Stephen Kerr Portrait

Stephen Kerr

Conservative - Former Member for Stirling

First elected: 8th June 2017

Left House: 6th November 2019 (Defeated)


Consolidation, &c., Bills (Joint Committee)
6th Nov 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee
11th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Business and Trade Committee
11th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019


Division Voting information

Stephen Kerr has voted in 469 divisions, and 10 times against the majority of their Party.

4 Sep 2019 - European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 57 Conservative Aye votes vs 180 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 65 Noes - 495
18 Jul 2019 - Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 57 Conservative No votes vs 65 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 328 Noes - 65
9 Jul 2019 - Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 65 Conservative No votes vs 105 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 383 Noes - 73
1 Apr 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship (Votes) - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 32 Conservative Aye votes vs 228 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 261 Noes - 282
27 Mar 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship Votes - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 94 Conservative No votes vs 157 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 160 Noes - 400
27 Mar 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship Votes - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 59 Conservative Aye votes vs 200 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 65 Noes - 377
27 Mar 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship Votes - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 122 Conservative No votes vs 126 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 139 Noes - 422
14 Mar 2019 - UK’s Withdrawal from the European Union - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 112 Conservative Aye votes vs 188 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 412 Noes - 202
24 Oct 2018 - Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Bill - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 15 Conservative No votes vs 195 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 344 Noes - 26
16 Jan 2018 - Finance (No. 2) Bill (Sixth sitting) - View Vote Context
Stephen Kerr voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Conservative Aye votes vs 9 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 9 Noes - 10
View All Stephen Kerr Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(133 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(126 debate contributions)
Department for Work and Pensions
(90 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Stephen Kerr's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Stephen Kerr

23rd October 2019
Stephen Kerr signed this EDM on Tuesday 29th October 2019

Persecution of Christians

Tabled by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
That this House notes the 2019 report of Aid to the Church in Need entitled Persecuted and Forgotten? which shows that the Christian population of Iraq has declined by 90 per cent within a generation from 1.5 million before 2003 to less than 150,000 today; recognises that any Daesh resurgence …
43 signatures
(Most recent: 5 Nov 2019)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 15
Labour: 12
Scottish National Party: 8
Independent: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Liberal Democrat: 2
Green Party: 1
16th October 2019
Stephen Kerr signed this EDM on Monday 28th October 2019

Trees and climate change

Tabled by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
That this House welcomes the recommendation in the Committee on Climate Change report on Net Zero for a significant increase in tree planting rates in the UK, as one part of delivering the UK target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in addition to rapid, deep and sustained emissions …
47 signatures
(Most recent: 4 Nov 2019)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 22
Conservative: 10
Independent: 4
Liberal Democrat: 4
Scottish National Party: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Green Party: 1
View All Stephen Kerr's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Stephen Kerr, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Stephen Kerr has not been granted any Urgent Questions

2 Adjournment Debates led by Stephen Kerr

Thursday 15th November 2018

1 Bill introduced by Stephen Kerr


The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision to prevent unsolicited calls; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 24th April 2018
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
23rd Jan 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress has been made on the Government's commitment that 33 per cent of central Government procurement spending will go to SMEs by 2022; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answers I gave the House on 10th January (Official Record, vol 634, col 309-310).

Oliver Dowden
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
22nd Nov 2017
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with representatives of the devolved governments on maintaining the union after the UK leaves the EU.

I meet regularly with the devolved administration Ministers, including the Deputy First Minister of Scotland and the First Minister of Wales on the UK’s exit from the EU. This is through regular bilaterals and through the Joint Ministerial Committee for EU Negotiations, which I will chair again in December.

5th Sep 2017
To ask the Prime Minister, what steps she took to promote the export of Scotch whisky and other Scottish food and drink during her recent visit to Japan.

I was accompanied on my visit by representatives from the Scotch Whisky Association. Further details regarding the visit can be found on the gov.uk website.

8th Jul 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to develop local energy distribution networks to respond to a potential increase in domestic electricity consumption.

Electricity distribution networks are regulated by the independent energy regulator, Ofgem, and, by law, network regulation must be carried out independently of Government. Under the existing regulatory framework, distribution network operators are allowed to increase capacity on their networks to accommodate expected growth in demand from domestic electricity consumption.

