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21 July 2010 : Column 389W—continued
Broadband: Finance
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the Digital Switchover Fund underspend has been allocated to delivering the universal service commitment of 2 Mbps. [10220]
Mr Vaizey: A total of £200 million is currently allocated to support both the universal service commitment and the three broadband pilots. That sum is however subject, as all Government expenditure is, to the outcome of the forthcoming comprehensive spending review.
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding has been allocated for the superfast broadband pilots; and from what budget that funding has been allocated. [10221]
Mr Vaizey: No specific budget has been allocated to an individual pilot to date. Broadband Delivery UK is considering the options for scale and location of the pilots to facilitate and maximise learning. The pilots will be funded from the digital switchover help scheme underspend.
Broadband: Rural Areas
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria will be used to select the three areas to market test pilots for superfast broadband roll-out in rural areas; which areas have been short-listed; and who will select the pilot areas. [10222]
Mr Vaizey: The superfast broadband pilots aim to maximise understanding of the investment requirement for deploying superfast broadband in commercially challenging locations and how that investment requirement can be reduced and to understand the technical and commercial capability available for deploying superfast broadband in commercially challenging locations of the UK.
Broadband Delivery UK, the BIS team responsible for delivering the coalition Government's broadband objectives, is working with regional and national authorities to identify potential locations for the superfast broadband pilots and aims to make an announcement in September 2010. There is no shortlist as yet. Ministers will take the final decision.
Departmental Buildings
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on office refurbishment in each year since 1997. [7349]
Mr Davey: This Department and its predecessors spent the following amounts on office refurbishments in each year since 1997:
| £ million | |
Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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 my hon. Friend directly.
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, U1N 7349 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House costs for refurbishments for each for which figures are available are as follows:
| Financial year | £ |
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 12 July 2010:
The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has asked me to reply directly to you concerning your question asking how much this agency spent on office refurbishment in each year since 1997.
Accounting records containing this data are only available from 2003/04, and we are unable to provide figures before that time. The expenditure requested for the 7 full financial years since 2003/04 is shown in the table below:
| £ | |
Letter from John Alty, dated 8 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on refurbishment and new furniture,
| £000 | |
These figures do not include general maintenance or dilapidation charges by landlords on termination of leases. Figures for earlier years are not available in the timescales.
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7349), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on office refurbishment in the Department and its agencies.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have not spent any money on office refurbishment.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on office refurbishment in each year since 1997.
Information on such expenditure prior to January 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, spent the following on office refurbishment:
| £ | |
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997. [7499]
Mr Davey: This Department spent £41,065 in 2008 covering the purchase and installation of televisions for an internal communications project. Information on costs relating to the ad hoc purchase of other televisions during this period and previous years cannot be identified as these will have been included in the overall project costs for which TV installation may have been a part.
Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 9 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, UIN 7499 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. In the last five years for which figures are available Companies House spent £2,928.52 on television sets; this expenditure took place in 2008.
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7499), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on televisions in the Department and its agencies.
This information is not recorded separately and to determine this spend would incur disproportionate cost.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 14 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on televisions in each year since 1997.
The National Measurement Office has not bought any televisions since its establishment in April 2009. Its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, bought one television in about 2004 at a cost of no more than £250. It is not possible to provide more detailed information on the date and amount without incurring disproportionate cost.
The National Measurement Office (and its predecessor) also has responsibility for the direct enforcement of Environmental Protection and Energy Conservation legislation with producers of electronic and electrical equipment. These activities sometimes involve the purchase of televisions for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of hazardous materials. The testing is destructive below the component level. Our finance records make no distinction between the different types of electronic or electrical equipment purchased for test purposes. Since 2006, when the agency was first appointed as an enforcement agency, it is estimated that approximately 5 televisions have been purchased, tested and disposed of. It is not possible to provide more detailed information on the dates and the amounts without incurring disproportionate cost.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 9 July 2010:
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997.
The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has no information on this expenditure for the years 1997 to 2004.
