Douglas Chapman

The Government allocates funds to departments and programmes to deliver their individual policies. It is for departments to decide how their funds are spent.

However, the Cabinet Office operates arrangements to help Departments access consultancy support for critical work on preparations for Brexit.

The arrangements deliver value for money through significant procurement and contract management savings, clarifying customer requirements and proposed solutions, and by reducing procurement lead times. Departments are able to engage consultants outside these arrangements but this information is not collated centrally.

Records of central Government contracts above £10,000 and information on how they are awarded are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:http://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive

Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

This information is not collected by the Cabinet Office. Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and overseas visits are published routinely.

This information is not collected by the Cabinet Office. Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and overseas visits are published routinely.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave the Hon. Member for St Albans on 22nd September to Question 48498.

The details of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme were announced on 21 September 2022. The scheme will initially run for 6 months covering energy use from 1^st October 2022 until 31^st March 2023.

The Government will publish a review of the scheme in 3 months, which will consider how best to offer further support to customers who are the most vulnerable to energy price increases. These are likely to be those who are least able to adjust, for example by reducing energy usage or increasing energy efficiency. Continuing support to those deemed eligible would begin at the end of the initial 6-month support scheme, without a gap.

The Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee is one of my key priorities for early delivery now that the new Government is in place. I will be bringing forward our specific proposals for the scheme to my Whitehall colleagues shortly with a view to launching a scheme this calendar year.

I will be meeting with representatives from the maritime sector for a general introduction in the coming few weeks.

The recently announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-outlines-plans-to-help-cut-energy-bills-for-businesses) ensures that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. A review of the scheme, to be published in three months, will identify the most vulnerable non-domestic customers and how the government will continue assisting them with energy costs after the initial six months.

The Department does not have any civil servants with a contractual work location within the Dunfermline and West Fife constituency.

The Government is unable to anticipate when the appeals currently with the First Tier Tribunal will be completed, as the Tribunal is outside the control of the Secretary of State.

The Government recognises the importance of bringing together co-ordinated policy action across all departments, to achieve net zero. Two cabinet committees have been established, chaired by my Rt. Hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. These Committees are turbo-charging the net zero transition and co-ordinating action across government.

In 2019 we published our Clean Maritime Plan, the UK’s pathway to zero emissions shipping. It identifies ways to tackle air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions while securing growth and placing the UK at the forefront of the global transition to clean shipping. Implementation of the plan is underway. We have funded two competitions for early stage innovation projects in clean maritime, run a study to identify and support potential UK zero emission shipping clusters and supported the establishment of Marine Emissions Regulations advisory Service and the Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) initative.

On 27 June, the Government announced a package of support for UK universities to ensure that the university research base can fully contribute to the UK recovery and our economy in the longer-term. The University Research Stabilisation package will give greater job protection to thousands of researchers, scientists and technicians working at UK universities, and will enable universities facing potential decline in income for research as a result of COVID-19 to continue their research and innovation activities.

Around £280 million of UK government investment will be made immediately available to support researchers’ salaries and other costs such as laboratory equipment and fieldwork. This includes £200m of new funding, together with upto £80 million of existing funding from UK Research & Innovation (which is being freed-up from likely grant underspends for redistribution to support R&D in our universities). From the Autumn, UK Government will provide a package for universities across the UK consisting of low-interest loans with long pay-back periods, supplemented by a small amount of government grants, to cover up to 80% of a university’s income losses from international students for the academic year 2020/21, up to the value of their non-publicly funded research activity. Universities will need to demonstrate how these funds are being utilised to sustain research in areas typically funded by charities and business.

Officials expect to launch an open recruitment campaign in due course to appoint a permanent Small Business Commissioner.

Since its creation in December 2017, the Small Business Commissioner has handled a total of 101 cases and recovered a total of £7,353,234.70, broken down as follows:

• January 2018 – December 2018: £443,023.80 (10 cases);
• January 2019 – December 2019: £5,993,178.99 (52 cases); and
• January 2020 – 25 June 2020: £917,031.91 (39 cases).

My ministerial colleagues and I are in regular contact with the Office for the Secretary of State for Scotland to discuss the safeguarding and promotion of Scottish business.

In April, my Hon. Friends the Minister for Business and Industry and the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Scotland Office jointly held a webinar with Scottish Council for Development and Industry to discuss the Government’s Covid response to safeguard and support busines in Scotland.

In May, the Minister for Business and Industry also attended the joint Scottish Government and UK Government Ministerial-led Scottish Business Growth Group to discuss support for businesses during Covid and future economic recovery.

The latest Ofgem data on Prepayment Meters (PPM) shows that there are 4.3 million customers using PPM meters, which represents around 15% of all customers in Great Britain.

Neither Ofgem nor the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy routinely collect regional PPM customer numbers However, in 2017 BIES collected a one off local authority area breakdown, which showed there were 460,529 PPM customers in Scotland and 27,413 PPM customers in the Fife Council local authority area. This data does not include customers who pay for their gas using a PPM as this data has not been compiled, however there are fewer gas PPMs as a whole in the market.

The number of Prepayment Meter accounts in the GB energy market over the last five years has remained around 4.5 million. There has, however been an increase in competition in the PPM market over the past five years with PPM specialists providing greater choice for consumers beyond the six large suppliers. A cap on PPM prices was introduced in April 2017 and remains in force.

The House Service is currently working in conjunction with Public Health England to ensure we meet the government guidelines to become a ‘Covid-19 secure’ workplace, and to build on our existing measures to ensure Members, Members’ staff and House staff working on the estate can do so safely. These include carrying out a Covid-19 risk assessment, which will also be carried out by the nursery provider. Where Members’ staff and those of the House can continue their work at home they are being encouraged to do so, with appropriate support provided. The Commission will be meeting to ensure that the appropriate level of services and safety measures are in place, should there be a return to physical-only proceedings after the Whitsun recess.

The Government believes that nuclear power has an important role to play as we transition to a low-carbon economy. Our commitment to nuclear power has been demonstrated in agreeing to the first new nuclear power station in a generation at Hinkley Point C, as well as launching our landmark £200m Nuclear Sector Deal last year, which includes providing millions for advanced nuclear technologies.

The Government publishes quarterly reports on the number of smart electricity and gas meters installed in Great Britain as part of its Smart Meters statistics collection, which is available here: www.gov.uk/government/collections/smart-meters-statistics.

Our latest statistics show that as of the end of June 2019, 14.9 million smart meters in Great Britain were being operated in smart or advanced mode. 2.7 million smart meters in Great Britain were being operated in ‘traditional’ mode.

The upgrade to the national smart metering network to support the enrolment of first-generation smart meters is underway to enable these meters to operate in smart mode. This will happen automatically, without the consumer needing to take any action.

This Government is building a globally competitive sustainable plastics industry through research and innovation. We have already allocated 95% of the funding available through the £20m Plastics Research and Innovation Fund. This includes £8m on academic research, £6m on collaborative R&D, £3m on an Investor Partnership with Sky Ocean Ventures and almost £2m on a Circular Plastics flagship programme with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Plan). WRAP is also administering a number of grant opportunities on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

As confirmed in July, BEIS will also provide up to £60 million, bolstered by an expected £149m investment from the private sector, to establish the UK as the world’s leading innovator in smart sustainable plastic packaging, through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The UK’s intellectual property system is consistently rated amongst the best in the world, and I recognise the value that the attorney profession brings to the system and the wider economy.

As we turn to the Future Economic Partnership with the EU, we will seek a comprehensive arrangement on trade in services, which will cover a wide range of sectors, including professional and business services.

The UK’s intellectual property system is consistently rated amongst the best in the world, and I recognise the value that the legal profession brings to the system and the wider economy.

As we turn to the Future Economic Partnership with the EU, we will seek a comprehensive arrangement on trade in services, which will cover a wide range of sectors, including professional and business services and IP.

Important legislation to safeguard trade mark rights post EU exit has recently been passed by Parliament, with similar measures for designs and international rights due to be debated shortly.

The UK’s intellectual property system is consistently rated amongst the best in the world, and I recognise the value that the legal profession brings to the system and the wider economy.

As we turn to the Future Economic Partnership with the EU, we will seek a comprehensive arrangement on trade in services, which will cover a wide range of sectors, including professional and business services and IP.

Important legislation to safeguard trade mark rights post EU exit has recently been passed by Parliament, with similar measures for designs and international rights due to be debated shortly.

