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Written Question
Economic Growth
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, whether they will list the individual regions within the UK they use to determine their strategies for (1) trade and investment, and (2) freight and logistics, sectors; and what is their rationale for selecting those regions.

Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

All English Regions and Devolved Nations geographies are included when determining strategies for Trade and Investment. Officials work with businesses and local stakeholders to ensure a place focus, as reflected by the organisational structure. English Regions is divided into three Super Regions - the Northern Powerhouse, Midlands Engine and the South (including London), with regional teams operating within these. As well as our second HQ at Darlington’s Economic Campus, we have established Trade and Investment hubs in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast to help bring the Department for Business and Trade’s support closer to businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Freight and logistics policy is a matter for the Department for Transport.


Written Question
Small Businesses: Finance
Monday 13th March 2023

Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to page 65 of the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, how much and what proportion of the £1.6 billion for the British Business Bank’s regional funds has been allocated to each of the qualifying regions as of 8 March 2023.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Nations and Regions Investment Funds were announced at the 2021 Spending Review and will be delivered by the British Business Bank. The Funds will deliver a mix of debt and equity finance to businesses in their area. The allocations are:

  • £600m for a new Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund;
  • £400m for a new Midlands Engine Investment Fund;
  • £200m for a South West Investment Fund;
  • £150m for a Scotland Investment Fund;
  • £130m for a Wales Investment Fund; and
  • £70m for a Northern Ireland Investment Fund.

Written Question
Business: Finance
Monday 28th November 2022

Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)

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 will take to take to support remote rural businesses in 2023 to help assist those organisations with financial planning for 2024.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

At the Autumn Statement, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £13.6 billion of support for businesses over the next five years, reducing the burden of business rates for SMEs.

The Government is providing a range of support to help small and medium-sized businesses across the UK with rising costs, including those in rural communities. Government has cut fuel duty for 12 months, raised the Employment Allowance to £5,000, and is zero-rating VAT on energy-saving materials.

The Help to Grow’ schemes help SME businesses learn new skills, reach more customers and boost profits. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) provides a price reduction to ensure that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from high energy bills.

Furthermore, the British Business Bank’s Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, Midlands Engine Investment Fund and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund all work with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), combined authorities and Growth Hubs, as well as local accountants, fund managers and banks, to provide a mixture of debt and equity capital to SMEs across their entire regions, including in rural locations.


Written Question
Business: Debts
Friday 28th October 2022

Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of trends in the regional spread of business debt in (a) each of the last five years, (b) during the covid-19 outbreak and (c) during the cost of living crisis.

Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department monitors regional trends in business lending through the British Business Bank (BBB), the SME Finance Monitor survey, and the trade associations UK Finance and Responsible Finance. The BBB’s three regional funds support access to debt and equity finance in Cornwall, the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine, including Coventry.

The regional spread of business debt broadly reflects national demand for business lending and the regional distribution of the business population. Differences within regions are more significant, with Community Development Finance Institutions playing a valuable role in enabling access to debt finance for businesses in under-served areas.

According to the SME Finance Monitor, the proportion of all SMEs using external finance was 38% in Q2 2022, down from the 45% using finance in Q2 2021 and in line with pre-pandemic levels. Use of debt finance is higher for SMEs trading internationally and those with plans to grow. The majority (86%) of SMEs are in the category of ‘happy non-seekers’ of finance, meaning that they have either no debt or a level of borrowing that they consider sufficient for their needs.


Written Question
Trade Promotion
Monday 17th October 2022

Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many international trade advisers operate in (a) South West, (b) South East, (c) London, (d) West Midlands, (e) East Midlands, (f) East Anglia, (g) North West, (h) Yorkshire and Humberside, (i) North East, (j) Scotland, (k) Northern Ireland and (l) Wales as of 12 October 2022.

Answered by James Duddridge

Please see the below breakdown of Department for International Trade (DIT) international trade advisers (ITAs) based on region:

Southern England:

South West - 25

East of England- 21

South East - 26

London - 2 (DIT was asked to take some tough budget decisions in 2021-22 Financial Year and, given the greater density of businesses and other business support available in London compared to the rest of England, Ministers made the decision that the London ITA service would cease.)

Midlands Engine:

East Midlands - 23

West Midlands - 36

Northern Powerhouse:

Yorkshire & Humberside – 24

North West – 25

North East – 10

ITAs are provided in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by the devolved governments.


