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 energy costs on business investment in the agricultural sector.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises that energy costs are a significant factor influencing business investment decisions, including in the agricultural sector. We understand the challenges that high industrial electricity prices present to businesses. This is why we are addressing wholesale and network costs through long‑term investment in clean, homegrown power to reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have put the industry on notice that they are monitoring fuel prices closely, including red diesel which is used in agriculture, and will not hesitate to take action if companies are found to have breached consumer protection law.

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 rising cement imports on UK domestic production capacity and employment.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Business and Trade routinely considers import volumes of cement and other foundational industries products. We also maintain close contact with the Mineral Products Association, the sector’s main trade association, and individual cement businesses to consider and address the issues facing the sector.

To mitigate the risk of carbon leakage and support UK domestic production, the cement sector will be included in the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and some cement firms are supported by the British Industry Supercharger, receiving relief from various electricity policy and network costs.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to address the growth in cement imports and increase domestic production.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Business and Trade routinely considers import volumes of cement and other foundational industries products. We also maintain close contact with the Mineral Products Association, the sector’s main trade association, and individual cement businesses to consider and address the issues facing the sector.

To mitigate the risk of carbon leakage and support UK domestic production, the cement sector will be included in the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and some cement firms are supported by the British Industry Supercharger, receiving relief from various electricity policy and network costs.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to support energy intensive businesses in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire with energy costs.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Business and Trade manages two energy cost support schemes, the British Industry Supercharger and the Energy Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme, to support eligible energy-intensive industries with the indirect costs of emissions levies, and electricity policy and network costs. The Supercharger cuts electricity costs by approximately £65-87/MWh for around 550 businesses across the whole of Great Britain, including some of the most electricity-intensive firms in Staffordshire.

From April 2027 the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will benefit over 10,000 manufacturing businesses reducing electricity costs by up to £40/MWh. The Government also announced an additional payment in 2027 to reflect the support eligible businesses would have received had the scheme been in operation earlier.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what timetable the Government has set for introducing measures to prevent carbon leakage and unfair competition from overseas cement producers.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

To mitigate the risk of carbon leakage, the cement sector will be included in the upcoming UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism when introduced in 2027 to ensure importers face a comparable price to that paid by UK manufacturers. Some cement firms are supported by the British Industry Supercharger, receiving relief from various electricity policy and network costs, to reduce the risk of carbon leakage by supporting the competitiveness of recipients. If UK cement firms believe they are being injured by unfair trading practices, such as the dumping of cheap imports, they can bring forward an application to the UK’s independent Trade Remedies Authority (TRA).

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 regulatory impact of cement and construction product manufacturers on those manufactures profitability.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government considers impacts on business when developing new regulations in line with Better Regulation principles. This applies to businesses within the cement and construction product manufacturing industries. While no specific assessment has been made, in any policy consultations relevant to the cement and construction product manufacturing sectors, including the British Industry Supercharger and Energy-Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme, the Government will consider the regulatory impact of any policy changes while ensuring that these schemes continue to deliver value for money.

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 trends in the level of cement imports over the last ten years.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Business and Trade routinely considers import volumes of cement and other foundational industries products. We also maintain close contact with the Mineral Products Association, the sector’s main trade association, and individual cement businesses to consider and address the issues facing the sector.

To mitigate the risk of carbon leakage and support UK domestic production, the cement sector will be included in the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and some cement firms are supported by the British Industry Supercharger, receiving relief from various electricity policy and network costs.

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 tax, regulatory and carbon‑related costs on the long‑term capital investment in energy‑intensive manufacturing.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Carbon-related costs deliver long-term investment signals to deliver energy security for UK businesses and reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuels. However, we understand that some energy-intensive industries (EII) are facing high industrial electricity costs affecting their competitiveness, which is why we deliver the British Industry Supercharger and EII Compensation Scheme to provide carbon-leakage prone businesses relief from carbon costs and electricity network charges. The Government keeps all policy measures, including tax, carbon costs and regulation, under review.

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 the advanced manufacturing sector in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is backing advanced manufacturing through our Modern Industrial Strategy and the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, which supports innovation, skills, investment and the adoption of new technologies across the UK.

Businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire can access national support on skills, finance, R&D and energy. Regional programmes include Made Smarter West Midlands, which helps manufacturing SMEs adopt digital tools and boost productivity, and the new specialist Advanced Manufacturing Technical Excellence College at Newcastle & Stafford College Group.

We will continue working with local partners to ensure businesses in these areas can access the support they need to invest, innovate and create good jobs.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help businesses in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire to increase exports.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to supporting UK businesses, including those in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, to grow and export. DBT has integrated its support for businesses in a single, accessible place – the Business Growth Service. From tailored market advice and free Business Academy training to our on-the-ground network around the world, we are making it easier for businesses to seize export opportunities.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) also has various products designed to support UK businesses. In December 2025, UKEF announced it had provided support to Staffordshire-based GE Vernova’s contract to supply equipment and services to construction of the Niğde Bor plant in Türkiye.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans his Department has to modernise and streamline the process of delivering bankruptcy petitions.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Bankruptcy provides debt relief for many people seeking to deal with financial difficulty, who may petition for their own bankruptcy online in a straightforward manner. It should not be used as a debt collection mechanism except as a final resort. For that reason, creditors presenting a bankruptcy petition to the courts must meet strict requirements, so as to reduce the risk of strategic or coercive filings.

