Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Competition and Market Authority’s final report of March 26th 2026, what the planned frequency of review is on the prescription fee caps on veterinary medicines; and which authority will have the responsibility to review the prescription fee caps on veterinary medicines.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is independent of Government and is responsible for the design, implementation and monitoring of market investigation remedies. The CMA has a statutory duty to keep under review the Order that will set out the prescription fee cap requirements. The prescription fee caps will increase annually in line with inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index. Compliance with the caps will be monitored and enforced by the CMA and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
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, which companies the Department is aware are exporting dual-use components from the United Kingdom to the Russian Federation; what dual-use components are being exported to the Russian Federation; and what representations have been received from (a) Ukraine and (b) NATO member states to HM Government on those exports.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The comprehensive sanctions put in place by HMG under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 following Russia's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine mean that UK companies have been banned from exporting military or dual-use goods to Russia since February 2022. Any companies doing so would be subject to criminal penalties unless the goods are expressly exempted under Part 7 of the Regulations. Any representations from the Government of Ukraine, or NATO allies are the province of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
Asked by: Lord Ashcombe (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Collins of Highbury on 28 October 2025 (HL Deb col 1257), whether they have commenced the review of section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999; and if not, when they expect that review to begin.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government has committed to review the functioning of section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 in its entirety. As part of this review, we will engage with relevant and interested stakeholders and publish our findings in Parliament. The review will start shortly and the government will write to interested parties in due course.
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, how many times the Aerospace Growth Partnership has met since 4 July 2024; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential economic merits of the Aerospace Growth Partnership .
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Since 4 July 2024 the Aerospace Growth Partnership Board has met 12 times. Through our Industrial Strategy, government has committed to supporting the sector to increase its share of the global market from 10% to 15% and secure at least £35billion of additional private investment to industrialise technologies by 2050. The Aerospace Growth Partnership is a unique forum that helps bring together all parts of the UK's aerospace ecosystem with a common goal of delivering growth in the UK.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to hold an African Investment Summit.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the member for Arundel and South Downs to the answer I gave to UIN 101498 on 8 January.
Asked by: Lord Pack (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), which department is responsible for considering commencing the Easter Act 1928; when it last carried out a review; and what the outcome was.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Department for Business and Trade is responsible for decisions on whether to commence the Easter Act 1928.
The Department keeps this matter under review and – as part of this – considers whether the Christian churches agree on moving Easter to a fixed date.
The Government does not currently have any plans to commence the Easter Act 1928.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he expects to launch the call for evidence in relation to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) regulations and related processes.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We launched a call for evidence on Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) on 8th April to gather input from all interested parties. We committed to reviewing the regulations to consider how to simplify and clarify the transfer process for businesses, while still providing the appropriate protections to employees who are affected by the transfers. We value the feedback from our stakeholders and aim to make changes where they will have a positive impact for employees and businesses alike.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Competition and Market Authority’s final report of March 24th 2026, what formula the Competition and Markets Authority used to determine the cap of £21 specifically for a first prescription.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is independent of Government and is responsible for remedies resulting from a market investigation. In its final report, the CMA set a £21 cap on first prescription fees based on evidence of fees charged across a large proportion of the veterinary services market. Full details of the CMA’s approach are set out in Part B of its final report (pages 262–311), which is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterinary-services-for-household-pets-final-decision-report
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
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 Iran conflict on the a) UK aluminium import and export markets and b) aims of the Critical Minerals Strategy.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade is closely monitoring the potential impact of the disruption to trade and supply chains on the UK economy as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. Businesses impacted such as those in the aluminium industry, are encouraged to continue sharing intelligence regarding the ongoing challenges to help inform the Government's response.
Any impact strengthens the imperative of the UK Critical Minerals Strategy, with its key objectives of optimising domestic production while building resilient UK and global supply networks across critical minerals, including aluminium.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with the Competition and Markets Authority regarding opening a strategic market status investigation into Microsoft and its software licensing practices.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade engages regularly with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on competition issues. The CMA is independent of Government, and decisions on initiating strategic market status investigations (SMS) are a matter for the CMA Board. The CMA has announced that it will open a SMS investigation into Microsoft’s business software ecosystem, expected to launch in May 2026.