Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the potential impact of international trials of universal basic income on (a) workplace productivity and (b) job satisfaction in different sectors.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Universal Basic Income is not a government policy and therefore no assessments are planned related to international trials.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the potential impact of international trials of universal basic income on levels of (a) entrepreneurship and (b) innovation in (i) small businesses and (ii) start-ups.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Universal Basic Income is not a government policy and therefore no assessments are planned related to international trials.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to track the final destination of military equipment transiting through UK airports.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Responsibility for the enforcement of UK export controls on military and dual use and sanctioned goods rests with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). HMRC works closely with Border Force, other government departments and international partners to assist in identifying high-risk movements, conduct customs checks, and where necessary, seize goods at the port.
Military exports transiting the UK do not require a licence if they comply with certain handling conditions, do not include specific goods and are not for specific destinations, as set out in Article 17 of the Export Control Order 2008.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a strategy to help reduce the economic impact of sleep deprivation in the workforce.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We have set out our immediate priorities for reforming employment law in the Plan to Make Work Pay. While the Plan does not include specific measures on implementing a strategy on sleep deprivation, it aims to improve wellbeing by supporting people to better balance work with their personal circumstances.
Furthermore, the Working Time Regulations establishes a legal framework which provides minimum standards for working hours and rest periods. This ensure that workers are provided with basic minimum rights on a maximum working week, rest breaks and annual leave.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the closure of the Crown Post Office in Brixton on the community.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In order to create a long-term, sustainable future for post offices in communities across the UK, Post Office is moving to a fully franchised network. All 108 Directly Managed Branches (DMBs) – including Brixton Post Office – are in scope of these changes.
Post Office intends to replace DMBs with Mains branches where possible (Mains branches offer similar services to DMBs). Where this is not possible, Post Office has committed to ensure that all communities currently served by a DMB will have at least one Mains branch within a 1-mile radius of the existing branch. Post Office will keep staff, customers and my honourable friend informed about changes to Brixton Post Office.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when his Department plans to launch its consultation on the future of the Post Office.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We aim to publish a Green Paper later this year which will set out several proposals for discussion on the future direction of the Post Office. As part of this work, Government will be carefully considering what customers, communities and postmasters would like to see from a modern Post Office network.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the sale of human remains (a) on e-commerce sites and (b) at auctions.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It is for businesses and auction rooms to consider the consent and licensing provisions of the Human Tissue Act 2004. Those who sell or purchase human remains may also be subject to their own professional standards and codes of conduct.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to ensure that Universal Service Obligation reform retains a universal postal service for (a) people experiencing homelessness, (b) victims of domestic abuse and (c) other people without a secure address.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government recognises the importance of access to post for all users, especially the most vulnerable and is committed to the universal service obligation.
As the independent regulator for postal services, it is Ofcom’s responsibility to secure the provision of a universal postal service and must ensure the provision of sufficient access points to meet the reasonable needs of users of the service. In its proposals, Ofcom committed to continue to engage with other stakeholders on the issue of ensuring that specific vulnerable groups have access to post.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to ensure that Universal Service Obligation reform adequately meets the requirements of vulnerable consumers reliant on postal services.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government recognises the importance of access to post for all users, especially the most vulnerable and is committed to the universal service obligation.
As the independent regulator for postal services, it is Ofcom’s responsibility to secure the provision of a universal postal service and must ensure the provision of sufficient access points to meet the reasonable needs of users of the service. In its proposals, Ofcom committed to continue to engage with other stakeholders on the issue of ensuring that specific vulnerable groups have access to post.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Universal Service Obligation reform on the affordability of postal services for consumers.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It is the responsibility of Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to ensure that the universal postal service is affordable for customers as well as being efficient and financially sustainable.
In its consultation document proposing a package of reforms to better reflect people’s usage of postal services and support financial sustainability, Ofcom set out that it plans to consider options to ensure the continued affordability of USO services, including more targeted interventions than the current Second-Class safeguard cap.