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23 Feb 2009 : Column 280W—continued
Mr. McFadden:
Members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme receive an annual benefit statement showing the pension built up to date, and also a projection of their pension on retirement if they continue in service
to scheme pension age. The benefit statement prompts the member to consider boosting their pension and provides details of the civil service pensions website where staff can obtain further information, including options for making additional voluntary contributions and a calculator to work out costs for added pension (previously added years).
New entrants are informed of pension options in the employment offer and are provided with a pension information pack.
Cabinet Office provides leaflets that explain added pension and additional voluntary contributions for members. The information is also available in scheme booklets. These are available on the Civil Service Pensions website or on request from the member's pensions administrator.
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) uses an internal HR Intranet to communicate with staff on a range of issues. This includes comprehensive information on how staff can boost their pension through added pension and additional voluntary contributions (AVCs).
Departmental Plants
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department has spent on flowers in each of the last three years. [254870]
Mr. McFadden: Over the last three financial years, this Department has spent the following on foliage via our contracted supplier, Plantforce, on its HQ Estate. It includes spend at Kingsgate House which is part occupied by DIUS.
| Spend on foliage (£) | |
This spend includes all internal plant displays and maintenance, exterior maintenance and purchase of Christmas trees and Remembrance Day wreaths and flowers.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the expenditure his Department will incur on UK Trade and Investment in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2014-15. [257651]
Mr. Thomas: UK Trade & Investment is a joint department of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), working also in close partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
UK Trade & Investment has three main funding streams. UKTI Programme for front line delivery, BERR administration, which is mainly for staff based in the UK, and FCO programme and administration, which pays for the operation of the overseas network.
UKTI's budgets are agreed as part of the spending review process with HM Treasury. The current spending
review period covers the years 2008-09 to 2010-11. Our estimate of expenditure for 2009-10 and 2010-11 is:
| £ million | ||
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | |
These figures are subject to UKTI's annual corporate planning and annual parliamentary approval. We have not been allocated any formal budgets beyond this time frame.
Departmental Redundancy
Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009, Official Report, columns 462-3W, on redundancy, what estimate has he made of the annual payroll savings accruing to his Department as a result of staff exit schemes in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09 excluding the cost of severance packages; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for 2009-10. [254471]
Mr. McFadden: The estimate(1) of the annual payroll savings resulting from staff exit schemes in each of the following financial years are:
| £ million | |
With respect to an estimate for the year 2009-10, this will be dependant on the results of BERR's annual business planning process.
(1) This estimate is based on median base pay at 2008 pay levels and represents the full year effect of any exits.
Economic Situation
Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions his Department has had with outside organisations to discuss policy on reducing the effect of the recession on matters within his Department's responsibility. [254068]
Mr. McFadden: As one would expect, the Department has regular engagements with outside organisations including relevant Government Departments on a range of issues relating to the economy.
Economic Situation: Pharmaceuticals
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make an assessment of the effect of the recession on the financial ability of pharmaceutical companies to undertake pre-market research and development work. [256606]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
There are no plans to undertake an assessment. The Government recognise that in the current economic climate the bio-pharmaceutical industry is facing challenges. The Prime Minister held a summit with global leaders from the industry on 27 January 2009 to discuss the main issues facing the industry in the United Kingdom. He reinforced the message that the Government are committed to working with the industry to ensure that the UK maintains its position as a world leader in this sector, and to this end, he announced the creation of an Office for Life Sciences, to be led by Lord Drayson, the Science and Innovation Minister. The Office will be tasked with undertaking work in the short-term to address some of the issues facing the industry, and to develop a longer-term life sciences industrial strategy.
Environment Protection
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the international competitiveness of the UK's environmental industries. [256467]
Mr. Thomas: According to data from a forthcoming, independent report by Innovas, commissioned by BERR, the global market value of the Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services (LCEGS) sector is £3,046 billion, the UK (LCEGS) market (combined home market and export) accounts for 3.5 per cent. of this at £107 billion. UK exports of (LCEGS) are currently at only £10.5 billion or just around 10 per cent. of the UK market value, and there is a real opportunity for the UK to increase its global market share.
The UK market is well positioned to develop and gain comparative advantage in key areas of the environmental supply chain, such as Water and Wastewater Treatment, through exporting to developing nations looking to upgrade their current infrastructure.
Analysis shows that there are significant opportunities for the UK to export its goods and services across all areas of the (LCEGS) sector.
