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6 Oct 2008 : Column 278W—continued
Innovation: Medical Equipment
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with the Department of Health on the potential implications for the (a) urology market, (b) stoma market and (c) single-line items market of the proposed new arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and urology appliances, and related services, in Primary Care: A consultation, June 2008; and if he will make a statement. [222387]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department has had no recent discussions with the Department of Health about its consultation “Proposed new arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and urology appliances—and related services—in Primary Care. June 2008”.
However, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Stephen Williams) by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Public Health on 22 July 2008, Official Report, columns 1311W and 1148W.
The Department of Health consultation regarding arrangements under Part IX of the Drug tariff closed on 9 September 2008. Responses are being analysed and no decisions have yet been made.
Insurance
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the adequacy of market provision of insurance services for particular age groups. [212630]
Barbara Follett: The Government have announced their intention to prohibit age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services as part of the Equality Bill.
In advance of further public consultation on how the new law should be framed, an expert working group has been set up to help establish the extent of nature of age- based policies and practices in the provision of financial services, and the possible impact of legislation in this area.
Investment: West Midlands
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent steps the Government has taken to encourage business investment in the West Midlands. [224174]
Mr. McFadden: The regional development agency for the west midlands, Advantage West Midlands (AWM) has primary responsibility for measures to encourage business investment in the region. Recent initiatives, highlighted in the recent report ‘The West Midlands Economy—A joint response to changing economic circumstances’ include:
The extension of the Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFIE) grant to provide greater support for capital projects undertaken by small and medium sized enterprises outside the main assisted areas. The scheme paid approximately £10 million to nearly 150 businesses in the region in the year to 31 March2008;
Providing an additional £1 million to the region's Community Development Finance Institutions to enable them to increase their lending to businesses;
Further investment in venture capital funds as the current funds mature;
At the national level, the Government have extended the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme to businesses over five years old and increased the funding allocated to the scheme by £60 million. This will benefit firms across the country, including the west midlands.
These initiatives are in addition to other programmes already in place, including:
Grant for Research and Development, which pays out around £2 million a year in the west midlands to help SMEs finance new products and services;
AWM's Index Voucher scheme which encourages smaller businesses to work to build links with universities and other research institutions;
Business Link West Midlands and the Manufacturing Advisory Service provide impartial and expert information, support and advice to help businesses develop and become more successful.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent steps the Government has taken to encourage international corporations to base businesses in the West Midlands. [224175]
Mr. McFadden: The west midlands has been successful in attracting inward investment including the acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover by the Tata Group. In 2007-08 114 investment projects created 4,640 jobs and safeguarded 25,840 more.
Advantage West Midlands has an ongoing programme of inward investment activity designed to attract prospective inward investors into the region. This activity is aimed at attracting knowledge driven investment into the west midlands region from the business and professional services, ICT, automotive engineering, medical technologies, building technologies and environmental technologies sectors.
Proactive sales activities are taking place in the USA, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Benelux, Japan, Australia and India. Recent and forthcoming steps to attract inward investors include the continued roll-out of the Bridge to Growth initiative across Scandinavia, France, Germany, the Benelux countries and Ireland. This is an innovative project aimed at high tech SME's which has resulted in nearly 20 companies setting up operations in the region.
The Regional Minister, Liam Byrne, has visited India and China to discuss business opportunities with local companies. An India Business Action Plan for the region was launched in July and a plan to develop business and academic ties with China is being prepared.
Other initiatives include ICT seminars in conjunction with Warwick university which will take place in three cities in India in October 2008. A more integrated programme of activity with UKTI is being developed and rolled out in three vanguard markets—India, Canada and France. The global roll-out to all markets will take place in April 2009.
Manufacturing Industries: Greater London
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to support manufacturing companies in London. [222770]
Mr. McFadden:
BERR recognises the contribution the manufacturing sector makes to both the regional
and national economies, and is currently reviewing the Government’s manufacturing strategy in order to ensure that it continues to address the changing needs of the sector.
London manufacturers are able to access mainstream BERR business support products, which encourage increased competitiveness, productivity, investment and innovation. Support for manufacturing is available from a variety of sources including:
London Manufacturing Advisory Service
Business Link London
Minimum Wage: Publicity
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 10 July 2008, Official Report, column 1730W, on minimum wage: publicity, what the criteria were for the choices of location of the visit of the minimum wage battle bus. [222212]
Mr. McFadden: The locations were chosen to enable us to reach as many of our target audience of low paid workers and their employers as possible during the nine week tour. The national minimum wage bus was just one element of the 2007-08 national minimum wage awareness campaign.
Olympic Games 2012
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many full-time equivalent members of staff in (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies are working on projects in relation to the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games; how many of them are working on (i) project management, (ii) legacy planning, (iii) project oversight and (iv) financial oversight; and what plans he has for future staffing levels in each case. [221869]
Mr. Thomas: A full breakdown is given in the following table.
Ordnance Survey
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect of Ordnance Survey’s licensing terms on trends in business take-up of its services; and if he will make a statement. [222736]
Mr. McFadden: As part of the Trading Funds Assessment announced in Budget 2008, Shareholder Executive and HMT are currently considering the impact, both on the Ordnance Survey’s business model and the wider UK economy, of the Ordnance Survey’s current licensing and pricing regime for its data and the costs and benefits of any possible options for change. The issues are being considered for five other data-rich Trading Funds (Met Office, UKHO, DVLA, Companies House and Land Registry) as well as Ordnance Survey.
This work has not yet concluded but will provide recommendations to Ministers shortly.
Political Levy
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was in each political fund of each trades union in the most recent period for which figures are available, according to records held by the certification officer. [222213]
Mr. McFadden: The certification officer publishes information about the political funds of trade unions in his annual report. According to his latest report (2007-08), the size of each fund at year end was as follows :
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