Energy networks require significant investment in order to ensure that Great Britain has a secure, dynamic energy system that is fit for the challenges of the future. BEIS estimates that between 2010 and 2017 £35bn has been invested to upgrade, reinforce and extend the electricity networks (both transmission and distribution) and a further £14bn may need to be invested between by 2020. Ofgem's RIIO 2 price control will set out the pathway for investment in our energy networks through the mid-2020s.

Government expects network companies and regulators to act in the best interests of consumers including in relation to more active system management as per the Government and Ofgem’s Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan. We are already seeing distribution network operators manage their systems more actively, and make more innovative use of data and smart technologies. For example, all six DNOs in Great Britain have now committed to open all significant network reinforcement to competition with flexibility services.

18th Apr 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has for the development of tidal energy resources.

The Government has a long history of supporting the development and deployment of tidal stream technologies in the UK. Since 2010, various bodies across Government have made almost £80m of grant funding available to the wave and tidal stream sectors. Tidal stream projects are eligible to enter the forthcoming Contract for Difference allocation round.

9th Apr 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what level of support the British Business Bank has provided to businesses in Scotland in each year since its establishment.

Since its establishment in 2014, the British Business Bank has facilitated over £27.6m to 684 Scottish businesses in the 2014/15 financial year (FY), over £81.9m to 1,484 Scottish businesses in FY 2015/16, over £267.5m to 1,895 Scottish businesses in FY 2016/17, and over £291.6m to 2,881 Scottish businesses in FY 2017/18. These figures include Start-up loans from 2014.

Since launching in 2012, the BBB Start-Up Loans programme specifically (which became part of the Business Bank in 2014) has issued over 3,500 loans in Scotland, averaging £7,200 each and worth over £25m in total.

The British Business Bank is a Limited Partner for the three largest VC funds in Scotland (SEP, PenTech, and Panoramic) with over £80m invested in innovative, high growth companies.

19th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy why Contracts for Difference (CfD), for what reasons strike prices have been higher for dedicated biomass technologies than for offshore wind during CfD allocation rounds two and three.

In CfD Allocation Round 2 dedicated biomass and offshore wind cleared at the same strike price of £74.75MWh for delivery year 2021/22.

The Administrative Strike Prices (ASPs) set out the maximum support that the Government is willing to offer developers for each technology in a given delivery year. In setting the ASPs, the government has drawn upon the latest generation cost data, while also considering market conditions, policy considerations and other technology specific factors in order to encourage new investment whilst ensuring value for money for consumers.

The methodology used to determine the draft ASPs for the third allocation round is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contract-for-difference-cfd-third-allocation-round-methodology-used-to-set-administrative-strike-prices

CfDs are awarded in a series of competitive auctions, with the lowest price bids being successful as a means of driving cost reduction and project efficiencies.

19th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy if he will make it his policy to create parity under Contract for Difference allocation rounds two and three between dedicated biomass with CHP and offshore wind; and if he will make a statement.

A draft budget notice was published in November 2018, which outlined the proposed Administrative Strike Prices (ASPs) for all technologies eligible to compete in the next allocation round, this notice can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contracts-for-difference-cfd-draft-budget-notice-for-the-third-allocation-round

In setting the ASPs, the government has drawn upon the latest generation cost data, while also considering market conditions, policy considerations and other technology specific factors in order to encourage new investment whilst ensuring value for money for consumers.

The methodology used to determine the draft ASPs for the third allocation round is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contract-for-difference-cfd-third-allocation-round-methodology-used-to-set-administrative-strike-prices

19th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the value for money of the renewable heat incentive subsidy mechanism; and if he will make a statement.

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) compares favourably to other ways of saving carbon or generating renewable energy across the economy, contributes to our renewable targets, and plays a significant role in supporting supply chains in the renewable heating industry.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and prior to BEIS, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has made regular assessments of value for money in the RHI subsidy mechanism. The latest scheme Impact Assessment was made in February 2018 and is available on GOV.UK.

The RHI was reformed in 2017 and 2018 to focus on long-term decarbonisation, improve consumer protection, support supply chain growth and improve value for money for the taxpayer. These reforms included setting maximum heat demand limits for biomass, air source and ground source heat pumps in the Domestic RHI, removing wood drying as an eligible heat use for the Non-domestic scheme and giving Ofgem greater enforcement powers.

19th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Committee on Climate Change’s Biomass in a Low Carbon Economy Report published in November 2018 and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Clean Air Strategy published in January 2019, what plans he has for the future of the renewable heat incentive.

