I have asked the CEO of each organisation to write to the hon. Member on this matter, and copies of these letters are attached.

I have asked the CEO of each organisation to write to the hon. Member on this matter, and copies of these letters are attached.

The Department complies with the Government’s transparency programme. As part of this all of the Department’s contract opportunities with a value greater than £10,000 and all contracts subsequently awarded are published on Contracts Finder.

The maintenance of central records of all contracts let by the Department commenced from August 2012. Therefore, I can provide information on the contracts let in the period August 2012 to date only.

According to these records one contract has been let in the £1 million to £3 million range and two contracts have been let with a value in excess of £3 million. I am not aware that any contracts are about to be let with a value above £1 million.

Records are not kept on the numbers of officials monitoring these contracts or the cost of so doing.

I have approached the chief executives of the Department’s executive agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, and the Land Registry) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly. A letter from the Skills Funding Agency will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Letter from David Parker, dated 16 July 2014:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills how many contracts (a) let since 2010 and (b) about to be let by his Department and its agencies are worth (i) between £1 million and £3 million and (ii) over £3 million; how much has been spent on monitoring each contract let by his Department since 2010; and how many officials in his Department monitor each contract let since 2010 by his Department since 2010.

The UK Space Agency became an Executive Agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills on the 1^st April 2011.

The UK Space Agency has no contracts worth (i) between £1 million and £3 million and (ii) over £3 million. There are no finance staff dedicated to monitoring the Agency’s contracts; they do so as part of wider finance duties and therefore the individual costs are incalculable but will be immaterial.

Letter from Ed Lester, dated 17 July 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to Parliamentary Question 205196 which you tabled and which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many contracts (a) let since 2010 and (b) about to be let by his Department and its agencies are worth (i) between £1 million and £3 million and (ii) over £3 million; how much has been spent on monitoring each contract let by his Department since 2010; and how many officials in his Department monitor each contract let since 2010 by his Department since 2010.

Since 2010 Land Registry have let 6 contracts in the £1-£3m range and 12 in the over £3m range. There is one contract over £3m which is about to be let.

There were 16.6 staff working on letting and monitoring contracts from 2010 to the present. The staff costs amount to £4.5m. These are based on the Land Registry full staff cost table, which includes internal overhead costs as well as salary and other associated costs.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Letter from Ann Lewis, dated 17 July 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 14 July 2014, UIN 205195 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Since 2010, Companies House has let four contracts worth between £1 million and £3 million. It has not let any worth more than £3 million.

Information on how much we have spent on monitoring each contract is not available: the officials monitoring each contract carry out a wide range of duties of which contract monitoring is just a part.

There are two officials monitoring each contract.

Letter from Neil Ackroyd, dated 14 July 2014:

As Acting Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills "how many contracts (a) let since 2010 and (b) about to be let by his Department and its agencies are worth (i) between £1 million and £3 million and (ii) over £3 million; how much has been spent on monitoring each contract let by his Department since 2010; and how many officials in his Department monitor each contract let since 2010 by his Department since 2010."

Ordnance Survey has a number of contracts let which fall within the above ranges. Details are provided on the attached sheet.

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from John Hirst, dated 17 July 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 10 July 2014, UIN 205195 to the Secretary of State for Business, innovation and Skills.

The information you requested is shown in the following table.

I hope this helps.

Letter from Richard Judge, dated 17 July 2014:

The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, how many contracts (a) let since 2010 and (b) about to be let by his Department and its agencies are worth (i) between £1 million and £3 million and (ii) over £3 million; how much has been spent on monitoring each contract let by his Department since 2010; and how many officials in his Department monitor each contract let since 2010 by his Department since 2010.

In the period in question, the Insolvency Service has let the following contracts:

(a) Let since 2010

(i) £1-£3M—1

(ii) >£3M—1

(b) About to be let

(i) £1-£3M

(ii) >£3M—1

All the above were advertised by means of an OJEU notice published prior to the procurement process.

How much has been spent on monitoring?

