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29 Jun 2010 : Column 533W—continued
Electoral Register
Graham Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to bring forward proposals for individual voter registration. [4360]
Mr Harper: The Government are committed to speeding up the implementation of Individual Voter Registration and are currently considering the options for this. We will set out our plans in due course
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent on the registration of elections by local authorities in England in each of the last 10 years. [4361]
Robert Neill: I have been asked to reply.
The net current expenditure on the registration of electors by local authorities in England in each of the last 10 years is tabled as follows.
| £000 | |
| (1) Separate information is not available for 2000-01 as it is included within the central services to the public. Note: Figures from 2003-04 onwards are collected on a Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 17 basis consequently comparisons between FRS 17 and non-FRS17 may not be valid. Source: Communities and Local Government Revenue Outturn (RO) returns | |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the merits of using bar coding on electoral registration forms to assist with electoral registration. [4364]
Mr Harper: The Government have not made such an assessment. The effectiveness of bar coding as an aid to electoral registration is a matter for individual Electoral Registration Officers to determine.
Members: Conduct
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made on proposals to introduce a power for electors to recall their Member of Parliament. [4709]
Mr Harper: As set out in the coalition agreement, the Government are committed to bringing forward legislation to introduce power of recall. We are currently considering what would be the fairest, most appropriate and robust procedure.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Business: EU Law
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when his Department last made an estimate of the cost of EU regulations to British businesses. [4818]
Mr Prisk: The last estimate of the cost of EU regulation to British businesses made by this Department was contained in the second Forward Regulatory Programme published in April 2010. This shows that, at that time, the proportion of new regulatory costs stemming from the EU between April 2010 and April 2011 was about 31% of the total.
This Department has not estimated the overall cost of either all EU regulation or domestic regulation on British businesses, because to do so would involve disproportionate expenditure.
Business: Scotland
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) South Lanarkshire council area and (c) Scotland have participated in the Working Capital Scheme since its inception. [4333]
Mr Prisk: The Working Capital Scheme (WCS) was launched last year to provide guarantees for banks: individual businesses were not eligible to apply for these guarantees. No further guarantees will be available under the WCS although existing guarantees will be honoured.
East of England Development Agency
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the East of England Development Agency's allocated capital programme expenditure was spent in each year since its inception. [4816]
Mr Prisk: Each year regional development agencies (RDAs) are given capital allocations for the year and have flexibility to swap with other regions up to the year end. There are also a large number of cases where initial capital allocations were changed in-year as RDAs' responsibilities have changed over time or cuts to capital budgets made. We do not, therefore, have a historic record of an individual region's spend on capital compared to their initial allocations.
Environment Protection
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2010, Official Report, column 456W, on environmental protection, what his definition of environmental goods and services his Department uses. [4618]
Mr Davey: In my answer of 16 June I noted that one of the main difficulties in taking forward the environmental negotiations in the Doha Round has been agreeing a definition. In general, environmental goods and services include those which contribute to the achievement of national and international environmental priorities including the mitigation of climate change, and the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements. More specifically, the European Union, together with partners, has produced a list of goods to fulfil the Doha Declaration objective on environmental goods-JOB(09)/132. I believe that this list provides a good basis for an agreement in this area. I will place a copy of JOB(09)/132 in the Libraries of the House.
On environmental services, we are working to encourage new commitments in the following areas:
sewage and waste water services;
refuse disposal services;
sanitation services;
cleaning of exhaust gases;
noise abatement services; and
nature and landscape protection services.
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to increase the level of support provided by UK Trade and Investment for UK-based companies that develop and export innovative low carbon technologies. [4687]
Mr Prisk: UK Trade and Investment is refocusing its effort to build the UK's reputation globally as a partner of choice for low carbon business. At least a third of activities provided sectorally to business by UK Trade and Investment's head office this year will focus on business opportunities for UK companies with low carbon solutions.
Recent UK Trade and Investment commissioned research has identified China, India, US and Brazil as representing the greatest immediate opportunity for UK-based companies with low carbon solutions. UK Trade and Investment will, in addition to supporting UK companies in other markets, prioritise these markets for increased activities such as trade missions and meet the buyer events on low carbon business opportunities.
Foreign Investment in UK: Israel
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assistance his Department provides to Israeli businesses wishing to (a) invest in the UK and (b) take part in joint ventures with UK companies; how much was made available for these purposes in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [4330]
Mr Prisk: The information requested is as follows.
(a) UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is the Government organisation that leads on attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the UK. It provides consistently excellent, highly professional service throughout the investment process and uses the global network of embassies, high commissions and consulates to assist targeted, high quality investment to come to the UK, including investment from Israel.