In the Clean Air Strategy, the Government committed to consult on removing Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme support for new biomass installations in urban areas which are on the gas grid. The Government published the consultation Renewable Heat Incentive: Biomass Combustion in Urban Areas, seeking views on a number of proposals including the removal of RHI support for some or all or some new biomass boilers in urban areas, imposing geographical restrictions on biogas combustion and introducing regular maintenance checks on existing biomass boilers under the RHI. We will be publishing a government response to this consultation shortly.

19th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential carbon and economic value generated by restricting the amount and type of wood that biomass plants in receipt of subsidies can use as fuel; and if he will make a statement.

Biomass plants in receipt of subsidies must comply with the UK’s sustainability criteria. Plants with a capacity of 1 megawatt and above must also prepare an annual sustainability report, compiled by a third-party auditor, which will provide assurance that the biomass is from sustainable sources.

Wood is a globally trade commodity. Prices are influenced by global demand, currency exchange rates and weather conditions. Our Wood Fuel Disclosure Survey concluded that most of the wood fuel used for electricity generation in the UK is imported and that the volumes of UK wood used are expected to remain constant.

Energy markets have grown in recent years and this has benefited woodland owners and contractors who have increased harvesting rates. Availability forecasts suggest there is potential to increase production further if businesses are willing to invest in the supply chain and encourage more woodland owners to enter the market.

19th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, information his Department holds on the fuel sources for district heating systems delivered under the Government’s Heat Networks Investment Programme from April 2019, and if he will make a statement.

In December 2018 we published in ‘Heat networks: Developing a market framework’ our estimate of the fuel sources that will be used in projects that will come forward under the Heat Network Investment Project. The assumed technology mix is displayed in the figure below. The estimate is based on analysis of HNIP pilot data and surveys of the project pipeline. The estimate is dynamic as it is assumed original CHP plants are replaced with lower-carbon systems at the end of their operational life.

The estimated technology mix is 22% gas back-up boiler, 33% gas CHP, 20% EfW incinerator, 5% biomass, 10% heat pump and 10% waste heat recovery.

26th Feb 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the employment tribunal naming scheme.

The Government launched the scheme as part of the Good Work Plan in response to concerns that rates of employment tribunal payments are unacceptably low. Employers who have failed to pay a tribunal award of £200 or more at least 84 days after the original judgment will be eligible for naming.

The scheme was launched on 18 December 2018 and the Government will publish the first list of employers in due course. Therefore, it is too early to have assessed the effectiveness of the scheme.

26th Feb 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what ongoing estimate he is making of the number of people who have not received payments due to them following employment tribunals and mediation processes.

It is right that people get what they are owed, and we know employment tribunal awards are not always paid promptly. Government commissioned research in 2013 found that only 53% of successful claimants received full or part payment without enforcement action. 35% had not received any payment at all.

Following this research Government introduced the BEIS penalty scheme in 2016 and have since recovered over £1.5 million to workers of previously unpaid awards. We will now also name employers who do not pay employment tribunal awards within a reasonable period.

We have also recently commissioned research on employment tribunals that will include payment rate information for employment tribunal awards, Acas conciliated and private settlements.

8th Oct 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on what basis levels of biomass subsidies have been set under the (a) Renewables Obligation Certificate, (b) Contracts for Difference, (c) Feed in Tariff and (d) Domestic and Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive; and if he will make a statement.

The basis on which levels of support provided to biomass technologies is calculated varies according to each scheme.

(a) Legislation[1] requires a series of factors to be taken into account when setting Renewables Obligation (RO) support levels, including the generation costs and revenues for each technology; the desirability of securing long-term growth and industry viability as well as costs to consumers and impacts on the market for Renewable Obligation Certificates. The most recent comprehensive review of RO support levels was completed in 2012[2].

(b) Strike prices awarded to successful projects in Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation rounds are determined through a competitive bidding process[3]. Strike prices for biomass projects that were awarded contracts under the Financial Investment Decision Enabling for Renewables programme, an early form of CfDs, were set out in the Electricity Market Reform Delivery Plan and Annex B: Strike Price Methodology [4].

(c) In the last review of Feed-in Tariff levels for Anaerobic Digestion projects undertaken in 2016[5], a return on investment of 9.1% was assumed.

