Asked by: Karen Lumley (Conservative - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department plans to ensure that the interests of manufacturers are enhanced by the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Government will do whatever is needed to safeguard the economy, forge a global new role for ourselves as we leave the European Union and make Britain a country that truly works for everybody. The Department is in on-going dialogue with businesses and trade organisations to understand concerns and identify opportunities from EU withdrawal for the manufacturing sector right across the UK.
Through our Industrial Strategy we will continue to support and grow our successful manufacturing businesses and encourage the development of industries of the future as part of creating an economy that works for all.
Asked by: Karen Lumley (Conservative - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how (a) Midlands devolution and (b) the West Midlands growth engine plan will apply to Redditch constituency.
Answered by Margot James
We are committed to an economy that works for all and empowering local areas through the devolution of powers and resources. Devolution deals are a key part of our plan to support growth up and down the country. This Government will continue to support the Midlands Engine for growth, with the West Midlands as a key driver. Our ambition is to increase the value of the Midlands economy by £34 billion and create a further 300,000 jobs by 2030.
The West Midlands devolution deal includes the largest Investment Fund to be awarded to any area. It will provide more than £1 billion over thirty years to spend on local projects that will drive economic growth. In May 2017 there will be an election for the mayor of the West Midlands, creating a role that will help to drive devolution and growth. Redditch, as a non-constituent member of the West Midlands Combined Authority, has the opportunity to influence the future direction of these devolved powers.
This Government’s Local Growth Fund has supported development in Redditch, including the new Engineering Centre of Excellence. We have also committed to an ambitious programme of strategic road improvements, including a package for the M42 and M40 that should provide positive benefits for Redditch, as well as the wider West Midlands.
Asked by: Karen Lumley (Conservative - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his Department has for invigorating high street trading in the West Midlands in the next 12 months.
Answered by Margot James
We are committed to ensuring that high streets throughout the country remain at the heart of their community and we have taken significant actions to help high streets adapt and thrive through a range of targeted tax breaks, sensible planning changes and measures to ensure fairer parking for motorists.
At Budget 2016 we announced the biggest ever cut in business rates – worth £6.7 billion across the next five years. The Government is permanently doubling the level of Small Business Rate Relief and increasing the thresholds to benefit a greater number of property occupiers. Eligible properties with a rateable value of £12,000 and below will receive 100% relief. This means that 600,000 small businesses will pay no business rates at all, including local high street shops. Furthermore, the revaluation of Business Rates will ensure business rate bills more closely reflect the property market and that all businesses are getting a fair deal. The revaluation will reduce bills in the West Midlands by 7% before inflation and transitional relief. This will reduce bills by almost £170m per year. The biggest winners are in offices which will see bills falls by 16% and retail which will see bills fall by 11%.
We have also given over £18 million to town teams since 2010, including Redditch, funding successful initiatives such “Love Your Local Market” and the “Great British High Street Competition”. The finalists for the 2016 Awards include Derby, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Bridgnorth, and Leominster. The winners will be announced in December.
Asked by: Karen Lumley (Conservative - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the new Apprenticeship Levy on the number of apprenticeship start-ups from September 2016.
Answered by Nick Boles
The Department does not produce forecasts for apprenticeship starts. Apprenticeships are paid jobs and their availability is dependent on employers offering opportunities and hiring apprentices.
The levy will fund a step-change in apprenticeship numbers and quality – delivering on our commitment to 3 million new apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. It will put apprenticeship funding on a sustainable footing and improve the technical and professional skills of the workforce.
It will encourage employers to invest in their apprentices and take on more. Employers in England who pay the levy and are committed to apprenticeships training will be able to get out more than they pay in to the levy through a top-up of additional funding to their digital accounts. The government will apply a 10% top-up to monthly funds entering levy paying employers digital accounts, for apprenticeship training in England, from April 2017. Apprentices who have been accepted on to an apprenticeship before April 2017 will be funded for the full term of the apprenticeship under the terms and conditions that were in place at the time their apprenticeship started.