Daylight Saving
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to his statement of 3 December 2010, Official Report, column 1154, when the Government intends to publish its review of the available evidence about the potential effects of moving to central European time in the UK. [102976]
Norman Lamb: As daylight saving is a recurring topic in Parliament and among the wider public, the Government decided that a short study should be conducted to review the scope, quality and robustness of the available evidence concerning putting the clocks forward by one hour, the year round, in the UK. A contract is being advertised for an independent research body/organisation to conduct the study which will be published in due course.
However, as the Prime Minister has made clear, a change should only occur if there was UK wide consensus. The Government would not expect to make any change if there was clear opposition from any part of the UK.
Sunday Trading: Birmingham, Ladywood
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on small businesses in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency of relaxing the provisions of the Sunday Trading Act 1994 between 22 July and 9 September 2012. [102396]
16 Apr 2012 : Column 295W
Mr Prisk: The Government have not looked specifically at the effect of the temporary suspension of part of the Sunday Trading Act 1994 on small business in the Birmingham, Ladywood constituency.
The suspension of the restrictions on the hours that some large shops can open on Sundays during the Olympic and Paralympic games is a temporary measure for eight Sundays between 22 July and 9 September.
In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the previous Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of that cost-benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation is worth £20.3 billion over 20 years or £1.4 billion per annum. The Government’s recent announcement on the proposal to suspend some of the Sunday trading laws during the Olympic and Paralympic games is not a test case for possible wider liberalisation.
16 Apr 2012 : Column 296W
Technology Strategy Board
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish data on the (a) number and (b) monetary value of collaborative research and development project grants awarded by the Technology Strategy Board in each year since 2007 showing (i) the average number of organisations participating per project (ii) the average number of universities and other higher educational establishments participating per project, (iii) the average number of micro businesses participating per project, (iv) the average number of other small businesses participating per project, (v) the average number of other small and medium-sized enterprises participating per project, (vi) the average number of large businesses participating per project and (vii) the average number of other organisations participating per project. [102209]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 27 March 2012]: The number and value of collaborative research and development projects supported by the Technology Strategy Board, and the average number of participants by organisation type, is shown in the following table.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total monetary value of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board was to (a) micro businesses, (b) other small businesses, (c) other small and medium-sized enterprises in each year since 2007 together with the value of contributions to project costs made by each category of business in each of those years. [102210]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 27 March 2012]: The value of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to companies other than small and medium-sized enterprises, and the value of contributions to collaborative research and development project costs by those companies, is shown in the following table.
16 Apr 2012 : Column 297W
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total monetary value was of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to companies other than small and medium-sized enterprises in each year since 2007, together with the value of contributions to project costs made by those companies in each of those years. [102211]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 27 March 2012]: The value of Collaborative R&D grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to companies other than small and medium-sized enterprises, and the value of contributions to Collaborative R&D project costs by those companies, is as follows:
| £ million | ||
| Total CR&D grant commitment to companies other than SMEs | Total commitment to CR&D projects by companies other than SMEs | |
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total monetary value was of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to universities and other higher educational establishments in each year since 2007, together with the value of contributions to project costs made by them in each of those years. [102222]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 27 March 2012]: The value of Collaborative R&D grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to universities and other higher educational establishments, and the value of contributions to Collaborative R&D project costs by those universities/HEIs, is as follows:
| £ million | ||
| Total CR&D grant commitment to universities and other higher educational establishments | Total commitment to CR&D projects by universities and other higher educational establishments | |
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the total monetary value was of collaborative research and development grants provided by the Technology Strategy Board to organisations which were not small to medium enterprises, other companies, universities or higher educational establishments in each year since 2007, together with the value of contributions to project costs made by them in each of those years. [102223]
16 Apr 2012 : Column 298W
Mr Willetts [holding answer 27 March 2012]: The Collaborative R&D grant committed by the Technology Strategy Board to organisations which were not companies, universities or other higher educational establishments, and the value of contributions to Collaborative R&D project costs by those organisations, is as follows:
| £ million | ||
| Total CR&D grant commitment to organisations which were not companies, universities and other higher educational establishments | Total commitment to CR&D projects by organisations which were not companies, universities and other higher educational establishments | |
Telephone Services: Unsolicited Goods and Services
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals to improve the provisions in place to prevent unsolicited marketing calls by businesses to members of the public. [102671]
Mr Vaizey: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Members of the public can be protected from unsolicited marketing calls by registering their telephone number with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). The TPS is a free service, provided under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). The regulations do not allow unsolicited marketing calls to be made to a recipient, either where the caller has previously been notified that they should not call, or if the recipient is registered with the TPS. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has enforcement responsibility and considers complaints about unsolicited marketing calls. The ICO can issue a fine of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches of the PECR. The Department is currently exploring possible improvements to the TPS to help ensure that the protections provided under PECR remain effectively implemented.
Textiles
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the textile sector in Leicester is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011. [101975]
Mr Prisk: According to the National Accounts published by the Office for National Statistics the manufacture of textiles (excluding clothing and leather product manufacture) accounted for £2.3 billion gross value added in 2010, 0.2% of the UK economy. It also provided employment for 70,000 across the UK—2,100 of which were employed in Leicester.
The value of goods and services consumed in production by the textile industry was £3 billion in 2009; the latest year for which these data are available.
16 Apr 2012 : Column 299W
Official statistics on financial data (gross value added and intermediate consumption) are not detailed enough to separately identify individual cities such as Leicester.
