House Of Commons Business Innovation And Skills Committee Open Access Hc 99 I

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 188 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2013-09-10
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 0215061829

Get Book

House of Commons - Business, Innovation and Skills Committee: Open Access - HC 99-I by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

The Government's commitment to increasing access to published research findings and its desire to achieve full open access are welcomed in this report from the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee. However, whilst Gold open access - where authors publish their articles in an open access journal that provides free immediate open access to all of its articles on the publisher's website - is a desirable ultimate goal, focusing on it during the transition to a fully open access world is a mistake. The Government and Research Council UK should reconsider their preference for Gold open access during the five year transition period, and give due regard to the evidence of the vital role that Green open access and repositories have to play as the UK moves towards full open access. (Authors opting for Green open access publish in any subscription journal, and then make their peer-reviewed final draft freely accessible online by self-archiving or depositing the article in a repository (either institutional or disciplinary) upon acceptance for publication.) Other recommendations include: promotion of standardisation and compliance across subject and institutional repositories; mitigation against the impact on universities of paying Article Processing Charges out of their own reserves; introduce a reduced VAT rate for e-journals; non-disclosure clauses should not be used in publishing contracts that include the use of public funds; BIS must review its consultation processes to ensure that lessons are learned from the lack of involvement of businesses, particularly SMEs, in the formation of open access policy

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 102 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2013-12-23
Category : Law
ISBN : 021506593X

Get Book

House of Commons - Business, Innovation and Skills Committee: Draft Consumer Rights Bill - HC 697-I by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

The Government's draft Consumer Rights Bill has the potential to consolidate, simplify and modernise consumer law however issues and inconsistencies must be resolved. The current proposals would apply a statutory right that services under a contract must be provided with reasonable care and skill [a fault-based standard]. This does not provide sufficient consumer protection. The Draft Bill should require that services must achieve the stated result, or one which could be reasonably expected [an outcomes-based standard]. As the Bank of Ireland case demonstrated, the right to terminate a contract does not necessarily protect consumers from detriment. This report recommends an addition to the grey list - the indicative list of contract terms which may be regarded as unfair. The Government's proposals for enhanced consumer measures, which would require traders that have breached consumer law to compensate consumers, are welcome. However, private enforcers should also be able to use them. The collective proceedings regime has the potential to improve access to redress for victims of competition law breaches but the Government must clarify the certification requirements for such proceedings. The creation of rights and remedies for digital content is welcome, but the Government must do more to communicate how the proposals will work in practice. Under the draft Bill, the remedies available to consumers of digital content would depend on whether the content is intangible (such as a music download) or tangible (such as a CD). In appropriate circumstances, consumers should have the right to reject and obtain a refund irrespective of whether they purchase intangible or tangible digital content

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 80 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2013-12-20
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 0215065905

Get Book

House of Commons - Business, Innovation and Skills Committee: Payday Loans - HC 789 by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

The rapid expansion of the payday loan sector has been accompanied by a significant increase in the number of people experiencing serious debt problems which suggests people should think carefully before taking out such loans. Furthermore the number of payday loan adverts seen by 4-15 year olds has increased from 3 million in 2008 to 596 million in 2012. The Committee's recommendations include: all payday loan companies should be required to resubmit their affordability tests to the FCA for approval before they can continue in the sector and the FCA should make clear that if real-time data sharing has not been established by July 2014 it will mandate its use as a condition of trading in the sector; a limit should be set of one roll-over per payday loan; Payday lenders should be required to give 3 working days notice before using a continuous payment authority [CPA] and each notice should set out the right of a customer to cancel the CPA; the FCA should discuss with the Information Commissioners Office how texts on payday loans could be disaggregated to identify the extent of bad practice and if this evidence base demonstrates inappropriate targeting or marketing, the FCA should move to ban all brokering of payday loans through email, texts and other personal mobile devices; when payday loans come under the authority of the FCA, they will be subject to a levy which should be ring fenced by the Money Advice Service solely for the funding of front-line debt advice services