Written Question
Social Security Benefits: Mental Health
Monday 25th July 2022

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people on benefits who have received mental health support in each year since 2010.

Answered by Chloe Smith

No specific assessment has been made on the impact on the mental health of people receiving benefits of the recent increase in the cost of living. The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living: that is why it is providing over £37 billion of support this year. This includes the £650 Cost of Living Payment which is designed to target support at low-income households on means-tested benefits. In addition, 6 million eligible disabled people will receive a one-off, disability Cost of Living Payment of £150. And pensioner households will receive a separate one-off payment of £300 (through and as an addition to the Winter Fuel Payment).

People that are receiving benefits can access mental health support in a number of ways such as seeking a referral from GP in the first instance. In addition, all NHS mental health providers have established 24/7 all-age urgent mental health helplines for people in crisis or for those worried about someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. Details of these helplines are available on the NHS website at: Where to get urgent help for mental health - NHS (www.nhs.uk). Administrative data on mental health support and benefit receipt are not routinely linked so we cannot estimate the number of people on benefits who receive mental health support.

Evidence suggests that good, appropriate paid work can be beneficial for individuals' health and wellbeing. We offer specialist support for people with mental health conditions to stay in and return to work, often working jointly with the health system, through:

  • our Employment Advice in Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (EAs in IAPT) services. Since 2017 we have invested a total of £82million on expanding the number of EAs in IAPT services and we have committed to expand the service across England. Evidence on EAs in IAPT found that those receiving employment support in addition to mental health support showed greater improvements to their mental health compared to those receiving mental health support alone. In addition, those out of work on entry to the EAs in IAPT service were more likely to be active in the labour market (through employment or looking for employment) at the end of their treatment than those receiving mental health support alone. Employment Advisers (EAs) work with JCP colleagues to ensure that JCP clients who could benefit from IAPT treatment are signposted to receive an IAPT assessment.
  • the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service
  • the Mental Health and Productivity Pilot across the Midlands Engine region, which seeks out opportunities to improve productivity through improving employee's mental health.
  • our trials of Individual Placement and Support for people with common mental health and/or physical health conditions.

We will also work closely with DHSC and other government departments in supporting the new cross government 10-year plan for mental health and wellbeing for England.


Written Question
Social Security Benefits: Mental Health
Monday 25th July 2022

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what resources her Department has allocated to improving the mental health of people receiving benefits.

Answered by Chloe Smith

No specific assessment has been made on the impact on the mental health of people receiving benefits of the recent increase in the cost of living. The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living: that is why it is providing over £37 billion of support this year. This includes the £650 Cost of Living Payment which is designed to target support at low-income households on means-tested benefits. In addition, 6 million eligible disabled people will receive a one-off, disability Cost of Living Payment of £150. And pensioner households will receive a separate one-off payment of £300 (through and as an addition to the Winter Fuel Payment).

People that are receiving benefits can access mental health support in a number of ways such as seeking a referral from GP in the first instance. In addition, all NHS mental health providers have established 24/7 all-age urgent mental health helplines for people in crisis or for those worried about someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. Details of these helplines are available on the NHS website at: Where to get urgent help for mental health - NHS (www.nhs.uk). Administrative data on mental health support and benefit receipt are not routinely linked so we cannot estimate the number of people on benefits who receive mental health support.

Evidence suggests that good, appropriate paid work can be beneficial for individuals' health and wellbeing. We offer specialist support for people with mental health conditions to stay in and return to work, often working jointly with the health system, through:

  • our Employment Advice in Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (EAs in IAPT) services. Since 2017 we have invested a total of £82million on expanding the number of EAs in IAPT services and we have committed to expand the service across England. Evidence on EAs in IAPT found that those receiving employment support in addition to mental health support showed greater improvements to their mental health compared to those receiving mental health support alone. In addition, those out of work on entry to the EAs in IAPT service were more likely to be active in the labour market (through employment or looking for employment) at the end of their treatment than those receiving mental health support alone. Employment Advisers (EAs) work with JCP colleagues to ensure that JCP clients who could benefit from IAPT treatment are signposted to receive an IAPT assessment.
  • the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service
  • the Mental Health and Productivity Pilot across the Midlands Engine region, which seeks out opportunities to improve productivity through improving employee's mental health.
  • our trials of Individual Placement and Support for people with common mental health and/or physical health conditions.

