Scott Mann

The CEO of Post Office Limited regularly meet with BEIS Ministers, through scheduled monthly meetings with the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets as well as through wider Shareholder Meetings.

These meetings are held to discuss a range of matters including the development of the business’s new strategy under CEO Nick Read.

The Government is committed to delivering on our manifesto commitment to clamp down on late payment and strengthen the powers of the Small Business Commissioner (SBC) to support small businesses who are least able to cover financial shortfalls and find temporary finance more difficult and more expensive to obtain.

Legislation already exists under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, which sets out that payment terms between two businesses should not exceed 60 days, unless they are fair to both parties.

Suppliers can also claim statutory interest, and debt recovery costs, on invoices not paid within the agreed period or (if no period is agreed) within 30 days. It also establishes maximum 30 day payment terms for transactions with public authorities.

We will shortly be consulting on the merits of extending the powers of the Office of the Small Business Commissioner to intervene and advocate for small businesses, with less than 50 employees, in payment disputes with a larger business (50 or more employees).

We are committed to ensuring all small businesses have access to the support they need to succeed to start, grow, and scale their businesses.

The Government-backed British Business Bank is there to make finance markets work better for small businesses at all stages of their development. The Bank’s programmes are currently supporting over £6.6bn of finance to over 89,000 smaller businesses (as at end-March 2019). The British Business Bank’s Start-Up Loans programme provides loans to entrepreneurs seeking to start and grow their own businesses. Since 2012, the programme has delivered almost 65,000 loans, worth nearly £511m to small businesses (as at end-June 2019).

In North Cornwall specifically, since 2014 the Bank has supported over £5.75m of finance to over 180 smaller businesses (as of July 2019). 99 Start-Up Loans have been issued in North Cornwall, totalling £912,033. The Bank’s programmes will continue to support smaller businesses in North Cornwall.

In June 2018, the British Business Bank launched the £40m Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF) to provide debt and equity finance in this area. The fund has deployed £1.9m into 10 small businesses as at the end of May 2019.

The Bank’s online Finance Hub helps small business owners identify potential sources of finance via the finance finder web tool. The Business Bank has also established a UK Network, with team members based within each of the English regions and the three Devolved Nations, including a representative for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. The UK Network works with small business finance intermediaries to enhance business finance ecosystems across the UK, so smaller businesses, wherever they are, can grow and prosper.

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Any allocation of funding to specific branches and regions is an operational matter for Post Office Limited. I have therefore asked Alisdair Cameron, the Group interim Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to my hon Friend on this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

The Government has no plans to introduce a scrappage scheme for washing machines. However, some retailers do offer a recycling scheme on a voluntary basis for old appliances including washing machines.

Electrical Products must be safe when placed on the market and producers must keep consumers informed of risks and take appropriate action to avoid risks once they are in use.

Ofgem’s Targeted Charging Review is seeking to ensure all parties connected to the electricity network make a fair contribution to its fixed costs. As was outlined in the ‘After the Trilemma’ speech of 15 November 2018, it is important that we develop an energy system that discourages free riding and ensures a fair distribution of such costs.

Network charging is a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator, and decisions on its Targeted Charging Review are for it to make. However, Government is working to understand the policy implications of Ofgem’s review proposals across a broad range of interests. The analysis which Ofgem has published as part of its recently closed consultation shows that the proposals could affect investment decisions across a number of technologies, but no final decisions have been taken on timetable or other aspects.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a recent update about Cornwall Newquay Airport’s plans to build a spaceport. We welcome the strong Cornish interest in the space sector, and the region’s recently announced Space Action Plan. Organisations like the South West Satellite Catapult Centre of Excellence and Goonhilly Earth Station will enable Cornwall to play a part in the new commercial space age.

Our Industrial Strategy recognises the role of new markets like space launch in driving growth across the UK. The UK Space Agency is delivering a major programme to enable companies to offer small satellite launch and sub-orbital spaceflight from UK spaceports. The Space Agency has considered 26 separate proposals for grant funding, that remain confidential, and will make further announcements about this in the coming months.

However, the UK Space Agency is not considering bids to become the UK’s national spaceport. Any site can still develop their plans for a UK spaceport entirely independent of government funds, and all sites will need to apply for a government licence to operate.

We have been working closely with the British Plastics Federation and other major stakeholders to promote the sustainability of the plastics industry and encourage its contribution to the circular economy. In the recent Industrial Strategy White Paper we committed to publishing a new UK Bioeconomy Strategy. This will provide a framework within which government, industry and the research community can support the development of bio-based products and processes, including bioplastics.

