Tuesday Volume 605 2 February 2016 No. 109 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 2 February 2016 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2016 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 757 2 FEBRUARY 2016 758 Sajid Javid: Actually, I can confirm to my hon. Friend House of Commons that not only has foreign investment continued across British industry, including the car industry, but the auto Tuesday 2 February 2016 industry has just had a record year, with more than £64 billion of turnover and 80% of cars being exported. [Interruption.] The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Mr Speaker: Order. Dr Hunt, you were not taught to behave like that at your very expensive public school. PRAYERS Geraint Davies (Swansea West) (Lab/Co-op): That [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] was a very funny joke, Mr Speaker. The Environmental Protection Agency in America is suing Volkswagen for installing defeat devices that cheat BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS emissions testing in millions of cars. What work is the Secretary of State doing with manufacturers in Britain CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION (OPEN SPACES)BILL to ensure that such devices are not installed, so that we Bill read a Second time and committed. can look forward to a future of greener cars where all cars are properly tested at MOT and the public are safe in the knowledge that more and more people will not Oral Answers to Questions die unnecessarily from pollution? Sajid Javid: That is a good question. It should be very clear to all companies that if they engage in such cheating or bad practices, the Government will crack BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS down hard on them. We will work with our colleagues in the European Commission and elsewhere to make The Secretary of State was asked— sure that all rules are applied. We in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are working on introducing Automotive Industry: Evolving Technologies real emissions testing, with the Department for Transport and colleagues in the European Union. 1. John Pugh (Southport) (LD): What steps the Government are taking to ensure that the British Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): In the mid-’90s, automotive industry is able to develop and benefit from I stood up in this Chamber and said that some day, evolving technologies. [903369] there would be self-drive cars, and everyone thought I was mad. I am reliably told that by 2020, autonomous-drive The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and cars will be available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Skills and President of the Board of Trade (Sajid Javid): Much of that work is being undertaken in Paddington The UK automotive industry is already a great success, by Nissan. When will my right hon. Friend visit Nissan but we want to make sure that it stays at the cutting and other British manufacturers, such as Jaguar Land edge. We are committing almost £l billion to help develop Rover and Toyota, if he has not already done so, to talk next-generation technologies. This will make the UK to them about autonomous-drive cars? the go-to location for connected and autonomous vehicles, for example, and it will facilitate automotive research Sajid Javid: I have had a lot of thoughts about my and development. hon. Friend, but madness was not one of them. I agree with my hon. Friend about the new technology John Pugh: I thank the Secretary of State for his of driverless cars, in which Britain is a world leader. response. We read yesterday of his enthusiasm for driverless Yesterday at MIRA, a world-class facility in Nuneaton, cars, but what specific encouragement and incentive will we announced £20 million of funding. That will fund he provide for the more mature and greener technology some eight research and development projects in areas of hydrogen fuel cells? across the country, including in the midlands, and 14 feasibility studies. With work like that, his dream of Sajid Javid: I am glad that the hon. Gentleman has a driverless car to carry him wherever he wants to go raised the issue of driverless cars. Britain already leads will come true by 2020. in that area, and yesterday I announced some £20 million of awards. Green energy and greener cars are also Floods: Effect on Businesses important. That is why, in the spending review recently, we announced more funding for research from Government. 2. Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op): What assessment he has made of the effect on 20. [903390] Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): businesses of the recent floods. [903370] Will the Secretary of State confirm that since 2013, when the Prime Minister announced his intention to The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and hold a referendum on our EU membership, foreign Skills and President of the Board of Trade (Sajid Javid): direct investment in the British automotive industry We have made £50 million available to support flood and new technologies has been at record levels, because recovery across the north of England following foreign companies are confident that British cars will Storms Desmond and Eva, and we have already be well made, whether we are in the EU or outside? allocated £11 million to local authorities to support the 759 Oral Answers2 FEBRUARY 2016 Oral Answers 760 4,500 businesses impacted. Local areas also have the engage with that system. I know one particular landlord discretion to provide grants to any local businesses that who is not interested in Government support. What have been affected. support can the Government offer to lessee businesses that are looking to them for such help? Rachael Maskell: Floods have an impact on the entire local business community, which is calling for more Sajid Javid: My hon. Friend is right. In such support. At my business flood meeting in York, it called circumstances, those businesses should of course be for a business recovery package, including help to maintain helped as well. We know that many of them are already a customer base and to trade expediently. Will the applying directly to councils, to which we have provided Secretary of State look into that, and will he attend a funding. They are eligible for the £2,500 grant, and they roundtable with flood victims so that a full business can apply for the further grant of £5,000. They will also recovery package can be put in place for the entire benefit from the three-month business rate holiday. business community, not just businesses that were flooded? Businesses: Support Sajid Javid: The hon. Lady is right to raise this matter. Many businesses have been affected, and when 3. Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): What steps his something like this happens it affects the whole community. Department is taking to support people who want to We are already looking into that. She will know that the start their own business. [903371] money already made available can be used to support businesses in creative ways. On top of that, there is a The Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise £2,500 grant to help all businesses affected, and they (Anna Soubry): In particular, our start-up loans scheme can apply for a further £5,000. has provided more than 35,000 loans, worth over £192 million, and we are now putting support into John Stevenson (Carlisle) (Con): A large number of growth hubs. Those are just two of the many things we businesses in Carlisle were affected by the floods. However, are doing to encourage small businesses and give them they affected not just businesses but the rugby club, the the support they need. squash club, the tennis club and the cricket club in my constituency. Will the Secretary of State look at providing Fiona Bruce: I thank the Minister for that reply. What support for those organisations as well as for businesses? help can business people in my constituency expect from local growth hubs? Sajid Javid: My hon. Friend makes an important point about how such a disaster can affect the whole Anna Soubry: We all take the very firm view that the community, and he gives some excellent examples of 39 growth hubs we have created are a really good way of that. Money has been made available to local authorities making sure that small businesses get the support they to provide such support for both businesses and others, need at the local level. We also take the view that the and I will look further at the suggestions he makes. people who know best how to advise and assist businesses are business people themselves. We think that is done Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab): The Association much better the more locally it is done, rather than of British Insurers puts the average cost of flood damage doing it all from Whitehall. at £50,000 per business property, yet the average pay-out under the repair and review scheme has been just £1,666. Derek Twigg (Halton) (Lab): Most of the lending That is well down on the £5,000 promised, with many from banks is going to medium-sized firms, but a lot businesses yet to receive a penny. In an Adjournment of smaller firms—particularly those with fewer than debate last week, we heard about the damage caused in 50 employees, which include start-up firms—are struggling Leeds during the last Parliament and the promises that to get long-term loans. What discussions will the Minister have not been kept in relation to that.