Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, If he would make an assessment of the potential merits of a licensing scheme for (a) hairdressers and (b) barbers.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Hairdressing salons and barbers, like other employers, are subject to normal business regulations such as health and safety requirements, employer and public liability insurance. The Hairdressers Registration Act of 1964 already provides for a UK register of qualified hairdressers and HMRC will investigate evidence suggesting businesses have misclassified individuals for tax purposes and Government collaborates closely with law enforcement to monitor criminal behaviour.
The Government has no current plans to introduce further regulation of the hair industry, but we will always remain open to considering.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to review the penalties for the anti-social use of fireworks leading to significant criminal damage.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police and local authorities with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to anti-social behaviour, including the misuse of fireworks.
To inform any future decisions I have and will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Fireworks Regulations 2004 on tackling the purchase of fireworks for anti-social use.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Most people use fireworks in a responsible and appropriate manner. The current regulatory framework is designed to support people to enjoy fireworks whilst lowering the risk of dangers and disruption to people, animals, and property.
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of the unregulated sale and misuse of fireworks on public safety including the purchase for antisocial use and damage to property.
However, to inform any future decisions I have and will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) unregulated sale and (b) misuse of fireworks on (i) public safety and (ii) property.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Most people use fireworks in a responsible and appropriate manner. The current regulatory framework is designed to support people to enjoy fireworks whilst lowering the risk of dangers and disruption to people, animals, and property.
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of the unregulated sale and misuse of fireworks on public safety including the purchase for antisocial use and damage to property.
However, to inform any future decisions I have and will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to amend the code of practice on picketing, updated on 11 March 2024.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Employment Rights Bill, the Government intends to amend the Code of Practice on Picketing to reflect legislative changes made by the Bill.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
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 lifting tariffs on non-folding Chinese e-bikes on British manufacturers.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
On 6 February the government extended the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on Chinese e-bikes but only for folding e-bikes. The independent Trade Remedies Authority assessed the annual impact of removing the measures on non-folding Chinese e-bikes, as can be found in their Final Recommendation to the Secretary of State. The Trade Remedy Authority’s assessment was considered by the Secretary of State as part of his decision.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
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 support small and medium-sized enterprises in the defence sector with (a) high costs and (b) limited access to suitable facilities for (i) developing and (ii) testing new technologies.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are a vital part of the UK defence supply base, contributing to growth through high-skilled jobs and dual use technology. We are supporting their competitiveness through investment from the National Security Strategic Investment Fund and by improving access to defence supply chains through a new SME hub, which will set direct SME spending targets for the Ministry of Defence by June this year. Our new UK Defence Innovation Organisation will further support defence SMEs to take state-of-the-art technology from the drawing board to the production line, and into the hands of our Armed Forces.
Asked by: Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the provisions proposed in the Employment Rights Bill on the proportion of apprenticeships offered by employers to (1) existing employees, (2) new hires, and (3) 16–24 year olds; and what evidence regarding employers' decisions to award apprenticeship contracts they have used in this assessment.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In October, Government published 24 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis shows that the Bill is expected to benefit younger workers, typically disproportionately represented in low paid, low quality, insecure jobs.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
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 contribution of domestic steel production to the transition to net zero.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Steel was responsible for 3% of UK emissions in 2022, 16% of UK manufacturing emissions. The majority of these emissions were due to the production of steel via the Blast Furnace route at Port Talbot and Scunthorpe. Currently the only commercially viable decarbonisation option is Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs), which can also contribute to meeting the demand for steel required for the Net Zero transition.
UK Government and Tata Steel have agreed a transformation deal to decarbonisation Port Talbot reducing carbon emissions from the site by 85%, and UK emissions by 1.5%.
We are also open to supporting innovative technologies like hydrogen-based Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) and Carbon Capture and Storage and continue to assess their feasibility.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to ensure that the mining of (a) lithium, (b) nickel, (c) cobalt, (d) manganese and (e) graphite is (i) sustainable and (ii) does not negatively impact net zero targets.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
While recognising these critical minerals are crucial for the energy transition, Government supports efforts to reduce the environmental impact of mining operations themselves. At present, the UK only has mining operations for lithium. As with any UK domestic mining project, these operations need to comply with permitting and planning regulations that protect our natural environment. The UK’s new Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure critical minerals for the long term, promoting responsible and sustainable supply chains.