Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the National Living Wage on the economy; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In April 2016, the Government introduced a new National Living Wage (NLW). This year increases in the minimum wage gave over two million of the lowest paid workers a pay rise of over 2 per cent in real terms. Over the year, full time workers aged 25 and over on the NLW will see their earnings grow by more than £600.
The Low Pay Commission (LPC) draw upon a wide range of independent research and stakeholder consultation in monitoring the impact of the NLW. To date, they have found limited evidence of an impact on hours worked and employment.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support the retail sector in Coventry.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The West Midlands Combined Authority has recently approved a grant of £98.8m towards the City Centre South scheme. This will be a major retail, leisure and residential development in Coventry City Centre.
This builds on financial support offered by the British Business Bank, the Small Business Commissioner ensuring fair payment practices, and Local Growth Hubs offering advice and information, with Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub acting as the local contact to business.
In addition, Government recently established a panel of experts, chaired by Sir John Timpson, to draw on their experience and expertise to diagnose the issues currently affecting our high streets, and advise on the best long-term approach. The panel, in conjunction with the Ministry of Housing Communities & Local Growth, will launch a call for evidence later this year looking at the future of our high streets.
Government has also launched the 2018 Great British High Street Awards, which champion the hard work of local businesses and communities around the country who are determined to ensure that their high streets thrive.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the effect of job loss on mental health and well-being; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
BEIS Ministers and officials meet regularly with counterparts in DWP and DHSC to discuss issues around disability, work and health – including mental health – to pursue a joined up approach across Government. On 30 November 2017 the Government published ‘Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability’, which set out the actions that we are taking across the three key settings: the welfare system, workplace and health services. This report also provided the Government response to “Thriving at work: The Stevenson / Farmer review of mental health and employers”.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives of Jaguar Land Rover on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on (a) current plans to build electric cars in Coventry and (b) plans to create 6,000 new jobs on land south of the A45 by Coventry Airport as part of the Whitley South scheme.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
We have regular dialogue with key stakeholders in the automotive sector such as Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) about a wide range of matters, including the challenges that leaving the EU poses and the opportunities that will become open to us.
JLR have recently announced plans for investment in their factories in the West Midlands, which will include production of electric vehicles.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the shortage of CO2 on businesses in Coventry.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Government recognises the importance of the industrial gases sector, including the CO2-providing subsector. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has continued to monitor the shortage and Ministers and officials have been in regular contact with producers and suppliers throughout the process. We have been assured by producers of CO2 that production and supply levels are now returning to normal.
BEIS officials have also regularly discussed the shortage with counterparts in departments whose sectors were affected.
The use of CO2 is particularly prevalent in the agri-food sector, including farming, food and drink manufacturing and processing, soft and alcoholic drink carbonation and cane sugar refining. As the department responsible for these industries, Defra have worked closely with the Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group (FCELG) and additional food supply chain stakeholders to understand the impacts of the carbon dioxide shortage across the food supply chain.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the amount of funding allocated from the public purse to businesses in Coventry to encourage (a) economic growth and (b) employment.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Government is actively encouraging economic growth and employment in Coventry via a number of policy initiatives and funding.
As part of Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s (CWLEP) Growth Deal, government is investing £131.84 million in the locality.
The LEP simplifies and coordinates access to business advice and support through CWLEP Growth Hub. In 2017/18, the government provided £328,000 to CWLEP to enable the Growth Hub to support local business growth and has committed to provide similar amounts in 2018/19 and 2019/20.
More widely, Innovate UK in 2016/17 invested £30.4 million to stimulate innovation and growth in the West Midlands. And the Midlands Engine Investment Fund will facilitate investment of over £250 million across the Midlands to help SMEs to achieve their growth ambitions, revitalise local economies, and create jobs.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on funding for higher education academic research at universities in the West Midlands.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Government is undertaking a wide range of analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. Ministers have a specific responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to release information that would reveal our negotiating position.
However, we have consistently made clear that research and innovation are vital to the UK’s prosperity, security and wellbeing, which is why they are at the heart of the Government’s industrial strategy.
It is in the interests of the UK and EU for us to continue to collaborate and my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister has recently said that the UK would like the option to fully associate with the excellence-based European science and innovation programmes under the EU’s next multiannual financial framework (MFF).