There are no current plans to alter the bankruptcy petition process, which reflects the serious consequences of bankruptcy and its intended use as a last resort.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to encourage investment in businesses located in economically disadvantaged regions.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

84% of businesses supported by the British Business Bank were outside London in 2024/25. The expected boost to Gross Value Added expected from those businesses supported in 2024/25 is more than £100 million in every UK nation and region.

Their £1.6 billion Nations and Regions Investment Funds programme provides debt and equity finance to businesses across Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and three regions of England that would otherwise struggle to get it. The programme is designed to ensure funds are distributed across the whole area, not just finance hotspots.

Two new funds are due to launch later this year, in South and East England.

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 sharp edges on plastic collars of tethered bottle caps on the safety of people with pre-existing conditions.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

All products placed on the UK market must be safe. Under the General Product Safety Regulations, producers are required to ensure that products are safe under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use, including where product features may present a risk to consumers. Producers are also expected to take account of the characteristics of those likely to use the product. Concerns about an unsafe product should be reported to Citizens Advice in the first instance. Producers must monitor the products they have placed on the market for any safety issues that may emerge and take action to mitigate risks.

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 Companies House address verification procedures in preventing overseas entities from registering UK companies at virtual office addresses, residential properties, or addresses used by large numbers of unconnected companies.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Companies House is continuously improving its ability to detect and prevent the misuse of addresses on the companies register.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 enhanced the Registrar’s powers to query and challenge addresses before they are registered and streamlined and strengthened powers to change and remove inappropriate addresses from the register.

Reports on this activity are provided to Parliament each year. The latest report is available here:

Second progress report on the implementation and operation of Parts 1 to 3 of Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, since the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 came into force, how many companies have been (a) investigated by Companies House for filing dormant accounts whilst conducting active trading, (b) referred by Companies House to HMRC for suspected VAT non-compliance, and (c) referred by Companies House to the Insolvency Service for suspected fraudulent trading.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Companies House does not hold data that matches the specified categories requested. However, since the introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, intelligence led targeted activity has been used to identify companies filing dormant accounts where indicators suggest active trading.

Furthermore, Companies House also works closely with HMRC and the Insolvency Service to enable effective intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement action. Referrals to HMRC span multiple tax regimes, including VAT non-compliance, while referrals to the Insolvency Service typically focus on more serious misconduct, such as false filings, which supports disqualification and wider enforcement outcomes.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will consider suspending all trade between the UK and Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Israel's illegal settlements and decisions designed to further them are a flagrant violation of international law. We make businesses aware of the UK position to discourage trade with settlements, as outlined in the Overseas Business Risk Guidance.

We also continue to consider a wide range of measures in relation to how we respond to the situation in the West Bank. This remains a priority for this Government and we welcome Parliament’s continued engagement on this matter. We will inform the House of any developments in our position.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to introduce new consumer protections against rogue traders.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This government is committed to protecting consumers from rogue traders. Consumer legislation already sets out standards consumers should expect when a trader supplies goods and services, as well as remedies if these rights are breached.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 further strengthens consumer law enforcement. For example, enforcers such as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) can apply to the courts to impose penalties when dealing with consumer law breaches.

Furthermore, the Act allows the CMA to impose monetary penalties of up to 10% of turnover for substantive breaches of consumer law without having to go through the courts.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help people who have been victims of a) scams by rogue builders and b) poor workmanship by rogue builders.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This Government is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. In addition, the Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced competence requirements for both individuals and businesses working in the built environment.

Any action that the Government takes on licensing to protect customers and standards needs to be robust, proportionate and evidence based.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure compliance with employment rights in the gig economy.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government established the Fair Work Agency (FWA) in April 2026, which will deliver a much-needed upgrade to employment rights enforcement. It brings enforcement functions of three predecessor bodies together into one place, so employment rights are enforced more effectively and efficiently. In time, it will also enforce additional rights.

All employers must comply with their legal obligations to ensure that their staff receive the rights they are entitled to, including those in the gig economy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken by his Department to prevent company directors from voluntarily striking off non‑trading companies due to unresolved Bounce Back Loan cases; and what coordination exists with Companies House to ensure that businesses are able to be formally closed and do not incur additional administrative fees.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade, Companies House, and the Cabinet Office have a clear and joined up approach to raising and withdrawing objections to voluntary dissolution. To ensure businesses are able to close without incurring additional administrative fees, Companies House acts quickly to remove objections when it is advised to do so through regular updates and specific requests.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the provisions enabling AI Sandboxes in the Regulating for Growth Bill will include protections for UK Intellectual Property to ensure that it cannot be suspended to allow experimentation in relation to technologies such as AI.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The AI Growth Lab, enabled through the Regulating for Growth Bill, will support the safe testing of AI-enabled products and services by allowing, in limited and controlled circumstances, temporary modifications to certain regulatory requirements that may inhibit innovation or growth. The Government has been clear that it is not intended that these powers will apply to intellectual property. Existing UK intellectual property protections will remain fully in place and will not be suspended for the purposes of the AI Growth Lab.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many workers have been impacted by enforcement actions related to breaches of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 in the last year.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

HMRC enforces National Minimum Wage (NMW) regulations on behalf of the Fair Work Agency (FWA), through both responding to worker complaints, and targeted enforcement activity.

