Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of post office branches that currently have suspended services; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
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. The distribution of branches is an operational matter of commercial judgement for Post Office management team. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many of the 41 Crown post offices in dedicated premises that are earmarked to be franchised and relocated to WHSmith have Applicant Enrolment Identification (AEI) machines; and how many of the AEI machines will be relocated to the franchisee’s stores with the post office counter.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
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. The distribution of branches is an operational matter of commercial judgement for Post Office management team. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many of the post office counters that were located in Bargain Booze stores that then closed were relocated in the last eight years; and what the financial cost to the taxpayer was of those relocations.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
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. The distribution of branches is an operational matter of commercial judgement for Post Office management team. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many post office counters have been located in a Bargain Booze store in the last eight years; and how many of those Bargain Booze stores then closed.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
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. The distribution of branches is an operational matter of commercial judgement for Post Office management team. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
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 ensure that charity staff are paid at least the living wage.
Answered by Margot James
The National Living Wage is the minimum rate of hourly pay workers aged 25 and over are entitled to by law. Workers younger than 25 should receive at least the National Minimum Wage rate, which varies according to their age and whether they are an apprentice or not.
Everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) or National Living Wage (NLW) should receive it. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigates every complaint it receives and workers can call the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) Helpline (on 0300 123 1100) for information and guidance about the NMW, or visit their website (www.acas.org.uk).
The Government continues to invest heavily in minimum wage enforcement, increasing the budget to £25.3 million for 2017/18, up from £13 million in 2015/16 and is committed to driving compliance across all sectors of the economy.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
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 merits of reforming state aid rules when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Margot James
The Government is aware that the EU negotiating mandate explicitly refers to state aid in the context of any future trade agreement between the EU and UK. This future relationship is subject to negotiation.
While the Government cannot speculate on outcomes at this stage, any future regime will be based on the principles of open markets and fair competition. As my Right Hon Friend the Prime Minister made clear in her speech in Florence “it would be a serious mistake to try to beat other countries’ industries by unfairly subsidising one’s own”.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish Professor Tim Dafforn's review of entrepreneurship; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Margot James
Professor Tim Dafforn’s review of entrepreneurship is supporting the development of the Industrial Strategy white paper which will be published later this year.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to introduce a new workplace entitlement to volunteering leave for three days a year.
Answered by Margot James
The Government is keen to see greater corporate responsibility on the part of employers and to encourage the public sector, charities and businesses to consider their impact on society. Employer-supported volunteering can help to build stronger communities and a stronger economy, by helping charities and community groups to do more and by creating a more motivated and productive workforce. Many public sector organisations and businesses already run impressive volunteering programmes.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to bring forward proposals for three days of paid volunteering leave for employees.
Answered by Margot James
The Government is keen to see greater corporate responsibility on the part of employers and to encourage the public sector, charities and businesses to consider their impact on society. Employer-supported volunteering can help to build stronger communities and a stronger economy, by helping charities and community groups to do more and by creating a more motivated and productive workforce. Many public sector organisations and businesses already run impressive volunteering programmes.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the announcement made by his Department on 27 March 2017 on new guidance to support working mothers of premature babies, what progress has been made on drawing up of such guidance; and whether it is still the Government's policy to publish guidance for employers.
Answered by Margot James
The Government is committed to supporting working parents with premature babies. We are working with the Advisory, Conciliation & Arbitration Service (Acas) to produce best practice guidance for employers on how best to support working parents with babies born prematurely. We expect guidance to be published in the autumn.