Under the current MFF, the text of the December Joint Report envisages that UK entities’ right to participate in EU programmes will be unaffected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU for the duration of projects. We have made significant progress in turning the Joint Report into the legal text of the draft Withdrawal Agreement, and the Government’s guarantee of funding continues to stand if necessary.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many people have been employed by the automotive industry in each of the last eight years.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The numbers employed by the automotive manufacturing industry have increased strongly in the last eight years – by nearly 34% since 2010. This compares favourably with the manufacturing sector overall which increased employment by 4% over the same period and the economy as a whole at 11%.
Number employed in the Automotive Manufacturing Industry
| Employment (‘000s) |
2010 | 134 |
2011 | 129 |
2012 | 136 |
2013 | 142 |
2014 | 147 |
2015 | 160 |
2016 | 170 |
2017 | 179 |
Source: Employee jobs and self-employed jobs (both ONS)
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much government research funding was provided to each higher education institution in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Research Councils and HEFCE have provided the following amount of research funding to each higher education institution in the West Midlands in each year since 2010. Table 1 shows research grants and contracts income from Research Councils and Table 2 shows income from HEFCE research grants.
Table 1
Income from Research Councils (£k)
| 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 |
Aston University | 1767 | 1267 | 2404 | 3049 | 3534 | 4097 | 3602 |
Birmingham City University | 249 | 386 | 261 | 227 | 309 | 210 | 192 |
The University of Birmingham | 35241 | 32975 | 32610 | 34092 | 38098 | 44355 | 39436 |
University College Birmingham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Coventry University | 591 | 777 | 852 | 1174 | 826 | 1099 | 957 |
Harper Adams University (Harper Adams University College until 2012/13) | 109 | 229 | 196 | 142 | 377 | 868 | 356 |
Keele University† | 2767 | 2726 | 2501 | 2494 | 2326 | 2599 | 2305 |
Newman University | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Staffordshire University | 75 | 72 | 113 | 89 | 7 | 13 | 18 |
The University of Warwick | 32421 | 28160 | 28565 | 32087 | 35219 | 37716 | 37109 |
The University of Wolverhampton | 536 | 190 | -12 | 304 | 218 | 18 | 89 |
University of Worcester | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 136 | 87 | 253 |
Table 2
Income from HEFCE research grant (£k)
| 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 |
Aston University | 6256 | 6043 | 5893 | 5893 | 5756 | 6084 | 5892 |
Birmingham City University | 249 | 1635 | 1597 | 1710 | 1742 | 2153 | 2142 |
The University of Birmingham | 35241 | 42249 | 42371 | 41865 | 41572 | 39619 | 40488 |
University College Birmingham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Coventry University | 591 | 1980 | 1843 | 1903 | 1936 | 3222 | 3261 |
Harper Adams University (Harper Adams University College until 2012/13) | 109 | 334 | 284 | 299 | 371 | 532 | 546 |
Keele University† | 2767 | 6528 | 6178 | 6200 | 6293 | 7011 | 6927 |
Newman University | 0 | 42 | 25 | 17 | 16 | 134 | 154 |
Staffordshire University | 75 | 654 | 562 | 527 | 530 | 724 | 711 |
The University of Warwick | 32421 | 32950 | 33819 | 33306 | 34215 | 34879 | 35900 |
The University of Wolverhampton | 536 | 1937 | 1790 | 1783 | 1800 | 1884 | 1956 |
University of Worcester | 0 | 216 | 142 | 178 | 211 | 931 | 894 |
Source – Higher Education Statistics Agency “Finance Plus” publications 2010/11 to 2016/17.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the science and technology sectors in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Coventry.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Government is undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis in support of our EU Exit negotiations and preparations. We have been engaging with relevant stakeholders from all sectors of the economy and all regions of the UK as part of this process, and will continue to do so as we move forward.
We have been clear the Government will not provide an ongoing commentary on internal analytical work that is being carried out within government.
As part of our future partnership with the EU, the UK will look to establish an ambitious future agreement on science and innovation that ensures the valuable research links between us continue to grow.
In March 2018, the UK and EU negotiating teams reached an important milestone in the Brexit process by agreeing the terms of a time-limited implementation period. The draft Withdrawal Agreement reflects the text of the December Joint Report, which envisages that UK entities’ right to participate in EU programmes will be unaffected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
In addition, the UK Government has committed to underwrite Horizon 2020 funding if necessary. This guarantees funding for UK participants in projects ongoing at the point of exit, as well as any successful bids submitted before the UK leaves the EU.