The latest enforcement and compliance report (2025) shows that in 2024-2025 HMRC identified over 25,000 workers who were underpaid, recovering around £5.8 million in arrears. Since the NMW came into effect in 1999, HMRC has overseen the repayment of £200 million to more than 1.5 million workers.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many a) letters, b) emails and c) written communications were received by his Department from Newcastle-under-Lyme District Borough Council between i) December 2019 and July 2024 and ii) July 2024 and May 2026.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department of Business and Trade aims to respond to correspondence in 15 working days, but in some instances it can take longer. Upon searching, the Department for Business and Trade has received no correspondence from Newcastle-under-Lyme District Borough Council between the dates mentioned.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions has the UK Government had with the Scottish Government on the operation of the UK Internal Market in relation to the proposals of the new Scottish Government administration to introduce price controls on household goods.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK Government has not discussed legislative proposals on this issue with the incoming Scottish Government. It is unlikely this policy would interact with the UK Internal Market (UKIM) Act, and any interaction would depend on how the legislation is designed. The UKIM Act does not prevent the Scottish Government from introducing legislation – it is for the Scottish Government to design this policy and ensure that any legislation is within its competence.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will conduct an investigation into whether Watchkeeper drone components are being exported from the UK to Israel to support drone exports to Romania.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Watchkeeper unmanned aerial system (UAS) components are licensed from the UK to Israel solely for the purpose of supporting onward export to a Romanian UAS programme.

The Department has published extensive information on our export licences to Israel. This is available here: Israel export control licensing data: 31 July 2025 - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with businesses on the length of the reference period of the guaranteed hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Ministers and officials have engaged extensively with businesses and representative organisations on the guaranteed hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025, including on the length of the reference period.

We will continue this engagement as we move into the next stage of implementation. A full public consultation will seek views on all key elements of the right to guaranteed hours, including the length of the reference period.

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 access to Post Offices in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government protects the Post Office network by setting minimum access criteria, including a requirement for Post Office to maintain a network where at least 99% of the UK population lives within three miles of a post office branch.

To support delivery of these criteria, the Government provides funding to the Post Office through the Network Subsidy. Over the next three financial years (2026/27 to 2028/29), the Government will provide up to £180 million to help protect access to vital Post Office services and sustain the national network.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he intends to respond to the correspondence from the hon. members for North West Norfolk and Brigg and Immingham of 17 March 2026 regarding tariffs on imports of UAN.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government received correspondence regarding an application for a duty suspension as part of the 2025-2026 business suspension application window. We cannot comment on the application as the assessment process is currently ongoing, but we expect to announce the outcome as soon as possible.

The Government can confirm receipt of the correspondence and will respond when the suspensions process is complete.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to simplify regulatory requirements for manufacturing sectors critical to national infrastructure.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is simplifying regulation for manufacturing sectors critical to national infrastructure through the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan and wider Industrial Strategy. We are reducing barriers to investment by improving coordination and speeding up delivery decisions. For example, the Strategic Sites Accelerator is simplifying and accelerating the development process for major manufacturing sites, reducing delays and enabling faster investment in critical industrial capacity.

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 pubs in Spelthorne constituency.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Pubs in the Honourable Member’s constituency and nationwide are an important part of day-to-day community life, and we are mindful of the challenges many have faced in recent years.

In response, we are reviewing the approach to valuing pubs for business rates ahead of the 2029 revaluation, informed by engagement with the industry.

We are also taking forward changes to the licensing system, including permitting longer opening hours for Home Nations World Cup fixtures and legislating to allow pubs and other hospitality venues to use more Temporary Events Notices.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans his Department has to encourage greater partnership between insolvency practitioners and Companies House to prevent phoenixing.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There is already a well-established director disqualification regime in the UK to prevent directors guilty of misconduct from taking part in the management of companies in the future.

Insolvency practitioners have a duty to report to the Government’s Insolvency Service on the directors’ conduct within three months of liquidation or administration. Where serious misconduct is identified, this can lead to disqualification or referral for criminal prosecution.

Since the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House and The Insolvency Service have been developing a deeper enforcement partnership. Updates on implementation are included in the annual reports provided to Parliament.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to prevent the directors of companies which become insolvent during their directorship from setting up more companies.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

It is important to remember that most companies do not become insolvent due to wrongdoing. Directors of an insolvent company can run similar businesses unless they are disqualified or subject to restrictions. Where directors abuse the system, the Secretary of State has powers to investigate and, if appropriate, pursue their disqualification or prosecution of the relevant directors.

Companies House and The Insolvency Service are currently strengthening their intelligence sharing to better identify rogue directors.

The Government continually reviews corporate and insolvency laws.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Companies House on phoenixing.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The 2023 Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act has strengthened the Registrar of Companies’ enforcement and investigative powers, enabling it to act as a more active gatekeeper over company registrations and directors.

As announced in the November Budget Statement, additional funding is now being provided for the Insolvency Service to set up a new Abusive Phoenixism Taskforce, specifically to deal with this type of director misconduct. The Insolvency Service is working closely with Companies House and HM Revenue and Customs to identify and tackle abusive phoenixism.

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 merits of including the metal packaging industry in the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

From 2027, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will benefit over 10,000 eligible businesses, reducing electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour. The Government published its response to the consultation on eligibility in April, which included the list of eligible SIC and HS codes.