The annual total salary costs for procurement, contracts and service delivery staff (located within the Finance and Commercial Directorate) within the Agency are £404k. These staff are responsible for the full range of procurement, contract and service delivery activities across the Insolvency Service, and therefore costs for monitoring alone would be significantly less than £404k. However we are not able to analyse time spent by these staff across the activities noted above.

In addition, there are a number of staff who monitor supplier contract performance who are located within the wider organisation. However these staff typically spend only a portion of their time on this activity, and we do not have the information to estimate the total time spent by these staff on monitoring activities.

In summary, £400k would probably be a reasonable estimate of the annual salary costs of staff involved in contract monitoring.

How many officials in his Department monitor each contract let since 2010?

There are currently 10 staff within the procurement, contracts and service delivery team. As noted above, these staff are involved in a range of activities, including contract monitoring. In addition, other staff within the organisation spend a proportion of their time on monitoring activities.

Letter from Richard Sanders, dated 17 July 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 10 July 2014, asking the BIS Secretary of State how many contracts (a) let since 2010 and (b) about to be let by his Department and its agencies are worth (i) between £1 million and £3 million and (ii) over £3 million; how much has been spent on monitoring each contract let by his Department since 2010; and how many officials in his Department monitor each contract let since 2010 by his Department since 2010.

Our responses are as follows:

Question a) (i) 4 contracts

Question a) (ii) 12 contracts

Question b) (i) Nil contracts

Question b) (ii) Nil Contracts.

The following table shows how much has been spent on the monitoring of each contract by NMO and how many officials monitor each contract between 1st April 2010 and 31st March 2014:

Letter from John Alty, dated 17 July 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many contracts (a) let since 2010 and (b) about to be let by his Department and its agencies are worth (i) between £1 million and £3 million and (ii) over £3 million; how much has been spent on monitoring each contract let by his Department since 2010; and how many officials in his Department monitor each contract let since 2010 by his Department since 2010. (205195)

Since 2010, the IPO has (a) let three contracts between £1 million and £3 million, and two contracts over £3 million, with one contract between £1 million and £3 million about to be let. Further information on IPO contracts numbers and values are published on Contracts Finder as part of the government transparency agenda.

The IPO do not record how much has been spent on monitoring each contract let since 2010, or how many officials in the IPO monitor each contract let since 2010.

BIS collects subscriptions through our payroll service from the following organisations:

HMRC, C&E Sports, Pension PARL, PCS Union, Prospect, HASSRA Lottery, Benhealthcare, SimplyHealth,

DSRA Lottery, Charities Aid Foundation, Birmingham Hos Saturday Fund, Welsh Hospitals, Charities Trust,

Cash For Health, Westfield Health, CS Benevolent, British Health Care Ass, Scottish Ben Fund,

CS Sports Council, Civil Service Club, Sun Life Assurance, National Friendly, HSA Individual,

Sov Health Care, Healthshield, Healthsure Group, First Division Association, Leeds Hospital Fund,

Hospital Saturday Fund, AVC EQLIFE DB, Minerva SSA (DTI Sports), Merseyside Health, AVC Equitable Life,

Pension Standard Life, Pension TUC PRU, AVC Scottish Widows, Pension Scottish Widow,

UK CS Benefit Society, AVC StandLife, DESO Ret Officer Ass.

I have approached the chief executives of the Department’s Executive agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the right hon. Member directly.

Letter from Sarah Glasspool, dated 9 July 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 8 July 2014 asking the Secretary of State for Business. Innovation and Skills, which organisations collect subscriptions through the employers’ payroll service in their Department and its agencies. (204494)

The National Measurement Office payroll service collects subscriptions from the following organisations:

CSSC Sports and Leisure

Benenden health

Simptyhealth

Prospect

Public and Commercial Services (PCS).

This does not include staff giving to charitable organisations.

Letter from Neil Ackroyd, dated 10 July 2014:

As Acting Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations collect subscriptions through the employers’ payroll service in their Department and its agencies.

