Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
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 Prime Minister's statement of 10 May 2020, if he will (a) list the industries and workplaces that can now reopen and (b) publish guidance for those sectors and workplaces to follow.
Answered by Paul Scully
The list of businesses which must remain closed at present are published online and updated when relevant at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance.
However, in consultation with industry, we have also produced guidance to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible if they are able to reopen. Our approach has not been split by specific business types or industries, but by the type of work environment instead, such as factories, outdoor work or offices. The guidance reminds employers that they have a duty under UK law to protect the health and safety of their workers and other people who might be affected by their business. This includes considering the risks that COVID-19 represents. The guidance is published online at www.gov.uk/workingsafely.
As part of the plan for Phase 2 of reopening of the economy, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of five taskforces: pubs and restaurants; non-essential retail (including salons); recreation and leisure (including tourism, culture and heritage, libraries, entertainment and sport); places of worship; and international aviation. Officials are now working on the details of how the taskforces will operate.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) Historic England and (b) local authorities to preserve Chatterley Whitfield Colliery.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Chatterley Whitfield Colliery is one of the UK’s most important industrial heritage sites, and is deserving of a positive regeneration solution to protect it for future generations. The previous Heritage Minister recently visited the Chatterley Whitfield Colliery alongside representatives from Historic England and Stoke-on-Trent City Council to discuss the issues facing the site, and to seek to identify potential next steps and opportunities for its future.
The scale of the challenge presented by a site of this size and complexity is vast, but Government stands ready to further support Historic England and Stoke-on-Trent City Council in their ongoing conversations to find a long-term solution that will provide a sustainable future for Chatterley Whitfield.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an annual estimate of the number of bats (a) killed and (b) injured by onshore wind turbines; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
BEIS does not produce estimates on the number of bats killed and injured by onshore wind turbines.
Updated guidance is available for developers and planners to ensure that onshore wind energy developments pose minimal risk to bats. This was produced jointly by Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, Natural Resources Wales, RenewableUK, and others. The guidance can be accessed through the Government’s Planning Policy Guidance on Renewable & Low Carbon Energy, or directly through this link: https://www.nature.scot/bats-and-onshore-wind-turbines-survey-assessment-and-mitigation
Asked by: Lord Livermore (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 20 May (HL15847), what recent assessment they have made of the impact of (1) Honda's decision to close its Swindon plant in 2021, and (2) other recent announcements by car manufacturers, on the wider supply chain.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government is working with the car manufacturers and key industry groups to identify and assess supply chain risks in all cases where car manufacturing operations are expected to cease or reduce. It is a complex picture and it is difficult to project the number of potential job losses. Every effort is being made to minimise job losses by supporting affected suppliers to identify new opportunities to sustain and potentially grow their businesses before the impact of these announcements comes to pass.
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy convened the latest meeting of the Honda Swindon Task Force on 19 June bringing together civic leaders, local partners and MPs, Honda, Unite the Union, sector representatives and leading government officials. I am pleased to confirm that the Government announced this April that Swindon will be one of twelve new Institutes of Technology to be set up across the country to boost the nation's skills and set more young people on a clear path to high quality and well-paid jobs. I strongly support this announcement, with Swindon being selected from a highly competitive field, which is testament to the hard work of Swindon College and the consortia involved in the bid. This will build on Swindon's reputation and heritage for world beating manufacturing and engineering, putting Swindon at the heart of the industries and jobs of tomorrow.
The Government has recently launched the £16m National Manufacturing Competitiveness Levels (NMCL) supply chain programme, which is designed to improve competitiveness, raise workforce capability, and increase the productivity of automotive suppliers. The programme is open to Honda suppliers. The Task Force is expected to continue to meet on a regular basis to assess and mitigate impacts stemming from closure of Honda operations in Swindon.
We are doing everything possible to support businesses, their workforce and communities affected by the announcements. We continue the strive to attract investment, creating highly-skilled jobs that offer fulfilling careers for years to come.
Asked by: Melanie Onn (Labour - Great Grimsby)
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 start the implementation of phase one of the Greater Grimsby Town Deal, and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The ground-breaking Greater Grimsby Town Deal was launched on 5 July 2018 beginning a stronger relationship between central government and local partners. The Town Deal meets a commitment to pilot a new approach to driving growth in our towns and was included in the Industrial Strategy, our long-term plan to boost productivity by backing businesses to create high-quality, well paid jobs throughout the United Kingdom, with investment in skills, industries, and infrastructure, as well as ensuring our places realise their full potential.
