Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the appropriate regulation of children's toys powered by artificial intelligence.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The UK’s product safety framework already requires all consumer products, including toys, to be safe. Through the Product Regulation and Metrology Act, the Government has new powers to update regulation in response to emerging technologies such as AI, including where AI is embedded in toys.
On 31 March 2026, the Government launched a consultation on product safety reform, including how regulation can keep pace with technological change. The Government also plans to launch a Call for Evidence on the new EU Toy Safety Regulation shortly, which includes provisions on AI-enabled toys, to inform future changes in GB.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what update they can provide on the investigation initiated by the Grocery Code Adjudicator in June against Amazon for alleged breaches of the code regarding delayed payments, and whether this has been discussed with the Agriculture Supply Chain Adjudicator.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) is an independent regulator and statutory office holder, appointed by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. The decision to investigate Amazon for a suspected breach of the Groceries Code was made by the GCA, who is independent of Government. The Government is therefore unable to comment on the progress of the GCA’s investigation.
The GCA and the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) are in regular contact as they fulfil their respective remits and enhance fairness across the food supply chain.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the responsible business conduct review will reflect the interconnection between human rights, labour rights and environmental harms as aspects of responsible business conduct, and address impacts across the full value chain, both domestically and internationally.
Answered by Lord Stockwood
This is precisely what the review is looking at. Human rights, labour rights and environmental harms are inherently interconnected. The responsible business conduct review is considering the effectiveness of the UK’s current regime and alternative measures to support responsible business practices across UK and global value chains.
The review is focused on a range of issues related to responsible business conduct, including human rights, labour rights and environmental harms. Recognising the interconnections between these harms is a core principle of the review.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban the use of the chemical trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide in gel nail polish, following the decision of the EU to do so.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) was added to the GB Mandatory Classification List (GB MCL) under the GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation in February 2025. As per the requirements of Article 15 of the UK Cosmetic Regulation, Government is taking steps to prohibit the use of TPO in cosmetic products in Great Britain. Full details of the amendments to the Cosmetic Regulation, including any transitional provisions, will be prepared in due course. The first stage will be to ensure no new cosmetic products containing TPO are placed on the market from August 2026.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to re-assess and update the Private Healthcare Market Investigation Order 2014, published by the Competition and Market Authority on 1 October 2014.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Responsibility for reviewing the Private Healthcare Market Investigation Order 2014 lies with the CMA, which keeps markets remedies under review. While the CMA has not initiated a review of this Order at this time, it welcomes submissions from relevant parties where existing remedies may no longer be fit for purpose. If the CMA reviews the Order and deems there to be a change of circumstance such that the Order is no longer appropriate, it can vary or revoke the Order. However, it cannot introduce a new Order – this would require a new market investigation.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health risks presented by artificial hair braiding products, and how they plan to reduce or eliminate those risks.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Artificial hair braiding products are regulated by The General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR). The GPSR provides a baseline of safety, requiring that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, can be sold.
To further safeguard consumer safety, Government is in the process of strengthening product safety regulation through the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill. That will provide new powers to allow us to reflect modern supply chains and create a proportionate regulatory framework to ensure UK consumers are protected from risk, regardless of product origin or where the product where the product was purchased.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the UK–Australia Free Trade Agreement is an environmental agreement for the purposes of costs protection under the UNECE Aarhus Convention.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Costs limits in Aarhus Convention claims are regulated by Part 46 of the Civil Procedure Rules. An ‘Aarhus Convention claim’ is defined in rule 46.24. The interpretation of rule 46.24 is the subject of an ongoing appeal before the Court of Appeal. Therefore, the Government is unable to comment on this matter at this time.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the adequacy of the assessment of the environmental impacts of the UK–Australia Free Trade Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
The UK Government assessed the economic and environmental impacts of the UK-Australia FTA within the independently scrutinised impact assessment published in December 2021 when the FTA was signed. The UK-Australia FTA contains an ambitious environment chapter which affirms our shared commitment to the Paris Agreement and to strengthen cooperation on a range of environmental issues.
This Government will continually assess the impacts of our free trade agreements, including those negotiated under the previous government, as they are being implemented. We will look to maximise their benefit for businesses, support economic growth and also to understand their impacts more broadly.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for a public consultation on the need to introduce legislation to prevent corporate human rights and environmental harms and to ensure proper remedy for those affected by such harms.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
The Government is clear on the need to prevent environmental harms and human and labour rights abuses in both private and public sector supply chains and will take an evidence-based approach as we assess the best ways to achieve this. The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages with stakeholders in business and civil society on these issues, as do other Government departments. We will consult with stakeholders as we consider any further action.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to convene a cross-department unit on business and human rights.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
The Government does not currently have plans to convene a cross-departmental unit on business and human rights. The Department for Business and Trade works closely with teams in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Home Office and other departments to prevent and address corporate human rights abuses, including through the Modern Slavery Act, supporting the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises, and through operating the UK National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct.