Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reduce the cost of employment for employers.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government is taking action to help employers manage employment costs while supporting growth. Employers can benefit from National Insurance Contributions reliefs for under-21s and apprentices under 25, meaning they pay no employer NICs on eligible earnings up to £50,270. These reliefs are estimated to be worth around £2.5 billion in 2025/26. We are supporting SMEs by providing a £4.3 billion business rates support package and committing to lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses We will continue to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with (1) trade unions, and (2) businesses, on the implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government is undertaking an extensive programme of engagement around implementation of the Employment Rights Act and the broader Plan to Make Work Pay. The Government has committed to delivering employment rights changes in partnership with businesses, trade unions, public sector employers, and civil society.
The reforms are being delivered in phases so that employees and employers have time to plan and prepare.
We will continue working alongside Acas to provide support and guidance to help businesses to get ready, and will continue to consult with businesses, trade unions and civil society to make sure we get the detail right.
Asked by: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of steel tariffs in protecting Britain’s domestic steel industry.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
This steel trade measure has been carefully designed to take account of UK industry needs, and to ensure continued supply of necessary imports to meet these aims.
An Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the relevant legislation was published on 30 June, setting out the expected impacts of this measure on different types of businesses.
We have engaged with steel producers and downstream industries and will continue to do so as the measure is implemented. We will continue to monitor the measure and review it after 12 months.