(d) Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) tariffs are set to compensate generators for the added cost of renewable heating, over and above what would have been paid otherwise. For a given installation, the lifetime cost of the renewable technology and the alternative system (e.g. oil boiler) are considered. The RHI tariff is then set using an economic model so that the rate of return targeted for the applicant population is achieved over the full lifetime of the heating system.

[1] Section 32D(4) of the Electricity Act 1989, as amended by the Energy Act 2008.

[2] Renewables Obligation consultation at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/renewables-obligation-banding-review

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contracts-for-difference/contract-for-difference

[4] Electricity Market Reform Delivery Plan and Strike Price Methodology Annex: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-market-reform-delivery-plan

[5] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-support-for-anaerobic-digestion-and-micro-combined-heat-and-power-under-the-feed-in-tariffs-scheme

8th Oct 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many recipients of biomass subsidy payments there have been under the (a) Renewables Obligation Certificate, (b) Contract for Difference, (c) Feed in Tariff and (d) Domestic and Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive in each of the last five years.

The number of individual installations in receipt of biomass support payments in each of the last five financial years is shown in the table. The table includes data for technologies supported by these schemes which generate electricity, heat or Combined Heat and Power from biomass, which is material derived directly or indirectly from plant or animal matter, fungi, algae or bacteria, including wastes and residues of biological origin. The biomass technologies eligible for support under each scheme are set out in the relevant legislation and guidance.

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Renewables Obligation[1]

674

709

737

855

753

Contracts for Difference

0

0

0

1

1

Feed-in Tariff

83

166

249

365

409

Renewable Heat Incentive

3,416

15,663

24,145

26,701

28,497

[1] The Renewables Obligation figures are based on Ofgem’s certificate report as at 23/08/2018 from their Renewables and CHP Register.

8th Oct 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of subsidies provided to renewable technologies burning wood for fuel under the (a) Renewables Obligation Certificate, (b) Contract for Difference, (c) Feed in Tariff and (d) Domestic and Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive in each of the past five years.

The estimated cost of support to renewable technologies burning wood for fuel under three of the schemes in each of the last financial years is shown in the table to the nearest million pounds (in nominal prices). Wood burning is not supported by any technology eligible for support under the Feed-in Tariff scheme.

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Renewables Obligation[1]

£441m

£678m

£853m

£767m

£520m

Contracts for Difference

0

0

0

£92m

£544m

Renewable Heat Incentive[2]

£50m

£138m

£239m

£295m

£408m

For the Renewables Obligation, information is not available on the value of support specifically for renewable technologies burning wood. Therefore, the figures provided are the support for technologies capable of burning wood, but other biomass fuels may have been used. The figures for the Contracts for Difference reflect total payments, including to biomass projects, made during the first two financial years of the scheme’s operation and reported by the Low Carbon Contracts Company, the scheme administrator, in its annual reports. Payments by technology type are not reported separately. Wood fuel burning is subsidised under the Domestic RHI biomass tariff and the Non-domestic tariffs for biomass and solid biomass CHP. This assumes all fuel for CHP is wood, as it is not possible to disaggregate wood fuel for CHP. Other types of solid biomass fuel are also eligible for RHI CHP support.

[1] The Renewables Obligation figures are based on Ofgem’s certificate report as at 23/08/2018 from their Renewables and CHP Register.

[2] The actual spend may be different, due to delayed submission of meter readings.

28th Mar 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to make it easier for people living in properties with shared responsibilities, such as blocks of flats, to access the grant support available for installing individual electric vehicle charging points.

The Government recognises that not being able to recharge at home can dissuade drivers form making the switch to electric. Government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme supports eligible electric vehicle owners with up to £500 towards the costs of installing a chargepoint in domestic properties, including in blocks of flats.

In addition, as announced in November 2017 in the Industrial Strategy, Building Regulations will be amended to ensure that cabling infrastructure is provided for chargepoints when new dwellings are built, to help future-proof new homes and avoid retrofitting costs.

For those without off-street parking facilities, Government’s On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme also provides grant funding for local authorities towards the cost of installing on-street residential chargepoints for plug-in electric vehicles.

28th Feb 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to inform consumers of (a) the limitations on the interoperability of first generation meters when changing energy supplier and (b) how those limitations will be tackled through the roll-out of second generation meters.

Under licence conditions, energy suppliers must inform their customers prior to the installation of a smart meter that they may lose meter functionality when switching. In addition, before any switch is concluded, the new supplier must tell the consumer about any change in how their meter will operate and the service they will receive.