On 29 January, the Government set out its approach to firework safety in a Westminster Hall Debate triggered by an E-Petition calling for changes to the laws governing the use of fireworks. There is no current plan to change the legislation.

The newly established Office for Product Safety and Standards will be responsible for collating information and data about the safety of consumer products, including fireworks. This will provide an evidence base and enable the Government to keep the issue under review.

I would like to start by recognising the role your constituency and especially Wadebridge, have long played in delivering innovation and strong community focus on low carbon initiatives. This has been achieved with the support of funding from UK Government through Innovate UK and the Rural Community Energy Fund as well as over £78m Local Growth funding and over £115m through the European Regional Development Fund. Cornwall has also agreed a Devolution deal with Government which has a strong focus on energy and low carbon support.

These funding streams on the whole remain active and open until 2020 and are available for Low Carbon activity across the County of Cornwall. It remains for the most part the role of the Local Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership to determine the priority projects and locations for their area.

In the Clean Growth Strategy we announced the launch of the Local Energy Programme, which has already made available funding for a local energy strategy for Cornwall to help plan future low carbon projects and additional funding for capacity support to help local areas deliver their priority low carbon projects at scale.

Funding for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) of £4.5 billion has been agreed to support low carbon heat technologies in homes and businesses, on and off the gas grid, between 2016 and 2021. Over the scheme lifetime, we expect payments to be around £23bn.

As at the end of December 2017, 1985 domestic and 370 non-domestic installations have been accredited within Cornwall. The Department does not hold data specifically for North Cornwall.

Beyond the RHI, our ambition is to help homes off the gas grid to start to move to cleaner heating options during the 2020s. We will work with consumers as we develop policy, starting with new build, and will consult further on policy options during 2018.

A key focus of our policy development will be the cost difference between low and high carbon technologies. We are investing £10 million in an innovation challenge fund to support low carbon heating systems, which will help drive down costs.

Alongside Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments, policies such as the Warm Home Discount and Energy Company Obligation deliver vital support to millions of low income and vulnerable homes each year with heating and insulation measures as well as direct reductions in their energy bills. As set out in the Autumn Statement, a domestic supplier obligation with a value of £640m, will continue to be in place until 2022.

The BEIS Energy Entrepreneurs Fund recently ran a funding call to which such technologies could apply if they could demonstrate that they boosted the UK’s energy security, lowered carbon emissions, or improved energy efficiency. Other Government programmes for which such technologies could be eligible include those operated by Innovate UK including the Energy Catalyst and the “Open” Innovation call. Innovate UK typically run two calls a year under these programmes.

An example of a company currently supported by Government who recycles end of life plastics into heavy fuel oil and other high value products is Recycling Technologies, based in Swindon.

Our Industrial Strategy is about driving growth right across the whole country. We will work with places to build on their particular strengths and to address barriers to growth.

The Government is aware that Cornwall has been identified as a having potentially valuable lithium resource, which is a key element in battery technology. That technology has great potential, which we are backing with £246m through a Faraday Challenge to boost expertise in the UK.

The current exploration for lithium ore reserves and research to extract lithium from geothermal brines has potential to provide a UK source, though it is for the private sector to demonstrate there are commercial opportunities and this sort of opportunity, clearly linked to a location, underpins the department’s local industrial strategy policy.

The Government recognises the vital role that regional news and local current affairs play in bringing communities together and reflecting experiences across the UK. The BBC’s proposed cuts to English regional television were debated in the chamber on 22 June 2020, where the government set out its support for regional broadcasting and its concern about the BBC’s decision.

The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of government, and regional programming is a matter for the BBC. The BBC’s Royal Charter requires the BBC to represent, reflect and serve audiences, taking into account the needs of diverse communities of all the UK nations and regions. Under the new regulatory system introduced by the government in 2017, the BBC Board must ensure the BBC complies with its Charter duties, and Ofcom was established as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account.

Ofcom is aware of the changes to the BBC’s regional news and current affairs, and has said it will require the BBC to set out how the proposed cuts are consistent with the delivery of the BBC’s public purposes.

The government has no plans to reopen the BBC Charter or conduct a public consultation on this issue. The Charter will next be considered at the mid-term review. This is the appropriate milestone to consider whether the current regulatory arrangements for the BBC are working effectively. The Charter specifies that the review must take place between 2022 and 2024.

The Government recognises the vital role that regional news and local current affairs play in bringing communities together and reflecting experiences across the UK. The BBC’s proposed cuts to English regional television were debated in the chamber on 22 June 2020, where the government set out its support for regional broadcasting and its concern about the BBC’s decision.

