:00:14. > :00:21.Order, order. The questions to the Secretary of State for business,
:00:22. > :00:30.innovation and skills. Wade McNamara one, Mr Speaker. We want to make the
:00:31. > :00:33.UK the best place in Europe to innovate, patenting ideas and grow
:00:34. > :00:40.business. That is why creating a support of business for example the
:00:41. > :00:45.tax credits and to innovate UK. Thank you Mr Speaker. I am grateful
:00:46. > :00:48.to the Secretary of State. The UK's position as the world leader in
:00:49. > :00:54.offshore renewables is underpinned by industry and academics from
:00:55. > :01:00.across the European Union working together on innovation projects. And
:01:01. > :01:01.by funding from the European investment bank other European or
:01:02. > :01:06.collaborative research and development funds. Cantlie Secretary
:01:07. > :01:14.of State give me an assurance that this number one position will not be
:01:15. > :01:18.put at risk by Brexit? Mr Speaker the UK is the world's largest
:01:19. > :01:22.offshore wind market today and it will still be the largest by the end
:01:23. > :01:26.of the decade with ten gigawatts expected to be installed. Despite
:01:27. > :01:30.the decision to leave the European Union I am confident we can still
:01:31. > :01:34.cooperate on science and research, as many countries actually do from
:01:35. > :01:37.outside the European Union with the European Union counterparts and I
:01:38. > :01:43.believe that will make sure the sector remains very strong. Mr
:01:44. > :01:46.Speaker innovation and research are adequately linked. Yesterday I asked
:01:47. > :01:50.the Prime Minister about the impact on research institutions over the
:01:51. > :01:54.decision to leave the EU and he assured us that existing contract be
:01:55. > :01:58.honoured, that researchers were applying for funding on a daily
:01:59. > :02:04.basis. What support can be put in place to deal with the uncertainty
:02:05. > :02:08.that a data and next week? First of all I will tell the honourable
:02:09. > :02:12.gentleman that there is no change immediately as he knows for at least
:02:13. > :02:15.two years, the current structure stay in place. Of course companies
:02:16. > :02:19.are concerned with what replaces that, that is what we are working on
:02:20. > :02:22.now with many receptors and businesses and others and my
:02:23. > :02:25.honourable friend the science minister is taking this very
:02:26. > :02:32.seriously and has already been speaking to a number of
:02:33. > :02:36.stakeholders. A vital component of innovation in business is so
:02:37. > :02:39.profound -- superfast broadband connections. With the Secretary of
:02:40. > :02:43.State consider extending the excellent satellite voucher scheme
:02:44. > :02:47.to allow the pooling of voters to allow community schemes such as
:02:48. > :02:53.fixed point wireless? I will certainly discuss that with my
:02:54. > :02:56.colleague the Culture Secretary and I was pleased that when I was the
:02:57. > :03:00.Culture Secretary by previous role to have introduced that scheme, it
:03:01. > :03:03.has been making progress. My honourable friend will possibly like
:03:04. > :03:08.to know that the new National innovation and be published shortly,
:03:09. > :03:14.infrastructure will be key. You will know well because you bear with me
:03:15. > :03:17.that I met the textile industry in my constituency and the university
:03:18. > :03:23.in my constituency last night. They are appalled by the decision to
:03:24. > :03:25.leave the European Union. Surely we should have more than the rather
:03:26. > :03:31.Cambodge this morning, there should be an emergency package to deal with
:03:32. > :03:37.the real concerns of the great exporters and innovators in this
:03:38. > :03:39.country. Mr Speaker of course there will be a number of companies
:03:40. > :03:44.whether in textiles are other sectors that will have concerns,
:03:45. > :03:48.particularly about the short-term. That is why myself and my colleagues
:03:49. > :03:52.are already in touch with the number of businesses around the country.
