Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support independent hospitality businesses.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth and social cohension across the UK.
We recently launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold businesses back. In addition, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value less than £500,000
We have also recently announced a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects that align with Department of Business & Trade and Hospitality Sector Council Priorities. I am working with Council Members to maximise the benefits of this funding.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of increased labour costs on employment levels in the hospitality industry in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK.
Raising the revenue required to fund public services and restore economic stability requires difficult decisions on tax, which is why we are asking employers to contribute more.
The Government will protect the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, more than half of employers see no change or gain overall from this package and employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to monitor the potential long-term impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions on employment trends in the hospitality sector.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth.
I chair the Hospitality Sector Council, which meets quarterly in which we discuss issues the sector faces. I also meet regularly with individual businesses to hear about the pressures they are facing.
We’re increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, allowing 865,000 employers to pay no NICs this year. This, for example, means employers can hire up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help support hospitality businesses to maintain employment levels in the context of higher labour costs.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Hospitality businesses, including those in West Dorset constituency, are vital to our communities and support economic growth.
We’re increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, allowing 865,000 employers to pay no NICs this year. This means employers can hire up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs. Additionally, we aim to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000. We are also working with the Hospitality Sector Council on issues the sector faces.
We recently launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold hospitality businesses back. We are expecting recommendations before the Summer recess.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of increases in (a) employer National Insurance contributions and (b) the National Minimum Wage on annual costs to the hospitality sector.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK.
We are pleased to deliver a significant increase to the minimum wage, and to take crucial steps towards the creation of a genuine living wage that supports millions of families across the country.
The Government will protect the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, more than half of employers see no change or gain overall from this package and employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.
The Government published an Impact Assessment for the 2025 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates which includes a breakdown of impact by sector.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the hospitality industry on the potential impact of increased labour costs on that sector.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I regularly engage with hospitality businesses, and I am aware of the current challenges they face. Raising the revenue required to fund public services and restore economic stability requires difficult decisions on tax, which is why we are asking employers to contribute more through National Insurance contributions. However, we are raising the threshold at which employers start paying NI to protect the smallest businesses.
Also, we are committed to creating a fairer business rates system to alleviate the pressure on hospitality businesses by introducing permanently lower business rates for RHL properties with a rateable value under £500,000.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total annual production of crude steel in tonnes by (1) the UK, (2) other G7 countries, (3) China, and (4) India, in 2024.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In 2024, the United Kingdom produced 4,011,973 tonnes of crude steel. The G7 countries collectively produced 247,817,568 tonnes of crude steel. Table 1 below provides detailed steel production figures for the rest of G7 countries. Meanwhile, China produced 1,005,090,000 tonnes of crude steel, and India produced 149,421,000 tonnes.
Table 1: Crude Steel Production by G7 Countries (excl. UK), 2024
Country | Crude steel production (tonnes) |
France | 10,754,987 |
Canada | 12,349,087 |
Italy | 20,001,983 |
Germany | 37,234,082 |
United States | 79,456,590 |
Japan | 84,008,866 |
Source: World Steel Association
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of critical minerals supply from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Whilst Government has not made an economic assessment of the benefits of critical minerals supply from any specific region to the rest of the UK, the new Critical Minerals Strategy will set out how increasing our domestic production of critical minerals in all areas of the UK will support our economic growth and security, industrial strategy, and clean energy transition.
As part of her industry engagement, Minister Sarah Jones MP, met with Ionic Technologies, a cutting-edge permanent magnet recycler based in Belfast, who are a real asset to critical minerals supply across the UK. The world-leading critical minerals innovation led out of Queen’s University Belfast also demonstrates how Northern Ireland can contribute to UK critical minerals supply.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to engage with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to develop a UK-wide critical minerals supply strategy.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
A secure supply of critical minerals is vital for the UK's economic growth and security, industrial strategy, and clean energy transition.
Government is engaging widely in developing the new Critical Minerals Strategy, including in partnership with the devolved governments, to make this Strategy a UK-wide effort.
The Critical Minerals Strategy will be published in 2025, aligning with the multi-year Spending Review and the new Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have engaged with the Northern Ireland Executive about critical minerals supply.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
A secure supply of critical minerals is vital for the UK's economic growth and security, industrial strategy, and clean energy transition.
Government is engaging widely in developing the new Critical Minerals Strategy, including in partnership with the devolved governments, to make this Strategy a UK-wide effort.
The Critical Minerals Strategy will be published in 2025, aligning with the multi-year Spending Review and the new Industrial Strategy.