Ordnance Survey currently has a number of third party organisations which take direct deductions from employees’ pay. These organisations are as follows:

Civil Service:

a. Sports Council

b. Benevolent Fund

Give As You Earn charitable donations:

a. For any number of specific charities

Health and Insurance providers:

a. HSA

b. Sun Life

c. BSHF

d. PO Assurance

e. Benenden Health Care

f. Forester Physiotherapy

g. HSF (Hospital Saturday Fund)

Union Subscriptions:

a. Prospect

b. PCS

Others:

a. Student Loans

b. Cycle to Work scheme (Edenred)

c. Childcare Vouchers (Edenred)

d. Court Orders (CSA/Council Tax)

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from Richard Judge, dated July 2014:

The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, which organisations collect subscriptions through the employers’ payroll service in their Department and its agencies. My response relates to the Insolvency Service, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The following organisations collect subscriptions through our payroll service:

Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund; Civil Service Benevolent Fund; Civil Service Club; Civil Service Sports Council; Benenden Healthcare; British Healthcare Association; DTI Sports and Social; Prospect; PCS; Simply Health; Westfield Contribution Health Scheme; Charities Trust; Charities Aid Foundation; Forester Health; Leeds Hospital Fund; and Mercia Health Benefits.

Letter from Ann Lewis, dated 10 July 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 8 July 2014, UIN 204494 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Companies House collects membership fees for PCS Union and the Civil Service Sports Council through the employers’ payroll service.

Letter from David Parker, dated 10 July 2014:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills asking which organisations collect subscriptions through the employers’ payroll service in their Department and its agencies.

Within the UK Space Agency the following organisations collect subscriptions through our employee’s payroll via our shared service provider, UKSBS:

CS Benevolent Fund

CS Sports Council

Harwell Rec Society

Union Membership fees (PCS and Prospect)

Sports SC Swindon

Childcare Plus (via salary sacrifice)

Professional subscriptions are processed either via the UK SBS procurement framework or via personal expense claims and/or usage of a Government Procurement Card.

Letter from Ed Lester, dated 10 July 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to Parliamentary Question 204494 tabled on 8 July 2014 which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations collect subscriptions through the employers’ payroll service in their Department and its agencies?

I can confirm that Land Registry does collect subscriptions through our payroll for such things as union subscriptions, membership of the Civil Service Sports Council and personal health care organisations.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Letter from John Alty, dated 10 July 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 10th July 2014, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations collect subscriptions through the employers’ payroll service in their Department and its agencies. (204494).

The Intellectual Property Office is an executive agency of BIS. Organisations collecting subscriptions through payroll are as follows:

Benenden Healthcare

Civil Service Benevolent Fund

Civil Service Sports Council

Central Statistics Office Sports and Social

Forester Health Care

Give As You Earn

Gwent Hospital

PCS Union

Welsh Hospital

Prospect

Simply Health

Minerva SSA (DTI Sports and Social)

Letter from John Hirst, dated 10 July 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 8 July 2014, UIN 204494 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The following organisations collect subscriptions through the Met Office payroll service: Civil Service Sports Council, The Charity for Civil Servants, Civil Service Club, Prospect, Public & Commercial Services Union, Charitable Giving, Chartis Insurance UK Ltd, Benenden Health, The Hospital Saturday Fund, Simplyhealth, Westfield Health.

These arrangements have been in place for a number of years. The Met Office has no plans to collect subscriptions for staff through payroll for any additional organisations.

I hope this helps.

Letter from Barbara Spicer, dated 15 July 2014:

As interim Chief Executive of the Skills Funding Agency, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations collect subscriptions through the employers’ payroll service in their Department and its agencies.

The Skills Funding Agency currently has a number of third party organisations which take direct deductions from employees’ pay. These organisations are as follows:

Civil Service:

a. Sports Council

b. Benevolent Fund

Give As You Earn charitable donations:

a. Workplace Giving

Health and Insurance providers:

a. Westfield Health

b. Health Shields

c. BSHF

d. Health Screening (BUPA)

e. DenPlan

f. Critical Illness (Unum)

g. Worldwide Travel

h. P&MM Discounted vouchers

i. Gym Flex

j. Gourmet Society

Union Subscriptions:

a. PCS

Others:

a. Student Loans

b. Cycle to Work scheme (Cycle Solutions)

c. Childcare Vouchers (Edenred)

d. Court Orders (CSA/Council Tax)

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

The Department does not have any contracts with the Educational Testing Service or any of its subsidiaries.