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee,Adrian Bailey
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 76 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 2014-03-04
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 0215068904

Get Book

House of Commons - Business, Innovation and Skills Committee: The Retail Sector: Volume I - HC 168-I by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee,Adrian Bailey Pdf

The Committee calls for a wholesale review that goes beyond the administration of business rates to examine whether retail taxes should be based on sales rather than the rateable value of a property; whether retail needs its own system of business taxation; and how frequently revaluations should take place. In the interim, the Committee calls for a six months business rates amnesty for businesses occupying empty properties. This would go further than the 50% reduction announced in the Autumn Statement and would encourage new businesses to the High Street. The Committee also recommends that in the interim the Government review whether business rates are more appropriately linked to CPI or RPI and calls for annual increases to be linked to a 12 month average of either RPI or CPI, with a cap at 2%. This would replace the current link to a monthly snapshot of RPI. The Government should provide information on how and how much of the money allocated to the Portas Pilots is being spent. This follows concerns that much of the money allocated to the pilots has not been spent. The Government is also urged to outline the results of its latest STEM skills analysis and outline the action it will take to tackle any skills shortages. The retail sector also needs to encourage more staff to be trained at Apprenticeship Level 3 and above, and consider developing language skills to enhance the international consumers' experience

Author : Great Britain. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 21 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2015
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1474117066

Get Book

Government Response to the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Report on Business-university Collaboration by Great Britain. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Pdf

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 21 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2015-04-15
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0101886926

Get Book

Government Response to the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Report on Business-University Collaboration by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Pdf

Dated March 2015. Government response to HCP 249, session 2014-15 (ISBN 9780215078902), published 01/12/14. A TSO version of a title previously published by HM Government.

Author : Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 33 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2015-03-25
Category : Foreign trade promotion
ISBN : 9780215084521

Get Book

HC 804 - Transatlantic Trade And Investment Partnership by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is an ambitious attempt by the European Union and the United States to deliver a comprehensive trade and investment treaty. Negotiations between the two are currently underway and the Government hopes that an agreement can be reached by the end of 2015. The trade deal may be beneficial to the UK and EU economies but TTIP is not universally supported and the level of financial benefit to the UK is open to question. The lack of detail available on the negotiations means that it is difficult to assess which is the more accurate argument. However, this should not excuse the quality of debate which we have, on occasion, observed by campaigners and lobbyists on both sides of the argument. Everyone involved in the debate on TTIP - campaigners,lobbyists, the UK Government and the European Commission - must ensure that an evidence-based approach is at the heart of any TTIP debate. One of the key concerns about TTIP is the proposal to include Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions. These provisions - common in bilateral trade agreements - aim to protect foreign investors from illegal interference by the host government. However, campaigners have argued that such clauses could allow US healthcare investors to force the permanent privatisation of the NHS. Although this view has been rebutted repeatedly by the European Commission and the UK Government, until draft clauses are published, it will be difficult for them to convince those with concerns.

Author : Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 60 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2015-02-24
Category : Industrial policy
ISBN : 9780215081612

Get Book

HC 770 - Government Support for Business by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

Helping British businesses to thrive and grow is vital to the UK's long-term economic prosperity. The Government's ambition is for the UK to be one of the best places in Europe to start, finance and grow a business. In order to facilitate this, the Government offers support to business in accessing finance, promoting exports, developing manufacturing and encouraging growth at a local level. The Committee's inquiry considered the wide range of support that is on offer, and in particular those support programmes run by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. Access to finance is fundamental to the success of business of all sizes. However, the Committee heard varying evidence about the availability of finance, in particular for SMEs. Too many business still report that they find it difficult to get the financial support they need. By drawing on the British Business Bank's expertise, the Government should be able to develop a better understanding of the blockages in the system, why they occur, and whether changes in regulation or funding are needed to address them. The British Business bank also has a clear role to play in enhancing SME access to finance though clearly signposting the services available from alternative finance providers. In particular, it should develop a menu of alternative finance providers for each different area of financial support.