:03:53. > :03:55.Today for example this afternoon I will be holding a roundtable with
:03:56. > :04:00.businesses that represent every sector of the economy and we will
:04:01. > :04:03.follow up on just those issues. The innovation that British industry
:04:04. > :04:07.needs is a range of innovative trade deals with the world super economies
:04:08. > :04:13.outside the EU. We need to do this now, not white for our exit and then
:04:14. > :04:17.start. What steps is my right honourable friend taking to
:04:18. > :04:20.supercharge the trade unit within his department to get crack trade
:04:21. > :04:25.officials working on these agreements straightaway? My
:04:26. > :04:30.honourable friend is absolutely right, but the highlights is that
:04:31. > :04:34.with this decision of course there are short-term challenges but there
:04:35. > :04:38.are also medium term and long term opportunities, and trade is one of
:04:39. > :04:40.those. It is something the department had already thought about
:04:41. > :04:46.an easy decision was Brexit. Now we will put to use this work
:04:47. > :04:53.absolutely. Scotland, who voted to remain within the EU has secured
:04:54. > :04:57.around ?120 million from Horizon 2020, the biggest EU research and
:04:58. > :05:01.innovation programme. Participation in EU be and innovation programmes
:05:02. > :05:05.have enhanced our scientific and business reputation so what is the
:05:06. > :05:08.Minister and his department going to do to ensure similar funding and
:05:09. > :05:15.support and options are available post-Brexit? The honourable lady may
:05:16. > :05:17.be interested to know that there are actually a number of countries that
:05:18. > :05:23.are part of these collaboration programmes and research programmes
:05:24. > :05:27.that are not part of the EU. Israel for example. So it is everything
:05:28. > :05:32.possible to continue if we choose to do so, working with our EU partners
:05:33. > :05:41.on science and research. Question two. Mr Speaker, I am incrementing a
:05:42. > :05:46.package of measures to support a cultural change to tackle late
:05:47. > :05:49.payment including the small-business quaestor, the jetty for large
:05:50. > :05:54.businesses to report on payment packages and support for the
:05:55. > :05:58.voluntary nonpayment code. I thank the Minister for its answer and
:05:59. > :06:03.welcome his work in this area. Not just late payment but also when the
:06:04. > :06:07.term payment. An example, an SME in my constituency is negotiating with
:06:08. > :06:10.a multinational company. It is an excellent opportunity but the
:06:11. > :06:16.proposed payment schedule is where terms and conditions with mean a 98
:06:17. > :06:22.date wait for payment of ?3 million which presents as something of a
:06:23. > :06:27.disincentive, indeed, a brisk. I recognise that the market is opening
:06:28. > :06:33.up to SMEs but we need to work to inspire a more level playing field
:06:34. > :06:37.across more as -- across all aspects of business practices if SMB 's are
:06:38. > :06:41.truly to compete. I agree with my honourable friend. These reporting
:06:42. > :06:45.requirements I mentioned would give small businesses the information
:06:46. > :06:49.they need to make better decisions, negotiate better terms and encourage
:06:50. > :06:52.other companies to improve payment practice. This is something we take
:06:53. > :06:56.seriously and we are determined to change this. A lot like one of the
:06:57. > :07:04.worst performers from late payment of small to medium-size businesses
:07:05. > :07:07.are the public sector themselves. So what is the Secretary of State doing
:07:08. > :07:13.to ensure that the government departments, agencies and local
:07:14. > :07:19.government paid promptly those small businesses that they use? The
:07:20. > :07:24.honourable gentleman will be pleased to know that this was the case in
:07:25. > :07:28.2010. It was appalling payments led the public sector. There has been
:07:29. > :07:31.significant improvements throughout central government and beyond. From
:07:32. > :07:36.my own department we take great pride in paying almost all invoices
:07:37. > :07:45.within seven days. Thank you Mr Speaker. We welcome the move to set
:07:46. > :07:49.up a small business commission to help with late payment as the
:07:50. > :07:52.Secretary of State knows, but the proposals follow small-business
:07:53. > :07:56.commissioner are modest. In the Secretary of State assure those many
:07:57. > :07:59.small businesses out there who are going to be dramatically impacted by
:08:00. > :08:05.any downturn resulting from Brexit that he will put in -- eagle putt in
:08:06. > :08:07.additional support for them to the supply chain to deal with the
:08:08. > :08:14.consequences of their customers delaying payment to deal with the
:08:15. > :08:18.problems of Brexit? What I can assure the honourable devilment is
:08:19. > :08:20.that the proposals are not modest, the small-business commissioner will
:08:21. > :08:26.have some significant powers as the ability to help. We can help with
:08:27. > :08:30.general advice with the director of services for the particular -- for
:08:31. > :08:33.the smallest of businesses and we will be able to consider complaints
:08:34. > :08:39.and be able to take several complaints from trade bodies.