These requirements aim to help consumers make informed decisions about switching, in the period before first generation smart meters are enrolled into the national data and communications platform and thus can be operated by any energy supplier. This upgrade will be done remotely.

Second generation meters use the smart metering infrastructure run by the Data and Communications Company and will enable all consumers to retain their smart functionality when they switch supplier.

28th Feb 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has held with the devolved administrations on the Government's response to the Matthew Taylor review of modern working practices; and what the outcomes of those discussions were.

During the course of the Review of Modern Working Practices, the panel held events across the UK including in Wales and Northern Ireland. Unfortunately due to the General Election in 2017, the scheduled event for Scotland was cancelled. Officials in the Department speak regularly to their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations and we look forward to engaging with them through the further work set out in the Government response to the Review of Modern Working Practices.

28th Feb 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Government on (a) the Productivity Leadership Group and (b) the scope of that group's activities with Scottish businesses.

As part of our ambitious Industrial Strategy, BEIS will provide up to £13m to fund "Be the Business", a charity set up by the Productivity Leadership Group to help firms become more productive. Be the Business is currently in set-up phase. BEIS officials will arrange to meet with their Scottish Government counterparts and Be the Business to discuss how its privately and publicly funded activities can benefit Scottish business, within devolved arrangements.

23rd Jan 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps are being taken to inform the general public about the limitations of first generation smart meters; and what plans he has to ensure that the roll-out of second generation meters removes those limitations.

Under licence conditions, energy suppliers must inform their customers prior to the installation of a smart meter that they may lose meter functionality when switching. In addition, before any switch is concluded, the new supplier must tell the consumer about any change in how their meter will operate and the service they will receive.

These requirements aim to help consumers make informed decisions about switching, in the period before first generation smart meters are enrolled into the national data and communications platform and thus can be operated by any energy supplier.

Second generation meters use the smart metering infrastructure run by the Data and Communications Company and will enable all consumers to retain their smart functionality when they switch supplier.

23rd Jan 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to improve the rate of adoption of digital technology in everyday business practice; and if he will make a statement.

We want the UK to be the best place to start and grow a digital business. As announced in the government's Industrial Strategy, the new Business Basics Programme will trial innovative approaches to drive up the adoption of tried and tested technologies and business practices that can improve businesses’ productivity. The programme will test and encourage SMEs to adopt technologies and practices such as new accountancy software or performance management systems.

In addition, more than four million free digital skills training opportunities will be created as part of a Digital Strategy to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business and ensure our digital economy works for everyone.

In addition, the Digital Skills Partnership (DSP) will see Government, business, charities and voluntary organisations coming together to make sure people have the right skills for the jobs in their area and are aware of all the digital training opportunities on offer.

The DSP will also build upon the 4 million pledges of free digital skills training opportunities that our corporate partners pledged as part of the Digital Strategy, published in March 2017. More than 2 million of these pledges have already been delivered; DCMS will continue to work with DSP members to develop new opportunities, direct training to areas where need has been identified, and to encourage the sharing and scaling up of best practice in digital skills provision.

The strategy includes new commitments, including a plan by Lloyds Banking Group to give face-to-face digital skills training to 2.5 million individuals, charities and small and medium businesses by 2020.

17th Jan 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has had discussions with the Global Vehicle Trust on government support for a UK manufacturing base for the Ox flat-packed truck for the developing world.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for International Trade have actively supported the Global Vehicle Trust (GVT) in seeking investors and manufacturing partners. This support included helping arrange for the OX to be displayed at the Low Carbon Vehicle show at Millbrook, Bedfordshire in 2016, and introducing GVT to potential international partners at the show; and discussions in 2017 between our Post in India and potential local partners.

1st Nov 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many SMETS1 smart meters have been fitted in domestic premises in each nation and region of the UK since the start of the smart meter roll-out.

We are unable to provide statistics on smart meter installations broken down by region and nation.

Collectively across both large and small suppliers, around 7.36 million smart meters (SMETS1) have been installed in domestic properties in Great Britain to the end of June 2017.

It should be noted that large supplier statistics are collected at the end of each calendar quarter and small supplier statistics are collected annually, at the end of the calendar year. Therefore installations carried out by small suppliers since 31 December 2016 are not reflected in the above figure. The rollout is also across Great Britain only.