The Town Deal is focused on four inter-related themes, namely:
The Government has been working intensively with North East Lincolnshire Council, the Project Board, and the private sector on implementation since the launch of the Town Deal and there has been considerable progress.
We have continued to support delivery of the Grimsby Heritage Action Zone and, in January 2019, announced a further £3.2m investment in heritage, culture and creative industries as a catalyst for economic growth in Grimsby through DCMS’s Cultural Development Fund. We are delivering in skills too. The Department for Education announced that the University of Lincoln-led Institute of Technology (IoT) proposal was one of 12 successful IoT proposals that will be established across the country. The IoT will operate across Lincolnshire, including Grimsby, and will be a key plank of the Town Deal.
Progress continues to be made on implementation of the South Humber Industrial Investment Programme including starting important infrastructure works to get these strategic economic sites ready for market, including the Humber Link Road and highways improvements to Moody Lane.
We have also been working closely with the Council and other partners to support regeneration of Grimsby’s town centre and reconnecting it with its waterfront and we hope to be saying more about this in the near future.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the Ordnance Survey's estimate is of the total area given over to domestic gardens in each local authority in England and Wales.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Ordnance Survey estimates the total area given over to domestic gardens (including estate/national trust/heritage gardens) of any size in each local authority in England and Wales is 3,592.96 km2 (359,296.22 hectares). A breakdown for each authority can be viewed in the attached spreadsheet (1).
In addition, Ordnance Survey have looked at the distribution of these garden areas in England and Wales to compare the spread of area ranges to the number of residential properties. This was compared with average garden sizes for new build and large residential houses to get an upper limit for garden area to use for more standard domestic gardens. From this data set Ordnance Survey estimates the total area given to domestic gardens which are below 200m2 in each local authority in England and Wales is 1,301.54 km2 (130,154.27 hectares). A breakdown for each authority can be viewed in the attached spreadsheet (2).
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the Ordnance Survey's estimate is of the total area given over to domestic gardens in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Ordnance Survey estimates the total area given over to domestic gardens (including estate/national trust/heritage gardens) of any size in a) England to be 3,415.67 km2 (341,566.64 hectares) and b) Wales to be 177.30 km2 (17,729.57 hectares).
In addition, Ordnance Survey have looked at the distribution of these garden areas in England and Wales to compare the spread of area ranges to the number of residential properties. This was compared with average garden sizes for new build and large residential houses to get an upper limit for garden area to use for more standard domestic gardens. From this data set Ordnance Survey estimates the total area given to domestic gardens which are below 200m2 in size in a) England to be 1,231.72 km2 (123,171.75 hectares) and b) Wales to be 62.54 km2 (6,253.74 hectares).
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support high street retailers increase footfall.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
This Department is clear that we want all types of retail to thrive now and in the future, and wants to support the sector as it responds to change. This is why in March we established the industry led Retail Sector Council to bring Government and industry together to boost the sector’s productivity and promote its future.
In addition, in Autumn budget 2018, we announced a number of measures as part of an Action Plan, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support the sustainable transformation of our high streets. This plan includes:
This Action plan is in addition to existing measures including:
Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
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 potential merits of introducing a medal for women who worked in munitions factories during the world wars.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government recognises the hard work of the Munitions workers and is extremely grateful for their input and sacrifices made during both world wars often working in harsh conditions, to ensure that our soldiers were well equipped during the war effort.
There are no plans to introduce a medal for munitions workers who served during the world wars. A commemorative badge is available thanks to the support of the BAE Systems Heritage Department and the efforts of the Munitions Workers Association. This is similar to those badges given to those who worked in the mines during the second world war – the so-called Bevan Boys. Surviving munitions workers and their families can approach the Munitions Workers Association to receive this commemorative badge.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to implement a long-term strategy to help boost growth in the manufacturing sector.
Answered by Lord Henley
Britain has a proud manufacturing heritage currently supporting 2.7 million jobs across the country. Through our modern Industrial Strategy, we are creating opportunities for UK manufacturing to build on its strengths and continue to grow.
We are working closely with industry to secure a strong future for UK manufacturers through major new investment in research, with a commitment to increase total R&D investment to 2.4% of GDP by 2027. In addition, we are: