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21 July 2009 : Column 1726W—continued
Insolvency Service: Consultants
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Insolvency Service spent on external consultants in each of the last five years. [285441]
Ian Lucas: The Insolvency Service executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spent the following amounts on external consultants in each of the last five years.
| Amount (£000) | |
Insolvency Service: Travel
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Insolvency Service spent on taxis in each of the last five years. [285437]
Ian Lucas: The Insolvency Service executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is unable to extract details of taxi expenses. The service's policy is that public transport must be used in preference to taxis on all possible occasions. Sample data for one calendar month has been extracted which shows taxi costs of £1,510. This would correspond to annual taxi fares of approximately £20,000.
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Insolvency Service spent on (a) flights, (b) hotel accommodation, (c) rail travel and (d) other travel and overnight subsistence expenses in each of the last five years. [285438]
Ian Lucas: The Insolvency Service executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spent the following amounts on (a) flights, (b) hotel accommodation, (c) rail travel and (d) other travel and overnight subsistence expenses in each of the last five years.
| Hotels | Air | Train | Staff subsistence | Total | |
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Insolvency Service spent on first class (a) rail and (b) air travel in each of the last five years. [285439]
Ian Lucas: The Insolvency Service executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spent the following amounts on rail travel in each of the last five years. Details of the class of travel used is only available from July 2006 when the Service began using thetrainline.com as its preferred supplier of rail bookings. Please see the following table:
| First class | Standard class | Total | |
The Insolvency Service executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is unable to report the amount spent on first class air travel because it does not have details of individual flights. Air travel costs for the last five financial years were:
| Air | |
It's Your Call Road Show
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the budget is of the It's Your Call road show for 2009-10; and which locations will be visited by the roadshow in 2009-10. [288843]
Mr. McFadden: The National Minimum Wage outreach campaign for 2009-10 will be run in conjunction with the Government's vulnerable workers campaign whose objective is to promote awareness of basic employment rights and the new Pay and Work Rights Helpline to vulnerable workers. The locations that will be visited during the campaign have not yet been finalised. The overall budget for the vulnerable workers campaign this year is £3 million, of which £215,000 is the expected cost for the outreach elements.
LDV
Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2009, Official Report, column 870W, on LDV, if Ministers in his Department will meet the administrators of LDV Group to discuss the future of the business; and if he will make a statement. [287560]
Ian Lucas [holding answer 20 July 2009]: I have no plans to meet the administrator of LDV Group. We are continuing to monitor developments closely while offering all practical assistance to those affected. I understand that there are several potentially interested buyers including parties who are considering restarting manufacturing at Washwood Heath. The court appointed administrator is legally responsible for LDV and it would be inappropriate for Government to seek to influence his discussions with potential buyers.
Learndirect
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent assessment is of the effectiveness of Learndirect in developing skills required by employers in the current economic climate. [288770]
Kevin Brennan: Learndirect continues to play a vital role supporting employers and helping over 200,000 learners improve their skills and achieve qualifications through innovative use of online materials and support, together with delivery through a network of learning providers. Learndirect is forecast to exceed the targets on Skills for Life and NVQ learner achievements set for it by the Learning and Skills Council and double the number of learner starts on its Train to Gain contract this year.
Learning and Skills Council for England
Michael Gove: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of the resignation letter of Mark Haysom, former Chairman of the Learning and Skills Council. [287251]
Kevin Brennan: Mark Haysom resigned from his position as chief executive of the Learning and Skills Council on 23 March 2009. His communication about his resignation was sent to Chris Banks, the LSC's National Chair. The Department will therefore ask the LSC to consider whether it would be appropriate to place a copy of the letter in the House Library, and to write to the hon. Gentleman.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when a reply will be sent to the letters dated 12 March and 13 October 2008 from the hon. Member for Torbay to the Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Consumer Affairs on sales of replica hand grenades. [245130]
Kevin Brennan: I responded to the hon. Member today. I apologise to the hon. Member for the unacceptable delay in responding to his letters. This was mainly due to an administrative error but also that the issues raised were cross-cutting and it was unclear as to which Department portfolio they fell under. I am taking steps to avoid a repeat of this error.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter of 5 March 2009 from the right hon. Member for Banff and Buchan on his constituent Mr Watt of Cruden Bay. [280795]
Mr. McFadden: I apologise to the right hon. Member for the delay in responding. This is, in part, due to a substantial increase in volumes of correspondence caused by the current economic downturn. The hon. Member will receive a response as soon as possible.
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 30 March 2009, transferred from HM Treasury, PO reference: 1/70034/2009, on banks. [281131]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 18 June 2009]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding. This is, in part, due to a substantial increase in volumes of correspondence caused by the current economic downturn. The hon. Member will receive a response as soon as possible.
Anne Main: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for St. Albans of 25 February 2009 on the St. Albans Business Summit. [281183]
Mr. McFadden: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding. This is, in part, due to a substantial increase in volumes of correspondence caused by the current economic downturn. The hon. Member will receive a response as soon as possible.
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter from Mr. Vernon Holloway, a constituent of the hon. Member for New Forest West, of 15 May 2009 on small businesses. [285231]
Mr. McFadden: A reply was sent to Mr. Holloway on 26 June.
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire of 30 April 2009 on his constituent's business. [285495]
Mr. McFadden: The letter of 30 April from the right hon. Member was transferred to Her Majesty's Treasury for response. Confirmation of this transfer was sent to the right hon. Member on 5 June.
Mr. Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2009, Official Report, column 61W, when he plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Billericay of 26 February and 26 March 2009 on his constituent, Mr. Piechuta. [287127]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 16 July 2009]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the unacceptable delay in responding to his letter. This was due to an administrative error. The hon. Member will receive a response shortly.
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Secretary of State plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (a) of 12 February 2009, on behalf of his constituent Mr. Wilkinson, (b) of 24 February 2009, on behalf of his constituent Mr. Booroff and (c) of 12 March 2009 on behalf of his constituent Mr. Woods. [288368]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 20 July 2009]: I apologise to the hon. and learned Member for the delay in responding to his correspondence. My noble Friend, the Minister with responsibility for economic competitiveness, small business and enterprise will respond shortly to the three outstanding letters.
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State plans to respond to the letter from the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire of 17 March 2009 on business difficulties. [288796]
Mr. McFadden: I apologise to the right hon. Member for the unacceptable delay in responding, he will receive a response shortly.
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire of 6 February 2009 concerning problems with a constituent's business. [288797]
Mr. McFadden: I apologise to the right hon. Member for the delay in responding. He will receive a reply shortly.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 1 June 2009, Official Report, column 61W, on Members: correspondence, when the relevant Minister plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford of 27 February 2009 on his constituent, Mr Paul Cook of Chelmsford; and what the reason is for the time taken to reply. [288866]
Mr. McFadden: I apologise to the hon. Member for the continuing delay in responding. My noble Friend, the Minister with responsibility for economic competitiveness, small business and enterprise, will respond shortly.
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