Author : Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committees on Impact of the closure of City Link on Employment,Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee,Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Scottish Affairs Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 41 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2015-03-23
Category : Unemployment
ISBN : 9780215084507

Get Book

HC 928 - Impact of the Closure of City Link on Employment by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committees on Impact of the closure of City Link on Employment,Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee,Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Scottish Affairs Committee Pdf

There will always be those who lose out when a company goes into administration and cannot cover all of its debts. However, the current system does not represent the appropriate balance, since those who have given secure credit to a company are cushioned from the full impact of an insolvency, because the losses are borne by those who work for a company on a self-employed basis, or as contractors or suppliers. Under the current rules it is clearly in the financial interest of a company to break the law, and ignore the statutory redundancy consultation period, if the fine for doing so is less than the cost of continuing to trade, especially since this fine will anyway be paid by the taxpayer. However, while the financial calculation is simple, ignoring the consultation period has a high human cost that appears not to have featured in the decision making process at City Link. Employees were denied a reasonable notice period in which to seek alternative employment and instead, at a time of financial uncertainty, have to pursue a court claim for lack of consultation if they wish to be compensated. While there were differences of opinion as to whether or not City Link could be made viable, and the desired level of return could be achieved, the Committees regret that Better Capital felt its investors' interests could only be protected at the expense of the future of City Link and continued employment for its workers

Author : Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 48 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2014-12
Category : Business and education
ISBN : 9780215078902

Get Book

HC 249 - Business-University Collaboration by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

The Government must commit to a 3 per cent target of GDP of research and development (R&D) spending by 2020 to ensure the UK doesn't lag behind international competitors. The BIS Committee finds that more than 30 years of under-investment in R&D has left the UK trailing countries such as the USA, Germany and France in science and innovation spending, threatening the opportunities for economic growth offered by the research excellence of the UK's world class university system. The Committee found the Catapult network has played a valuable role in harnessing the commercial benefits of science and innovation research. The Committee calls on the Government to back the recommendations of the recent Hauser Catapult review and expand the Catapult Network from the seven current centres to 20 by 2020 and 30 by 2030 and increase funding to Innovate UK. The Government needs to do more to bring businesses and universities together to realise the benefits of the cutting-edge research taking place across the country. The Committee recommends that the Government establish a respected and impartial way to measure and evaluate the success of its initiatives to increase R&D activity, such as by reintroduction of the R&D scoreboard. These measures, alongside an ambitious long-term vision for the innovation system, should be built into the forthcoming Science and Innovation strategy.

Author : Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 72 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2014-10-28
Category : Mineral industries
ISBN : 9780215078506

Get Book

HC 188 - The Extractive Industries - HC 188 by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

Extractive companies contribute directly to the UK in a number of ways. Both domestic companies and global companies listed in London contribute through taxes, dividends, licenses and the employment of British workers. The size of the UK's domestic extractive sector is well below its historical peak. However, the Government has expressed support for the enlargement of the UK's domestic extractive and the United Kingdom Trade and Investment is doing good work to promote the United Kingdom as a base for extractive companies to do business with the rest of the world. However, the extractive sector is not without controversy, particularly when one considers reports of poor practice around the world. The UK is at risk of being associated with some of the negative practices often reported alongside the sector. To counter this, more needs to be done to improve to social and environmental performance, transparency and reputations of the companies it hosts and both industry educational institutions and Government must promote and excite the next generation of extractive workers. This should be done by encouraging more British students to study STEM-related subjects, engage with industry to encourage and promote mining as a rewarding and exciting career and encourage large mining companies to support the UK as a base for mining through funding and resources.

