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21 July 2009 : Column 1704W—continued
Lord Davies
Lord Carter
Lord Carter
Lord Carter
Lord Carter
Lord Young
Pat McFadden
Ian Lucas
David Lammy
Departmental Reviews
Mr. Vara:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) review and (b) taskforce projects his Department has commissioned in each of the last five years since its
creation; what the purpose of each such project is; when each such project (i) began and (ii) was completed; what the cost of each such project was; and if he will make a statement. [275972]
Mr. McFadden: Summary information on taskforces and other standing bodies is available in the annual Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies. Copies of Public Bodies 2008 are available in the Libraries of the House.
Detailed information on ad hoc advisory bodies is available in BERR Public Bodies Directory 2008 at:
Information about reviews commissioned since the Department's creation is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Stationery
Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessor spent on branded stationery and gifts for (a) internal and (b) external promotional use in each of the last five years. [273775]
Mr. McFadden: Central records indicate that spending by the former Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on branded stationery in the financial year 2008/09 was £72,208.35.
This covers all branded stationery, such as business cards, letterheads, folders, compliment slips and special forms, purchased through a new central stationery supplier by BERR, UK Trade and Investment, BERR's two agencies, Companies House and the Insolvency Service and the following BERR delivery partners: ACAS, Low Pay Commission, Office of Manpower Economics (OME), SITPRO and the Tribunals Service. It also includes spend on branded stationery procured by the Strategic Marketing team.
Complete figures for spending by the former BERR on all branded stationery in previous years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The following figures are available for spending on headed stationery via the previous central stationery supplier and a range of branded stationery items procured by the strategic marketing team:
2007/08 £16,013.71
2006/07 £3,472.00
2005/06 £9,859.51
2004/05 £20,107.85
Information about spending on gifts is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Training
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what training courses have been attended by special advisers in his Department and its predecessors in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [279407]
Mr. McFadden: Special advisers receive training as appropriate to enable them to fulfil their duties and responsibilities as set out in the model contract for special advisers.
Internal laptop training was provided on 12 December 2008, at a cost of £310. No further training courses have been attended by special advisers for my Department, and its predecessors, within the last 12 months.
Departmental Work Experience
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) paid and (b) unpaid graduate internships his Department has awarded in each of the last six months. [281508]
Mr. Lammy: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was only created on 5 June 2009. It is fully committed to supporting the Graduate Talent Pool, the Government's new graduate internship programme, and will be awarding a number of internships in the coming months.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many interns work in his Department; what terms of reference apply to their appointment; what remuneration they receive; and how long on average an intern appointment lasts. [286828]
Mr. McFadden: The Department currently has four interns. They are employed on a training contract and receive £300 per week outside London and £350 inside London for a period of around 12 weeks.
Digital Broadcasting: Hertfordshire
Mike Penning: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of (a) households and (b) businesses in (i) Hemel Hempstead, (ii) Dacorum and (iii) Hertfordshire which will be liable for payment of the proposed levy contained in the Digital Britain White Paper. [284563]
Mr. McFadden: This Department has made no specific estimate of the number of (a) households and (b) businesses in (i) Hemel Hempstead, (ii) Dacorum and (iii) Hertfordshire liable for payment of the proposed levy contained in the Digital Britain White Paper. The independent regulator, Ofcom estimates, however that Hertfordshire has 477,235 fixed lines of which Hemel Hempstead has 43,260, with 1,700 businesses. As the analysis was not carried out at boundary level, but rather at constituency and county level, Ofcom does not have estimates for Dacorum.
Under existing rules any individual in receipt of income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, pensions credit (guaranteed credit) or employment and support allowance (income related) is entitled to social telephony. As set out in the Digital Britain White Paper published on 16 June 2009 the Government do not wish to see a widening digital divide. Therefore the Government expect that individuals that subscribe to
social telephony packages would also be exempt from the broadband levy to fund the deployment of next generation networks.
Digital Broadcasting: Wales
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2009, Official Report, column 324W, on digital broadcasting: Wales, when he plans to decide how much funding to allocate to Wales in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2013-14. [288047]
Mr. McFadden: [holding answer 20 July 2009]: The procurement process for the Universal Service Commitment, and therefore the process for identifying the extent to which specific areas will benefit, will be carried out by the Network Design and Procurement Group which we aim to set up during the autumn. It is impossible to determine the level of funding for specific areas at this time, as much will depend on the technologies used to deliver the commitment.