BEIS estimates (based on 2017 ONS data) that there are currently 123,000 people employed in the UK aerospace industry. This cannot be broken down by region. On the same basis, there were 121,000 jobs in 2016. The ONS Business Registers and Employment Survey for 2016 (the latest year that data is available) does provide rounded estimates of regional employment - however owing to less complete coverage, this source reports a lower employment total of 114,000 in 2016. The breakdown of this, covering each English region, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is set out in the table below:

Employment in the Manufacture, maintenance and repair of Aircraft

We have allocated funding £150m a year for aerospace research and development in each year from 2013 to 2018. Our competitive process for selecting and delivering projects is supported by the Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK (now part of UKRI). In addition, aerospace companies can bid for relevant industry-wide competitions and schemes run by UKRI, supported by the Department.

We are working closely with the Scottish Government, through Scottish Enterprise, to tackle barriers to growth, boost exports and grow high-value skilled jobs in Scotland, in support of companies of all sizes, including small and medium sized enterprises. This is backed with a UK wide industry strategy which is integral to Scotland’s own industrial strategy for aerospace, defence, marine & security.

Support from the Department is provided through the £1.95billion committed to new UK aerospace research and technology, out to 2026, which is matched by industry; and the £250m Sharing in Growth intensive performance improvement programme, focussing support to SMEs. Other R&D provisions are also available, for example Innovate UK has committed £45,883,111 in core grant funding to the Advance Forming Research Centre since 1st October 2011 - and up to 31st March 2019 - through the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. On top of this core funding, AFRC has been in receipt of separate, competitively-won funding from Innovate UK by being part of consortia that have made successfully bids through our various CR&D competitions.

BEIS officials are in regular contact and meetings with officials in Scottish Enterprise responsible for supporting aerospace in Scotland to discuss aerospace priorities in Scotland and new investment opportunities.

We are working closely with the Scottish Government, through Scottish Enterprise, to tackle barriers to growth, boost exports and grow high-value skilled jobs in Scotland, in support of companies of all sizes, including small and medium sized enterprises. This is backed with a UK wide industry strategy which is integral to Scotland’s own industrial strategy for aerospace, defence, marine & security.

Support from the Department is provided through the £1.95billion committed to new UK aerospace research and technology, out to 2026, which is matched by industry; and the £250m Sharing in Growth intensive performance improvement programme, focussing support to SMEs. Other R&D provisions are also available, for example Innovate UK has committed £45,883,111 in core grant funding to the Advance Forming Research Centre since 1st October 2011 - and up to 31st March 2019 - through the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. On top of this core funding, AFRC has been in receipt of separate, competitively-won funding from Innovate UK by being part of consortia that have made successfully bids through our various CR&D competitions.

BEIS officials are in regular contact and meetings with officials in Scottish Enterprise responsible for supporting aerospace in Scotland to discuss aerospace priorities in Scotland and new investment opportunities.

We are working closely with the Scottish Government, through Scottish Enterprise, to tackle barriers to growth, boost exports and grow high-value skilled jobs in Scotland, in support of companies of all sizes, including small and medium sized enterprises. This is backed with a UK wide industry strategy which is integral to Scotland’s own industrial strategy for aerospace, defence, marine & security.

Support from the Department is provided through the £1.95billion committed to new UK aerospace research and technology, out to 2026, which is matched by industry; and the £250m Sharing in Growth intensive performance improvement programme, focussing support to SMEs. Other R&D provisions are also available, for example Innovate UK has committed £45,883,111 in core grant funding to the Advance Forming Research Centre since 1st October 2011 - and up to 31st March 2019 - through the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. On top of this core funding, AFRC has been in receipt of separate, competitively-won funding from Innovate UK by being part of consortia that have made successfully bids through our various CR&D competitions.

BEIS officials are in regular contact and meetings with officials in Scottish Enterprise responsible for supporting aerospace in Scotland to discuss aerospace priorities in Scotland and new investment opportunities.

We recognise the important role that UK Notified Bodies play in ensuring that products that enter the UK and EU markets are safe and conform to relevant requirements and assessments.

We have reached agreement with the EU on the terms of an implementation period, during which market access will continue on current terms. This means that businesses will be able to operate with the same certificates as now up until the end of this period, including those issued by UK Notified Bodies.

Regarding our future partnership with the EU, we want to ensure that UK companies have the maximum freedom to trade with European markets. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand and represent their concerns as we develop our negotiating position.