The costs of televisions purchased by The Insolvency Service from 2005 through to 30 June 2010 are:
| £ | Number of TVs | |
These televisions were primarily purchased to be connected to our IT systems for use in The Service's regional and local training rooms. With one or two exceptions, they are not used for watching broadcast television.
Letter from John Alty, dated 20 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office has two functional televisions in two separate locations. These cost £500 in 2007/08 and £2,375 in 2006/07. There is no earlier data available.
Departmental Equality
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been spent by his Department (a) in total and (b) on staffing costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose. [9785]
Mr Davey: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) on 20 July, Official Report, column 294W.
Departmental Legal Costs
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on legal advice in each year since 1997. [7562]
Mr Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) accesses legal advice from its own departmental lawyers as well as from external counsel and solicitors, Treasury solicitors and parliamentary counsel. Details of expenditure on internal and external legal advice for the Department and its predecessors since 2003/04 are set out as follows:
| Million | |||||||
| Departmental expenditure | 2003/ 04 | 2004/ 05 | 2005/ 06 | 2006/ 07 | 2007/ 08 | 2008/ 09 | 2009 / 10 |
Information before 2003/04 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The information requested for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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 my hon. Friend directly.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 8 July 2010:
The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on legal advice in each year since 1997.
The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is unable to provide the information requested for each year since 1997 because accounting records are only available from 2003/2004 onwards.
The Insolvency Service obtains legal advice from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and external solicitors on contract and other issues. The Service is also responsible for taking enforcement action and in doing so it obtains external legal advice and outsources some investigation work to legal firms.
The Service spent the following amounts on legal advice for the years 2003/04 onwards. All figures are in £000s.
| £000 | |||
| BIS | Other | Enforcement | |
| (1) Companies Investigation Branch merged with The Insolvency Service in 2006/07 and the expenditure from that year onwards includes that for both The Insolvency Service and Companies Investigation Branch. | |||
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on legal advice in each year since 1997.
The National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, obtain legal advice services both from external organisations and from other parts of Government. Information on such expenditure prior to January 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The Agency spent the following on legal advice services from external organisations:
| £ | |
The National Measurement Office paid for legal advice services from within Government through invoices presented by successively DTI, BERR, Treasury Solicitors and BIS. The Agency spent the following on such legal advice services:
| £ | |
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7562), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on legal advice in the Department and its agencies.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Legal advice is supplied to us by the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) legal team and their internal recharge figure for this service from 1 April to 30 June 2010 is £20,000. In addition, the YPLA legal team's external costs are £45,000 across both the YPLA and the Skills Funding Agency; a breakdown of this figure between the two agencies is not available.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, U1N 7562 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House costs for costs legal advice for each year for which figures are available are as follows:
| Financial year | £ |
Letter from John Alty, dated 16 July 2010
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office spent the following sums on legal advice:
| £000 | |
This mainly covers advice on Intellectual Property matters from departmental solicitors.
Earlier years are not available in the timescale.
Departmental Marketing
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997. [7475]
Mr Davey: Information about work to create logos in support of the range of the Department's work is not held centrally and could be gathered only at disproportionate cost.
However, the following information relates to activity in recent years that can be specifically attributed to the design of corporate logos when a change of departmental name took place.
1. The proposed change of name from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to the Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry (DPEI)
2005/06: £4,000
2. The creation of the logo for the newly formed Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)
2007/08: £17,700
3. The creation of the logo for the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
2009/10: £8,282
£9,755 was spent on logo design when UKTI was launched in 2003. There has been no subsequent expenditure on logo design. Due to change in accounting systems, details of costs prior to 2003 are not available on a comparable basis and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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 my hon. Friend directly.
Information on the Department's non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, U1N 7475 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. However, Companies House spent £10,000 on logo design in 2001.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 13 July 2010:
The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on logo design in each year since 1997.
The Insolvency Service has had the same logo design since its inception in 1990 and has therefore not spent anything on logo design since 1997.
