Live Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Questions House of Commons

Hello and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage of the

House of Commons. Today is the start of two days of debate on the general

principles of the Government's Bill to give the Prime Minister the power

to enact Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and start the process for

leaving the European Union. The debate will begin at around 12.

40 and continue until Midnight before resuming tomorrow.

MPs will vote tomorrow evening at around 7 o'clock.

Ministers want to get the Bill passed in both Houses of Parliament

in time to trigger the process by the 31th March.

Join me for a round-up of the day in both Houses of Parliament at 11

tonight. First, questions to the Secretary of State for Business,

energy and industrial strategy, Greg Clark, and his ministerial team.

THE SPEAKER: Order, order. Her Majesty has signified her Royal

assent to the following Acts, policing and crime Act 2017, Wales

Act 2017. Order, questions to the Secretary of State for Business,

energy and industrial strategy. Lilian Greenwood.

Number one, Mr Speaker. Thank you very much indeed, Mr

Speaker. The first section of our green paper

industrial strategy sets out our ambition to make Britain the best

nation in the world for scientists, innovators and technical inventors.

In support of this, we have announced an increase of ?4.7

billion in public research and development funds, the biggest

increase in support of science for 40 years. In evidence to the

Education Select Committee last week, Professor Arthur, President of

University College London spoke not only of the huge sums of money

flowing into research in the UK through Europe, a rise in 2020 and

the European Council, but also for a system that replaces the mobility of

the people, the networking and working across multiple boundaries.

Does he recognise if the Euro-sceptics in his party prevail

and we have a hard Brexit, even spending 3% of GDP on funding won't

be enough for scientific research and what is he doing to stand up for

the needs of this sector? What I would say to the honourable lady and

she has two very eminent universities in her constituency,

they are going from strength-to-strength. But she will

know, and I agree with her, that having the best researchers from

across the world coming to our universities, is very important, and

it was one of the points that the Prime Minister made in her speech at

Lancaster House. That is a priority for our negotiations.

Of course part of that science funding includes the funding of the

satellite sector which is an important industrial base for the

United Kingdom and the Government's set its own target within the next

two decades to increase it by a further 10% of global share. What

more money could be put into the satellite sector from the industrial

strategy challenge fund? My right honourable friend raises an

important point. We say in the strategy that we should build on our

strengths and the satellite sector is a shining British strength. We

have huge numbers of jobs being created in that sector. It's

specified throughout the industrial strategy as an area in which we want

the industry to work together to ensure we are particularly training

the technicians and engineers in that sector in the future.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The industrial strategy quite rightly

points out to the crucial significance and investment in

science in our future economy and productivity. Given the fact that

currently, the USA, Germany and France, all outspend us in this

area, can he give a commitment that the future spending will actually

outstrip them to give us some sort of competitive advantage over them?

Well, the honourable gentleman is a thoughtful member on these matters,

having chaired the select scomitty, and he will see in the green paper,

we are very candid about the need to keep the pace -- committee. We have

increased the public investment that we have. He should know - he

mentions the US and is right to do so - but in terms of proportion

national investment, it's higher than in Germany, Japan, Sweden,

Denmark, Finland and Norway and other countries besides, so we are

building on strength but want to take it forward and I look forward

to his contribution to the consultation.

There is great concern about the future of fusion research after

Britain pulls out of the European Union. Could the Secretary of State

give reassurance that he'll continue to support and fully fund the joint

European project after Britain leaves the European Union? I would

say to my right honourable friend that the collaboration we have

between scientists and between workers in the nuclear sector is one

of the important aspects of continued cooperation that we very

much want and intend to see continue.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Yes, the green paper does make much of

reannouncing a welcome increase in science spend which following cuts

of up to 50% over the last seven years, has finally returned to it

the levels of the last Labour Government. However, R D funding

remains barely half the recommended 3% target that Labour has committed

to. So does the Secretary of State agree that, given the impact of

Brexit on UK science, the lack of any overarching vision, the focus on

picking sector winners, rather than mobilising the whole...

THE SPEAKER: Extremely grateful to the honourable lady. Order. I'm

sorry, we have got a lot to get through. The frontbench on both

sides must be much more self-disciplined, it's not fair on

backbenchers. Secretary of State? The honourable lady didn't have it

right. She should know, and the science sector has welcomed the fact

that we protected funding for science during all of the difficult

years in which we were recovering from the finances that the party

opposite gave. There was a huge welcome for the ?2 billion a year

increase, it's the biggest since 1979. In other words it's bigger

than any Labour Government ever offered.