:08:40. > :08:48.I continue to promote the engine which could add an extra ?34 billion
:08:49. > :08:59.to get carried by 2030 and create 300,000 new jobs by I am pleased
:09:00. > :09:10.that John Dees has been appointed. Whether it is designers,
:09:11. > :09:20.manufacturers or engineers, there is a huge range of talented people
:09:21. > :09:25.working in the Midlands. What can be said to ensure that the video games
:09:26. > :09:31.company will prosper? I thank the honourable gentleman and I
:09:32. > :09:37.acknowledge that the computer game generation businesses prospering. We
:09:38. > :09:43.have a package for research and an award for Midlands connect, and I'm
:09:44. > :09:46.determined to do more. The result of classic's referendum showed he did
:09:47. > :09:50.this content in many of our market towns and postal areas where people
:09:51. > :09:54.feel left out and left behind because they have not seen the
:09:55. > :09:59.benefits of economic growth. What steps will be Secretary of State
:10:00. > :10:01.state to ensure that the devolution agenda increases jobs, skills and
:10:02. > :10:11.infrastructure investment in some of these peripheral economies are not
:10:12. > :10:15.just our great metropolitan cities? Well, you honourable lady will know
:10:16. > :10:17.that since 2010, we have seen considerable growth in every single
:10:18. > :10:22.region of the day. Of course, that includes the Midlands and, because
:10:23. > :10:26.our focus on the Midlands engine, of course we want is even more. She is
:10:27. > :10:29.right highlighting borders of devolution. After the ride. For
:10:30. > :10:33.example, the devolution of skills will make a big difference. Thank
:10:34. > :10:38.you. One of the best ways of bringing new industries and new jobs
:10:39. > :10:43.to replace the ones we have lost in the West Midlands of the past few
:10:44. > :10:46.decades are due back exciting plans for an Institute of Technology,
:10:47. > :10:51.building on the brilliant work that is going on already, which we are
:10:52. > :10:55.inviting the minister earlier this year to see and he seemed to be very
:10:56. > :11:01.impressed with. Will he meet a delegation to discuss the spine then
:11:02. > :11:06.I am a big fan of Dudley and I would love to visit again. Before the
:11:07. > :11:14.events of last week, I decided to hear that John bees was appointed
:11:15. > :11:20.head of the Midlands project. He is a fan of experience and one of the
:11:21. > :11:24.German dotball gully. Well my honourable friend ensure me that it
:11:25. > :11:27.is people like Sir John who will now be in a working in the Department
:11:28. > :11:35.because of the summer to ensure that Midlands economy is prepared for
:11:36. > :11:38.Brexit over the next few days? My honourable friend is absolutely
:11:39. > :11:44.right and he makes a very powerful point. The Midlands is doing well,
:11:45. > :11:50.it can do better. They can invest in the absolutely key. I plan to lead
:11:51. > :11:53.the third Midlands chain emission of what America in this case and demo
:11:54. > :12:01.and I would be honoured companies from his constituency could join me.