That list was determined through a multi-stage analytical process, including formal consultation with businesses. This ensured the list is robust and targets support where it will have the greatest impact on growth, focusing on manufacturing across the Industrial Strategy’s growth sectors.

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 industrial electricity prices on the international competitiveness of UK‑based energy‑intensive manufacturing sectors.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises that industrial electricity prices are an important factor in the international competitiveness of UK-based energy intensive manufacturing sectors. We engage regularly with industry and monitor evidence on the impact of energy costs.

Through our Industrial Strategy we are taking action to address these challenges, including through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, which will bring electricity costs more in line with other economies in Europe and reduce electricity costs by up to £40/MWh for eligible businesses.

For around 550 of the most electricity-intensive businesses the British Industry Supercharger is already cutting costs. The Network Charging Compensation scheme, one element of the Supercharger, was uplifted from 60% to 90% relief from 1 April 2026. This raised total support from the Supercharger to approximately £65-87/MWh, bringing electricity costs for recipients closer in line with those charged in competitor countries.

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 high street businesses.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Our Plan for Small and Medium Sized Businesses places high streets at the centre of economic renewal, recognising them as vital centres of growth and employment.

We are reforming licensing laws and making high streets safer from retail crime and money laundering and making it easier to access business support through our Business Growth Service.

The government is working with local partners and businesses to develop a new MHCLG-led High Streets Strategy that will set out how we will support communities to create vibrant high streets.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress he has made on extending the UK-India trade deal to include services.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

It already does include services - and always has done.

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 businesses with operating costs.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This Government recognises that SMEs have faced a challenging set of cost pressures over the past year, and we are taking action to reduce those costs and improve cash flow.

We are cutting the administrative burden of regulation by £5.6 billion, supporting businesses through a £4.3 billion business rates package, protecting apprenticeship funding, and improving payment practices so firms are paid more quickly and reliably.

Taken together, these will help businesses manage costs, strengthen resilience, and focus on growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on long-term reform of the electricity market to decouple gas and renewable prices for business users.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade continues to have regular discussions with all Cabinet colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions his Department have had with Local Authority Trading Standards teams regarding enforcement activity against online sales of asbestos-containing products following the enactment of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in my Department is coordinating the regulatory response to product safety concerns regarding asbestos, supporting Local Authorities who are leading regulatory activity with businesses in their areas, including those supplying online in line with its published incident management plan.

OPSS works with LAs providing tools they need to ensure businesses comply with the law and take necessary steps to keep the public safe, including briefing to local authorities on issues related to asbestos in sand, updates in weekly communications, and information materials and online resources to support their enforcement activity.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that British grain is used to produce bioethanol at the Ensus plant on Teeside.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Government is in open dialogue with Ensus on the plant's operation, including the use of British grain in their production. We are committed to supporting British business and products.

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 Health and Safety Executive regarding progress in tackling the online sale of asbestos-containing products since the enactment of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Existing product safety rules make businesses responsible for the safety of the products they place on the UK market. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in my Department is working with HSE, departments and agencies across UK Government to effectively tackle the sale of asbestos-containing products, whether online or through physical stores, in line with its published incident management plan.

OPSS has led and coordinated the wider government response, bringing together experts to ensure a coherent approach to keeping people safe. Specific resources have been developed by OPSS, HSE and partners for consumers, businesses and schools.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many times Ministers from his Department have attended UK conferences, trade shows and exhibitions since 7 February 2023.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Details of the meetings held by Ministers of the Department for Business and Trade are available on transparency pages of gov.uk and are released as part of the Government's transparency agenda.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending protections for whistleblowers to charity trustees.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The whistleblowing protections provided by the Employment Rights Act 1996 apply to a broader range of individuals than other rights under the Act. For example, they also apply to trainees and certain self-employed NHS practitioners.

However, the protections do not currently apply to charity trustees. The Government plans to consult on the whistleblowing framework and would welcome responses, including on this issue. The consultation will seek feedback on the operation of the framework to ensure it is working effectively.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with hospitality businesses on the potential impact of employment costs on closures, opening hours and jobs.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government recognises the vital contribution of the hospitality sector to the UK, supporting local employment, sustaining high streets and communities, and playing an important role in our cultural and social fabric.

We work closely with the Hospitality Sector Council to improve the productivity and resilience of hospitality businesses by co-creating solutions to the issues impacting business performance, through thematic working groups, which includes business resilience, innovation, jobs and skills and sustainability.

The Government is undertaking an extensive programme of engagement around implementation of the Employment Rights Act and broader Plan to Make Work Pay. This has been underpinned by a strong commitment to working in partnership with businesses and trade unions to ensure policy is firmly fair and practical for the economy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Department for Business and Trade workforce management information return for March 2026, for what reason the Department recorded consultancy spend of -£20,783,968.13; whether this figure reflects an accounting adjustment, correction, reclassification, refund or data error; and what the Department’s gross consultancy spend was in March 2026 before that negative adjustment was applied.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In March 2026 an adjustment was made to correctly reclassify £14.9m of 2025-26 costs from consultancy to professional services. In addition, there was a correction of a purchase order receipt which had incorrectly recorded £9.5m of consultancy costs in February 2026. These had the effect of artificially lowering the March 2026 consultancy costs. The underlying consultancy costs for March 2026 were £3,674,344.13.