I have approached the chief executives of the Department’s Executive Agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.

Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Letter from John Alty, dated June 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 24 June, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies hold with the educational testing service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries. (202232)

The Intellectual Property Office has no contract with the educational testing service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries.

Letter from Neil Ackroyd, dated 26 June 2014:

As Acting Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills "what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's Executive Agencies or Non-departmental Public Bodies hold with the Educational Testing Service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries.

Ordnance Survey does not hold any current contracts with the Educational Testing Service or its subsidiaries.

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

Letter from Richard Judge, dated June 2014:

The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies hold with the educational testing service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries. My response relates to the Insolvency Service, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Insolvency Service has no contract with the educational testing service or any of that organisation’s subsidiaries.

Letter from Tim Moss, dated 25 June 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 24 June 2014, UIN 202232 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Companies House does not have any current contracts with the Educational Testing Service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries.

Letter from Barbara Spicer, dated 25 June 2014:

Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies hold with the educational testing service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries. (202232)

Please be advised that the Skills Funding Agency does not currently hold a contract with any of the following organisations: ETS or any of the subsidiary organisations that they refer to including Computerized Assessments and Learning LLC, Edusoft Ltd, Prometric and ETS Global.

I hope this satisfactorily addresses your question. If you have any follow up queries, please let me know.

Letter from David Parker, date 25 June 2014:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills asking what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies hold with the educational testing service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries.

The UK Space Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and has no contracts with the educational testing services or any of its subsidiaries.

Letter from John Hirst, dated 26 June 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 24 June 2014, UIN 202232 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Met Office holds no contracts with the educational testing service or any of its subsidiaries.

Letter from Richard Sanders, dated 25 June 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 24 June 2014 asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies hold with the educational testing service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries. (202232)

The National Measurement Office has no current contracts with the educational testing service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries.

Letter from Ed Lester, dated 25 June 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to Parliamentary Question 202232 tabled on 24 June 2014 which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what current contracts (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies hold with the educational testing service or any of that organisation's subsidiaries.

I can confirm that Land Registry do not hold any contracts with the Educational Testing Service. If you could let me know the names of any subsidiary companies you would like me to check, please let me have the company names.

I have asked chief executives of the Executive agencies to respond directly to the hon. Member.

Until 2013, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills did not keep a record of the age of internal apprentices. The table shows the age of both externally recruited apprentices since 2010 and ages of those apprentices embarking on the Departments’ internal apprenticeship programme in 2013. The 2013 figure refers to the ages of those on the Departments’ internal programme. There are no externally recruited apprentices in the 25 years or over category.

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills currently has 53 apprentices. We have had 4 successful completions this year.

16 of these 53 apprentices are under the age of 21 with a further 6 apprentices under 21 expected to join the Department later in the year.

Letter from John Alty, dated 7 April 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 3rd April 2014, to the Secretary of State for Business. Innovation and Skills in which you ask the Secretary of State for Business, innovation and Skills, how many apprentices aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 years or over are employed at each of his Department's executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and associated bodies and agencies. (195212)

The Intellectual Property Office is an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). It does not currently employ any apprentices, but is in the process of introducing a scheme to bring 8 in from September 2014.

Letter from John Hirst, dated 7 April 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 3 April 2014, DIN 195212 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

There are no apprentices working at the Met Office. The Met Office primarily meets its needs for trainees through graduate recruitment campaigns. In addition, the Met Office runs an innovative IT Trainee Scheme, training individuals from A-Level standard upwards. It also offers paid summer placement opportunities to those who have just completed the first year of A' levels, current undergraduates or those who have completed their studies.

I hope this helps.

Letter from Richard Judge, dated 8 April 2014:

In response to PQ 2013/3483, I confirm that the Insolvency Service has twelve existing members of staff who are undertaking an apprenticeship. The age breakdown is provided in the table.