Thank you. With your permission, I will answer this question together

with questions five, six and 11. The UK has the second largest aerospace

industry worldwide with strengths in some of the most technologically

advanced parts of aircraft wings, engines and advance systems. The

sector has annual turnover of ?30 billion and exports some ?20 billion

a year. Leading aerospace designers and

manufacturers see aerospace in my constituency speak positively of

support from the Government's sharing in growth scheme which they

say will be key in helping the company realise its ambitious growth

strategy. Would the minister congratulate the company on their

plans and consider visiting Congleton to learn more about this?

I absolutely share her congratulations to the company in

question. I have myself visited companies benefitted from the

sharing of growth programme and would be delighted to visit them in

her constituency. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Rochester and

Stroud has a proud aerospace history. It's now home to an

important supply chain for Airbus. Could my right honourable friend

outline how he'll ensure the supply chain will continue to have

unhindered access to major opportunities within our

manufacturing industry? As the honourable lady will know, the

aerospace growth has been a success in which the way Government's worked

closely with industry and, as part of that, the Government's made a

joint funding commitment with the industry for nearly ?4 billion of

aerospace research between 2013 and 2026. So I think the future is

realtively well funded. Thank you, Mr Speaker. What

guarantees will the minister give to the group representing the UK

aerospace industry ADS when he states that they must have "access

to vital space programmes initiated by the new Space Agency, but also

funded by specific EU programmes"? Well, my right honourable friend,

the Secretary of State, already talked about the importance of the

satellite programmes that we have got in this country and, the

European Space Agency sits outside the EU structure itself and

therefore will be handled separately from EU discussions.

Following the contracts signed in Turkey last week by the United

Kingdom and Turkey on the new Turkish fighter jet, does my right

honourable friend see this as an endorsement in skills and expertise

of BAE Systems in this country, and does he foresee future deals leg

done with other countries? Well, I think everyone concerned with the

aerospace sector will welcome that transaction. It shows how BAE

continues to be a global leader in this sector and we'll go on to do

further such work around the world. Last two years, Glasgow's built more

satellites than any other city in Europe, where there are 100 private

sector organisations, collidespace has contributed more than ?130

million to the Scottish economy. This is much credited to Scotland's

long-standing strength in engineering in strength, science and

technology. As he face a hard Tory Brexit, will the Secretary of State

make a commitment that the sector will be protected and there'll be no

detriment to the vital sector and the jobs? The success of Scotland

has been part of a wider UK success. I echo the point the lady meant. I

was in Glasgow last week looking and talking to hi-tech companies at the

university and I can absolutely vouch for their quality.

Mr Speaker, in my former career as an aerospace engineer, I saw several

examples where - they haven't heard the question yet, Mr Speaker! I saw

several examples where the competitiveness was diminished by

political enforcement of collaboration and engineering across

Europe. Will he ensure that in future collaboration across Europe

on aerospace matters is where it's productive and not where it suits

geopolitical objectives? I admire the subtle and unobtrusive

way in which my colleague brought his personal experience into that

question and I can assure him that we'll take a thoroughly cooperative

approach. At the recent Steel 2020 report

noted steel is a key foundation industry for the UK that underpins

our aerospace automotive and many other sectors.

But, in their 130-page industrial strategy green paper, steel is

mentioned just once. Can he explain why he's neglecting this important

industry? I am very surprised to hear her say

that because the Government has had very productive discussions with the

steel industry indeed. Number three, please, Mr Speaker. With your

permission, I will answer this together with questions four, 12 and

17. The website and helpline provides information on starting and

running a business. Hubs provide access to local and national

support. There are 4.8 million people currently self-employed. When

I started a business myself, one of the most intimidating elements was

employing my first member of staff. What more can the Government do to

in courage and support the self-employed to grow and become

employers in their own right? We will support entrepreneurs across

the UK to ensure they can access finance and wider support to grow.

