Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to establish new statutory action standards for the use of PFAS and POPs for fire-resistant purposes in furniture (a) manufactured and (b) sold in the UK.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government does not have plans to establish new standards for the use of chemicals in furniture manufactured or sold in the UK. The policy paper the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture, published in January 2025, sets out our plans to reform the Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 with the aim of maintaining a high level of fire safety while facilitating a reduction in chemical flame-retardant use.
Any chemicals used in the manufacture of furniture placed on the UK market must comply with all relevant UK chemicals legislation, including UK REACH and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered introducing a ban on the use of indoor pyrotechnics in nightclubs.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
To inform any future decisions in relation to all fireworks, I will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and the impact of fireworks. Particularly given the recent tragic events in Switzerland, this will include any evidence on the risks and use of indoor firework products.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to Prime Minister’s press release entitled Prime Minister unlocks new opportunities for British businesses in China, published on 29 January 2026, if he will make it his policy to ensure that any services agreement with China includes clear and legally binding protections for UK firms operating in China.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK and China have agreed to launch a Bilateral Services Partnership, developed in response to UK business' asks for clearer rules, better market access, and practical support to benefit from China's increasing demand for high-quality UK services.
The UK and China have also agreed to conduct a joint feasibility study to examine the potential to negotiate a bilateral Trade in Services Agreement. Such a legally binding agreement, if secured, would mirror the services chapters of the UK’s modern, high‑standard FTAs and be consistent with the UK and China’s obligations under the World Trade Organisation’s General Agreement on Trade in Services.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the latest value of annual imports of lamb and lamb products from New Zealand; and how that value compares with the value in each of the past three years.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
In the 12 months to November 2025 imports of New Zealand-origin sheepmeat were £234.3 million, this was £45.2 million higher than the 12 months to November 2024, £98.0 million higher than the 12 months to November 2023 and £37.5 million lower than the 12 months to November 2022. However, sheepmeat imports from New Zealand fell during the pandemic and are still below their value in 2018 (£264.6 million).
Asked by: Michael Wheeler (Labour - Worsley and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has undertaken work to identify which additional public services could be delivered face to face through the Post Office network; and whether he has discussed the potential expansion of such services with other departments.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As set out in the Government’s Green Paper, the role of Post Office is changing, fuelled by significant changes in Post Office’s markets. Government will continue facilitating discussions around the future of cash and banking services, as demonstrated by the recent joint discussions held between the Post Office and the banking sector. The Department for Business and Trade will also work across government to explore opportunities to improve and enhance the delivery of in-person government services, and we have established a cross-government working group for this purpose. However, Post Office’s services are ultimately a commercial matter for the organisation and its partners.
Asked by: Michael Wheeler (Labour - Worsley and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of the Post Office network hosting community banking representatives to provide in-person access to more complex banking services.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As set out in the Government’s Green Paper, the role of Post Office is changing, fuelled by significant changes in Post Office’s markets. Government will continue facilitating discussions around the future of cash and banking services, as demonstrated by the recent joint discussions held between the Post Office and the banking sector. The Department for Business and Trade will also work across government to explore opportunities to improve and enhance the delivery of in-person government services, and we have established a cross-government working group for this purpose. However, Post Office’s services are ultimately a commercial matter for the organisation and its partners.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the latest estimate they have made of the volume of beef imports from (1) Australia, and (2) the United States of America, in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how those volumes compare to each of the previous three years.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
In the 12 months to November 2025, imports of Australian-origin beef reached 13.9 thousand tonnes, an increase of 8.7 thousand tonnes compared to the same 12 months in 2024, and 12.2 and 12.9 thousand tonnes higher than the same periods in 2023 and 2022, respectively. Meanwhile, EU beef imports declined by 14.5 thousand tonnes from the 12 months to November 2022 to the 12 months to November 2025.
US-origin beef imports in the year to November 2025 stood at 99.4 tonnes, marking a reduction of 201.6 tonnes from 2024, 145.5 tonnes from 2023, and 247.5 tonnes from 2022.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce regulatory barriers for exporting businesses through digitisation.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
DBT is taking steps to reduce regulatory barriers for exporting businesses by supporting the uptake of digitalised trade processes. Through the Digital Trade Corridors programme, focused on key European markets such as France and Germany, we are identifying regulatory and policy barriers and encouraging businesses to adopt digital tools. This is complemented by an SME capability programme helping smaller firms benefit from digitalisation. Internationally, the UK works with partners, including through UNCITRAL, the WTO, and the Commonwealth, as well as bilaterally through Trade Committees and Dialogues, to promote legal and regulatory harmonisation.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the level of the tarrifs avoided on an annual basis as a result of the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal based on the following assumptions: (a) 100% tariffs removed on pharmaceuticals worth £6.6 billion; (b) a reduction in automotive tariffs from 25% to 10% applied to £9 billion of UK car exports, assuming full utilisation of the applicable quota; (c) 10% tariff removed on £2.2 billion of aerospace exports; and (d) 25% tariffs removed on £0.4 billion of steel and aluminium exports; using export values from the Office for National Statistics, and if not, what alternative assumptions and estimates the Department uses.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Negotiations on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal are ongoing. Discussions include tariff and non‑tariff barriers, digital and services trade, and sectors under section 232 investigation.
We will keep the House fully informed on these developments along with the expected economic outcomes of any final agreement.
Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Free Trade Agreement with the Maldives will include specific provisions that prioritise the trade of tuna caught by low-impact methods over industrially-caught tuna.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answers I gave on 27 November 2025 to questions UIN HL12107, UIN HL12108 and UIN HL12109.