Letter from Geoff Russell dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7475), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on logo design in the Department and its agencies.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have not spent any money on logo design but we have spent £3,600 on associated costs for logo guidelines and templates.
Letter from John Alty, dated 8 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office spent £9,650 (plus VAT) on logo design in 2008/09.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 16 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010,
to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on how much was spent on logo design in each year since 1997.
The Agency's predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory spent the following on design matters relating to its logo:
| £ | |
As a result of the creation of the National Measurement Office, in April 2009 the Agency spent £310.00 on the design of its new logo, and £2,300 on the design aspects of the new collective brand for the National Measurement System.
Information on such expenditure prior to 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Official Cars
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has spent on the Government Car Service since the Government took office. [7996]
Mr Davey: Between 12 May and 12 July this Department has spent £98,065.59 with the Government Car and Despatch Agency. This amount relates to the provision of cars for both Ministers and officials.
The provision of cars for Minsters is based on arrangements inherited from the previous Administration, which are now being terminated.
Departmental Operating Costs
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken to reduce the cost of running his Department since his appointment. [9274]
Mr Davey: BIS will make running costs savings of £38 million or 11% in 2010-11.
This will be achieved through a variety of measures. This includes reductions in spend on: ICT and accommodation; marketing and advertising activities; use of consultants; and travel expenses.
BIS will also be taking steps to reduce its paybill through a voluntary retirement and redundancy scheme, severe restrictions on any recruitment into BIS, and the wider cross-Whitehall pay freeze.
Departmental Security
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997. [7367]
Mr Davey: For the financial years listed in the table, this Department and its predecessors spent the following on security guarding of buildings on its core estate:
| £ million | |
Information prior to 2003/04 is not available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
I have approached the Chief Executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, UIN 7367 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House costs for security for each year for which figures are available are as follows:
| £ | |
| Financial Year | |
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7367), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on security in the Department and its agencies.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have spent £82,000 on security.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on security in each year since 1997.
The National Measurement Office, like its predecessor, the National Weights and Laboratory, is based on a site in Teddington on which are located several organisations. A facility management organisation provides security services for the benefit of the whole site. The cost of this service is absorbed in a monthly invoice and a separate figure for the security element could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Letter from John Alty, dated 9 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on security, mainly guards and CCTV in the years below:
| £000 | |
These figures for earlier years are not available in the timescales.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 12 July 2010:
The Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has asked me to reply to your question how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on security in each year since 1997.
The amounts spent on security by The Insolvency Service for each of the years for which financial information is available, are as follows:
| Year | Amount (£000) |
Departmental Stationery
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on stationery in each year since 1997. [7456]
Mr Davey: The Department has spent the following sums on stationery since the financial year 2003-04, which is the earliest year for which figures are available:
| £ | |
Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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 my hon. Friend directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, U1N 7456 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House costs for stationery for each year for which figures are available are as follows:
| Financial y ear | £ |
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 7 July 2010:
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on stationery in each year since 1997.
The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills introduced a new accounting system in 2003/04 and expenditure specifically on office supplies is only identifiable from that year onwards.
The Service incurred the following expenditure on office supplies, which includes general office supplies and consumables:
| Amount £000 | |
| (1) Companies Investigation Branch was merged with The Insolvency Service from 2006-07. Figures from 2006-07 onwards therefore include both the Insolvency Service and Companies Investigation Branch. | |
Letter from John Alty, dated 8 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on stationery and office supplies in the years below:
| £000 | |
Earlier information is not available in the timescales.
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7456), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on stationery in the Department and its agencies.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have spent £27,000 on stationery.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on stationery in each year since 1997.
Information on such expenditure prior to January 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, spent the following on stationery:
| £ | |
Departmental Training
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee awaydays in each year since 1997. [7311]
Mr Davey: The BIS accounting system does not disaggregate figures between away days and the costs other types of planning or training activities. Therefore, the amount spent on employee away days could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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 my hon. Friend directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, UIN 7311 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. Companies House has spent the following on employee awaydays in each year for which figures are available:
| Financial year | £ |
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7311), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on employee awaydays in the Department and its agencies.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have spent £10,457 on business focussed away days for our employees.