Bank programmes are already supporting ?3.2 billion worth of

finance to over 51,000 smaller businesses, including start-up loans

to 39 entrepreneurs in my honourable friend's constituency. This is a

matter close to my heart as someone who was self-employed until a few

months ago. The many self-employed businesses in the areas of West

Oxfordshire. We need deregulation, helping businesses to attract and

seek the finance they need. We continue to work hard to make the UK

a great place to start and grow a business. We are currently,

according to the OECD statistics, third internationally for the best

pace to start a business, but we are 13th for the best place to grow a

business which is where my focus is going to live. I very much welcome

the support of my honourable friend -- lie. North Kensington has several

fantastic initiatives were new start-ups have access to shared

space. Have they any plans to reduce business rates for small companies

using shared space initiatives? The Treasury has no plans specifically

for shared work spaces, however, at the last budget, the Chancellor

announced 6.7 billion of cuts benefiting all business ratepayers,

including permanently doubling small business rate relief thresholds from

2017. Can my honourable friend tell the House how the industrial

strategy will support disabled people who want to start and grow

their own businesses? The disabled employment programme is a very

important part of our work in labour markets and it is backed by many top

retailers and we will continue to press and work with the Department

for Work and Pensions for greater access to work for people with

disabilities. In order to grow businesses, they need to have access

to good quality training. I met with the Doncaster YMCA last week and

their apprentices and there was an issue about clarity of funding in

the transition arrangements from the skills fund agency to the Department

for Education. Can the Minister take an urgent look at this? I thank her

for bringing this to our attention. Skills and a new approach to

improving access to schools and apprenticeships is a fundamental

part of our new industrial strategy and I will raise the matter she has

raised this morning with the Secretary of State for Education.

Thank you. Given the fact that many self-employed people recruit

apprentices and also others who are seeking employment and given the

report recently produced by the Institute for Fiscal Studies,

casting doubt on the effectiveness of apprentices and their training

scheme and apprenticeship with every, what is the Government going

to do about that? -- levy. The new academies programme for improving

skills and access to apprenticeships, it is working with

the existing programme to improve both the quality and numbers of

apprentices. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Further education colleges have an

important role in skills and trading and they can help many people into

work. Does it make sense to cut the budget of further education

colleges? Further education colleges remain a very important part of our

strategy to improve skills and access to apprenticeships, but they

are not the only route. The apprentice levy will increase

funding for the overall access to schools for our young people.

Digital tax updates, it is a real concern for the self-employed and

small businesses. HMIC says support is available. Can the Minister

outlined the support available to help self-employed businesses and

how much funding is set aside for the support? The honourable

gentleman talks about the... I am so sorry. I did not follow all of his

question. But I know the Treasury are looking at the fairness of

taxation between self-employed people and the rest of the workforce

and I will read his question in Hansard and write to him

accordingly. With the ranks of self-employed being expanded by an

increase in independent working, will she make sure that labour

market regulations are updated so that employee rights are maintained?

I very much agree with the thrust of my honourable friend's question and

the Prime Minister appointed Matthew Taylor to undertake a review of

practices in the modern economy to ensure that whilst we impress new

technology, we also protect workers' rights -- we embrace. What is the

Government doing about the scourge of bogus offer employment which too

often is a rip off of the workers concerned and a rip-off of HMIC? The

review will also look at that very important point, a worker's contract

with the employer is the fundamental basis on which they are judged to be

self-employed or a worker and that distinction will be closely

scrutinised by Matthew Taylor. Number seven, please, Mr Speaker.

SMEs in Kent are fundamental to the economy, as everywhere else. The

Government through local growth funds and Kent County Council and

the Kent and Medway business operations will ensure that Kent and

the Medway benefit hugely in the terms of the increase in numbers of

SMEs. Taking into account the Government's commitment to

investment in infrastructure which will assist businesses in Medway and

Kent, can the Minister confirm that Government's commitment to the lower

Thames crossing along with extra investment for roads providing

connectivity for local businesses in the Medway and Kent? The Department

for Transport will make an announcement on the issue my

honourable friend has raised, but he should be reassured that Kent County

Council and the relevant business organisations are working closely

with my department to ensure there are extensive improvements to the

transport infrastructure in his constituency and the wider county.