The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of government, and regional programming is a matter for the BBC. The BBC’s Royal Charter requires the BBC to represent, reflect and serve audiences, taking into account the needs of diverse communities of all the UK nations and regions. Under the new regulatory system introduced by the government in 2017, the BBC Board must ensure the BBC complies with its Charter duties, and Ofcom was established as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account.

Ofcom is aware of the changes to the BBC’s regional news and current affairs, and has said it will require the BBC to set out how the proposed cuts are consistent with the delivery of the BBC’s public purposes.

The government has no plans to reopen the BBC Charter or conduct a public consultation on this issue. The Charter will next be considered at the mid-term review. This is the appropriate milestone to consider whether the current regulatory arrangements for the BBC are working effectively. The Charter specifies that the review must take place between 2022 and 2024.

Local and regional news coverage provides a vital service - providing information about local public affairs, holding local decision-makers to account, and providing a forum for community discussion.

Public service broadcasters, including the BBC, and national and local commercial radio stations, have requirements to produce regional and local news. The BBC’s Royal Charter requires the BBC to represent, reflect and serve audiences, taking into account the needs of diverse communities of all the UK nations and regions. Under the new regulatory system introduced by the Government in 2017, the BBC Board must ensure the BBC complies with its Charter duties, and Ofcom was established as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account.

The Government’s manifesto also recognises the indispensable role of the local and regional press, committing to “support local and regional newspapers, as vital pillars of communities and local democracy”. It has been an absolute priority to ensure we do all we can as a Government to support local news outlets during the Covid-19 crisis as well as supporting commercial and community radio. This included taking the decision to bring forward the commencement of zero-rating of VAT on e-newspapers to May 2020 and working with Arqiva, the UK’s TV and radio transmission provider, to provide six months discount charges which has benefited local commercial radio stations .

The Government also took steps to ensure local media could operate during the Covid 19 lockdown period. Journalists and other key media ancillary staff were designated as ‘key workers’ for the purposes of access to childcare and educational places. The Government also issued guidance to local authorities on the importance of newspaper delivery; took steps to ensure the use of ‘keyword blocklisting’ technology is not inadvertently damaging news publishers’ online advertising revenues for Covid-19 related stories by ad-blocking coronavirus-related terms; and implemented a significant public information campaign, using local and national press and commercial radio extend the reach of these campaigns.

Local and regional news coverage provides a vital service - providing information about local public affairs, holding local decision-makers to account, and providing a forum for community discussion.

Public service broadcasters, including the BBC, and national and local commercial radio stations, have requirements to produce regional and local news. The BBC’s Royal Charter requires the BBC to represent, reflect and serve audiences, taking into account the needs of diverse communities of all the UK nations and regions. Under the new regulatory system introduced by the Government in 2017, the BBC Board must ensure the BBC complies with its Charter duties, and Ofcom was established as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account.

The Government’s manifesto also recognises the indispensable role of the local and regional press, committing to “support local and regional newspapers, as vital pillars of communities and local democracy”. It has been an absolute priority to ensure we do all we can as a Government to support local news outlets during the Covid-19 crisis as well as supporting commercial and community radio. This included taking the decision to bring forward the commencement of zero-rating of VAT on e-newspapers to May 2020 and working with Arqiva, the UK’s TV and radio transmission provider, to provide six months discount charges which has benefited local commercial radio stations .

The Government also took steps to ensure local media could operate during the Covid 19 lockdown period. Journalists and other key media ancillary staff were designated as ‘key workers’ for the purposes of access to childcare and educational places. The Government also issued guidance to local authorities on the importance of newspaper delivery; took steps to ensure the use of ‘keyword blocklisting’ technology is not inadvertently damaging news publishers’ online advertising revenues for Covid-19 related stories by ad-blocking coronavirus-related terms; and implemented a significant public information campaign, using local and national press and commercial radio extend the reach of these campaigns.

The Government recognises the vital role that regional news and local current affairs play in bringing communities together and reflecting experiences across the UK. The BBC’s proposed cuts to English regional television were debated in the chamber on 22 June 2020, where the government set out its support for regional broadcasting and its concern about the BBC’s decision.

The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of government, and regional programming is a matter for the BBC. The BBC’s Royal Charter requires the BBC to represent, reflect and serve audiences, taking into account the needs of diverse communities of all the UK nations and regions. Under the new regulatory system introduced by the government in 2017, the BBC Board must ensure the BBC complies with its Charter duties, and Ofcom was established as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account.