:12:02. > :12:03.Thank you. As the honourable gentleman knows, the insolvency
:12:04. > :12:09.service is an investigation BHS continues. I was looking to ensure
:12:10. > :12:13.that Britain is an open place to do business but the regulation is in
:12:14. > :12:19.place to protect workers and prevent abuse. As such, we have launched a
:12:20. > :12:23.consultation on the review on the solvency framework. Not one that
:12:24. > :12:26.gets off the tongue but importantly it there are any emerging findings
:12:27. > :12:33.arising out of British home stores in all that, I can assure him they
:12:34. > :12:37.will be fully taken into account. To the minister's response of money
:12:38. > :12:40.alas, I am sure members are around the country scene with dismay that
:12:41. > :12:45.the pensions in the Black Country and reached a deficit of ?9 million.
:12:46. > :12:48.Can the Minister and assure that this house, myself and my
:12:49. > :12:52.constituents who work in BHS in Clydebank, they are doing everything
:12:53. > :12:55.in their power and reflecting in last week's that and even the BHS
:12:56. > :13:00.scandal to ensure their pension funds. The honourable gentleman make
:13:01. > :13:04.a very good point. Yesterday was a dreadful day. On the market. Of
:13:05. > :13:09.course, we saw that two of our bands to stop trading. Today, according to
:13:10. > :13:12.the result is a better day. -- banks. I think that is important. As
:13:13. > :13:17.the Prime Minister said yesterday, nothing has changed at the moment,
:13:18. > :13:21.as we know. It is really important that we talked up our great country
:13:22. > :13:28.and our great economy. We instil confidence and stability on all
:13:29. > :13:33.sides. Thank you. The issue of pensions is of course very important
:13:34. > :13:41.in the context of BHS, but also in the context of Tata Steelworks. The
:13:42. > :13:45.conservation finished on the 23rd of June. Could we have an update on
:13:46. > :13:48.where reality pension scheme and reflect the fact that the trade
:13:49. > :13:50.unions and many others have said that putting the pension scheme into
:13:51. > :13:57.the PPF would be a complete disaster. Can I say that the
:13:58. > :14:02.consultation has of course finished. I think the word is concerned on
:14:03. > :14:08.this side of the house that the other side and not been supportive
:14:09. > :14:12.any future plans for Tata steel as we had hoped. As he knows, our doors
:14:13. > :14:15.are always open to him by the great work that he has done to make sure
:14:16. > :14:23.we have a sustainable steel industry in South Wales. Thank you. The
:14:24. > :14:29.workers at the BHF in my living thing constituency will be watching
:14:30. > :14:34.in horror as events unfold. What assurance can she get to the staff
:14:35. > :14:38.of BHS to support them at this difficult time? And, like the
:14:39. > :14:41.feelings I had, like others, the NHS were not willing to engage with the
:14:42. > :14:48.Adele Commoner. What can she say to ensure that BHS will engage your
:14:49. > :14:51.local consumers? Well, that is not satisfactory. What we have done is
:14:52. > :14:54.ensured we are working hand in court with the Department for Work and
:14:55. > :14:57.Pensions to make sure that people are getting the support they need.
:14:58. > :15:02.And the opportunities they need to get jobs. So, I'm glad I'm pleased
:15:03. > :15:06.that that work continues. In fact Governor does continue.
:15:07. > :15:17.Notwithstanding Lassie's about. Number five. -- notwithstanding
:15:18. > :15:19.Lassie's vote. Sorry, that is one of mine. And I almost all the
:15:20. > :15:27.honourable lady the honourable gentleman. Online retailers have
:15:28. > :15:32.been met to help coordinate all enforcement action against sellers.
:15:33. > :15:36.The dedicated crime unit investigated cell organic goods and
:15:37. > :15:42.an eight double 2014, the Government introduced a criminal sanction, and
:15:43. > :15:49.rightly so, to look at intentional products against registered design.
:15:50. > :15:52.Research undertaken by safety first has found that 64% of counterfeit
:15:53. > :15:59.products are now purchased online with sales via social media
:16:00. > :16:03.increasing by 15% every year. As the Government counted the impact of
:16:04. > :16:09.this trend in the consumers and industry itself? Can I just say, for
:16:10. > :16:12.the record, as like to thank the honourable lady forgive me notice of
:16:13. > :16:17.a supplementary because I can now give her a proper and good answer.