Not on the matter, purely focused on Kent and Medway, in which I'm sure

the honourable lady specialises. You can be assured of that. The SMEs in

Kent and Medway need someone to fight their corner in government. In

July, 2015, they were promised a small business commissioner that

would have a particular focus on late payments. The Federation of

Small Businesses have raised concerns about the lack of power the

commissioner will have and that 18 months after the position was

created, there is no sign of a commissioner. Can she tell SMEs in

Kent and Medway for whom I have the greatest regard and across the

country, when will the commission be appointed and will there be proper

powers given to the commissioner to ensure companies who do not pay

taken to task? I can reassure in the first instance the honourable lady

that the constituency of Kent and Medway is ably championed by my

honourable friend who asked the original question. But apropos her

point about the small business commissioner, we are in the process

of appointing the commissioner at the moment and he will be imposed by

the summer and able to take complaints on the very important

issue she raises of prompt payment in the autumn of this year. Question

eight. Thank you. The Hendry review published its report earlier this

month. The Government is considering the recommendations and the issues

that would arise from a broader lagoon programme including the

Government will publish a response generated by tidal

Government will publish a response in due course. As an MP with a

constituency on the coast, following the review, it has been estimated

building some ten tidal lagoon power stations by 2030 could generate 10%

of our electricity. When considering the economics of the scheme, will he

take into account the wider benefits for British manufacturing and

technology of becoming a world leader in this clean technology? My

colleague is right to recognise that the question must be considered in

the round and not merely on the merits of the Swansea scheme. It is

the Government's job to consider the advantages and disadvantages of

tidal lagoons as a whole and to take a decision which includes not merely

financial elements but also environmental, the capacity to

generate power, as part of a wider energy mix, and ancillary elements

as well. The Minister surely knows that all kinds of alternative energy

including tidal power need good recruits, trainees and indeed needs

apprentices. Isn't he hanging his head in shame this morning because

of the report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, highly respected,

that says the apprenticeship programme of this government is a

disaster and should be ripped up and started again? When is he going to

get real? Purely in relation to tidal lagoons. We're not talking

about apprenticeships more widely or shoehorning in a personal interest.

The Henri gentleman is philosopher and extras to a fault. Heaven for I

should entertain such unworthy suspicions. They are simply reassure

him that skills remain at the centre of the Government's concerns and

that is why they feature so Pompey in the industrial strategy.

Marvellous. The Minister is quite right to say that he will analyse

this in the round because while I think many of us will recognise the

economic advantage, particularly over a long period, like 100-150

years, the environmental impact will be considerable. Can he amplify what

sort of things he will be looking at, including how tidal lagoons

affect fish life, marine life and bird life? It is of course true that

as well as the economic case and value for money issues it raises,

there will be wider consideration of the environmental impact, but not

just in relation to individual schemes, as they can be understood

now, but the way they might accumulate over many tidal lagoons.

The Government has been very good at supporting the scheme in Northern

Ireland, can we ensure that what is learned in devolved governments

makes the most of what we learn from tidal power, not the immense in

Northern Ireland, but what we generate? I can again... One

hesitates to remind my honourable friend that it is a different matter

and technology from tidal lagoons, but I think he can take it as read

that officials and ministers will be thinking carefully about all of the

relevant precedents bearing on the issue. Thank you. The question this

morning was about potential contribution of power generated by

tidal lagoons to UK energy provision and my understanding is that a

limited deployment of tidal lagoons in the seven history alone would

contribute about 8% to UK electricity demand -- in the Severn

estuary. Can any other technology provide that sort of power in one

location? As a clue, Hinkley C is estimated to contribute about 7% to

UK energy requirements. I doubt suggest that honourable gentleman is

misinformed. It is not quite clear what he thinks of as the lagoons

contained in the scheme he describes but Hinkley Point will be a bigger

generator than certainly the first round of lagoons and as well as

being a high load and more reliable. Question nine, Mr Speaker.

Apologies, Mr Speaker. As I have mentioned, the issues considered by

the Hendry review complex and the Government will be using and

demanding a period of time to assess the recommendations to determine

which decision is in the best interests of UK energy consumers. I

have said separately in debate but we will not be dragging our heels

and we will not. There is huge potential for tidal.

I'm concerned about the department dragging its heels. Will the

minister assure me there'll be strong leadership to take the

recommendations forward to get on with the Swansea and other schemes.

I'm very surprised he should say that since it was the department's

expectation that the report would have been published before Christmas

and it was only published a matter of two or three weeks ago. There is

no suggestion the department is dragging its heels. We'll give this

however a thorough consideration in the public interest on value for

money and other grounds as well. The minister in a previous answer

referred to advantages and disadvantages. Would he agree with

me that the Swansea bay tide lagoon could not only serve to provide

energy needs but could provide needed jobs in my area and would,

out Wales at the forefront of developing a very important

technology. Proper concern for support and investment in his

community, that is absolutely right. The wider implications are being

reviewed. This was asked to be considered in power generation. The

report that refers to tidal energy. The minister will know that in

Northern Ireland the first large scale tidal scheme generator was

four times more at that time in the world at Strangford Lock. What

consideration will he give to making sure that this energy has been used

can be utilised for the benefit of all of Northern Ireland? Well, this,

as I indicated in a separate debate with the honourable gentleman, is a

different, although related technology. It was funded in part by

Government and has been very interesting, the results that it's

given. They are a matter of close consideration by officials and we

will continue to reflect on the matter. If he wishes to write to me

further on this, I would be delighted to take a letter.