Ofcom is aware of the changes to the BBC’s regional news and current affairs, and has said it will require the BBC to set out how the proposed cuts are consistent with the delivery of the BBC’s public purposes.

The government has no plans to reopen the BBC Charter or conduct a public consultation on this issue. The Charter will next be considered at the mid-term review. This is the appropriate milestone to consider whether the current regulatory arrangements for the BBC are working effectively. The Charter specifies that the review must take place between 2022 and 2024.

The government recognises the vital role of independent newspapers in supporting communities by ensuring the provision of reliable, high-quality information throughout the current pandemic. Safeguarding the UK’s news media so that they are able to continue to provide this is a key priority for the government and we are in regular dialogue with a range of stakeholders, including publishers, the Independent Community News Network and the Public Interest News Foundation to ensure that our response to the challenges they are facing is as effective and wide reaching as it can be.

The government will continue to consider all possible options in the interests of promoting and sustaining high-quality news journalism. Never have the activities of journalists been more popular and critical; providing quality news to all, including those self-isolating, and binding communities together, a fundamental function of our modern day democracy.

I met with the Independent Community News Network and the Public Interest News Foundation on 6 May to discuss Government support for the independent news publishing sector in light of the impacts of Covid-19. This meeting included a discussion on the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak on the independent news media sector, the Government's public information awareness campaign, and the ways in which the independent sector may be used to reach underserved audiences. I continue to engage with the

The Government announced on 9 March that it had signed the deal with the Mobile Network Operators to deliver the Shared Rural Network programme, which will see them collectively increase 4G coverage throughout the United Kingdom to 95% by end-2025. The Shared Rural Network is a programme to improve 4G coverage across the landmass of the UK, rather than offshore. As a result of the Shared Rural Network, it is possible that offshore coverage may be improved near ports or ferry routes, or adjacent to coastal population centres. This is not guaranteed, however, because exact deployment plans will be managed by the Mobile Network Operators themselves, in order for them to best deliver the coverage outcomes for the programme. Furthermore, the current 4G spectrum licenses issued by Ofcom to the Mobile Network Operators limit 4G coverage to the UK and the UK Territorial Sea (up to 12 nautical miles).

At the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019, the UK signed an international treaty ensuring global coordination of radio spectrum frequencies. These regulations are of great importance to the international maritime community because they help minimise the likelihood of interference and allow for the unconditional operation of critical nautical safety communications. However, these regulations also impose certain measures to limit interference between countries and can therefore impact on 4G offshore coverage potential for fishing vessels.

DCMS supports improvements in maritime communications and is currently monitoring developments in alternative communications technologies that could provide better connectivity to fishing vessels, where coverage from land based systems is limited. Some vessels may already have these technologies installed for safety related requirements.

DCMS also recognises the importance of the maritime sector for the UK economy and is aware of its dependence on suitable maritime communications services. We will continue to work closely with Ofcom and other government departments to ensure the interests of this sector in telecoms are adequately considered.

Government recognises the important role that the creative industries play in driving local growth and creating new opportunities in places across the UK.

To support the UK’s world-leading cultural and creative businesses, the government and industry invested £150 million in the Creative Industries Sector Deal.

The Deal announced several proposals including a £20 million ‘Cultural Development Fund’ (CDF) for cities and towns in England to bid for creative and cultural investment. As part of the competitive grant application process, the following towns and cities were successful in their CDF application: Worcester, Wakefield, Thames Estuary, Plymouth and Grimsby. In addition, a £39m ‘Creative Industries Cluster Programme’ funding for nine R&D partnerships has been set up across the UK.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport also funds Arms Length Bodies such as Arts Council England which invest in arts and culture on a regional basis.

According to Arts Council England, National Portfolio Organisations in Cornwall - many of which are defined as Creative Industries - will receive up to £10 million in funding between 2018-22. In addition, a further £5.96 million has been invested in Music Education Hubs and Grants for the Arts between 2013 and 2019

The Electronic Communications Code (ECC) was recently reformed as part of the Digital Economy Act 2017. These reforms were intended to reduce the cost of providing communications infrastructure and make it easier for operators to deploy such infrastructure. The new Code came into force on 28 December 2017.

The Regulatory Impact Assessment published by Government estimated that the ECC reforms could lead to a reduction in average market rents (as compared to rates agreed before reforms to the ECC). However, the eventual impact is difficult to predict during this period of transition in which operators and site providers adapt to the new legislation.

During this period, where the market is adjusting and settling, good working relationships between site providers and code operators are critical, and we encourage all parties to continue their efforts to reach mutually acceptable agreements. A joint statement released in August reaffirmed the commitment made by DCMS, industry, CLA and RICS to work collaboratively to implement the ECC.