We will also work closely with DHSC and other government departments in supporting the new cross government 10-year plan for mental health and wellbeing for England.


Written Question
Social Security Benefits: Mental Health
Monday 25th July 2022

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the impact on the mental health of people receiving benefits of the recent increase in the cost of living.

Answered by Chloe Smith

No specific assessment has been made on the impact on the mental health of people receiving benefits of the recent increase in the cost of living. The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living: that is why it is providing over £37 billion of support this year. This includes the £650 Cost of Living Payment which is designed to target support at low-income households on means-tested benefits. In addition, 6 million eligible disabled people will receive a one-off, disability Cost of Living Payment of £150. And pensioner households will receive a separate one-off payment of £300 (through and as an addition to the Winter Fuel Payment).

People that are receiving benefits can access mental health support in a number of ways such as seeking a referral from GP in the first instance. In addition, all NHS mental health providers have established 24/7 all-age urgent mental health helplines for people in crisis or for those worried about someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. Details of these helplines are available on the NHS website at: Where to get urgent help for mental health - NHS (www.nhs.uk). Administrative data on mental health support and benefit receipt are not routinely linked so we cannot estimate the number of people on benefits who receive mental health support.

Evidence suggests that good, appropriate paid work can be beneficial for individuals' health and wellbeing. We offer specialist support for people with mental health conditions to stay in and return to work, often working jointly with the health system, through:

  • our Employment Advice in Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (EAs in IAPT) services. Since 2017 we have invested a total of £82million on expanding the number of EAs in IAPT services and we have committed to expand the service across England. Evidence on EAs in IAPT found that those receiving employment support in addition to mental health support showed greater improvements to their mental health compared to those receiving mental health support alone. In addition, those out of work on entry to the EAs in IAPT service were more likely to be active in the labour market (through employment or looking for employment) at the end of their treatment than those receiving mental health support alone. Employment Advisers (EAs) work with JCP colleagues to ensure that JCP clients who could benefit from IAPT treatment are signposted to receive an IAPT assessment.
  • the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service
  • the Mental Health and Productivity Pilot across the Midlands Engine region, which seeks out opportunities to improve productivity through improving employee's mental health.
  • our trials of Individual Placement and Support for people with common mental health and/or physical health conditions.

We will also work closely with DHSC and other government departments in supporting the new cross government 10-year plan for mental health and wellbeing for England.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Public Expenditure
Tuesday 19th April 2022

Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The following table shows spending on programmes issued to local government in England by the Department in 2020/21 in the form of grants under the Local Government Act 2003.

Local authority funding by scheme

2020/21 actual expenditure £ ’000s

Infection Control

1,146,000

Workforce Capacity Fund

120,000

Out of Hours Hospital Care Model for People experiencing Homelessness

2,549

West Midlands Engine

2,300

Learning Disabilities and Autism Community Discharge

20,000

PrEP - HIV drug treatment

11,222

LASSL - local reform and community voices grant, social care in prisons grant and war pensions schemes disregard grant

57,360

Contain Outbreak Management Fund

1,717,092

Test and Trace Business Support to Local authorities

3,000

Test and Trace Isolation Support Payments

144,743

Local Authority Practical Support (for those self-isolating)

12,900

Project Eagle - surge testing support

3,094

Rapid Testing

149,119

Community Testing

126,615

Expenditure data for 2021/22 is not yet available. Spending plans for 2022/23 and beyond are currently being finalised.

This information refers to core Departmental expenditure and does not include spending devolved to local authorities by Departmental arm’s length bodies or spending devolved to local National Health Service bodies via NHS England. The Local Authority Public Health Grant is recorded separately as in 2020/21, this was paid to upper-tier local authorities by the former Public Health England (PHE). The value of the Grant paid to local authorities by PHE in 2020/21 was £3.279 billion. With effect from 1 October 2021, the Department has assumed responsibility for this Grant.


Written Question
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Public Expenditure
Wednesday 30th March 2022

Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade

The table below sets out funding DLUHC core department devolved in 2021-22. Future years funding will be published in the usual way. The Local Government Finance Settlement can be found using this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2021-to-2022.