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 effectiveness of the enforcement powers of the Competition and Markets Authority.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) is a non-ministerial department and is accountable to Parliament. As the UK’s independent competition authority, the CMA has discretion to use its enforcement powers according to its own prioritisation principles.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 strengthened the CMA’s enforcement powers and the government keeps competition law and policy under review to ensure it is fit for purpose.

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 proposed union access rules on small businesses; and if he will consider exemptions.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government is introducing the new trade union right of access in a regulated and responsible manner, ensuring it is proportionate and workable for employers and unions. We recognise that smaller employers may find it more difficult to facilitate trade union access. That is why, following consultation at the end of 2025, we are setting out in secondary legislation an exemption for employers with fewer than 21 employees from statutory access provisions. This exemption will not apply to statutorily supported national bargaining frameworks, such as the Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care, however it will mean that the majority of micro-businesses and small employers will not be within scope of the policy.

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 insecure employment contracts on workers in the retail and hospitality sectors.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department’s assessments of the impact of insecure employment contracts on workers in the retail and hospitality sectors are set out in the impact assessments for the zero hours contract measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025. In summary, while some workers in the retail and hospitality sectors value the flexibility these contracts can provide, many face insecurity of hours and income due to one-sided flexibility.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department in cooperation with other departments has had with private sector organisations on the standardisation of their bereavement notification processes, in order to reduce the level of distress caused to bereaved families.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Internal policies relating to bereavement are a matter for individual businesses, but we expect companies to treat consumers with compassion in such circumstances, with many organisations having specialist bereavement advisors to support consumers during such times.

Under consumer legislation, businesses are required to carry out their services with reasonable care and skill, and within a reasonable time. Businesses in regulated sectors may have additional obligations, such as financial organisations which are bound by the Consumer Duty.

My department has not had any recent discussions with organisations about improving bereavement processes. However, we do engage with businesses more generally on consumer protection matters.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department assessed the adequacy of existing consumer protection regulations in ensuring that companies treat bereaved customers with appropriate sensitivity and consistency.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Internal policies relating to bereavement are a matter for individual businesses, but we expect companies to treat consumers with compassion in such circumstances, with many organisations having specialist bereavement advisors to support consumers during such times.

Under consumer legislation, businesses are required to carry out their services with reasonable care and skill, and within a reasonable time. Businesses in regulated sectors may have additional obligations, such as financial organisations which are bound by the Consumer Duty.

My department has not had any recent discussions with organisations about improving bereavement processes. However, we do engage with businesses more generally on consumer protection matters.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had any recent discussions with industry bodies representing (a) banks, (b) insurers, and (c) utility companies on improving bereavement processes for customers.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Internal policies relating to bereavement are a matter for individual businesses, but we expect companies to treat consumers with compassion in such circumstances, with many organisations having specialist bereavement advisors to support consumers during such times.

Under consumer legislation, businesses are required to carry out their services with reasonable care and skill, and within a reasonable time. Businesses in regulated sectors may have additional obligations, such as financial organisations which are bound by the Consumer Duty.

My department has not had any recent discussions with organisations about improving bereavement processes. However, we do engage with businesses more generally on consumer protection matters.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how his Department is working with colleagues in the Government Equalities Office to support women working in the night time economy.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade works across Government and with industry to support the hospitality and night-time economy, a major employer of women across the UK.

Through the Employment Rights Act, we are strengthening protections and improving job quality for workers, including women, across sectors like hospitality. This includes measures to tackle insecure work, enhance protections for those on low or variable hours, and ensure fairer working conditions. The Act also introduces stronger safeguards on workplace rights, including action on harassment and improved access to flexible working and family-related leave. Alongside regular engagement with sector bodies, these measures will help women access, remain and progress in good quality jobs across the night-time economy.

Additionally, the Government is committed to tackling violence against women and girls and improving safety in public spaces, including at night, through delivery of the Freedom from Violence and Abuse cross-government strategy, which brings together action across policing, public services, industry and communities.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps he has taken to support local pubs.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government recognises that pubs play a vital role in supporting local economies and communities across the UK.

That is why the Government announced business rates support for pubs. As of April 2026, every pub received a 15% cut to new business rates bills, followed by a two year real-terms freeze.

A new three-year £10m Hospitality Support Scheme will help improve the resilience of hospitality businesses, including helping pubs in rural areas diversify their community offer. Pubs will also be able to extend opening hours for Home Nations matches in the later stages of the Men’s Football World Cup 2026.

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 UK’s exit from the EU on the rate of small and medium-sized enterprise dissolution since 2021.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) have faced significant challenges trading with the EU since Brexit. This Government regularly engages with business representative organisations and industry stakeholders to understand the implications.

The UK-EU Summit in May 2025 marked a turning point. Negotiations on a food and drink agreement and on linking Emissions Trading Schemes will help reduce costs and red tape for UK businesses.

Our Business Growth Services provide practical support, including free business academy training and UK Export Finance for SMEs to export into the EU with confidence.

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 merits of harmonising import duties on foreign manufactured diesel and zero-emission buses.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In setting tariffs, the Government considers different factors such as the interests of UK consumers, producers, productivity, competitiveness, and external trade, as well as other Government objectives. Tariffs for zero-emission buses are set at 10%. This is the maximum applied tariff permitted for zero-emission buses under our goods schedule at the WTO.

