Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
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 implications for his policies of the Competition and Market Authority’s report entitled The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting a market investigation into veterinary services for household pets, published 7 September 2023.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Competition issues and pricing practices in the veterinary services market are currently being examined by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets. The CMA is expected to publish its final report by March. The Government will consider the CMA’s final findings and respond to the report within 90 days of its publication.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps is he taking to help improve price transparency for veterinary services.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Competition issues and pricing practices in the veterinary services market are currently being examined by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets. The CMA is expected to publish its final report by March. The Government will consider the CMA’s final findings and respond to the report within 90 days of its publication.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 the Employment Rights Act 2025 on employment opportunities for young people in the hospitality sector; and how he plans to ensure that restrictions on zero-hours contracts and flexible working do not lead to reduced staffing levels and fewer entry-level roles in pubs and similar businesses.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government published a comprehensive assessment that shows young workers, typically disproportionately represented in low-paid, low quality and insecure jobs will be amongst the largest beneficiaries of the Act.
We are changing legislation through the Act to make it more likely that flexible working requests are accepted where they are reasonable and feasible.
The Act does not prevent employers from hiring workers on zero hours contracts and workers will be able to remain on them if it suits their needs. We are committed to consulting fully with stakeholders, including within the hospitality sector, to determine the next level of policy detail, to be set in regulations.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 adequacy of current consumer protection legislation in relation to manufacturers ending software support for connected consumer devices; and whether he plans to introduce minimum software support period requirements for smart home technology.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government does not currently have any plans to introduce a minimum support period for smart home technology.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods or digital content must be of satisfactory quality, fit for a particular purpose and as described by the seller. A trader can upgrade, fix, enhance and improve the features of, or add new features to, digital content so long as it continues to match any description given by the trader. It must also continue to conform with any pre-contract information as to main characteristics, functionality and compatibility provided by the trader.
Consumers in England and Wales are encouraged to report any concerns to the Citizens Advice consumer service, who will pass intelligence to Trading Standards, allowing them to understand and act upon areas where consumers are experiencing the most harm.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Reform UK - Fareham and Waterlooville)
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 adequacy of working conditions for self‑employed couriers in the parcel delivery sector, including training standards, pay rates, and safeguarding obligations.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
All businesses must comply with relevant laws and employers must comply with their legal obligations to ensure that their workforce receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled. Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services, does not regulate the employment models of parcel delivery companies.
Many employment rights, including the National Minimum and Living Wage do not apply to self-employed individuals. While the government recognises self-employed arrangements can provide valued flexibility, we also recognise concerns regarding exploitation of the current employment status framework and will consult on addressing these.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what staffing or system costs are associated with monitoring, reporting and compliance activity relating to official travel emissions in his Department.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We can confirm that the Department for Business and Trade does not hold any information associated with monitoring, reporting and compliance activity relating to official travel emissions in his Department.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
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 ensure that estate agents comply with existing consumer protection law; to help support effective enforcement action against rogue operators who mislead consumers; and to help ensure regulations on responsible businesses are not burdensome.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), protects consumers from unfair trading practices and prohibits traders, including estate agents, from omitting (or providing unclear, untimely or obscure) material information to consumers in any ‘invitation to purchase’.
The DMCCA strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) new administrative powers, and the CMA and courts the ability to impose significant monetary penalties of up to 10% of turnover.
The CMA has published updated guidance on price transparency and unfair commercial practices to help businesses comply.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the Competition and Markets Authority’s total expenditure was in 2024–25, broken down by project and function.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Competition and Markets Authority’s published Annual Report and Accounts contains details of its expenditure, including a breakdown of total gross expenditure by operating segment. It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-annual-report-and-accounts-2024-to-2025.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department issues guidance to teams on the proportion of staff time or budget that should be allocated to net zero strategy or corporate sustainability activity.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The department does not issue guidance to teams on the proportion of staff time or budget that should be allocated to net zero strategy or corporate sustainability activity.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108800, what projects undertaken by the Competition and Markets Authority in 2024–25 related to net zero, sustainability and climate policy.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The following projects undertaken by the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) in 2024 to 2025 related to net zero, sustainability and climate policy, carried out consistently with its statutory duty and functions:
Sustainability Taskforce – supporting businesses to comply with competition law when engaging in collaboration to achieve outcomes related to sustainability.
An investigation into anti-competitive conduct in the advertising of recycling-related features of new cars, and in the recycling of old or written-off (or ‘end-of-life’) cars and vans.
Guidance to help fashion businesses comply with consumer protection law when making environmental claims.
An investigation into environmental claims made about products in the consumer goods sector.
An investigation into Worcester Bosch over concerns it may have been misleading consumers in its marketing of boilers as ‘hydrogen-blend ready’.
Other work has included a review and report on the impact of restrictions on the sale of single use plastics on the UK Internal Market, and 13 reports on referrals of subsidies under the UK Subsidy Control Regime.