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on how much was spent on employee awaydays in each year since 1997.
Information on such expenditure prior to January 2008 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, spent the following on employee awaydays:
| £ | |
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 9 July 2010:
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee awaydays in each year since 1997.
The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is unable to provide this information for each of the years since 1997.
The costs of team building events are available for the following years:
| £000 | |
Letter from John Alty, dated 21 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on away days:
| £000 | |
Departmental Travel
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on travel for its employees in each year since 1997. [7418]
Mr Davey: For the Department, information for the financial years 2002/03 and earlier can be provided only at a disproportionate cost. However, the information for financial years 2003/04 onwards is as follows:
| £ | |
The information provided relates to BIS air, rail and car expenditure.
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 my hon. Friend directly.
Information on the Department's NDPBs is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 July 2010, UIN 7418 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. In each year for which figures are available Companies House spent the following on travel for its employees:
| Financial year | £ |
Prior to 2008, the figures included costs for all aspects of each trip, including accommodation for example. Therefore, I do not have a separate figure for travel alone for the years before 2008.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 21 July 2010:
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies has spent on travel for its employees in each year since 1997.
The Insolvency Service Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spent the following amounts on travel for its employees in each year since 1997, as reported in The Insolvency Service Report and Accounts for the relevant financial year:
| Amount (£000) | |
| (1) The figures for 2005/06 were restated to include the merged costs of Companies Investigation Branch. Figures from 2005/06 onwards include both The Insolvency Service and Companies Investigation Branch. (2) Draft unaudited. | |
Letter from Peter Mason, dated 12 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills asking about expenditure on travel by employees in each year since 1997.
Information on such expenditure prior to January 2001 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Since 2001, the National Measurement Office and its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, spent the following on travel for its employees:
| £ | |
The costs include both the cost of travel itself and the cost of subsistence (e.g. hotels and meals) associated with that travel.
Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 13 July 2010:
I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 July (UIN 7418), to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, concerning spend on employee travel in the Department and its agencies.
The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010. Since that date we have spent £612,000 on employee travel.
Letter from John Alty, dated 8 July 2010:
I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 06th July 2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Intellectual Property Office spent the following amounts on travel, including fares, hotels and other expenses in the years below:
| £000 | |
These figures do not include costs which are reimbursed by other organisations and earlier years are not available in the timescales.
Employment Agencies: EU Law
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of implementing the Agency Worker Regulations 2010; and whether he has made an assessment of the likely effects of those regulations on levels of (a) salary, (b) bonuses and (c) holiday pay. [10078]
Mr Davey: An impact assessment was published under the previous Government at the time of laying the Agency Workers Regulations in January 2010.
The estimated total cost to public sector hirers of increased wages under the 12-week qualifying period was assessed as between £157 and £259 million per year.
The gross cost of wages across the economy as a whole under the 12-week qualifying period was estimated to be between £1,196 and £1,327 million per year. This reflects any overtime/night work premiums, bonuses and any other payments included in salaries. The gross cost of equal treatment with regards to paid holiday was estimated to amount to £82 million per year.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the likely effects of the Agency Worker Regulations 2010 on those undertaking assignments of less than 12 weeks. [10079]
Mr Davey: The Agency Workers Regulations were laid on the basis of the CBI-TUC agreement of May 2008, providing agency workers with a right to equal treatment after a 12-week qualifying period in a given job. However, other aspects of the directive are not subject to the qualifying period and give entitlements from day one of an assignment, including access to amenities or collective facilities such as canteens and access to information about job vacancies in the hirer. In addition, all agency workers already benefit from many of the same protections as permanent workers in the UK, including entitlement to be paid at least the national minimum wage, working time rights such as paid annual leave and a limit on the working week (unless they have signed an opt-out) and protection under anti-discrimination law and health and safety rules.
