Jim Sheridan

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

The Government wants to use the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) to encourage financial regulators from the EU and the USA, as hosts of the largest financial centres in the world, to work with each other and agree consistently high standards in the future. Establishing closer and more effective regulatory cooperation between the world’s two largest financial centres is essential. By working together to agree more consistent rules, the EU and the USA can eliminate the opportunities for regulatory arbitrage and encourage other jurisdictions to follow suit. Closer dialogues also mean that emerging risks can be spotted and addressed together.

The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.

I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

The EU and the USA are exploring cross-border data flows in the context of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), given their importance to international commerce, in particular in services. The European Commission has publicly stated that existing EU rules regarding personal data protection are not on the table.

One of the main aims of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is to reduce unnecessary regulatory differences between the EU and the USA to encourage greater trade, particularly by SMEs who find overcoming regulatory differences to be a significant barrier to exporting. Both the EU and the USA have been clear that this will not come through lowering levels of consumer and other protections, and where this is not possible regulatory differences will not be eliminated. Reducing regulatory differences could be achieved through various methods such as mutual recognition of regulations, mutual recognition of conformity assessments, use of international standards, and alignment of future regulations. Over half of the projected benefits from TTIP are projected to come from this greater regulatory coherence.

One of the main aims of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is to reduce unnecessary regulatory differences between the EU and the USA to encourage greater trade, particularly by SMEs who find overcoming regulatory differences to be a significant barrier to exporting. Both the EU and the USA have been clear that this will not come through lowering levels of consumer and other protections, and where this is not possible regulatory differences will not be eliminated. Reducing regulatory differences could be achieved through various methods such as mutual recognition of regulations, mutual recognition of conformity assessments, use of international standards, and alignment of future regulations. Over half of the projected benefits from TTIP are projected to come from this greater regulatory coherence.

The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.

I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.

The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.

I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations are yet to reach a stage where there are stable and complete draft texts. As such, it is too early for these texts to be shared. However, a final draft agreement will be subject to ratification by each Member State of the EU, as well as the EU itself. As part of this process Parliament will receive the complete draft text of the agreement in good time and have an opportunity to scrutinise it through debates in both Houses.

In addition, the Government will continue to keep Parliament up to date throughout the TTIP negotiations. The agreement has been debated in both Houses and been subject to a Committee inquiry in the House of Lords and reviewed by the European Scrutiny Committee of the House of Commons. My noble Friend, Lord Livingston of Parkhead will continue to write to the European Scrutiny Committee chairs of both Houses and the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on EU-US Trade and Investment after each negotiating round to update them, and the Government can arrange for further detailed briefings to interested Hon Members.

Concluding an ambitious and comprehensive EU-US trade deal that benefits UK consumers and business, especially small and medium sized enterprises, is a priority for the Government. Improved access to US exports of energy would form part of a successful Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership agreement, helping to diversify the EU’s energy sources, and is therefore an EU priority in the negotiations. Internal EU negotiations on carbon emissions targets are at an advanced stage and involve consideration of the energy profiles of the EU as a whole and of individual EU Member States across the full range of options. These options include the potential role of increased imports of gas, from the US and elsewhere, to help to reduce EU emissions levels in future decades.

Factors such as the time needed to build new export terminals in the US and costs of liquefaction and transport mean that it is likely to be some years before EU Member States could import US gas in significant quantities. Recent events in Ukraine further underline the need for the EU to diversify its energy sources. Making full use of indigenous energy resources is also important for energy security. Here in the UK, the Government continues to work closely with industry to encourage further investment in domestic energy production, including oil, gas, nuclear and renewables.

The European Commission has been extensively consulting and reporting back as negotiations progress on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), for example through the establishment of their own expert advisory group, an open door policy for meetings with interested parties, and stakeholder events open to all interest groups during each round of negotiations. The Trade Commissioner and his senior officials have also contributed extensively to engagement in the UK, by providing evidence to the House of Lords during their enquiry into TTIP and by speaking at meetings and events organised both by the Government and stakeholders. We support their approach, and are happy to continue to encourage them to consult extensively.

The European Commission has been extensively consulting and reporting back as negotiations progress on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), for example through the establishment of their own expert advisory group, an open door policy for meetings with interested parties, and stakeholder events open to all interest groups during each round of negotiations. The Trade Commissioner and his senior officials have also contributed extensively to engagement in the UK, by providing evidence to the House of Lords during their enquiry into TTIP and by speaking at meetings and events organised both by the Government and stakeholders. We support their approach, and are happy to continue to encourage them to consult extensively.

The European Commission has been extensively consulting and reporting back as negotiations progress on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), for example through the establishment of their own expert advisory group, an open door policy for meetings with interested parties, and stakeholder events open to all interest groups during each round of negotiations. The Trade Commissioner and his senior officials have also contributed extensively to engagement in the UK, by providing evidence to the House of Lords during their enquiry into TTIP and by speaking at meetings and events organised both by the Government and stakeholders. We support their approach, and are happy to continue to encourage them to consult extensively.

The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.

I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.

Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, has not had such a discussion with McDonald's Corporation.

This Department does not hold information on to whether or not individual employers recognise a trade union or not.

You may be interested in the following figures, from the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study (WERS), showing percentage of workplaces with recognised unions where the workplace is located in Scotland, the other Government Office Regions and Great Britain as a whole. This does not include information on Northern Ireland workplaces where employment law is devolved.

More information on the WERS data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/workplace-employment-relations-study-wers

Turnout across the UK at the European Parliamentary Elections 2014 was 35.4%, slightly higher than 34.5% at the previous election in 2009.

The Government is committed to maximising electoral registration to help support the highest possible turnout in elections.

Blacklisting is an unacceptable and illegal practice and we take any allegations of blacklisting very seriously. I have not had any discussions on the practice of blacklisting with employment agencies. We have referred the allegations made about an international recruitment agency to the Information Commissioner's Office which is looking into the matter.

Blacklisting is an unacceptable and illegal practice and we take any allegations of blacklisting very seriously. We have always encouraged anyone with evidence of blacklisting to come forward so that we can investigate. Any evidence of blacklisting should be referred to the Information Commissioner's Office. Individuals who believe they are being excluded from employment because of a blacklist should seek redress in the county courts in England and Wales, or Court of Session in Scotland.

The Government has not made any estimates by constituency, county or country of shares bought by Royal Mail staff.

As part of the Royal Mail Initial Public Offering, each eligible employee has now received 729 shares free of charge. Only 372 of the 147,000 eligible employees opted out of the scheme. Approximately 99.75% of employees accepted the shares that we offered them. Under the Employee Priority Retail Offer, over 15,000 employees (just over 10%) bought additional shares in Royal Mail.

The Government's reforms to increase the transparency of executive pay include a requirement that quoted companies put their remuneration policy to a binding vote of the company's shareholders, at minimum, every three years.

Shareholders also have an annual advisory vote on the annual remuneration report, covering what has been paid. Where this is rejected, the company will be required to re-submit their remuneration policy to a binding vote at the AGM the following year.

It is too soon to form firm conclusions about the impact of the Government reforms, which only came into force in October last year.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the reforms and will be taking stock of their impact after the voting season is over.

The Government is keeping this policy area under review.

There have been no recent discussions between my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning in Scotland directly relating to the use of zero-hour contracts in Scottish education establishments.