Digital Technology: Disabled
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled people who require a relay service in order to use voice-operated telephone services are able to access the opportunities outlined in Digital Britain: The Interim Report; and if he will make a statement; [277973]
(2) if he will ensure that the final report on Digital Britain includes specific provisions for disabled users, including those who are unable to use existing voice telephony services. [277974]
Mr. McFadden: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), along with Ofcom, remains committed to improving communications services for disabled users including deaf and hearing impaired people. We have worked in the ongoing EU review of the electronic communications framework to introduce into the framework directives the concept of ensuring "equivalence of access" for disabled users.
BIS continues to make a financial contribution to a representative disability stakeholder group with a view to securing expert advice on the telecommunications sector and disability issues. We remain committed to ensuring that all parts of society, including people with disabilities, can benefit from the policies set out in the Digital Britain White Paper, published on 16 June.
EC Internal Trade
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment his Department has made of the financial benefits to UK businesses of the EU single market. [287769]
Ian Lucas: The most recent assessment of the benefits of the single market is contained within the publication "The Single Market: A Vision for the 21st Century", published jointly with HM Treasury:
The Department's recent publication "The Future of EU Competitiveness"
sets out policy priorities for the single market and also includes references to benefits the single market has brought.
EC Law
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of statutory obligations provided for by legislation on matters for which his Department is responsible which were introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the latest period for which figures are available. [281871]
Mr. McFadden: It is very difficult to provide precise figures for the proportion of UK legislation that stems from the European Union. The administrative burdens measurement exercise (ABME) carried out by the Government in 2006 put the proportion of administrative burdens stemming from the EU at approximately 1/3 of the total administrative burden.
No figures are available for legislation for which BIS is responsible. The ABME report for the former Department of Trade and Industry is available at
The important thing is not the origins of legislation, which could of course be a devolved Administration or a local authority, as well as the Government or the EU, but the quality of the regulation. All regulations, irrespective of their origins, should comply with the principles of better regulation. Regulations should be risk based, proportionate and well designed, so as to achieve their objectives whilst also keeping costs to a minimum. The Government continue to work with European partners to ensure that EU regulations meet these standards.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 1 July 2009, Official Report, column 17WS, on the Education (Student Support) Regulations, when the cancellation of the guarantee of student support for education maintenance allowance recipients will take effect; and whether students planning to enter higher education in 2009-10 will be covered by the guarantee. [287829]
Mr. Lammy:
The guarantee was not due to come into effect until academic year 2010-11; former EMA recipients entering higher education in 2009-10 would always have been treated in the same way as other applicants for student support, being assessed at the point of application. In these difficult economic times, it is both fair and reasonable to expect that those students who see an improvement in their financial circumstances are assessed for student support according to their need. We have
therefore revised our plans for a guarantee of student support with effect from the date of the written statement, and will offer students in receipt of EMA a clear quote of the student support they will receive if their circumstances are unchanged at the time they apply for higher education.
Education: Finance
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding was allocated by the Learning and Skills Council to each educational establishment in Milton Keynes in each of the last five years. [279720]
Kevin Brennan: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has responsibility for the funding of post-16 further education and training. Information on individual provider funding is not held centrally by this Department. I have therefore asked the chief executive of the LSC to write to the hon. Member with post-16 funding allocations for further education providers in the Milton Keynes area. A copy will be placed in the House Library.
Emergency Calls
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to monitor compliance with regulations regarding emergency service numbers on the part of EU-registered voice over internet protocol providers offering services in the UK. [286619]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 14 July 2009]: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of voice over internet protocol providers which offer access to emergency service telephone numbers. [286620]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 14 July 2009]: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure Skype provides access to emergency numbers. [287126]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 16 July 2009]: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Employment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the effects on the economy of downshifting by employees. [285815]
Mr. McFadden: To date the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not undertaken any research in this area.
The Government are closely monitoring the labour market impacts of the current economic challenges. We are committed to supporting the UK through the recession and believe the measures we have in place to support businesses and workers are effective.
The reports of approaches such as downshifting highlight that in some areas employers and staff are working together to protect businesses and jobs. This is evidence of the flexibility of the UK labour market-these approaches help to protect jobs of those affected and help ensure that businesses retain the skills needed to respond to future opportunities.
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