Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessments he has made of the implications for businesses of the Business Readiness Fund ceasing to provide grants beyond 31 October 2019.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister of the Cabinet Office on extending Business Readiness Grants beyond 31 October 2019.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Business Readiness Fund is a scheme set up to fund Business Representative Organisations to prepare businesses for leaving the EU on 31st October. Ministers meet regularly with ministerial colleagues to consider what further support can be given to business before and after 31st October.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to address the projection in his Department’s Updated Energy and Emissions Projections 2018, published 11 April 2019, that the UK will miss its carbon targets for 2023 to 2027 by 5.6% and for 2028 to 2032 by 9.6%; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
Carbon budgets four and five end in 8 and 13 years respectively and we are already over 90% of the way towards meeting them from a 1990 baseline, even before many of the policies and proposals in the Clean Growth Strategy are taken into account.
The Strategy sets out our plans to build on our progress in decarbonising the power sector, while looking further across the whole of the economy and the country. It includes ambitious proposals on housing, business, transport, the natural environment and green finance.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to regulate district heating systems.
Answered by Claire Perry
Heat networks are an important part of our Clean Growth Strategy with the potential to play a vital role in the long-term decarbonisation of heating. In December last year, we published our approach to establishing a regulated framework for heat networks. We set out three priorities for the sector: protecting consumers; building investment; and maximising the decarbonisation benefits of heat networks. This built on the Competition and Market Authority’s recommendations for heat network regulation, published in the summer.
We intend to consult on more detailed policy proposals later this year. Any subsequent legislation would be introduced when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
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 proportion of self-employed delivery drivers in London whose income is (a) equal to and (b) more than the National Living Wage.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government does not hold specific estimates in relation to the income of self-employed delivery drivers operating in London.
The Government has published research on the experiences and characteristics of those participating within the gig economy, of which there is a high proportion providing delivery services. This can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gig-economy-research.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons the minimum age to receive the national living wage was set at 25.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government has committed to increase the National Living Wage to reach 60 per cent of median earnings by 2020. Limiting the National Living Wage to workers aged 25 and over helps boost the employment prospects of younger people. For younger workers, the priority in those first years is to secure work and gain experience.
Improvements in the youth labour market have enabled the Low Pay Commission to be more ambitious when setting the youth rates. In April 2018, those entitled to the 21-24 age rate saw the fastest percentage increase since 2006 and those entitled to the 18-20 age rate saw the fastest increase since 2004. The Government is setting minimum thresholds only and we encourage employers to pay more when possible.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
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 jobs to be lost as a result of automation in the UK in the next five years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Department has not made a specific forecast on the impact of automation on jobs over the next five years.
As part of the ambitious Industrial Strategy, the Government recognises that demand for skills will continue to change, in part in response to automation. We have committed to improving the UK's system for training in digital skills and lifelong learning to ensure that working people have the support they need to navigate the challenge and opportunities of automation. In particular, a new system of T-level vocational training, high-quality apprenticeships and a new National Retraining Scheme are central to our approach.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much Post Office Ltd paid independent forensic accountants Second Sight to investigate issues relating to the Horizon accounting system.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
While the Post Office is publicly owned it operates as an independent, commercial business. The management of its IT systems are operational matters for the Post Office.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what approval was given by his Department for Post Office Ltd to prosecute sub-postmasters in cases relating to the Horizon accounting system; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
While the Post Office is publicly owned it operates as an independent, commercial business. The relationship with its sub-postmasters and the management of its IT systems are operational matters for the Post Office and as such do not require Government approval.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much Post Office Ltd has spent on prosecutions of sub-postmasters in cases relating to the Horizon accounting system.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches.
While the Post Office is publicly owned it operates as an independent, commercial business. The relationship with its sub-postmasters and the management of its IT systems are operational matters for the Post Office.