth Strategy, published on 12 October 2017, Government will work with the ongoing initiatives in Teesside, Merseyside, South Wales and Grangemouth to test the potential for development of CCUS industrial decarbonisation clusters.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps he has taken to increase manufacturing job opportunities in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside and (c) the north east.
Answered by Margot James
Government is supporting jobs growth and economic development through the £379.6m North East Growth Deal, estimated by the Local Enterprise Partnership to create 8,000 jobs.
This includes funding for the International Advanced Manufacturing Park – a 100-hectare site which will provide a world-class environment for high-tech industries and advanced manufacturing businesses. Sunderland Council estimates that it will bring £300 million of private sector investment into the region, and help support and grow the manufacturing sector in the North East.