One of the poor objective -- core objectives is to rebalance the UK

economy with engineering, construction and manufacturing,

making a larger contribution to economic growth. So does the

minister agree that if we are to achieve the objectives we absolutely

need to be investing in major infrastructure projects like the

tidal lagoon? I absolutely share his view that major infrastructure

investments are a huge major part, although only a part of the wider

infrastructure investment that can be made and overall investment that

can be made in this country as part of the industrial strategy. I do

think though that he's right to have said that these wider considerations

must be balanced by a tempered assessment of value for money as

well and that is what we'll give it. With all due respect to the

minister, simply not dragging your department's heels is simply not

good enough. The report recommends the minister secures the path-finder

project as swiftly as possible. I can promise he'll have the full

support of the members on this side of the House, although I'm unsure

he'll have the same support of many of those behind you. Will the

minister therefore press the Chancellor for an agreement on the

Swansea tidal lagoon to be announced in the March budget? Well, again, I

admire the honourable gentleman's dexterity in turning three weeks

into foot-dragging. Can I just, since given his scrutiny of the

review, may I simply remind him that the review itself specifically asks

Government to give these issues careful consideration as we will be

doing. Thank you, Mr Speaker. As plaintiff

the Secretary of State has already said, we are supporting research and

development throughout the UK. We protected the resource budget in

2015 and committed an additional ?2 billion in the most recent Autumn

Statement. The largest increase in science spending since 1979.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. A hard Brexit will threaten Scotland's world class

university sector and the price of the research development investment

that we are talking about is a staggering ?8.8 billion euros from

2017-2030. What is being done to protect that vital investment?

Scotland is indeed a powerhouse for academic research and we want to

play to one of this country's great strengths. So we welcome agreement

to continue to collaborate with our European partners on major science

and technology programmes in years to come. Britain will remain at the

forefront of collective endeavours to better understand and improve the

world in which we live. Of course, the most important

investment that we must safeguard is that of the people that are working

in science and research. What is the minister doing to ensure that

researchers in Scotland are assured their place, EU researchers are

assured a place as we go through the Brexit process? The honourable lady

makes an important point and this Government's made clear that we

value greatly the contribution that EU nationals make in our

institutions. The Government has been exceptionally clear that during

negotiations we want to protect the status of EU nationals already

living here and the only circumstances in which that would

not be possible is if British citizens and other EU member states

were not in return being protected. We invest ?2 billion per year in

health Life Sciences research through our research councils and

through the National Institute of Health research. We are bringing the

funding for the biomedical catalyst, we are helping businesses bring the

important research to market. In the new industrial strategy, we have

recently announced that Sir John Bell will be leading work on a

strategy to make the UK the best place in the world for Life

Sciences. Alongside the welcome support,

critical to the success of the industry will be private investment.

Could the minister outline what suggestions he might be making in

his budget submission to the Chancellor to stimulate this

investment? Well, my right honourable friend

makes an important point. Access to finance is key to a dynamic Life

Sciences sector in the UK. In November, the Prime Minister

announced a review into patient capital to identify barriers to

access to long-term finance for growing firms looking at all aspects

of the financial system and we look forward to the review's

recommendations ahead of the Autumn Statement.

The industrial strategy will have a major impact on speeding up the

ability to seek. Will my right honourable friend agree or confirm

he's working with the Department of Health to ensure the Government's

investment will be spent effectively to encourage greater productivity?

Indeed. The industrial strategy green paper highlights work on a new

strategy for Life Sciences bringing together the health system industry

and academia potentially leading to an early sector deal and the

accelerated access review sets out a vision of the NHS embracing

innovation and Government will respond in due course.

One of our most important reforms has been to devolve power and

resources to local areas through deals in which local businesses can

shape the decisions most affecting them. The honourable lady will have

welcomed the fact that last week, half a billion pounds was devolved

to northern Local Enterprise Partnerships, including ?130 million

to Greater Manchester. Thank you very much. I do very much

welcome some of the announcements in the industrial strategy last week,

most of them. But the Secretary of State will appreciate that when it

comes to key infrastructure issues, such as skills and childcare, they

very much have a local area strategy that is required. So what

conversations has the Secretary of State had with his colleagues in the

Department for Education and across Local Government about real and

meaningful devolution of skills and early years and education?