As with all policy, the Government welcomes feedback and monitors these requests closely. Feedback can be submitted on specific tariff lines via the UKGT feedback form available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tariffs-on-goods-imported-into-the-uk

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 employment protections for self-employed parcel delivery drivers; what discussions he has had with parcel delivery companies regarding the transparency of payment structures for delivery drivers; whether he has made an assessment of the extent to which self-employed parcel delivery drivers undertake unpaid work; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of dispute resolution mechanisms available to parcel delivery drivers; what discussions he has had with the parcel delivery industry regarding working conditions and remuneration models for drivers engaged on a self-employed basis; and whether his Department plans to review employment status, pay practices, and contractor oversight in the parcel delivery sector.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government expects parcel delivery companies to meet their legal obligations and ensure drivers receive their entitled protections. The Government is also committed to strengthening rights and protections to help the self-employed thrive in good quality self-employment.

We are aware of concerns around payment practices in the parcel delivery sector and are monitoring the emerging practice of dynamic pay generally.

Any individual with a complaint or uncertainty about their rights or employment status can seek advice from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

We intend to consult on the employment status framework in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the cumulative impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025, increases in employer National Insurance contributions and changes to business rates relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors on (a) employment levels, (b) youth unemployment, (c) business closures and (d) recruitment activity; and whether he plans to repeal or amend provisions relating to guaranteed hours, unfair dismissal, trade union facility time and statutory flexible working rights.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government has published a comprehensive package of analysis on the Employment Rights Act: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK.

This analysis shows that the Act is expected to benefit young workers significantly. The Government remains committed to implementing MWP in full to provide workers with greater security and to boost living standards across the country.

The Government has taken necessary decisions to restore public finances, while protecting smaller businesses. We are also supporting retail, hospitality and leisure sectors via business rate multipliers worth £1bn per year.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of capping the price of veterinary prescription charges on levels of pricing by providers who offer prescriptions under the cap.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department has not made an assessment of the impact of capping veterinary prescription charges on pricing. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is independent of Government and is responsible for remedies resulting from market investigations.

In its final report, the CMA set a £21 cap on first prescription fees based on evidence of fees charged across the veterinary services market. It considered that this would reduce higher fees while allowing practices to recover reasonably efficient costs.

Full details of the CMA’s approach are set out in Part B of its final report (pages 262–311), available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterinary-services-for-household-pets-final-decision-report

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regarding the transparency of energy pricing in the commercial sub-metering market.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There have been no recent discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on the transparency of energy pricing in the commercial sub‑metering market. Decisions on whether to take action in specific markets are a matter for the CMA, as the UK’s independent competition authority. Responsibility for energy policy sits with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with regulators regarding the adequacy of consumer protection in online marketplaces.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 makes clear that online marketplaces must exercise professional diligence in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and local Trading Standards teams can take enforcement action against breaches of consumer protection law by online marketplaces. The Department regularly engages with the CMA and Trading Standards on issues affecting consumers, including the adequacy of consumer protection in online marketplaces.

The Department is also consulting on reforming the product safety framework, including proposals for online marketplaces to take steps to ensure consumer safety.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to promote industrial growth in Cornwall.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the Industrial Strategy, we are supporting industrial growth in Cornwall through targeted investment, innovation and local partnership. Through programmes such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Freeports and the £30m Kernow Growth Fund delivered by Cornwall Council, we are backing high-value sectors including clean energy, marine, space and advanced manufacturing.

We work closely with local leaders to attract private investment, strengthen supply chains and create skilled jobs—ensuring Cornwall benefits from national growth priorities while building on its distinctive economic strengths.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken since the enactment of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 to strengthen enforcement against the online sale of prohibited asbestos-containing products.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my department, is coordinating the regulatory response to asbestos-contaminated consumer products, working closely with Local Authorities to enforce the regulations and monitor ongoing product recalls to ensure businesses are acting.

OPSS is in regular contact with businesses, including online marketplaces, to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities and take appropriate action.

The Government is currently consulting on a range of proposals to modernise and strengthen the UK’s product safety enforcement framework, including online, following royal assent of the PRAM Act 2025.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has been taken against online sellers offering asbestos-containing products for sale since the enactment of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my department, is coordinating the regulatory response to asbestos-contaminated consumer products, working closely with Local Authorities to enforce the regulations and monitor ongoing product recalls to ensure businesses are acting.

OPSS is in regular contact with businesses, including online marketplaces, to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities and take appropriate action.

The Government is currently consulting on a range of proposals to modernise and strengthen the UK’s product safety enforcement framework, including online, following royal assent of the PRAM Act 2025.

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 ensure that workers injured through contact with construction equipment have a legal right to access service, maintenance, and operational records relating to that equipment, where such access is currently denied on the basis of contractual arrangements between suppliers and contractors.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Business and Trade recognises the importance of ensuring that workers injured through contact with construction equipment are able to access relevant support.

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) launched its Health Safety and Wellbeing Strategy in July 2025 at an industry event attended by over 150 leaders including the then Minister for Industry. The CLC will be publishing its Health, Safety and Wellbeing Action Plan in November 2026.