The Agency does not have any new hire apprentices in its employment at present.

Letter from Ed Lester, dated 8 April 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to your parliamentary question numbered 195212 tabled on 03 April 2014 which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many apprentices aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 years or over are employed at each of his Department's executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and associated bodies and agencies.

I can confirm that Land Registry does not currently employ any apprentices but that we are working on proposals to take on apprentices in future.

I hope that you find this information helpful.

Letter from Barbara Spicer, dated 7 April 2014:

Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many apprentices aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 years or over are employed at each of his Department's executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and associated bodies and agencies. (195212)

Please be advised that the Skills Funding Agency has 28 apprentices in total aged (a) 16 to 18-2 (b) 19 to 24-24 (c) 25 years or over-2

I hope this satisfactorily addresses your question. If you have any follow up queries, please let me know.

Letter from Sarah Glasspool, dated 4 April 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 3 April 2014, asking the BIS Secretary of State how many apprentices aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 years or over are employed at each of his Department's executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and associated bodies and agencies.

The National Measurement Office (NMO) employs one apprentice who falls into age bracket (a).

Letter from Neil Hartley, dated 4 April 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 3 April 2014, UIN 195212 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Companies House does not employ any apprentices.

Letter from Vanessa Lawrence, dated 4 April 2014:

As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many apprentices aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 years or over are employed at each of his Department's executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and associated bodies and agencies.

(a) No apprentices aged 16 to 18 are employed by Ordnance Survey.

(b) No apprentices aged 19 to 24 are employed by Ordnance Survey.

(c) No apprentices aged 25 or over are employed by Ordnance Survey.

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from David Parker:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills asking how many apprentices aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 years or over are employed at each of his Department's executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and associated bodies and agencies.

The UK Space Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and has no apprentices employed.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) did not operate a workplace nursery in 2010 or in 2013-14. The Department has no plans to operate a workplace nursery in 2014-15.

I have approached the chief executives of the Department’s Executive agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.

Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Letter from Ann Lewis, dated 18 March 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 17 March 2014, UIN 192437 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Companies House does not have a workplace nursery available to staff.

Letter from John Alty, dated 19 March 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 17^th March 2014, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

To as the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15. (192437).

The Intellectual Property Office is an executive agency of BIS. We do not offer a workplace nursery but we share a site with Office of National Statistics and are entitled to 5% of their on-site nursery places, equating to 1.75 full time places.

Letter from Richard Judge, dated 19 March 2014:

The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question what estimate he has made of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

My response relates to the Insolvency Service, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Insolvency Service does not have any workplace nurseries available to employees. You may find it helpful to know, however, that we do offer employees the option of purchasing childcare vouchers, which enables parents to off-set some of the costs of childcare provision.

Letter from Vanessa Lawrence, dated 19 March 2014:

As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

(i) In 2010 one workplace nursery was available to Ordnance Survey staff.

(ii) In 2013-14 one workplace nursery was available to Ordnance Survey staff.

(iii) In 2014-15 one workplace nursery will be available to Ordnance Survey staff.

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from Peter Mason, dated 19 March 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 17 March 2014, asking for estimates of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in the Department and its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

NMO is located on the Teddington Estate alongside the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and there is a nursery located on the estate which is available to NMO staff, as well as to those of NPL and LGC Ltd which occupies an adjacent site. Under the arrangements which the nursery operates, there is not a specific allocation made for the children of NMO staff and the Agency does not have firm details of the number of staff who use this facility, although we are aware of a number who do. These arrangements have operated for many years and we do not believe that there has been a significant change in the levels of availability since 2010.

Letter from David Parker:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, to ask what estimate he has made of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

The UK Space Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and it has not made any estimate of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

Letter from Ed Lester, dated 19 March 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to your parliamentary question numbered 192437 tabled on 17 March 2014 which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

In 2010 Land Registry had eight on-site nurseries. Following a procurement exercise, from 01 September 2011 six of the sites were leased from Land Registry by Busy Bees who run their own business from the sites. The remaining two sites closed. Therefore, in 2013-14 and 2014-15, Land Registry did not run any on-site nurseries.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Letter from Barbara Spicer, dated 19 March 2014:

Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of workplace nurseries available to staff in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15. (192437)

Please be advised that the Skills Funding Agency does not have any workplace nurseries available to its staff.