1st Nov 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many domestic energy customers with SMETS1 smart meters have switched energy suppliers since the roll-out programme began.

We are unable to provide statistics on how many consumers with SMETS1 meters have switched energy suppliers since the programme began.

According to Ofgem’s report, ‘Consumer engagement in the energy market 2017’, 23% of consumers who say they have a smart meter have switched supplier in the past 12 months, compared to 17% of those who say they do not have a smart meter.

1st Nov 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to publicise the services his Department provides to enable small business to grow their businesses throughout the UK.

The Government is working hard to support businesses and entrepreneurs across the UK to ensure they can access the finance and wider support to grow and have the right conditions for companies to invest long-term. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy publicises these services in a range of ways, including online channels, information delivered by local partners; and regular engagements with businesses, entrepreneurs, representative bodies and others.

13th Sep 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the dates were of the most recent meetings between Ministers from his Department and their counterparts in the devolved administrations; and what the dates are of the next planned meetings.

Ministers in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy regularly discuss matters of mutual interest with their counterparts in the devolved administrations.

The most recent meetings took place on 7 September 2017 when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and my hon. Friend the Minister for Climate Change and Industry met with both Ken Skates AM, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure in the Welsh Government and with Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy in the Scottish Government. There are currently no Northern Ireland Executive Ministers.

5th Sep 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent meetings he has had with the Big Six energy companies; and what measures his Department plans to being forward to ensure the energy market is a competitive marketplace.

BEIS Ministers and officials regularly meet energy supply companies to discuss a wide range of issues. We are working with Ofgem to make switching supplier quicker and easier for consumers.

11th Jul 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Government on strategic initiatives to support small businesses in Scotland; and what the agreed steps to be taken were at those discussions.

As set out in my responses to PQ 411 and PQ 2586 the UK and Scottish Governments have been in discussion at both ministerial and official levels.

Business support in Scotland is largely devolved however, the department engages with all the devolved regions on a number of initiatives aimed at supporting small businesses. Government programmes, backed by the British Business Bank (BBB), the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme (EFGS) and Innovate UK are investing over £700m to support around 4,500 Scottish companies including: -

  • BBB programmes are currently facilitating approximately £405m of finance in Scotland.
  • Over 2,600 loans totalling over £15m via the Start-Up Loans programme. The Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme is currently facilitating over £61m of finance to 700 businesses in Scotland.
  • The Investment Programme is currently facilitating over £214m of finance to over 1,000 businesses.
  • Innovate UK is committed to support some 206 innovation projects and to invest £28.8m.
3rd Jul 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how the Government is addressing the regional productivity gap in each region and constituent part of the UK.

The objective of Government’s Industrial Strategy is to increase productivity and drive growth across the United Kingdom. We have provided a framework to build on the strengths of different places and address the factors that hold others back. This will include investing in key infrastructure projects, increasing skill levels, and backing local innovation strengths.

The Industrial Strategy will build on the £12 billion Local Growth Fund (2015-16 to 2020-21) for local areas; 8 Devolution Deals; and 48 Enterprise Zones that will unlock £2.7 billion of private sector investment. We have also agreed ambitious city deals in Scotland and Wales and we will work towards further such deals across the Devolved Administrations.

3rd Jul 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure closer collaboration between the Government and the Scottish Government in relation to the Government's Industrial Strategy.

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave him to Question UIN 411 on 29th June 2017.

3rd Jul 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department will ensure that the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund complements existing initiatives in Scotland to deliver an holistic approach to innovation.

We have announced the first six challenges of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) that will bring together the world leading research from across the UK with business to meet major industrial and societal challenges. The ISCF is a UK wide fund so its competitions for funding, and the programmes it will deliver, will be open to businesses and researchers across the UK.

21st Jun 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the Scottish Government on his Department's Industrial Strategy green paper.

This Government is committed to building an Industrial Strategy that works for all of the UK, to drive growth and prosperity across the country.

In the green paper my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy issued an invitation to Ministers in the Devolved Administrations to take part in Ministerial forums to address productivity barriers and to ensure that economic plans and strategies closely align to benefit citizens in the devolved nations. The first of these forums with the Scottish Government took place on the 11th April and has been supported by a series of ongoing discussions at official level.

21st Jun 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what strategy his Department has to support a growth pipeline to help small businesses in Scotland expand.