The following table details the regional breakdown of employment in the textile manufacturing sector.
| Employment in the textile manufacturing industry 2010 by region | ||
| Region | Employment | Percentage of total |
| Source: Business Registers Employment Survey 2010 (ONS) | ||
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the textile sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011. [101980]
Mr Prisk: According to the National Accounts published by the Office for National Statistics the manufacture of textiles (excluding clothing and leather product manufacture) accounted for £2.3 billion gross value added in 2010, 0.2% of the UK economy. It also provided employment for 70,000 across the UK.
The value of goods and services consumed in production by the textile industry was £3 billion in 2009; the latest year for which these data are available.
The following table details the regional breakdown of employment in the textile manufacturing sector.
| Employment in the textile manufacturing industry 2010 by region | ||
| Region | Employment | Percentage of total |
| Source: Business Registers Employment Survey 2010 (ONS) | ||
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) if he will take steps to support the Leicester textile sector industry and its domestic supply chain; [102013]
16 Apr 2012 : Column 300W
(2) what steps his Department is taking to support the textile industry and its domestic supply chain. [102014]
Mr Prisk: The textiles sector has access to the full range of Government support available which includes www.businesslink.co.uk, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and the Technology Strategy Board. The Deputy Prime Minister announced a third round of the Regional Growth Fund at the Manufacturing Summit on 23 February. Businesses, including those active in the textiles industry, have until 13 June to apply and further information on the application process can be found at
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/regional-growth-fund
UK Trade & Investment can also help the domestic supply chain for textiles exploit opportunities for exporting into new markets overseas. We are also helping raise skills levels through an unprecedented focus on vocational training, including higher level apprenticeships which will provide for higher level skills and beyond into postgraduate level and professional qualifications.
The textiles sector, particularly technical textiles, continues to have access to opportunities for technology transfer and the exchange of knowledge provided by the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network.
On 23 March, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced that the £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative will open for applications from across advanced manufacturing sectors. This opened on 29 March. This initiative will provide grants and loans to successful projects demonstrating real ambition to create globally competitive supply chains. The funding can support a combination of investment in capital equipment, associated research and development, and training and skills in recognition of the flexibility needed to overcome the barriers that suppliers and supply chains can face. Birmingham city council will oversee the competition to award funds for this national scheme whilst the Technology Strategy Board will support Birmingham city council through running the competition process. There will be a briefing for interested businesses and more information on the criteria of the fund, timescales, eligibility and how to bid will be available at
www.innovateuk.org
This national initiative is being funded by the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It is complemented by the modernised Manufacturing Advisory Service where we have increased its funding, including an extra £7 million to support supply chains.
Trade Fairs
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the performance of UK companies at international trade shows. [102518]
Mr Prisk:
UKTI runs a programme of continuous assessment of the benefits achieved as a result of support to businesses at overseas trade shows under the Tradeshow Access programme (TAP). This Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS) includes business capabilities
16 Apr 2012 : Column 301W
developed, barriers overcome and improved business performance as a result of the presence at the trade show. TAP scores highly, above 80%, in terms of customers improved business performance.
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many companies received grants from the Tradeshow Access Programme in each of the last five years; what the total amount paid out was in each year; and what the highest individual payment was in each year. [102519]
Mr Prisk: The Tradeshow Access programme has supported the following number of businesses in the last five years.
| Financial year | Number of b usinesses | Total amount paid (£ million) | Highest individual payment to a business (1) (£) |
| (1) This figure relates to the total grant paid to an individual business against attendance at a number of trade shows in that financial year. | |||
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much and what proportion of Tradeshow Access Programme funding has been allocated to identifying suitable companies to participate in the programme in each of the last five years. [102520]
Mr Prisk: There is no specific level of Tradeshow Access programme (TAP) funding allocated to identifying suitable businesses to participate in the programme. Businesses are recruited through the publishing of the planned programme of supported trade shows through UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI's) website and the promotion of the events programme by relevant trade bodies. Applicants' suitability to benefit from TAP support is assessed by UKTI international trade teams in England and their counterparts in the devolved administrations.
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria UK Trade and Investment uses to assess the effectiveness of the representation of UK companies who have received money from the Trade Show Access Programme at international trade shows. [102557]
Mr Prisk:
The effectiveness of the representation of UK businesses with support under the Tradeshow Access
16 Apr 2012 : Column 302W
programme is measured through UKTI's Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS). Details of the evaluation criteria set for PIMS can be obtained on the UKTI web site at:
www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/aboutukti/item/115854.html
Trade Promotion: Far East
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what UK Trade and Investment trade delegations have travelled to (a) Japan and (b) China since May 2010; and how many firms from (i) Newcastle, (ii) the north east and (iii) the UK took part in each delegation. [103064]
Mr Prisk: Since 1 May 2010 a total of 14 UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) delegations have visited Japan. The number of firms from the UK as a whole was 158. Three firms from the north east took part in three of the delegations. Two Newcastle firms took part in two of the delegations.
Over the same period, 47 UKTI delegations have visited China. The number of firms from the UK as a whole was 458. 51 North east firms took part in 14 of the delegations. 14 Newcastle firms took part in eight of the delegations to China.
A list of the delegations that have visited Japan and China will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
UK Intellectual Property Office
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Intellectual Property Office's international strategy. [102337]
Norman Lamb: The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) continues to monitor progress on implementation of its international strategy through its internal business and corporate plans. These in turn are fed into the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' structural reform plan.
To date the IPO has made strong progress in achieving its aims. They have begun implementing the Government's new IP attaché programme—helping cement strong relations in emerging markets, such as China and India, with more appointments to follow in the next financial year; they are at the forefront of negotiations for a European Unitary Patent, a key strand of the international strategy; maintain a good reputation in negotiating groups at the World Intellectual Property Office and are working with Whitehall partners to enhance the status of intellectual property issues with other international institutions.