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 116 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2014-08-08
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780215075789

Get Book

HC 504 - The Implications of Scottish Independence on Business; Higher Education and Research; and Postal Services by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

A 'Yes' vote for independence will break up the UK single market and in the short-term could leave Scottish businesses uncertain of their position in Europe, says the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee in this report. A protracted Scottish negotiation over EU membership, and the uncertain investment environment arising from a 'Yes' vote, will have a damaging impact on businesses in Scotland, as well as other parts of the UK. The Committee raises serious concerns that a 'Yes' vote may also leave Scotland facing a currency 'limbo' and in the short term unable to join a sterling currency union and without the prospect of adopting the Euro. Also, the Scottish Government's stated intention to renationalise the Royal Mail upon achieving independence is an un-costed aspiration, bereft of any detail of how it is to be paid for or how it would be done. The Committee also fears for the future of the Universal Postal Obligation in an independent Scotland with its continued survival likely to be secured only at significant additional cost. On higher education, the Committee explored the topics of student fees and UK research collaboration. The central plank of the Scottish Government's HE policy, to charge tuition fees to students from other parts of the UK, was likely to be illegal under EU law. The Committee also expressed concerns this policy would result in Scottish universities facing a financial shortfall, given the significant income currently received for non-domiciled UK students.

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 354 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2012-07-13
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0215046773

Get Book

Scrutiny of arms export controls (2012) by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

The Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) believe that the Government should apply significantly more cautious judgements on the export of arms to authoritarian regimes which might be used for internal repression. The Committees have scrutinised in unprecedented detail the Government's latest (2010) Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls (HC 1402, session 2011-12, ISBN 9780102973662), the Government's quarterly information on individual export licence approvals and refusals, and the Government's policies and performance on arms export controls and on arms control generally. The Committees conclude that the Government's review of its policies and practices on arms exports following the Arab Spring should not have been carried out merely as "an internal review" and should instead have been the subject of public consultation in accordance with the Government's stated policy of transparency on arms exports. And whilst the Government's introduction of a new licence suspension mechanism is welcome, this is not sufficient to ensure that arms exported are not used for internal repression overseas because in many cases the arms will have left the UK before suspension occurs. The Government should extend its arms export policy review from countries in the Middle East and North Africa to authoritarian regimes and countries of human rights concern worldwide. Annex 7 of the report gives selected arms export licence approvals by the Government to countries of human rights concern, and the report also contains details of the extant UK Government approved arms export licences to Argentina, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 178 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 2011-09-20
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 0215561481

Get Book

Pub companies by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

The deep-seated problems within the pub industry and in particular the relationship between pub companies and their lessees, who run pubs, have been the subject of repeated scrutiny by Parliamentary select committees. Earlier reports on this subject having been published as HC 128-I & II, session 2004-5 (ISBNs 9780215021007, 9780215022653), HC 434, session 2004--05 (ISBN 9780215022868), HC 503, session 2009-10 (ISBN 9780215545510), HC 138, session 2009-10 (ISBN 9780215544377) ; and HC 26-I, session 2008-09 (ISBN 9780215530127). Each Committee report challenged the industry to deliver meaningful reform and on every occasion the industry was found wanting. The latest follow-up, HC 138 of session 2009-10 delivered a final ultimatum to the industry. It was stated that if the Business Innovation and Skills Committee concludes by then that the Code is not working as well as it should be it would consult on putting the Code on a statutory basis with effective enforcement. The present Government has confirmed that it would continue that policy. This report is an assessment of the recommendations made by the committee and what the response has been from the industry. The committee concludes that 'it is now time for the Government to act on its undertaking' and cautions the Government that offering a compromise of non-statutory intervention would be a departure from its undertaking and would not bring about meaningful reform that is needed

Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee
Publisher : Stationery Office
Page : 88 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2013-06-20
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 0215059042

Get Book

Women in the workplace by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Pdf

Employees should be entitled to ask for flexible working from the outset, not only after they have been in a job for six months, says the Report. Additionally, the Government should establish a voluntary Code of Practice to highlight best practice in the provision of quality part-time and flexible working, and must dispel the myth that any type of flexible working is problematic and cannot work. The Report also urges the Government to reconsider its decisions to introduce fees for pregnancy discrimination cases, and to 'call time' on the undertaking of Equality Impact Assessments. It further recommends that the questionnaire procedures in discrimination cases and the Public Sector Equality Duty should be retained in their current forms. The Committee notes that Government policy in these areas runs counter to its professed commitment to equality