Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February to Question 28625 on Rules of Origin, what criteria will be used to determine the benefits, risks and the national interest of joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention on Rules of Origin.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Rules of origin are often highly technical and there are many factors that influence how businesses experience using these rules and whether they would benefit from different rules - from the different types of paperwork involved, to the make-up of their supply chains. We are regularly talking to businesses about their experience and how we can remove trade barriers and support growth. There is also a significant interaction with the existing rules we have with the EU and in our FTAs with PEM partners that would require consideration.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff work for the Groceries Code Adjudicator; and whether any of those staff are seconded from other Departments.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) is funded by a levy on the fourteen regulated retailers covered by the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. It does not employ its own staff but may make arrangements for staff to be seconded from any other public authority. There are currently five employees from the Department for Business and Trade and four employees from other Departments that are seconded to the GCA.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February to Question 29416 on Investment: Northern Ireland, how much of the funding already deployed is from the private sector; and over what period he expects the total amount to be spent.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The £10 million already deployed is solely from the fund, private sector investment is in addition to that. The fund expects to deploy the £70m over 5 years, until November 2028.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to amend the policy paper entitled UK-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement: The UK’s Strategic Approach, published in June 2022.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Business and Trade published the UK's Strategic Approach for the UK-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement ahead of launching negotiations. The Strategic Approach was based on public consultation with stakeholders and has informed the approach to negotiations since launch.
Economic growth is the priority of this government and drives our trade agenda. The objectives of our Free Trade Agreement programme support delivery of this government's growth priorities.
The government will continue to update parliament as negotiations progress and will publish further information on the GCC Free Trade Agreement following the conclusion of negotiations.
Asked by: Alison Taylor (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
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 (a) encourage investment in startups and (b) support entrepreneurs in Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We will publish our Small Business Strategy later this year with a clear ambition to promote startups and encourage entrepreneurship, built around the new Business Growth Service.
Existing support includes Help to Grow: Management - UK, providing practical ways to enhance small business productivity and growth, and the British Business Bank’s Investment Fund for Scotland. This commits £150 million to deliver loans and debt finance, ranging from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million, for new and growing businesses across rural, coastal and urban Scottish areas.
Start Up Loans are also available in Scotland, helping new and early-stage businesses access affordable finance and mentoring support.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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 implications for his policies of the ruling by the Unitary Agrarian Court Number 28 in Mexico that the company Fresnillo PLC must pay damages to farmers in El Bajío for illegal extraction of gold on the community's land from 2005 to 2013.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Business and Trade is aware of the case between the Unitary Agrarian Court and Fresnillo PLC. This is a domestic legal matter for Mexico.
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 has undertaken an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Trade Commissioners programme since it was established.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
His Majesty’s Trade Commissioners (HMTCs) represent and promote the UK in markets across the world. They lead on export promotion, both inward and outward investment, and trade policy overseas on behalf of His Majesty’s Government (HMG). Their work includes developing regional plans to deliver the Department for Business and Trade’s priorities in global markets and then leading their teams to deliver those priorities.
HMTCs are an important part of the department’s regional leadership rather than a programme, so are not subject to programme evaluation.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether people given an offer through the Horizon Shortfall Scheme which they have not accepted will be able to apply directly to the new independent appeals system.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are establishing an independent Horizon Shortfall Scheme appeal process to help ensure that all HSS claimants have the full opportunity to receive full and fair compensation. This will be run by my Department and we are expecting the submission of the first cases in spring.
We continue to engage the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board and claimant representatives on the scheme’s guidance and principles. This will include detailed information on who will be eligible for the process and will be published soon.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
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 planned increases in business rates for small retailers.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Against the current fiscal backdrop, the Government is clear that changes to the business rates system should be affordable and sustainable. It is not realistic to continue this support indefinitely. Without any Government intervention, Retail Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief would have ended in April, creating a cliff-edge for businesses.
We are providing support for retail, hospitality and leisure properties in the interim period leading up to the new permanent multiplier by providing 40% relief to RHL businesses on their business rates in 2025-26, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. For example, we are freezing the small business multiplier and protecting over a million properties from inflationary bill increases.
HMT are conducting engagement on future business rate reform and are encouraging stakeholders to provide written evidence prior to March 2025. This will provide any sized retailer to share their concerns directly with HMT.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2025 to Question 27123 on Defence: Financial Services, how many stakeholders his Department has met with since the meeting of 12 December 2024; what issues were identified as requiring action; and what steps he is taking to prevent unintended consequences.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As referred to in my answer of 7 February, I recognise the challenges for both industries in addressing this issue. Since the meeting of 12 December, my officials have been in discussions with counterparts in HMT and MOD, including Defence Equipment & Support, and have also written to each of the roundtable participants asking for their thoughts and ideas on where the issues lie and how to resolve them. The request was for responses by 14 February, and we are developing a plan to address the issues raised.