:16:18. > :16:22.Otherwise, she would have got, I would happily meet. I will happily
:16:23. > :16:27.meet but I want to say that we are working together with law
:16:28. > :16:32.enforcement to prevent cells of counterfeit goods. We have something
:16:33. > :16:36.Project Jasper. That will target cells of counterfeit goods on
:16:37. > :16:42.Facebook in particular and succeed in removing thousands of listings
:16:43. > :16:56.and users profiles. -- user's profiles. My constituency is home to
:16:57. > :17:00.the Fire and Rescue Service. 214 house fires were caused by faulty
:17:01. > :17:04.items in the past five years alone. Of course, trading standards is
:17:05. > :17:07.enforced as a local level but online sales may be harder to tackle. What
:17:08. > :17:13.is the Government's strategy to curbing the online raise of
:17:14. > :17:16.electrical goods. I have and to that question but the honourable lady
:17:17. > :17:21.makes an important point about some of the real dangers from faulty
:17:22. > :17:27.goods, especially sold online. I was delighted that Lynn Faulds Wood 's,
:17:28. > :17:34.who will be known from previous campaigns, has campaigned to keep
:17:35. > :17:37.homes safe. She has had an excellent work and her work continues in the
:17:38. > :17:49.way that we are looking at policies to see how we can making better and
:17:50. > :17:59.safer. Question six, Mr Speaker. I am surprised you shortened my name
:18:00. > :18:02.today. The programme grew in 2014. Our results show positive
:18:03. > :18:05.progression rates with a lot of trains moving onto apprenticeships,
:18:06. > :18:12.work and a further 17% going on to further learning. I'm sorry to
:18:13. > :18:14.disappoint. As the world should now that his full name is Mr Nicholas
:18:15. > :18:33.Edward college bowls. -- coal -- Colridge Bowles well played. I am
:18:34. > :18:41.sure that there are still at perception that training and
:18:42. > :18:46.apprentice places are seen as a midpoint. This week, I will be
:18:47. > :18:49.running a summer school in my constituency to help young people
:18:50. > :18:54.realise the vantage of eligible and mechanical engineering
:18:55. > :18:58.apprenticeships and joining. I wonder if the minister will meet
:18:59. > :19:02.with me and members of the college in the constituents to see how we
:19:03. > :19:07.can raise a profile that is very important traits. Thank you. I would
:19:08. > :19:11.like to congratulate the honourable gentleman on his initiative, which
:19:12. > :19:15.is fantastic and particularly powerful given his own history as an
:19:16. > :19:19.apprentice. He can really preach the reality of it. I have to confess to
:19:20. > :19:30.him that I have never been to old, so I would love to come for the
:19:31. > :19:35.first time to join him. -- Oldham. Jade green. Traineeships are to be a
:19:36. > :19:38.route to great quality apprenticeships but we know that is
:19:39. > :19:42.a substantial gender pay gap for apprentices per hour. Can you
:19:43. > :19:45.minister suggested changes can be developed to encourage girls and
:19:46. > :19:51.young women into career routes that a good salaries with good prospects?
:19:52. > :19:56.I think it is a very important challenge that she identifies and
:19:57. > :20:01.one that has been longing easy existence but nevertheless we have a
:20:02. > :20:05.long way to go. -- existence the key thing is to to try and persuade
:20:06. > :20:09.young women of the kinds of jobs that are open to them that would
:20:10. > :20:13.actually pay them much better rates. That is easily spam related careers,
:20:14. > :20:18.engineering related jobs and traineeships are often a good way
:20:19. > :20:21.for people to get a taste of a profession but equally, we need to
:20:22. > :20:24.attack the problem much earlier. At primary school, and check the
:20:25. > :20:28.attitudes of young girls and make sure that they know that like the
:20:29. > :20:34.Shadow you minister on the front bench, a career in technology is
:20:35. > :20:41.open to them. Thank you. The chief executive of CI PDE has said if the
:20:42. > :20:44.Government is serious of increasing the quality of apprenticeships and
:20:45. > :20:52.skills, as well as the quantity, it has to completely overhaul the
:20:53. > :20:55.apprenticeship V. Is he right? V is right to the extent that they want
:20:56. > :21:01.to massively improve the quality of as the quality. That attack as well
:21:02. > :21:07.as the quantity. If you're going to do both, you need more money to
:21:08. > :21:10.spend. That is why the levy is critical. It will enable us to take
:21:11. > :21:16.apprenticeship spending from the Government from 1.5 point pound per
:21:17. > :21:20.year at the moment to 2.5 billion pounds per year by the end of
:21:21. > :21:28.parliament. That is essential if we get the quality up as well the
:21:29. > :21:30.numbers. The Minister has tried to construct a reassuring some
:21:31. > :21:33.traineeships but the fact that had been dragged out of Government tell
:21:34. > :21:43.a different story. Freedom of information figures published say
:21:44. > :21:53.that just under 20% of 19-24 -year-old went onto apprenticeships
:21:54. > :21:57.and just one in five. Why has the Government waited three years
:21:58. > :22:01.failing properly to promote, explain our target them? Ten days ago, the
:22:02. > :22:06.Minister warned about Brexit insurgencies threatening
:22:07. > :22:09.apprenticeship growth and the levy. Well he now spell out new
:22:10. > :22:13.initiatives to tackle that increase in traineeships as needed? Including
:22:14. > :22:16.support to colleges and providers who are desperate to press ahead
:22:17. > :22:22.with them or else risk failing that young generation. Can I start by
:22:23. > :22:26.congratulating the honourable gentleman on being one of the few
:22:27. > :22:32.people to resist the dictation to resign in your last 48 hours. He and
:22:33. > :22:38.the Shadow Home Secretary Lord down in the history books as brave
:22:39. > :22:46.champions of modern opposition. On the point that he makes, and lighted
:22:47. > :22:50.that he is an avid reader of FE week. It is an interesting
:22:51. > :22:53.obligation. You know traineeships are not just about apprenticeship
:22:54. > :22:56.programmes. The whole point of traineeships is to take people into
:22:57. > :23:01.either apprenticeships or jobs, or further training, whatever is best
:23:02. > :23:12.for them. He would seek to narrow that programme whose great strength
:23:13. > :23:18.as its versatility. Number eight. Mr Speaker, we are... And I think as
:23:19. > :23:22.often been discussed, introducing an apprenticeship levy which will have
:23:23. > :23:25.two main outcomes. The first is that we are going to be genetically
:23:26. > :23:29.increasing spending on apprenticeships. It will also
:23:30. > :23:33.require larger employers to either invest in apprenticeships or see
:23:34. > :23:35.their money used by someone else. The honourable gentleman is seeking
:23:36. > :23:40.to group this question with number 12. Gripping and read. Very good.
:23:41. > :23:45.Thank you. I am grateful to my honourable friend for his answer.
:23:46. > :23:48.They, like I, will be very relatives and lawyers have said they are not
:23:49. > :23:52.happy with the apprenticeship levy and as the Government to rethink.
:23:53. > :23:56.That's my honourable friend agree with me that the levy is the best
:23:57. > :23:59.way to ensure that businesses invest in the employee skills and the
:24:00. > :24:05.Government to apprenticeships funding on a sustainable footing.
:24:06. > :24:08.Forgive me. We are all somewhat discombobulated at the moment and I
:24:09. > :24:14.should have mentioned that I am seeking to group this question with
:24:15. > :24:17.a later one. My honourable friend is absolutely right. What we're trying
:24:18. > :24:22.to design the apprenticeship levy is that it is actually something of an
:24:23. > :24:26.invasion in Government. Which is it is a new tax but with the people who
:24:27. > :24:28.pay the tax, the completed Ajax will have the ability to spend it on
:24:29. > :24:32.training the directly benefits them.