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 reduce the number of consumers affected by online retail fraud.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As the Business Secretary set out in his recent letter to the Business Select Committee, the Competition and Markets Authority is using its new powers to investigate and address consumer detriment and we will help consumers avoid problems by providing more education, and pre-purchase advice alongside clearer guidance about redress options.

My department also funds Citizens Advice to provide consumer advice in England and Wales. Citizens Advice runs an annual Scams Awareness campaign to raise awareness about scams, including how to spot, avoid and report them.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress has been made on developing new requirements for online marketplaces under powers contained in the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, including with regard to the sale of products containing asbestos.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

UK law is clear that products must be safe, including those sold online. Despite this, we recognise that non-compliant products remain available to consumers.

On 31 March, the Government launched a major package of consultations on updating the product safety legislative framework. These include proposals for strong and clear duties on online marketplaces to be proactive in ensuring that the products and sellers on their sites are safe and abide by the law.

Following consultation, Government intends to bring forward legislation to implement these proposals using powers in the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with online marketplace operators regarding the removal of asbestos-containing products since the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 received Royal Assent.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my department, holds regular meetings with a range of online marketplaces operating in the UK. OPSS engages to ensure platforms deliver their obligations for preventing the supply of unsafe products, and holds them to account for the sellers and products available on their sites.

OPSS has raised the issue of asbestos in sand-containing products in recent meetings to ensure online marketplaces take swift action to remove recalled products, and to check the compliance of similar products. This has resulted in hundreds of online listings being removed across all major platforms.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what data his Department holds on the number of asbestos-containing product listings removed by online marketplaces since the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 came into force.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in my department, holds regular meetings with a range of online marketplaces operating in the UK. OPSS engages to ensure platforms deliver their obligations for preventing the supply of unsafe products, and holds them to account for the sellers and products available on their sites.

OPSS has raised the issue of asbestos in sand-containing products in recent meetings to ensure online marketplaces take swift action to remove recalled products, and to check the compliance of similar products. This has resulted in hundreds of online listings being removed across all major platforms.

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Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Sherlock on 19 January (HL13272 and HL13273), whether information on the shape and remit of the Vanguard Taskforce and the Workplace Health Intelligence Unit has now been confirmed; what the terms of reference and membership of the Vanguard Taskforce are; and what the remit, governance arrangements, and operational timetable of the Workplace Health Intelligence Unit are.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Work is progressing at pace on the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Phase following publication of the review’s final report in November. Led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, Co-Chair of the Vanguard Phase, we have been working closely with Vanguard employers, regions and stakeholders to mobilise the Vanguard Phase.

As part of this, a Vanguard Taskforce/ Advisory Group has now been established and is chaired by Sir Charlie Mayfield, in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Business and Trade. The Taskforce brings together external experts from across business, trade unions, health, and disability and inclusion fields; full membership has been published as part of the Keep Britain Working March update, on Gov.uk (Annex B).

The Taskforce is an external advisory body. It provides independent advice, insight and constructive challenge to support delivery of the Vanguard Phase, including testing and refining emerging proposals and advising on the feasibility and impact of workplace health interventions. It has no decision-making powers, with policy decisions remaining with Ministers. The full terms of reference will be published on Gov.uk in due course.

We are making progress on setting up the Workplace Health Intelligence Unit (WHIU). During the Vanguard Phase we are working with employers, experts and partners to design the Unit’s functions and operating model, including how it can best act as a central hub for evidence, insight and employer-facing support. This includes considering its governance arrangements and how it will work across Government to maximise impact. Further detail on the Unit will be set out in due course as this design work progresses.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Regulatory Innovation Office in reducing regulatory approval times for emerging technologies.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Regulatory Innovation Office works with regulators and government to cut approval times for game-changing tech. For example, RIOs AI Capability Fund supports regulator adoption of AI tools, streamlining their processes and speeding up decision making for novel technologies. To track success, we are working with regulators to set KPIs and milestones in RIOs first priority areas which, in collaboration with DBT, will be reviewed at regular intervals to drive performance across the regulatory system.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to improve fire safety in homes; what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing fire safety regulations for household furnishings and consumer products; what plans the Government has to increase public awareness of fire prevention and household fire risks; and what steps he is taking to ensure that any future changes to fire safety regulations do not reduce protections for consumers or increase the risk of fire-related deaths and injuries.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government’s national ‘Fire Kills’ campaign provides clear, practical advice to help people prevent fires in the home and respond safely if a fire occurs, and this year has focused on the need to have sufficient smoke alarms. The campaign also supports fire and rescue services in delivering their statutory duty to promote fire safety through local prevention activity.

There has been a long-term downward trend in the number of dwelling fires over the past 10 years. In the year ending December 2025, there were 26,298 dwelling fires. This was a decrease of 16% with the year ending December 2015 where there were 31,213 dwelling fires.

The Government works closely with fire and rescue services, regulators and industry to monitor emerging risks, including those associated with modern consumer products, and to ensure that guidance and standards remain appropriate and effective.

MHCLG works closely with Department for Business and Trade (DBT) on fire safety matters. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (FFRs), as well as general consumer product safety, is the responsibility of DBT. DBT has launched a consultation setting out the Government’s intention to reform the FFRs to maintain a high level of fire safety while facilitating a reduction in the use of chemical flame retardants.