My right honourable friend is absolutely right, that the needs of

different places should be reflected in decisions that are made locally.

It's a big theme of the industrial strategy consultation to which I

hope she'll respond, as is the centrality of skills and training so

I look forward to her contribution to it.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Business investment in science and technology

are key to local economic growth and Britain's leadership of the fourth

Industrial Revolution. Will he continue supporting this? I will

indeed and I think one of the big opportunities is to make sure the

excellence we have in science and research is married with local

strength so we can have the products of that research in manufacturing,

for example, as well as the discoveries themselves. In Northern

Ireland there is only one small enterprise in Coleraine which hasn't

really progressed. Can the minister assist the Northern Ireland

Executive when it's up and running again for more enterprises within

the province -- enterprise zones within the province. I have met with

the minister responsible in Northern Ireland and I'm very happy with my

colleagues to, when we meet with him again, to consider what his

suggestions and proposals are. The borough of Kettering has had one

of the fastest rates of business rate growth in the whole country in

if last ten years. Would my right honourable friend agree that, with

Local Government to be fully funded by business rates from 2020, all

local councils are going to have to get far closer to their local

businesses in order for the local economies to function as best they

could? My right honourable friend is absolutely right, and he knows, as a

councillor, whoseth how important it is that that very direct connection

is made. It is one of the measures that is going through the House that

I was proud to have proposed when I was the Communities Secretary. It's

something that Local Government has long campaigned for and I'm

delighted this was this Conservative Government that was able to deliver

it. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Bank lending

is essential for local business success and yesterday's HBOS

convictions were a stark reminder of the way smaller businesses were

treated during the financial crisis by some banks. Does he accept

lending has fallen over the last year and what is he doing to give

confidence in the banks unlock support and increase lending?

The honourable gentleman is absolutely right to draw attention

to the misbehaviour of the banks, especially with regard to small

businesses, when they were inadequately supervised as a result

of the destruction of the supervisory regime that the previous

Government introduced. That is now put on a much more sounder footing

and he will know that the lending opportunities for small businesses

have been transformed, but the industrial strategy green paper is

very clear that we want to make further opportunities available

outside London and the south-east in particular.

The UK is the largest wind industry, and I visited the new ?300 million

Siemens factory which created over 1,000 valuable new jobs in the

Humber area. This afternoon, the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership

and Humber MPs are staging the showcase event to highlight the

assets that the energy estuary has. Could the minister assure business

leaders that the Government will continue to support the off shore

centre that is based in northern Lincolnshire and the wider Humber

region and will he or one of his colleagues find time to visit the

event this afternoon? Well, yes to the event and yes to

the assurance that he seeks about continued support on top of the

growth and the city deals and the enterprise zone programme. My right

honourable friend will be well aware of the very significant Government

commitment to future contract for different auctions worth ?730

million for less mature renewable technologies including off shore

wind and I help he welcomes that. What steps is the Government taking

to ensure the highest possible UK content in the steel used to build

the energy infrastructure in the Humber? It's an extremely important

point and part of the calculation on return for investment made by the

British taxpayer. Good progress is being made and this shows that ago

regated lifetime UK contact in operating windfarms is 43% against a

target of around 50% and it's a higher number for the value of

operations in maintenance contracts running at 70% of value at the

moment. This will be a key area of our focus in the industrial

strategy. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Question 16.

My right honourable friend has had discussions with the Chancellor in

building the Government's industrial strategy which includes ensuring

businesses can access the finance they need. We already help

businesses through the business finance and support finder on gov.

Uk and recently launched the finance platform service which offers SMEs

rejected for finance by the large banks the option of a referral to

alternative finance providers. With many online alternative finance

companies springing up, what is she doing twin short SMEs know about

alternative ways of accessing finance and what is she doing to

give them confidence to borrow from such organisations? -- what is she

doing to ensure a SMEs. The financing options available to

businesses including alternative sources of finance. The Financial

Conduct Authority regulates peer to peer lending platforms and is

currently reviewing its regime to insure it is robust and up to date.

What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of bank closures

in town centres on the availability of business finance so that town

centres such as mine which is losing three banks this year potentially

will still have access to business finance and a positive town centre?