Further Education: Finance
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many capital building projects in further education colleges have been funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in each of the last five years; and how much was allocated to each project. [10455]
Mr Willetts: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocates capital funding to those Further Education (FE) colleges that it funds directly on a formula basis. The amount awarded is based on the number of students on higher education courses at each institution. It does not fund specific projects; rather it is for each college subject to audit to decide how to deploy the resources they are given. This is the same basis as for higher education institutions. The tables give the amount of resource awarded to each directly funded college in the last five years. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
General Motors: Government Assistance
Mr Knight:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Government has (a) given and (b) loaned to General Motors in the last three years; what the purpose was of each such loan or
grant; what the terms of repayment are of each loan; and whether any further (i) loans or (ii) grants are proposed. [9479]
Mr Prisk: A Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFIE) project was agreed in 2005 for the installation of two press lines at the Vauxhall Motors Ellesmere Port site to manufacture car body panels. Of the total grant of £1.9 million, which has been paid in full, £0.4 million was paid in the last three years.
A SFIE project for the installation of production facilities also at Ellesmere Port to manufacture the new Vauxhall Astra of £6.845 million was offered in 2006. No payments have been made.
In addition, the North West Development Agency approved funding of £8.9 million for training for the Ellesmere Port site. Of the total grant awarded to the company of £8.7 million for this project (which started in April 2008), £2.78 million has been paid in the last three years. The project is a training programme to develop the work force capability thereby improving the plant's competitiveness and its long-term future.
The East of England Development Agency provided a £416,000 grant to IBC Vehicles (GM's van subsidiary) in Luton to enable a sequence of sustainable energy projects in March 2010. 90% of the funding has been provided, with the remainder being withheld until project completion.
While we had been willing to offer £270 million loan guarantee support to General Motors Europe (as originally announced on 12 March 2010), we are pleased that GM has indicated it is in a position to fund the restructuring of GM Europe, including Vauxhall, from its internal resources.
Graduates: Employment Schemes
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future funding of the Graduate Talent Pool. [9327]
Mr Willetts: The Government are continuing to support the Graduate Talent Pool, and it is open to 2010 graduates as well as 2008 and 2009 graduates.
Graduates: Leeds
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of people who graduated in 2009 from (a) universities and (b) colleges in Leeds have not entered full-time employment or continued with their education. [9552]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 19 July 2010]: Of the 2008/09 academic year cohort of graduates, 28.8% of first degree graduates from universities in Leeds (Leeds Trinity University College, Leeds Metropolitan University, and the University of Leeds) were not in full-time employment or further study six months after graduating.
24.5% of first degree graduates from Leeds College of Music (this is classed as an institution of higher education) were not in full-time employment or further study six months after graduating.
Information on the destinations of leavers from further education colleges will not be published until later in the year.
A more detailed breakdown of these graduates' destinations is in the following table:
| Destinations of first degree graduates from higher education institutions in Leeds six months after graduating 2008/09 | ||||||
| Percentage | ||||||
| Leeds Trinity University College | Leeds Metropolitan University | University of Leeds | Universities in Leeds | Leeds College of Music | All UK HEIs | |
| Notes: 1. These figures do not include graduates who either did not respond to the survey or specifically refused to answer. 2. 'Full-time employment or further study' includes those in full-time employment only, study only or a combination of work and study. 3. 'Not available for employment' includes those permanently unable to work or retired, taking time out to travel, or temporarily sick or looking after family and not in study. 4. 'Assumed to be unemployed' includes to anyone due to start a job within the next month and not in full-time study, or anyone who is unemployed and looking for employment but not in full-time study. 5. 'Other' includes to graduates who are not employed but not looking for employment, further study or training, or something else but not in further study. Source: Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey (DLHE), collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) | ||||||
Local Better Regulation Office
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how much funding the Local Better Regulation Office has received from his Department in each year since 2007; [9734]
(2) how many full-time equivalent staff have been employed by the Local Better Regulation Office in each year since 2007; [9735]
(3) what the salary of the (a) Chief Executive, (b) Director of Policy and Engagement, (c) Director of Resources, (d) Director of Delivery and (e) Director of Corporate Strategy at the Local Better Regulation Office was in each year since 2007. [9736]
Mr Prisk: The Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) spent £1.8 million in the period September 2007 to 31 March 2008; £4.4 million in 2008/09; £4.4 million in 2009/10 and has an allocation of £3.7 million for the current financial year.