Programme Name

Value 2021-22 (£m)

AFFORDABLE HOMES PROGRAMME

215.0

BETTER CARE FUND PROGRAMME SUPPORT

0.3

BICHESTER

4.6

BRENT CROSS

29.1

BROWNFIELD HOUSING FUND

157.8

BROWNFIELD LAND RELEASE FUND

64.4

BUILDING SAFETY REMEDIATION

393.0

CHANGING FUTURES

16.0

CHANGING PLACES

0.3

COASTAL COMMUNITIES FUND

0.1

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

22.5

COMMUNITY HOUSING FUND

6.0

COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP FUND - COF

1.4

COVID-19 CLINICALLY & EXTREMELY VULNERABLE

61.3

CUSTOM BUILD LAND DUTY

0.1

DATA IMPROVEMENT SHARE OUTCOME FUND

4.1

DIGITAL PLANNING REFORM

1.9

DISABLED FACILITIES GRANTS (N)

573.0

DOMESTIC ABUSE

1.8

EAST BANK

51.6

EBBSFLEET DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

19.0

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

5.2

ESTATE REGEN FUND

14.2

FAITH, RACE AND HATE GRANT SCHEME

0.4

FLOOD RECOVERY FRAMEWORK SCHEMES

3.7

FREEPORTS

3.7

FUTURE HIGH STREET FUND

257.5

GETTING BUILDING FUND

449.9

GRT EDUCATION PROGRAMME

1.0

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL PROGRAMME

1.0

HOME OF 2030

0.4

HOMELESSNESS

378.8

HONG KONG BRITISH NATIONAL OVERSEAS (HKBNOS) WELCOME PROGRAMME

6.5

HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE FUND (CORE)

37.9

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES

17.7

INTERFAITH NETWORK FOR THE UK

0.3

LEP CORE FUNDING

19.1

LESSONS FROM AUSCHWITZ UNIVERSITIES

0.1

LEVELLING UP FUND

103.2

LOCAL DIGITAL COLLABORATION

12.4

LOCAL GROWTH INVESTMENT FUNDS

347.5

LOCAL LAND CHARGES

0.1

LOCAL RESILIENCE FORUMS (LRFS)

8.1

MAYORAL CAPACITY FUND

9.0

MIDLANDS ENGINE

2.5

MODERN PLANNING SOFTWARE

6.8

NCTT

0.3

NEAR NEIGHBOURS

1.0

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING

7.9

NEW DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS

2.1

NEW HOMES BONUS

622.3

NORTHERN POWERHOUSE

0.5

OXFORD-CAMBRIDGE ARC

1.0

OXFORDSHIRE HOUSING

40.0

PARTNERSHIPS FOR PEOPLE AND PLACE

0.7

PFI HOUSING

138.7

PLANNING ADVISORY SERVICE (PAS)

0.7

PLANNING DELIVERY FUND

5.3

PLANNING REFORM

2.8

REDCAR AND CLEVELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL

3.7

REGIONAL CONTROL CENTRES

4.2

REMEMBERING SREBRENICA

0.3

REOPENING HIGH STREETS SAFELY

26.8

RIGHT TO BUY RECEIPTS

12.3

ROUGH SLEEPING

325.4

ROUGH SLEEPING COVID RESPONSE

40.3

SCHOOLS LINKING

0.2

SECRETARIAT FOR THE INDEPENDENT ANTISEMITISM ADVISER

0.1

SHIELDING SUPPORT

40.8

SSI STEELWORKS

25.7

STDC - TEESWORKS WORKS

11.1

STRENGTHENING FAITH INSTITUTIONS

0.5

STRONGER TOWNS CAPACITY FUNDING

162.4

SUPPORTED HOUSING OVERSIGHT PILOTS

2.4

SUPPORTING FAMILIES

163.7

TENANT FEES ACT 2019

0.8

THAMES ESTUARY

1.5

TOWNS FUND

0.5

TRANSPORT FOR EBBSFLEET

1.7

UK COMMUNITY RENEWAL FUND

122.5

VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR FUNDING FOR ROUGH SLEEPING AND HOMELESSNESS

2.7

VOLUNTARY RIGHT TO BUY

1.4

WAKING WATCH

0.4

WESTERN GATEWAY CORE FUNDING

1.0

WINDRUSH

0.7

WOMENS AID

0.3

YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

0.6