(b) UKTI R&D Partnerships can help organisations including Israeli businesses, interested in forming different types of partnership, one of which is a joint venture, involving research and development (R&D) or innovation activity. R&D Partnerships has supported
partnership requests from Israel since 1 April 2008 to date by delivering 13 reports in total in the following categories: five in Information Technology Electronics and Communications, three in Performance Engineering Materials Energy and Environment, and five in Life Sciences. Within these reports 215 UK organisations were contacted about the specific partnership opportunity, and 15 expressed a direct interest in opening dialogue with the Israeli organisations in question to discuss the technical details and potential collaborations.
To attract a continuing high level of quality foreign direct investment the net cost globally for 2007-08 was £32,581,000 and for 2008-09 £31,869,000-Departmental Report and Resources Accounts published on:
Information on annual expenditure on investments from Israel is unavailable due to the difficulty of disaggregating these figures.
Further Education
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to assist into further education those ineligible for funding support for study at further educational colleges on grounds of age; and if he will make a statement. [4026]
Mr Hayes: Full funding of tuition is provided for those aged 16 to 18 and for adult (19+) learners undertaking basic literacy and numeracy qualifications (Skills for Life), their first full Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs grade A*-C) or their first full Level 3 (A-level or equivalent) for those aged 19-24. Full funding is also provided for adult learners in receipt of income-based benefits.
Support for tuition of courses which are not the first full qualification for that learner at that level is provided through co-funding, at the level of 50% with a 50% contribution expected from the individual or employer.
Some adult learning is not eligible for funding by the Skills Funding Agency. If an adult is accessing education for which they are expected to make a contribution to the costs, either in part or in full, then they have access, subject to bank lending conditions, to Professional and Career Development Loans.
Colleges and training organisations administer Discretionary Learner Support, which provides funding to all learners aged 16-plus, in exceptional circumstances, and which covers additional costs such as transport rather than fees.
Further Education: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 21 June 2010, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on further education investment, what the Barnett consequentials for Wales are of the measures announced. [4394]
Mr Hayes:
On 24 May, as part of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement on the £6 billion of efficiency savings to be realised in 2010-11, it was announced that £50 million would be re-prioritised from Train to Gain to further education capital. On 21 June, Government made a further announcement setting out the details for how this additional money would be reallocated to support a range of capital infrastructure projects prioritising
those colleges who have not previously benefited significantly from further education capital investment. The Barnett formula was applied to these recycled savings, which were included in the Welsh Assembly Government figures also announced as part of 24 May statement. The Barnett consequential for Wales of the £200 million recycled savings was £11.6 million.
Israel-British Business Council
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was allocated by his Department to the Israel-Britain Business Council in each of the last two years; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement. [4331]
Mr Prisk: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) sets aside £25,000 each year to support the work of the Israel-Britain Business Council (IBBC). £10,000 per annum goes towards secretariat support for the Business Council, while £15,000 per annum is available to support initiatives aimed at helping British companies to win business in key sectors in Israel; or at bringing more Israeli investment into the UK. Such initiatives have included awareness-raising events on export or investment opportunities and trade missions.
Mobile Phones: Competition
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals to reduce mobile telephone termination rates; and if he will make a statement. [4434]
Mr Vaizey: The determination of levels of mobile termination rates (MTR) is a regulatory matter for Ofcom. The process for determining the rates is set out in the Communications Act; it requires a market review to be carried out and extensive stakeholder consultation.
The current regime is due to expire on 31 March 2011 and Ofcom have just concluded a second round of consultation on how rates should be calculated from 1 April next year. Ofcom will publish a statement in the second half of this year setting out the new rates.
The EU has recently recognised that the UK has one of the lowest levels of MTR in Europe. Ofcom's proposals aim to reduce this by 85%-down from around 4.3p per minute now to 0.5p per minute by March 2015. This is good news for consumers who will benefit from cheaper calls and increased competition.
Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many cars were purchased under the scrappage scheme in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) South Lanarkshire Council area and (c) Scotland. [4335]
Mr Prisk: Using data based on the locations of dealerships and data for scrappage transactions which have been completed and vehicles delivered, there have been 109 completed scrappage transactions in Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, 1,092 in the South Lanarkshire council area and 27,988 in Scotland. Due to the nature of the scheme, we will not have final data on completed scrappage transactions until approximately the beginning of September this year.
Office for Life Sciences
Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future of the Office for Life Sciences; and if he will make a statement. [4560]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 28 June 2010]: The Office for Life Sciences (OLS) will continue to work to improve the UK business environment for life sciences companies. This will be based on close and collaborative working between Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Health, and their officials.
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