The impact of bank closures is to some extent ameliorated by the

announcement by the post office a few weeks ago whereby the post

office will be enabling both personal and SME banking customers

to have face to face banking services across the country. We will

take the last question on condition... I want to move onto the

business promptly. If it is a single sentence, but if it is a long

question, we will not bother. Single or short sentence, that is what is

required. 19. This year the medical research council will spend ?655

million on world-class research, our commitment to the future of the UK

as a world leader in biomedical research is unwavering. In November,

the Queen opened an institute and will continue to invest in this kind

of excellence throughout this Parliament. Autism is the most

costly medical condition in the UK and it cost the economy more than

?32 billion a year according to the LSE and yet we do not spend hardly

anything on research into autism compared to cancer and heart disease

and stroke which cost the economy less. What can the Minister do to

encourage more spending on autism research which is so vital to people

in this country? Between 2010-11 and 2014-15, we spent ?13.3 million on

research. They always welcome high-quality applications for

support into any aspect of human health and they are subject to peer

review. The department for health through the Nationalist you to the

search also funds research in the area and the medical research

council centre at King's College London open very recently in

November, 2016. Chicago is have question framed and put up -- she

can always have her question framed. Number one, Mr Speaker. Thank you.

With the Prime Minister, we have launched a green paper, part of a

cross government plan to build an economy working for everyone.

Efforts to secure global investment continued to meet with success, the

most recent example of the 150 million investment in Oxford, a

further vote of confidence in Britain as a place to do business

and science. Today we launch the next energy capacity market auction.

Last month I signed a memorandum of corporation with the government of

Japan and on Thursday I announced we have secured a second mission to

space for certain peak. -- for Tim Peake. May I ask why it

extraordinary lead busy friend to turn his attentions to Morecambe as

we now have a new link road and we would like an enterprise zone? Would

he help me? I am never too busy for Morecambe. I know what a passionate

campaigner he has been for the business prospects in his area. I

will talk to the Minister for the Northern powerhouse who has

responsible T4 enterprise zones and I am sure he will be delighted to

meet with him. The Secretary of State plan to impose arbitrary cuts

on the pensions of nuclear power workers, it threatens industrial

relations in a key sector. Can I urge him to take the opportunity at

the meeting this week with trade unions to end his attack on the

workers and abandon the rain on the pensions before the industry is

turned into chaos? I met with the unions myself last week and we had

some very constructive, although undoubtedly robust, conversations

and that discussion continues. We hope it will end in a constructive

way. Thank you, Mr Speaker. What discussions has my right honourable

friend had with representatives of industry in relation to the UK

leaving the EU and in particular the steel industry? As he would expect,

we meet with my colleagues and representatives of all kinds of

businesses, both here and those looking to invest here, and we are

very clear, as has been the Prime Minister, that we intend to pursue

our negotiations to secure the best possible access to the single market

so that the manifest advantages of the UK can continue to be available

to companies here, now and in the future. Thank you. European

Commission state aid approval for the steel industry is still not in

place. Will the Secretary of State guarantee compensation under the

package will be provided by the UK Government until the exemption is

finally introduced? We are in discussions around the mechanics of

that and it do its part of a broader, session the Secretary of

State and I are having with senior management of the industry and trade

unions about the skewing a sustainable future -- about

obtaining a sustainable future. We see lots of opportunities for the

college and local industry. He has visitors Loughborough, perhaps I can

tempt him to meet in London is too much I commend Loughborough

University and the Vice Chancellor. It is a fantastic example of an

excellent academic institution making a big impact locally and I

always very happy to meet with my right honourable friend and the

leadership the fine university. The removal of the renewables obligation

and decimation of the tariff has had a few huge negative impact on my

constituency with renewables being the one tangible area we have to

grind off a highly paid jobs. One year on from the struck only in

measures, what we assessment has been made of the policy? I would say

that this country is on track to be investing in excess of ?8 million a

year by 2020 in terms of the continuing transition to cleaner

energy systems and we are talking about a low carbon economy now and

generating at last count at least 450,000 jobs and as I made clear in

an earlier announcement, there are new commitments in terms of

contracts for different auctions for less mature renewable technologies.