I hope this satisfactorily addresses your question. If you have any follow up queries, please let me know.

Letter from John Hirst, dated 19 March 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 17 March 2014, UIN 192437 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Met Office does not provide a workplace nursery for staff. However, the Met Office operates a childcare voucher scheme to help working parents with their childcare costs. Eligible parents and guardians can choose to receive childcare vouchers, instead of part of their cash salary, to pay for registered or approved childcare and to make savings on tax and national insurance contributions depending on individual circumstances.

I hope this helps.

The Department does not own any properties.

Since May 2010 the central Government estate was far larger than required and taxpayers were paying to maintain, run and rent properties which were under-occupied while other parts of the freehold estate remained vacant.

The Government Property Unit has been supporting Departments to rationalise rapidly the Government's estate including by taking a whole of Government view of property. Since May 2010 over £1.25 billion has been raised by selling surplus freehold properties. Through the exiting of property across the central civil estate, we have also delivered cumulative, gross run rate savings of over £454 million per annum.

Where surplus property is awaiting disposal or lease end, the Government looks to explore all disposal options, including commercially sub-letting all or part of the space. Surplus property is listed on gov.uk.

Where surplus property is awaiting disposal or lease end but cannot yet be sold or sub-let commercially, the Space for Growth scheme, run by the Government Property Unit, invites small and medium-sized businesses, charities and social enterprises to utilise this space for free, boosting economic growth. Over 1,500 workstation spaces are now available in 57 different locations around England.

I have approached the chief executives of the Department's executive agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.

Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Letter from John Alty, dated 13 March 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 12th March 2014 , to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year. (191800)

The Intellectual Property Office an Executive Agency and Trading Fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has no vacant property. As such no business rates are being paid for vacant properties.

Letter from Ann Lewis, dated 13 March 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 13 March 2014, UIN 191800 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Companies House does not have any empty properties and, therefore, has not needed to make an estimate of this kind.

Letter from Ed Lester, 13 March 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 March 2014 which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.

Please see the table for the requested information.

I hope that you find this helpful.

Letter from Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, dated 13 March 2014:

As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.

Ordnance Survey has had no vacant properties recorded on e-PIMS for the current financial year.

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from Richard Judge, dated 14 March 2014:

The Secretary of State for Business, innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to you directly in respect of your question (2013/3169); asking what estimate has been made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by the Department and any executive agencies in the current financial year.

The information supplied relates only to the Insolvency Service.

The Insolvency Service has no vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database.

Letter from John Hirst, dated 14 March 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 March 2014, UIN 191800 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Met Office owns no vacant properties. There is one vacant property leased by the Met Office recorded on the e-PIMS database. Business rates payable on the premises in 2013-14 are £21,666. The lease on this property expires at the end of 2014 and the premises will be handed back to the landlord at that point.

I hope this helps.

Letter from Peter Mason, dated 14 March 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 12 March 2014, asking for estimated the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS

database owned by the Department and any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of the Department in the current financial year.

The National Measurement Office (NMO) has no vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database and accordingly the estimate of empty property business rates for NMO is nil for the current financial year.

Letter from Barbara Spicer, dated 17 March 2014:

Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year (191800).

Please be advised that the vacant properties for Skills Funding Agency, recorded on e-PIMS, are the following:

Birmingham (NTI Building), Brighton, Ipswich, Fareham, Coventry (Cheylesmore House North 2 floors).

The business rates paid for these empty premises in 2013/14 were the following:

Birmingham = £178,980

Brighton =£44,745

Ipswich = £60,378

Fareham = £89,019

Coventry = £180,412

I hope this satisfactorily addresses your question. If you have any follow up queries, please let me know.

Letter from David Parker:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, to ask what estimate he has made of the empty property business rates for the vacant properties recorded on the e-PIMS database owned by (a) his Department and (b) any executive agencies or non-departmental public bodies of his Department in the current financial year.