Small businesses play a central role in driving economic growth across the UK and this Government is committed to supporting their continued success.

The industrial strategy will build on this to make the most of the diverse strengths of all of Britain’s cities and regions including Scotland, and grasp the opportunities that could drive faster growth in each of them.

Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness City Deals have seen £702m of additional funding from the UK government flow into Scotland. Projects and programmes agreed are helping businesses by: establishing new incubation and innovation hubs; improving local infrastructure; extending and improving the quality of broadband; and tackling key barriers to growth in certain sectors.

Moving forward we are committed to working with the Scottish Government and local communities to agree further deals with: Edinburgh and South East Scotland; Stirling and Clackmannanshire; Tay Cities; and Borderlands.

3rd Oct 2019
What recent steps she has taken to increase the (a) strength and (b) reliability of mobile phone signals in Scotland.

The Government wants the UK to have high-quality mobile coverage where people live, work and travel, including Scotland, and we are committed to extending geographic mobile coverage to 95% of the UK.

There is currently 77% 4G geographic coverage from at least one Mobile Network Operator for the Stirling Local Authority area, up from 49% in June 2017. We are in discussions with the Mobile Network Operators about their proposal for a Shared Rural Network to improve coverage. We will consider all options.

I also welcome Ofcom’s proposal for their forthcoming spectrum auction, which aims to deliver two operators to 90% geographic mobile coverage.

3rd Sep 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to respond to the Scottish Government's 5G strategy entitled Forging our Digital Future with 5G: A strategy for Scotland, published on 26 August 2019.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

23rd Jul 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made in restoring shooting to the range of sports in the Commonwealth Games.

The decision on which core and optional sports are included in the Commonwealth Games sports programme rests with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and its constituent members. A decision on the status of shooting as an optional sport was taken at the 2015 Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly, and also reaffirmed in 2016, when the new CGF Constitution was approved.

Shooting was not included at point of bid in the sport programme for the 2022 Games in Birmingham, but following interest from a number of the optional sports and disciplines, the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee has recently concluded an Additional Sports review and costing exercise, considering the merits of adding additional sports, including shooting, to the Games within available resources. The review considered financial considerations and the potential for additional revenue generation, the availability of suitable venues, and alignment with the CGF Constitution and the objectives of Games partners. It also considered submissions from each of the sports concerned. Based on the conclusions from the review, the Organising Committee’s recommendation was to support the inclusion of Women’s Cricket, Beach Volleyball and Para Table Tennis, but not to add Shooting or Archery to the programme for Birmingham.This recommendation was subsequently approved by the CGF Executive Board, and confirmed by a vote of the Commonwealth Games Federation’s membership, who make the final decision on the matter. Looking ahead, any consideration of shooting’s inclusion in future games will be a matter for the Commonwealth Games Federation, and the Organising Committees of future Games.

The Government does recognise the strength of feeling on the matter among the shooting community, and the desire to have an opportunity to showcase the sport in 2022, and as such I have spoken to the Commonwealth Games Federation regarding the matter. They have agreed to advise British Shooting on the next steps for taking forward proposals for an event for Commonwealth shooters, to be delivered separately from the Games. The responsibility for any event would sit with British Shooting, but I hope that this will give the shooting community in the UK the opportunity to compete against shooters from across the Commonwealth in a UK event in 2022.

16th May 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking following the action taken by the Advertising Standards Authority against misleading presentation of pricing information on the websites of secondary ticket operators.

The Government is determined to crackdown on unacceptable behaviour in the online ticketing market and improve fans’ chances of buying tickets at a reasonable price. We have strengthened the existing ticketing provisions in the Consumer Rights Act 2015, are in the process of introducing a new criminal offence of using automated software to buy more tickets than that allowed, and support the work of the Competition and Markets Authority and National Trading Standards in enforcing the law in this area. We recognise, however, that Government can’t act alone in addressing this issue, and that the ticketing industry, regulatory bodies, and online platforms need to take actions themselves. We welcome the action taken in March by the Advertising Standards Authority against four of the main operators in the secondary ticketing sector banning the misleading presentation of pricing information on their websites, and the assurances from these platforms that they would make changes to their websites to comply with this ruling. We hope this will help improve transparency in the market and help consumers find legitimate official ticketing sites.

12th Mar 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has plans to increase the funding for basketball at grassroots level across the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Sport England has invested over £31 million in grassroots basketball since 2009, and is investing £5,140,000 in Basketball England across the 2017-21 period.