My Department will continue to work with stakeholders, including representatives from industry, landowners, representative bodies and Ofcom, to inform the implementation of the new Code. We will monitor developments carefully and, as outlined in the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/732496/Future_Telecoms_Infrastructure_Review.pdf) will consider a formal review of the impact of the ECC reforms.

The live music industry is a vital part of the UK’s music ecosystem, contributing £1bn to the economy in 2016 and must be allowed to continue to thrive. We have recently reformed both licensing and planning guidance and will continue working with industry and Whitehall colleagues on a range of issues affecting the live music industry.

Arts Council England recently announced just under £10m funding for National Portfolio organisations in Cornwall from 2018-22, including Hall for Cornwall which hosts a live music programme and Creative Kernow's Cornwall Music Network.

Information on projects in receipt of a Lottery award can be found on the National Lottery Grants Database at the following link: http://www.lottery.culture.gov.uk and from Lottery Distributors’ own websites. The grants database can be sorted on a national, regional, local authority and constituency level.

The total value of the National Lottery grants awarded in North Cornwall and Cornwall between 2010 and 2016 are given in the table below. The figures for grants awarded in 2017 will be confirmed at the end of March 2018.

The recently published Mendoza Review of museums in England found that public funding to museums and galleries in England has totalled over £8.4 billion in the past decade. Museums in Cornwall receive public funding from a variety of sources, including Arts Council England (ACE), Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), local authorities and others, as well as benefiting from a range of tax reliefs and grants. It is therefore not possible to provide a comprehensive breakdown of public funding for museums in the region.

ACE has invested in Cornwall’s museums through its support for Cornwall Museums Partnership (CMP). As a Major Partnership Museum, CMP has received £1.5m from ACE since 2015, and as a National Portfolio Organisation in the next spending round from 2018-2022 will receive £2.44m funding to enable Cornwall’s museums to become a strong network of sustainable organisations.

Government also directly sponsors Tate St Ives which reopened in October following a major project which saw it nearly double in size, supported by £2.8m from the HLF.

The Government has provided over £5.9m for the delivery of superfast broadband in Cornwall. According to Thinkbroadband, currently over 90% of premises in Cornwall have access to Superfast Broadband, up from 33% in 2011. The local Superfast Cornwall project has a current delivery contract with BT which will extend coverage to at least a further 3% of premises within Cornwall.

As confirmed in our announcement in December 2017 we are pushing ahead with our plans for a Universal Service Obligation (USO) so that by 2020 everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request high speed broadband.

VisitBritain and VisitEngland are responsible for promoting the UK as a tourist destination, which it does through a range of different initiatives and campaigns. One of the current projects in the £40m Discover England Fund is the South West Coast Path, which is promoting the path to the Dutch and German market. Cornwall is also featured in their new domestic campaign “Join the World”.

At of the end of the last financial year, the Heritage Lottery Fund has funded 639 projects totalling £104.3m in Cornwall. These projects range from the St Austell Townscape Heritage, the Tate St Ives and the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth. In addition, our colleagues in the Department of Cities and Local Growth have awarded over £11m of Coastal Communities Funding to 12 projects in Cornwall.

Government public funding for the arts is distributed by Arts Council England. The amount of arts investment provided to the North Cornwall constituency is as follows:

2015/16: £892,261

2016/17: £826,239

2017/18 (Year to date) £790,334

Information held by the Department does not distinguish between rural and urban areas in regards to superfast broadband coverage. Superfast broadband of at least 24 Mbps is available to over 94 per cent of homes and businesses in the UK.

According to Thinkbroadband

(http://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/cornwall,E06000052), in Cornwall almost 90% of premises now have access to superfast broadband, up from 33% in 2011. Current contracted delivery will extend coverage by a further 3% by 2019 and Superfast Cornwall are currently beginning a further procurement process for additional superfast coverage beyond that.

For all premises that do not have superfast broadband the government will ensure universal broadband of at least 10Mbps.

Our tourism industry supports millions of jobs and is one of the nation's leading employers and export earners. In 2014, the sector contributed nearly £60bn to the UK economy, and at the latest spending round the Chancellor announced a new £40m Discover England to encourage international visitors to explore beyond London. In the South West, the number of domestic visitors has​ increased by 14% in the 12 months to December 2015, compared with the previous year; and we have been working to promote international tourism through the £5m South West Tourism Growth Fund. Full-year data for international visitors in 2015 will be released in due course.