Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department and its predecessor Department have taken to reduce the costs of error in the last three financial years.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) was established on 7th February 2023. Prior to this date the portfolio for DSIT sat within the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The published BEIS Annual Report & Accounts provide a summary of counter fraud activity and respective costs related to fraud. The Cross-Government Fraud Landscape Annual Report 2022 highlights the latest available data relating to fraud and error across government.
The Government is proud of its record in proactively seeking to find and prevent more fraud in the system. We have established the dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In its first year it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.
Due to the Machinery of Government changes, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology have not yet produced fraud and error estimates, but this will be published in the 23/24 annual report and accounts.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to provide information to domestic defence firms on the services provided by her Department's regional international trade advisers.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade’s ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ export promotion campaign showcases the support available to businesses, including our International Trade Adviser service. In addition, support is provided through the Export Support Service (ESS), a first point of contact service for any businesses seeking to trade internationally. Through the ESS, businesses can access support from DBT’s overseas network, UK Export Finance, UK Export Academy and our international events programme. Businesses can access digital support via great.gov.uk. We work with partners across all sectors, including Defence, to raise awareness of the support available.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2024 to Question 21358 on INEOS: Belgium, if he will provide a breakdown of the €200 million of UK content by the (a) sectors and (b) nature of (i) goods and (ii) services.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The largest share of the UK content goes to supporting jobs where a UK company is responsible for construction and project management of associated facilities for the INEOS Project One site, including design and engineering services. Additionally, UK content support has been provided for a company to provide equipment for furnaces, as well as for companies providing legal and procurement services from the UK.
The Department for Business and Trade are unable to provide further details about contracts already awarded for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what channels SMEs can use to feed into export policy.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Export Digital Enquiry Service is the first point of contact for businesses seeking to trade internationally and the route to the Department for Business and Trade’s wider network of support. SMEs can feed into export policy via numerous channels, including our International Trade Advisers and the Export Champions Advisory Group. The department’s Ministers interact with SMEs regularly and at the recent Business Connect conference, SMEs could put their concerns directly to the Prime Minister.
Trade Associations regularly engage with the department to represent the interests of SMEs.
The department regularly invites businesses, including SMEs, to contribute to Calls for Input ahead of Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many British Hallmarking Council staff have left that organisation in each year since 2015.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We centrally hold some of the information requested.
In as far as data is centrally held, I refer the hon. Member to the Civil Service statistics, for the Department for Business and Trade, at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics
The Declaration on Government Reform (2021) stated: "There is however more we must do to attract a broader range of people to the privilege of public service... It should be natural for people with careers and skills built in business to serve in government for a period, and for those in public service to spend time in organisations which are not dependent on public money... We will develop new entry routes from industry, academia, the third sector and the wider public sector, with flexibility to suit those who want to build a career in government and those who want a shorter tour of duty."
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had recent discussions with her counterpart in the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK and Taiwan already share a deep, £11bn trade and investment relationship.
Trade Talks with Taiwan are longstanding and held annually to boost trade and support economic growth. To build on this the UK and Taiwan are developing an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) to further increase trade and investment. This will promote co-operation and support British businesses to take advantage of opportunities, initially in investment, digital trade, and energy and net-zero.
Minister Huddleston hosted the 26th UK Taiwan Trade Talks in London on 8 November 2023, and I met with Taiwan’s Minister Deng in February at the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department and its predecessor Department have taken to reduce the costs of fraud in the Department in the last three financial years.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) was established on 7th February 2023. Prior to this date the portfolio for DSIT sat within the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The published BEIS Annual Report & Accounts provide a summary of counter fraud activity and respective costs related to fraud. The Cross-Government Fraud Landscape Annual Report 2022 highlights the latest available data relating to fraud and error across government.
Presently, as for all Government Departments, DSIT counter fraud activity is governed by Government Functional Standards for Counter Fraud, covering both proactive and reactive counter fraud activity, and set out by the Government Counter Fraud Function (GCFF). Adherence to standards is monitored and reviewed by the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA).
In 2022/23 the PSFA set a target of delivering £180 million of savings to the taxpayer. In fact, the PSFA far surpassed this within the first 12 months by preventing and recovering £311 million. As it enters its second year, the PSFA has a target of achieving £185 million of savings for the taxpayer.
The Government has also announced an additional £34 million to deploy cutting edge tools and Artificial Intelligence tools to help combat fraud across the public sector, saving £100 million for the public purse. This is in addition to existing partnerships between PSFA and the tech sector.
The Government is determined to uncover fraud in the public sector and is proud of its record.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which Department is responsible for foreign direct investment into research and development in the UK.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for the promotion and facilitation for foreign direct investment (FDI). DSIT works closely with DBT to promote global collaboration and investment opportunities in R&D.
FDI is a key source of R&D funding, accounting for 14% of UK R&D investment. Our collaborative approach resulted in the successful 2023 Global Investment Summit, securing over £29 billion, including investments in AI, life sciences and quantum.
Asked by: Thérèse Coffey (Conservative - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to help increase business investment in Suffolk.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The Department for Business and Trade works with local stakeholders to promote investment opportunities in the region to potential overseas investors and provide support for foreign investors wishing to set up in the area. The Government works closely with clients to understand their requirements and to reduce any barriers which may inform the client’s decision to locate in the region.
The Government is also backing the Freeport East to create new jobs and attract new businesses in high growth sectors such as advanced manufacturing and engineering.
The Government supports a range of programmes dedicated to supporting small and medium businesses to grow. This includes free access to the Business Support Helpline, Help to Grow, Growth Hubs, UK Export Academy, International Trade Advisors, and the Export Digital Enquiry Service. Government funded support is also available through the British Business Bank.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department (a) collects and (b) produces labour market information.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade is responsible for employment rights.
In order to support this, the department collects and produces labour market information through published impact assessments, and statistics on trade union membership in the UK. This is undertaken to better inform policy decisions. They can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-and-trade/about/statistics.