In 2007/08 LBRO had a total of 22.5 full-time equivalent employees. In 2008/09, it had 27.5 and in 2009/10 it had 26 full-time equivalent employees.
The salary levels for all these roles over the last three years can be found in LBRO's annual reports which are available from the Libraries of the House.
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what assessment has been made by his Department of the value for money offered by the Local Better Regulation Office; and if he will make a statement; [9738]
(2) what assessment has been made by his Department of the effectiveness of the Local Better Regulation Office in reducing the regulatory burden on business; and if he will make a statement. [9739]
Mr Prisk: Government Departments are currently reviewing partner organisations to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of these bodies and the functions that they currently perform, including LBRO.
News Corporation: BSkyB
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to apply a public interest test in determining whether to request a report from Ofcom on the matter of Newscorp's bid for BSkyB; and what other factors he plans to take into account in making his decision. [9964]
Mr Davey: We do not as yet have enough information about this potential transaction to enable the Secretary of State to decide whether intervention is appropriate. The guidance on the circumstances in which the Secretary of State may use his discretion to intervene in media mergers is available on the BIS website at
Nuclear Fusion: Research
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2010, Official Report, column 315W, on nuclear fusion: research, what the annual contribution to Euratom was in the period 2000 to 2009 inclusive; and what Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council spending on renewable energy research was in each year from 2000 to 2009. [10062]
Mr Willetts: The UK does not provide direct funding to Euratom, but contributes indirectly to Euratom through its payments to the overall EU budget.
The spending by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on renewable energy research between 1999-2000 and 2009-10 is shown in the following table.
| EPSRC spend on renewable energy research | |
| Financial year | £ |
Post Offices: Bank Services
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what financial services offered by the Post Office are provided by the Bank of Ireland. [9949]
Mr Davey: I have asked David Smith, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2010, Official Report, column 132W, on Sheffield Forgemasters: finance, for what reasons a commercial solution to the Forgemasters investment was found to be inappropriate prior to 7 May 2010. [10194]
Mr Prisk: It is an established convention that Minsters of one Administration cannot see the documents of a previous Administration. However, as I have previously made clear, the decision not to pursue the loan was taken on the grounds of affordability. It was no reflection on the project which we recognise as being worthwhile.
Summertime
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment his Department has made of the cost and benefits of the application of British Summer Time. [10314]
Mr Davey: The Government have made no recent assessment of the current summer time arrangements but we continue to listen to representations we receive and consider any evidence presented to us.
Unemployment: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people aged between 18 and 24 and resident in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London Borough of Bexley were not in employment, education or training in each quarter since May 2005; and if he will make a statement. [10440]
Mr Hayes:
The following table provides estimates of the number and proportion of people aged(1) 16 to 24 not in education employment or training (NEET) in the London borough of Bexley in each year from 2005-09. This information is from the Annual Population Survey, which covers the period January to December of each year, with 2009 being the most recent estimate available. The Annual Population Survey is the only available source of data with a sample large enough to provide
local authority estimates of the number of young people up to the age of 24 who are NEET. However, the sample is not large enough to provide estimates for smaller geographies, such as parliamentary constituencies, or to provide local authority estimates for age ranges narrower than 16 to 24.
| People aged 16-24 years old not in employment education or training (NEET) in London borough of Bexley | |||
| NEET | |||
| Number | Percentage | 95% confidence interval (PP) | |
| Base: 16 to 24-year-olds, London borough of Bexley Source: Annual Population Survey | |||
It is important to note that these estimates are subject to large sampling variability and should therefore be treated with caution and viewed in conjunction with their Confidence Intervals, which indicate how accurate an estimate is. For example, a Confidence Interval of +/-5 percentage points (pp) means that the true value is between 5pp above the estimate and 5pp below the estimate.
Quarterly estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) derived from the Labour Force Survey are published by the Department for Education. The latest publication can be found online at
This includes supplementary tables giving breakdowns of 18 to 24-year-olds NEET for each region.
(1) Age used is respondents' academic age, which is defined as their age at the preceding 31 August.
Union Modernisation Fund
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) if he will ensure that no successor scheme to the Union Modernisation Fund is established; [10073]
(2) what the cost to the public purse was of the Union Modernisation Supervisory Board in each year since its inception; how much members of that board claimed in expenses in each such year; and if he will make a statement; [10074]
(3) on what dates the Union Modernisation Supervisory Board has met; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) agenda and (b) minutes of each meeting; [10075]
(4) what the total cost to the public purse was of the Union Modernisation Fund since its establishment. [10076]
Mr Davey: I shall answer these questions in order.
I confirm that we have no plans for a successor scheme to the Union Modernisation Fund.
The cost to the public purse of the Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board consisted of expenses claimed by all members, totalling:
| £ | |
In addition to this, the Department for Innovation, Business and Skills (BIS) incurred minor staffing costs to support meetings of the Board.
The Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board met on the following dates:
23-24 November 2005
2-3 July 2007
21 July 2009.
The agendas were to assess the applications for UMF Rounds One, Two and Three respectively. No minutes were taken at these meetings.
The total cost to date of the Union Modernisation Fund is £5,737,624. We intend shortly to publish on BIS's website the amounts awarded to each trade union.
Work and Pensions
Access to Work Programme
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on his plans to reform the Access to Work programme; and what his timetable is for such reform. [10230]
Maria Miller: Access to Work provides financial help towards the extra costs faced by people with a disability in work, where this goes beyond what would be reasonable for an employer to meet. Access to Work supported 32,120 disabled people during 2008-09. Official Statistics for 2009-10 will be published on 27 July.
Reform of Access to Work is part of the coalition agreement to enable disabled people to apply for jobs with funding already secured for any adaptations and equipment needed. We are developing plans for delivering this commitment and further details will be announced in due course.
Employment Schemes
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Young Person's Guarantee in (a) the west midlands, (b) Dudley borough and (c) Dudley North constituency in placing young people into employment and work placements; [8211]
(2) what his most recent estimate is of the effect on levels of employment in (a) the west midlands, (b) Dudley borough and (b) Dudley North constituency of abolishing the Future Jobs Fund. [8415]
Chris Grayling:
We have agreed to fund over 100,000 jobs. The Department is committed to implementing programmes that deliver value for money and deliver sustainable outcomes. At up to £6,500 per person the Future Jobs Fund is five times more expensive than some other elements of the Young Person's Guarantee.
The fund does not ensure sustainable employment for young people: it creates short-term jobs, and the grants do not include any incentives to move people into permanent posts.
Reducing the scope of the programme will save £290 million and this will help the Government tackle the unprecedented £156 billion deficit.
The Government are committed to supporting young people. The 50,000 new apprenticeships announced in May and the forthcoming work programme will help move young people into sustainable employment.
Employment Schemes: Young People
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many young people in (a) the west midlands, (b) Dudley borough and (c) Dudley North constituency have found (i) employment and (ii) a work placement as a result of the Young Person's Guarantee; [8210]
(2) what his most recent estimate is of the number of people in (a) the west midlands, (b) Dudley borough and (b) Dudley North constituency who have found work through the Future Jobs Fund; [8416]
(3) how many individuals resident in (a) the west midlands, (b) Dudley borough and (c) Dudley North constituency have received work placements under the Future Jobs Fund since the programme's inception. [8420]
Chris Grayling: The information requested on the Dudley North constituency and Dudley borough local authority area is not available. In the west midlands area the latest official statistics, covering the period from October 2009 to January 2010, show that 940 people were recorded as starting a temporary job funded by the Future Jobs Fund at a cost of up to £6,500 per placement. The young person's guarantee will be replaced next summer by a new work programme. This will offer better targeted and integrated employment support to people who find themselves out of work, including young people. Unlike the young person's guarantee, where young people are eligible if they are claiming jobseeker's allowance, the new work programme will provide help to the young people regardless of what benefit they are claiming and will support young people into sustainable employment.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who would have received the two-year jobseeker's guarantee in (a) England, (b) the west midlands, (c) Dudley borough and (d) Dudley North constituency this year had the scheme not been cancelled. [8215]
Chris Grayling: The two-year jobseeker's guarantee was due to start from April 2011 and therefore was not due to help anyone this year.
The Government aim to have the new work programme in place nationally by the summer of 2011. The work programme will be an integrated package of support providing flexible help for people who find themselves out of work based on individual need rather than benefit claimed.
In order to ensure that as many people benefit from the work programme as quickly as possible the Government will be phasing out many of the existing programmes and folding them into the work programme.
Employment: Young People
Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department plans to spend on programmes for the young unemployed in 2010-11. [9568]
Chris Grayling: The Department has budgeted to spend approximately £700 million in 2010-11 on support for young people. This will be delivered through mainstream employment programmes and other programmes targeted specifically at young people.
Future Jobs Fund: Greater London
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs created in London have been attributable to the Future Jobs Fund since its inception. [8273]
Chris Grayling: In London, the latest official statistics covering the period from October 2009 to January 2010, show that 840 people were recorded as starting a temporary job funded by the future jobs fund at a cost of up to £6,500 per placement. The young person's guarantee will be replaced next summer by a new work programme. This will offer better targeted and integrated employment support to people who find themselves out of work, including young people. Unlike the young person's guarantee, where young people are eligible if they are claiming jobseeker's allowance, the new work programme will provide help to the young people regardless of what benefit they are claiming and will support young people into sustainable employment.
Housing Benefit
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area receive housing benefit. [7274]
Steve Webb: The available information has been placed in the Library.
The information is not available at the constituency level.
The available information on housing benefit recipients is published at:
An exercise is being undertaken to add other geographical areas to the housing benefit data: this will include parliamentary constituencies. It is hoped this exercise will be completed by early 2011.
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the proposed 12-month limit on full housing benefit for claimants of jobseeker's allowance is to operate only over the period of the claim for that allowance. [9366]
Steve Webb: The proposed change will affect people receiving jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit and will apply where those benefits have been in payment for a period of one year. The precise detail of the change will be developed in the coming months prior to draft legislation being introduced.
Industrial Health and Safety
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many prosecutions there were of an employer for breach of health and safety legislation in each year since 1997; [8305]
(2) how many convictions there were of employers for breach of health and safety legislation in each year since 1997. [8306]
Chris Grayling: HSE holds the information required for the period 1999-2000 to 2008-09 and the figures are shown in the following table.
The table shows prosecutions and convictions heard in the relevant year and where a result has been secured, i.e. the prosecution has been completed.
It is estimated that three quarters of these relate specifically to employers.
| Enforcing authority | ||||||
| HSE | LA | ORR | ||||
| Offences prosecuted | Convictions | Offences prosecuted | Convictions | Offences prosecuted | Convictions | |
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the terms of reference are for Lord Young's review of the operation of health and safety legislation; [8311]
(2) from what individuals and organisations Lord Young will invite contributions to his review of the operation of health and safety legislation. [8312]
Chris Grayling: The terms of reference for Lord Young's health and safety review are
"to investigate and report back to the Prime Minister on the rise of the compensation culture over the last decade coupled with the current low standing that health and safety legislation now enjoys and to suggest solutions. Following the agreement of the report, to work with appropriate departments across government to bring the proposals into effect."
Lord Young has invited contributions from a large number of key stakeholders, professionals and individuals. A full list of those organisations who contributed their views will be published as part of the final report.
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