The UK Space Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and it does not own any properties.

The following table includes the name, location, floor space and tenure status of buildings occupied by the Department. The Department does not own any of the properties or occupy any on a ground lease. Therefore, there is no property value recorded against the space occupied by the Department.

I have approached the chief executives of the Department's Executive Agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.

Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Letter from Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, dated 12 February 2014:

As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, “what the (a) name, (b) location, (c) floor space, (d) tenure status and (e) value is of properties (i) owned and (ii) occupied by (A) his Department and (B) agencies and public bodies accountable to him”.

The spreadsheet details all the information requested for all premises owned or occupied by Ordnance Survey. This information will be placed in the Libraries of the House of Commons.

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from David Parker, dated 7 February 2014:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, to ask what the (a) name, (b) location, (c) floor space, (d) tenure status and (e) value is of properties (i) owned and (ii) occupied by (A) his Department and (B) agencies and public bodies accountable to him.

The UK Space Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. It does not (i) own any properties. It (ii) occupies three locations as follows:

Letter from John Hirst, dated 12 February 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Questions tabled on 6 February 2014, UIN 187278 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Met Office owns and leases a range of properties around the UK to support its weather and climate services. This includes office, workshop and storage accommodation, as well as a number of small unmanned sites which house essential operational observing equipment, such as weather radar and automatic weather stations. A list of these sites has been placed in the Libraries of the House. In addition, a number of Met Office staff are based at a range of MOD sites providing crucial support to military training and operations.

The value of the properties owned and occupied by the Met Office which are held on balance sheet is £63.8 million.

I hope this helps.

Letter from Tim Moss, dated 7 February 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 6 February 2014, UIN 187278 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

I will answer your questions in order.

Companies House has four locations, all named Companies House, in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh and Belfast.

The floor space for each office is as follows:

The tenure status of the Cardiff site is freehold. The locations in London, Edinburgh and Belfast are rented.

The value of the land and buildings of the freehold site in Cardiff is £17,345,000.

Companies House Cardiff occupies 22.310 square metres of the site and the remaining 6,690 square metres is rented out.

Letter from National Measurement office, dated 12 February 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 February 2014, asking the BIS Secretary of State what the (a) name, (b) location, (c) floor space, (d) tenure status and (e) value is of properties (i) owned and (ii) occupied by (A) his Department and (B) agencies and public bodies accountable to him.

The Secretary of State owns the properties on the Teddington Estate which comprise the main NPL Building and other older ancillary buildings. The total value of these are £177,702k which is the value stated in NMO's Annual Accounts at 31 March 2013,

uplifted for purchases to the end of January 2014. The total area of the buildings are 54,347m sq and are occupied by NMO, NPL Management Ltd (NPLML) and BMT.

NMO itself occupies a building with a value of £6,621k and an area of 4,709 m sq which is freehold.

NPLML occupy buildings valued at £167,186k which are freehold with an area of 45,117 m sq, they also occupy buildings valued at £3,570k with an area of 4,521 m sq on leasehold land owned by Crown Estate and Royal Parks. NPLML perform science in support of the National Measurement System in these properties and pay rent to NMO.

Letter from Ed Lester, dated 10 February 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to Parliamentary Question 187278 tabled on 06 February 2014 which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the (a) name, (b) location, (c) floor space, (d) tenure status and (e) value is of properties (i) owned and (ii) occupied by (A) his Department and

A table will be placed in the Library of the House.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Letter from John Alty, dated 9 January 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 10th February 2014, to the Secretary for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Intellectual Property Office is an Executive Agency and Trading Fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It operates in three locations, a main office, a small London Office and a warehouse.

Letter from Dr Richard Judge, dated 13 February 2014:

The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, what the (a) name, (b) location, (c) floor space, (d) tenure status and (e) value is of properties (i) owned and (ii) occupied by (A) his Department and (B) agencies and public bodies accountable to him. My response relates to the Insolvency Service, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The Insolvency Service does not own any property. The property currently occupied by the Insolvency Service is as follows:

Property leases were valued at £6,789,193 in our accounts for the year to 31 March 2013.