This government's commitment to new technology is not in doubt. Can I

welcome the first two pillars of the industrial strategy, investment in

science and developing skills? Will he therefore agreed to meet with me

to discuss how the work of my committee can act as a road map in

delivering the Government's names? I hope that my honourable friend's

committee will engage with the consultation and it is very

important that if we are to have a strategy that end users, it needs to

take into account the views of all those and on all sides of the House

with an interest in securing our economic prosperity and scientific

excellence in the future. An ambitious prudes could create half a

million new jobs -- and ambitious approach. It is disappointing there

is very little mention of resource efficiency and low carbon growth

meat growth in the strategy. Can the Government reassure me they are

taking it seriously? -- low carbon growth. She says it is not mentioned

in the strategy, it is, it is one of the pillars, a commitment to clean

growth, and within that, very explicit references to our desire to

explore opportunities attached to hire resource and energy

productivity. It is 100 years since the destruction of the village

following an act of environmental destruction that saw the removal of

shingle from the shoreline, but communities in our coastline face an

even greater threat of climate change. Will he ensure me -- will he

assure me we will not commit the environmental act of vandalism of

withdrawing from the Paris agreement? What I would say is as

the Prime Minister said in Prime Minister's Questions, this country

is fully committed to the Paris agreement, as are all of the

countries who endorsed the Marrakesh proclamation. She said that we hope

all parties will continue to make sure that climate change agreement

is put into practice. Since the EU referendum, the depreciation of

sterling has boosted British manufacturing and exports but as we

are leaving the EU, will the government now start to support the

vital expansion of our industries and the promotion of import

substitution? We want British business and industry to compete on

the basis that it is excellent and priced competitively. But I think

there are opportunities in being outside some of the bureaucracy

especially that affect small businesses when it comes to public

procurement and that there is one of the opportunities we will be able to

take. Has his appetite diminished? No? Get in there. Could I just urge

my right honourable friend not to be swayed by the arguments from those

opposite to spend a specific amount of our GDP on research for

scientific projects? I believe that if the private sector are unwilling

to fund these projects, we should ask serious questions about whether

the public sector and my hard-working taxpayers should be

asked to foot the bill. Private business is an enthusiastic and

increasing supporter of investment in science and research. Sometimes

that is done jointly with important publicly funded institutions such as

our universities and that is one of our strengths as an economy. In

November, the Secretary of State called energy companies into his

department to put pressure on them regarding claims they were

generating excess profits. This morning at the select committee,

Which? told us energy companies were dismal when it came to customer

service and prices, does he agree with that assessment from Which? and

would he outlined to the House what progress has been made to get a

better deal for energy customers? Yes, he raises an important point.

The CMA report identified a huge amount of betterment that consumers

were facing -- detriment. There has been some limited response from the

energy companies. They have deleted some of their more abusive tariffs

but there is further to go and we will be making our response to the

CMA report in the days ahead. It has been recently announced that the

strategy for the Midlands will be announced soon. The Midlands engine

is vital for the business in Derby and the Midlands and can I urge the

Secretary of State to consider it sooner rather than later? The

Midlands engine is a very important part of the strengthening of the

economy. There is real momentum there and she will look forward, I

am sure, to some very important announcements that will be made

imminently. Last week, the Minister said there have been clearly

instances in which the code has been planted and the membership should

bring things to her attention. I have a case in her constituency. It

also shows the adjudicator is not doing his job. Can we discuss this?

I am very happy to discuss the case in my constituency with the right

honourable gentleman but the pub code adjudicator is doing a good

job, his line of inquiry has received 435 inquiries to date and

121 referrals for arbitration. But I will discuss the problem with the

honourable gentleman. Thank you. The industrial strategy makes it clear

that future rounds of infrastructure investment will take into account

the balance of spending per head between different regions and stop

on the basis there is a 60% in balance between London and the rest

of the country at the moment, what balance with the Secretary of State

like to see going ahead? His contribution to the consultation, we

are very clear that we need to see infrastructure investment in all

parts of the country, it is one of the reasons we have created

institutions like transport for the North to be able to take those

decisions locally. The Government's industrial strategy has sector deals

for a number of sectors which is welcome but given the vital

crosscutting foundation nature of the steel industry, with the

minister now commit to a sector deals for the steel industry? I can

say I have already been having discussions with the steel industry

with precisely that purpose in mind. Order. We come now to the ten minute

rule motion and the honourable lady will be pleased she has such

uninterested, large and expectant audience. Ten minute rule motion.

Thank you. I beg to move that leave be given to bring in a Bill to make

provision to prohibit the term honour crimes in all official

publications, to extend extra territory jurisdiction in certain

circumstances crimes committed against UK citizens and to make

provision for the