The Government remains clear that maintaining and improving public safety is paramount, and there are no plans to reduce protections for consumers or to introduce changes that would increase the risk of fire related deaths and injuries.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many random checks have been made in each month of 2025-6 of the immigration status of food and grocery deliver riders; and what steps are they taking to ensure that traders using the services of delivery riders employ only those with correct immigration status.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Immigration enforcement activity is intelligence led and targeted, focusing on known risk, harm, and noncompliance rather than randomised inspections.

Clamping down on illegal working continues to be a critical part of this Government’s work to restore fairness, order and control within the immigration and asylum system. As such, through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025, the Government has introduced tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working. This means that for the very first time, the Right to Work Scheme and associated civil penalties for non-compliance, will be extended to cover companies who contract workers to provide services under their company name; such as online delivery platforms in the gig economy, to conduct checks on a person’s right to work, and be liable for sanctions where illegal working is identified.

Alongside legislative change, the Home Office continues to engage with a range of businesses, including delivery companies operating in the gig economy, to promote compliance with illegal working legislation. This includes raising awareness of right to work requirements, supporting the use of compliant right to work checks, encouraging the use of robust identity and verification checks and taking enforcement action where employers or facilitators are found to be exploiting migrants or failing to meet their legal responsibilities.

The Home Office and the Department for Business and Trade have been working closely with major food delivery platforms. In 2025, Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat committed to increasing the use of facial verification checks and fraud detection technology to ensure only account holders and their registered substitutes can work off their platforms. This strengthened industry standard has resulted in the firms increasing the quantity and sophistication of checks they already conduct, with checks taking place daily.

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Found: govuk-table__cell">JLSP Director's Office

Found: govuk-table__cell">Judicial Policy (Admin)

Found: Care Department of Health and Social Care 19/12/2025 Revenue Policy Payments People DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE

Found: high number of job vacancies available and represents a government priority sector (Department for Business and Trade

Found: Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, existed until 2023 when it was split to form the Department for Business and Trade

Found: Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, existed until 2023 when it was split to form the Department for Business and Trade

Found: proposals set out in this technical consultation, as this policy area sits with the Department for Business and Trade

Found: may wish to get additional support from other government agencies, for example: Department for Business and Trade

Found: feed prices Input Maintenance of Materials DEFRA Calculated Input Maintenance of Buildings DBT

Found: Active measures previously owned by BEIS are now owned by the Department for Business and Trade, the

Found: Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Non-ministerial department 140 Department for Business & Trade (DBT

Found: number of statistical sources including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Department for Business and Trade

Found: promotion (comprising the majority of UK Defence and Security Exports) moved from the Department for Business and Trade

Found: Produced by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), this publication contains the latest UK trade

Found: , and climate change until it was split up in February 2023, being replaced by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: , and climate change until it was split up in February 2023, being replaced by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: Chelmsford Essex Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker DBS VENTURES LTD London Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker DBT

Found: Dibutlytin (DBT) was the principle organotin compound recorded in the subsurface ‘core’ samples.

Found: Office Steffan Jones, Chief Analyst research-integrity-concordat@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Department for Business and Trade

Found: Any communications or documentation you receive from OTSI outside the SPIRE system is legitimate DBT

Found: Privacy notice This privacy notice explains how the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), as a

Found: Department for Business and Trade 19 May 2026List of tariff suspensions on agricultural

Found: Any person undertaking activity in paragraph 4 must inform the Department for Business and Trade within

Found: referring to payments made through the schemes being administered by Post Office and the Department for Business and Trade

Found: govuk-table__cell">Non-Ministerial Department

Found: container gem-c-organisation-logo__link gem-c-organisation-logo__crest gem-c-organisation-logo__crest--dbt

Found: We have been advised by the Department for Business and Trade that the repeal of the levy will take place

Found: We have been advised by the Department for Business and Trade that the repeal of the levy will take place

Found: DBT Department for Business and Trade. DCO Development Consent Order.

Found: engaged in the construction of roads and railways (n=2,840) are micro enterprises (see Table 7). 2 See DBT

Found: Department for Business and Trade (2025), Construction building materials: commentary February 2025.

Found: three to approach – and the Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement (ADKAR) model (DBT

Found: GIRI is already working with the Department for Business and Trade on a productivity PAS to accelerate

Found: Department for Business and Trade (2025), Construction building materials: commentary February 2025.

Found: Statement; and ONS (2021), Price movements in construction materials and plant hire, UK. 6 Department for Business and Trade

Found: DBT inward investment results 2025 to 2026

Found: equivalent to 38 businesses every day, according to research by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: such as the Office of the Prime Minister, HM Treasury, the Department for Business and Trade

Found: CSF) Farmers’ Survey Report 2024 55 Department for Business and Trade

Found: About the TRA The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) is an arm’s-length body of the Department for Business and Trade

Found: About the TRA The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) is an arm’s-length body of the Department for Business and Trade

Found: Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Non-ministerial department 140 Department for Business & Trade (DBT

Found: not necessarily those of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) or the Department for Business and Trade

Found: The Scheme is administered by Post Office, but funded by the Department for Business and Trade (“DBT

Found: , and climate change until it was split up in February 2023, being replaced by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: , and climate change until it was split up in February 2023, being replaced by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: between the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (“OTSI”), which is part of the Department for Business and Trade

Found: The department for business and trade is an economic growth department.

Found: or reduced prices, it strengthens the integrity of the ticketing market, reduces 11 DBT