Letter from Skills Funding Agency, dated 11 February 2014:

Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills regarding what the (a) name, (b) location, (c) floor space, (d) tenure status and (e) value is of properties (i) owned and (ii) occupied by (A) his Department and (B) agencies and public bodies accountable to him. (187278)

Please be advised of the following:

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) supports the living wage and encourages businesses to pay it when it is affordable and not at the expense of jobs.

Our primary policy for supporting the low paid is the national minimum wage which is carefully set at a level that maximises wages without damaging employment prospects. In addition, in order to raise living standards we are focused on increasing employment and cutting taxes by raising the personal allowance to £10,000 from April 2014 and will have taken 2.7 million people out of income tax altogether by 2014-15.

There are no direct BIS employees paid less than the living wage, either nationally or in London.

The Total Facilities Management (TFM) contract is with EC Harris who sub-contract operational delivery to Balfour Beatty Workplace (BBW). This operational delivery of FM services utilises a dedicated team of nearly 400 employees. As of November 2013 there were 103 employees working for less than the London living wage within London and the South East and 239 employees working for less than the national living wage across the national estate. BaxterStorey, who manage BIS catering, do not pay the London living wage (LLW) to those working within the BIS estate.

On the basis of fairness and current affordability, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has instructed the Department to raise the wages of the lowest paid contracted staff working at BIS premises across the UK. We hope to report progress

with implementing this by spring 2014. This is part of BIS' overall policy to try to increase living standards for its lowest paid staff.

I have approached the chief executives of the Department's Executive agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.

Letter from John Alty, dated 23 January 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on the 22 January 2014, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Intellectual Property Office is an Executive Agency and Trading Fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It does not have any employees or contracted workers being paid less than the living wage.

Letter from Sarah Glasspool, dated 23 January 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 22 January 2014, asking the BIS Secretary of State (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Except for one Apprentice, representing 1.2% of staff employed, NMO does not have any direct employees or contractors paid less that the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Letter from Tim Moss, dated 23 January 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 22 January 2014, UIN 184437 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

None of Companies House's staff are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Letter from David Parker, dated 23 January 2014:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (Hi) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

The UK Space Agency was formed on 1st April 2011. There are (a) no staff, and (b) no proportion of staff employed by (ii) the UK Space Agency or (iii) contractors of the UK Space Agency who are paid less that the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Letter from Vanessa Lawrence, dated 23 January 2014:

As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, “(a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage”.

Ordnance Survey has no employees, either staff members or contractors, who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from John Hirst, dated 24 January 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 22 January 2014, UIN 184437 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

There are currently 3 employees at the Met Office on temporary placements who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage, which represents 0.15 per cent

of the workforce. Paid placement opportunities at the Met Office are generally offered to interns who have just completed the first year of A' levels, current undergraduates or those who have completed their studies.

I hope this helps.

Letter from Barbara Spicer, dated 23 January 2014:

Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. (184437)

Please be advised that based on our January 2014 data the Skills Funding Agency has 1290 employees in the organisation and 32 of these are apprentices.

No direct employees and contracted workers of the Skills Funding Agency are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

Our 32 apprentices which equates to 2.5% of our workforce are all paid above the National Minimum wage, albeit below the level set by the Living Wage Foundation.

I hope this satisfactorily addresses your question. If you have any follow up queries, please let me know.

Letter from Ed Lester, dated 24 January 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to Parliamentary Question 184437 tabled on 22 January 2014 which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the fate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

I can confirm that no staff or contractors employed by Land Registry are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage foundation as a living wage.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Letter from Richard Judge, dated 27 January 2014:

The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his , Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. My response relates to the Insolvency Service, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Insolvency Service currently has no employees who earn less than the living wage. There are presently 25 agency workers who earn less than the living wage. This represents 15% of the total number of agency workers and contractors currently assigned to the Insolvency Service. In accordance with the Agency Workers' Regulations, if these 25 agency workers' assignments with the Insolvency Service reach 12 weeks' duration, they will be paid a rate greater than the living wage.