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7 Jun 2010 : Column 82W—continued
Departmental Redundancy Pay
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent estimate is of the annual cost to his Department of redundancy payments for (a) front-line and (b) other staff employed by (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies. [628]
Mr Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has at present no plans for compulsory redundancies and has therefore made no estimate of new costs. The forecast legacy costs of previous exit schemes (both compulsory and voluntary) is estimated at £6.1 million in 2010-11.
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 26 May 2010, UIN 628 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House is a Trading Fund and Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Companies House has not budgeted for any redundancy costs; however, as a Trading Fund any costs would be met by fees from our customers and would represent no cost to the public purse.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 27 May 2010:
The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question regarding what his most recent estimate is of the annual cost to his Department of redundancy payments for (a) front line and (b) other staff employed by (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies.
The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills had no annual cost for redundancy payments for (a) front line and (b) other staff employed in the last financial year 2009/10.
Surplus staff were identified during 2009/10 but we were able to absorb them elsewhere within The Service by the release of temporary workers.
Letter from John Alty, dated 2 June 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 26 May 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is a Trading Fund and Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The IPO has not budgeted for any redundancy costs; however as a Trading Fund any costs would be met by fees from users and would represent no cost to the public purse.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 1 June 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 26 May to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, asking about estimates of the annual cost of redundancy payments for staff employed by the Department and its Agencies.
The cost to the Agency of any redundancy or other exit payments this year will be disclosed in its Annual Report and Accounts of 2010/11. As matters stand, however, we do not envisage having to make such payments during the current year.
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 2 June 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 26 May, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning annual costs of redundancy payments for the Department and its agencies (UIN 628).
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 01 April 2010. As a new agency, we are currently looking at the implications of the recent announcements and the impact on the future shape of the organisation.
The cost to the agency of any redundancy and other exit payments this financial year will be disclosed in the accounts for 2010/11, which will be published online in 2011.
Higher Education: Finance
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the planned reduction in previously planned expenditure for 2010-11 is for each university in the North East. [101]
Mr Willetts:
The Higher Education Funding Council for England announced provisional allocations to institutions for academic year 2010-11 on 18 March
2010. As in previous years, final allocations taking into account any further changes will be announced in July this year.
Higher Education: Student Numbers
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of student places in universities in the West Midlands between academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11. [762]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 2 June 2010]: The number of students in each institution will depend upon the recruitment decisions taken by individual institutions. However, we are making available funding for an additional 10,000 places in academic year 2010/11 which will be allocated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2010, Official Report, column 43W, on One North East, (1) what arrangements he plans to put in place to establish local enterprise partnerships on a (i) local, (ii) sub-regional and (iii) regional basis; [1396]
(2) how many local economic partnerships he expects to be created in the North East region to replace One North East. [1397]
Mr Prisk: The Government will provide further detail on the future of the regional development agencies and how we propose to take forward our proposals for local enterprise partnerships shortly.
Motor Industry: Finance
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what recent discussions he has had with Ford on the provision of Government loans and guarantees to that company; [1359]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with GM on the provision of Government loans and guarantees to that company; [1360]
(3) what recent discussions he has had with Nissan on the provision of Government loans and guarantees to that company. [1361]
Mr Prisk: I have spoken to Ford, General Motors/Vauxhall and Nissan in the past week about a range of issues. Government are reviewing commitments made since 1 January 2010, including to these three companies. Where projects are good value for money and consistent with Government's priorities, they will go ahead. We have asked HM Treasury to fast track a decision to give clarity as soon as possible to the companies and their work forces.
Post Offices
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many Post Office branches closed between 1997 and 2010; and what his policy is on the future of the Post Office network. [1113]
Mr Davey: The Department does not hold the information requested on post office closures. I have asked David Smith, the Managing Director of Post Office Ltd., to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.
As set out in "The Coalition: our programme for government" we will ensure that post offices are allowed to offer a wide range of services in order to sustain the network, and we will be working with Post Office Ltd. to develop new sources of revenue, including considering the case for a Post Office Bank.
Regional Development Agencies
Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills by what mechanism he will assess whether a regional development agency is popular. [1064]
Mr Prisk: The Government will provide further detail on the future of the regional development agencies and how we propose to take forward our proposals for local enterprise partnerships shortly.
Dr Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future operation of schemes (a) contracted and (b) commenced by regional development agencies. [1197]
Mr Prisk: The regional development agencies have been allocated budgets for 2010-11 and are continuing to deliver schemes in line with their priorities. The Government will provide further detail on the future of the regional development agencies and how we propose to take forward our proposals for local enterprise partnerships shortly.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future of Advantage West Midlands; and if he will make a statement. [1444]
Mr Prisk: The Government will provide further detail on the future of the regional development agencies and how we propose to take forward our proposals for local enterprise partnerships shortly.
Summertime
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals for the introduction of British Summer Time and Double British Summer Time for a trial period. [840]
Mr Davey: We are aware that there are a range of views on this subject. While the Government do not propose to change current arrangements, we continue to listen to representations we receive and consider any evidence presented to us.
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the merits of introducing British Summer Time and Double British Summer Time; and if he will make a statement. [841]
Mr Davey: The Government have no current plans to commission a review of the existing arrangements but will continue to listen to arguments for and against change.
Supermarkets: Competition
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to (a) bring forward and (b) implement proposals for an Ombudsman in the Office of Fair Trading to enforce the Grocery Supply Chain Code of Practice. [1029]
Mr Davey: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St Ives (Andrew George) and the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann) on 2 June 2010, Official Report, column reference 44W.
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