An analysis of the competitive advantages of the UK environmental goods and services (EGS) industry is set out in the UKTI publication entitled “The UK—a world leader in environmental solutions” (URN 08/558). Examples of the advantages differentiating the UK from our main competitors in the international EGS sector include leading the way in environmental improvements through progress in the waste management and water sectors, setting standards in professional services such as world class environmental consultancies, and investing in innovative approaches.
EU Internal Trade
Mr. Cash: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions the Secretary of State has had with his EU counterparts on (a) the application of the EU Posted Workers Directive in respect of the rulings of the European Court of Justice on cases C-438/05, C-346/06 and C-319/06 and (b) proposals for new legislation related to EU Directive 96/71/EC and Article 49 of the EC Treaty. [255664]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 9 February 2009]: My noble Friend, the Secretary of State is in regular discussions with his EU counterparts on a range of issues.
Fines
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agencies. [253604]
Ian Pearson: The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 provides for penalties to be levied on an employer for non-compliance with an enforcement notice which requires them to pay the NMW and repay arrears to workers who have been underpaid the NMW. The enforcement is carried out by HM Revenue and Customs and by DEFRA in relation to the agricultural minimum wage. The Employment Act 2008 includes provisions to strengthen the enforcement regime of the NMW. These provisions, which will come into force on 6 April 2009, will replace the current enforcement and penalty notices with a single notice of underpayment imposing automatic penalties of between £100 and up to £5,000 for employers for non-compliance with the requirement to pay workers the NMW.
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House agencies and they will respond to you directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 23 February 2009:
I am responding on behalf of Companies House to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question, reference 253604, to the Minister of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Since 1992 Companies House has levied penalties on companies registered that file their accounts late.
From 1 October 2009, the Companies Act 2006 introduces a new penalty of £200 where a company amends its articles of association and fails to send a copy of the amended articles to Companies House within 15 days. The penalty will only be triggered if a company receives notice from the Registrar requiring it to deliver a copy of its amended articles and it does not comply within 28 days.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 23 February 2009:
I refer to your question (2008/858), to ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agencies.
I have been asked to reply for The Insolvency Service, which is an executive agency of that department.
I can confirm that we levy no such penalties.
Internet: Security
Margaret Moran: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many companies that produce internet filtering products have applied to the British Standards Institute for certification of their products. [253402]
Mr. Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
BSI Group consists of three divisions: BSI British Standards, BSI Management Systems and BSI Product Services. It is the Management Systems division that provides independent third-party certification of management systems. These activities are conducted on a purely commercial basis and are outside of the scope
of the relationship with the UK Government. As such we are unable to comment on private certification agreements. Queries of this nature should be directed to the certification body.
The Government have a relationship with the British Standards division as its designated national standards body and in that capacity, fulfils the UK Government's international obligations in the field of standardisation.
Iran: Overseas Investment
Mr. Hague: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representation UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has in Iran; and what services UKTI offers in that country. [253950]
Mr. Thomas: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) does not deliver services in support of British companies wishing to trade with or invest in Iran. UKTI shut down its representative office in the British embassy in Tehran in July 2008
Mobile Phones: Contracts
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions the Government has had with Ofcom on a reduction in mobile termination rates. [250685]
Mr. McFadden: Ministers and officials have regular meetings with the Office of Communications (Ofcom) on a wide range of issues. Ofcom’s progress on regulating mobile termination rates has been discussed on several occasions.
Motor Vehicles: Government Assistance
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) what steps the Government are taking to support the car industry: [251255]
(2) what recent steps the Government have taken to ensure confidence in the car market; [251256]
(3) what recent steps the Government have taken to ensure the availability of credit to businesses to enable the purchase of motor vehicles; [251257]
(4) what recent steps the Government have taken to ensure job security for those employed by the UK automotive industry; [251258]
(5) what recent steps the Government have taken to facilitate the sale of UK-manufactured cars abroad. [251259]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 26 January 2009]: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the House on 27 January 2009, Official Report, columns 165-67, on the automotive sector.
In addition, UK Trade and Investment supports the UK automotive sector in overseas markets and will continue to do so. For example, during his recent trip to India, the Business Secretary used his keynote address to the Symposium on International Automotive Technology to promote UK automotive excellence. UKTI senior staff, including our ambassadors, regularly promote UK automotive excellence by hosting high profile events around the overseas launch of UK-manufactured cars.
In March, UKTI will launch the UK Advanced Engineering Marketing Strategy, to promote the UK as international partner of choice in the automotive, aerospace and engineering sectors. This is in line with other UK marketing strategies, such as those for energy, ICT and life sciences.
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