Asked by: Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to The UK's trade strategy (CP1339), published on 26 June, what progress they have made on delivering a single trade window.
Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Trade Strategy sets out a range of cross-Government measures to minimise administrative burdens and frictions experienced by businesses trading internationally. We will remain focused on working across Government to implement the various measures outlined in the strategy that will help businesses across the country to export and import the goods and services that will support growth and jobs.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will have discussions with Ofcom on measures to hold parcel delivery companies to account for (a) delayed and (b) failed deliveries in rural areas.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services.
Ofcom engages regularly with parcel operators to understand their approach to implementation of Ofcom’s consumer protection measures. The results of its most recent survey research on consumer satisfaction with parcel delivery services is published in Ofcom’s 2023-24 Post Monitoring Report: www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/postal-services/monitoring-reports/2023-2024/post-monitoring-report-2023-24.pdf
Ofcom is committed to ongoing monitoring of market performance and will consider enforcement action if appropriate to do so.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will have discussions with Ofcom on the adequacy of parcel delivery firms in ensuring consistent delivery standards in rural communities.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services.
Ofcom engages regularly with parcel operators to understand their approach to implementation of Ofcom’s consumer protection measures. The results of its most recent survey research on consumer satisfaction with parcel delivery services is published in Ofcom’s 2023-24 Post Monitoring Report: www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/postal-services/monitoring-reports/2023-2024/post-monitoring-report-2023-24.pdf
Ofcom is committed to ongoing monitoring of market performance and will consider enforcement action if appropriate to do so.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will have discussions with Ofcom on the average time taken for parcel deliveries in (a) rural and (b) urban areas.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services.
Ofcom engages regularly with parcel operators to understand their approach to implementation of Ofcom’s consumer protection measures. The results of its most recent survey research on consumer satisfaction with parcel delivery services is published in Ofcom’s 2023-24 Post Monitoring Report: www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/postal-services/monitoring-reports/2023-2024/post-monitoring-report-2023-24.pdf
Ofcom is committed to ongoing monitoring of market performance and will consider enforcement action if appropriate to do so.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will have discussions with Ofcom on (a) monitoring and (b) reporting on the quality of parcel delivery services in rural areas.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services.
Ofcom engages regularly with parcel operators to understand their approach to implementation of Ofcom’s consumer protection measures. The results of its most recent survey research on consumer satisfaction with parcel delivery services is published in Ofcom’s 2023-24 Post Monitoring Report: www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/postal-services/monitoring-reports/2023-2024/post-monitoring-report-2023-24.pdf
Ofcom is committed to ongoing monitoring of market performance and will consider enforcement action if appropriate to do so.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of moving to (a) single and (b) double summer time on cumulative carbon emissions.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government believes the current daylight-saving arrangements represent the optimal use of the available daylight across the UK. Therefore, we have no plans to introduce single summertime, double summertime, or other such changes. Since the Government does not intend to make changes to the existing system, we have not conducted a recent assessment of the impact on cumulative carbon emissions. The Government is fully committed to complying with the statutory duties outlined in the Climate Change Act and reaching net zero by 2050.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with (a) trade bodies and (c) businesses on the potential impact of class action lawsuits on levels of (a) inward investment and (b) economic growth.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I engage regularly with both stakeholders and my Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues, including how we can prioritise and encourage economic growth.
The department’s remit is limited to collective actions brought in relation to competition issues. In that context, class actions can improve access to justice where bringing a claim would otherwise be impractical or unaffordable.
A robust competition regime, including a route that enables consumers (including businesses) to seek redress through litigation, facilitates consumer protection and encourages investment and growth.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
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 potential impact of class action lawsuits on levels of (a) inward investment and (b) economic growth.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I engage regularly with both stakeholders and my Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues, including how we can prioritise and encourage economic growth.
The department’s remit is limited to collective actions brought in relation to competition issues. In that context, class actions can improve access to justice where bringing a claim would otherwise be impractical or unaffordable.
A robust competition regime, including a route that enables consumers (including businesses) to seek redress through litigation, facilitates consumer protection and encourages investment and growth.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
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 the Fair Work Agency has the required resource to enforce (a) the minimum wage, (b) protection from harassment and (c) protection from gender discrimination at work for young women.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Fair Work Agency will deliver a much-needed upgrade to the enforcement of workers’ rights, including the rights of young women.
The specific legislation the Fair Work Agency will be responsible for enforcing is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 7 of the Employment Rights Bill.
The Government is committed to giving the Fair Work Agency the resources it needs to enforce its remit effectively. More detail around funding will be released in due course.
Asked by: Helena Dollimore (Labour (Co-op) - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the length of the statute of limitations for medical devices as specified under the Consumer Protection Act 1987.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Given the importance, breadth and complexity of this area of law – and as I set out in Committee on the Product Regulation and Metrology Act – the Government has asked the Law Commission to conduct a full review of product liability legislation. This includes considering the time limits for bringing claims. Following a wide consultation that will begin soon, I expect the Law Commission to make recommendations later next year.