Sport England makes funding for grassroots sport available through a series of investment programmes, details of which are set out on its website, and which are open for individual organisations to apply for. It has also recently launched a new grant finding service on a one year trial to help organisations access the right type of funding opportunities that are appropriate to them: http://www.idoxopen4community.co.uk/sportengland/

Sport England is the arms length body of government that supports and invests in grassroots sport and physical activity in England. Support for grassroots sport and physical activity in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the respective Home Nations Sports Councils.

13th Sep 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the dates were of the most recent meetings between Ministers from her Department and their counterparts in the devolved administrations; and what the dates are of the next planned meetings.

The table below lists the most recent meetings between Ministers from DCMS and their counterparts in the devolved administrations and the next planned meetings:

Minister

Devolved Administration

Date of most recent meeting

Next planned meeting

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Welsh Government

26 September 2016

N/A

Minister for Digital

Scottish Government

6th November

28th November 2017

Minister for Sport & Civil Society

Welsh Government

20th November 2016

N/A

Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism

Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Governments

26th October

N/A

5th Sep 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the average length of time is for a (a) commercial property and (b) domestic residence to be connected to a broadband service in each region and nation of the UK.

We do not hold these figures. For one provider quarterly data on the average length of time for commercial and residential properties to be connected to Openreach’s network is publicly available from their website at https://www.homeandwork.openreach.co.uk/OurResponsibilities/our-performance.aspx.

5th Sep 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what initiatives are being sponsored by her Department to support and grow the UK digital skills base.

DCMS has sponsored many programs that have helped support and grow the UK digital skills base. Some of them include the following:

  • Through grant funding, we have supported Ada, the National College for Digital Skills to build and pilot an innovative, online platform that will teach coding skills using elements of peer-to-peer and gamified learning. The first school-age students started using the platform in June 2017 in a pilot that was rolled out to 30 schools across the UK. Over 1,000 students – more than double the initial target of 500 – benefited from this learning


  • DCMS is leading on a new digital skills partnership programme which will convene stakeholders across the public, private and charity sector to tackle the digital skills gap in a co-ordinated and coherent way. The DSP will also deliver on the 4 million training places announced in the Digital Strategy


  • DCMS is also leading on a number of short and long-term government interventions to address the cyber security skills gap, funded through the National Cyber Security Programme including a programme targeted at 14-18 year olds and a range of activity in further and higher education.

10th Jul 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with BT and Openreach on pilot projects to utilise fibre laid above ground via existing utility poles, especially in rural areas of Scotland.

Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with BT and Openreach.

The use of utility infrastructure to deploy telecommunications fibre has been made easier by the Communications (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2016, which transposed the EU Broadband Cost Reduction Directive to UK law. This ensures that digital communications providers can access other providers’ physical infrastructure, across a range of sectors, on fair and reasonable terms.

10th Jul 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with BT and Openreach on the location of unlit fibre and ducting laid across the UK.

Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with BT and Openreach.

Openreach has introduced an online mapping tool, which provides other telecoms providers with the locations of its poles and underground ducts, although the tool was introduced in the context of PIA (its duct and pole access remedy).

21st Jun 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of community broadband schemes in England about the roll-out of superfast broadband services.

DCMS has worked with a number of local communities to progress community broadband schemes and, as a result, information and guidance for communities has been developed and published on the Department’s website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-led-broadband-schemes. This also includes case studies such as Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) (https://b4rn.org.uk/) and other examples.

21st Jun 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of mobile telephone operators on 3G and 4G coverage in rural areas in Scotland.

My department has regular meetings with mobile network operators at both ministerial and official level to discuss a range of issues, including improving mobile coverage in rural areas across the UK including Scotland. Furthermore, as a result of the Government's landmark agreement with mobile operators each mobile operator will deliver mobile coverage to 90% of the UK's landmass by the end of this year. Additionally O2 will deliver indoor 4G coverage to 95% of premises in Scotland, also by the end of 2017.

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has any powers to intervene over the removal of Channel 4 HD services from the Freesat satellite television network.

The Secretary of State does not have any statutory powers to intervene in the removal of Channel 4 HD from the Freesat satellite television network. The High Definition version of Channel 4 is not a public service channel. Therefore, Channel 4 Corporation may provide Channel 4 HD to platforms on a commercial basis.