Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 prevent the fraudulent registration of companies using private residential addresses through Companies House.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 strengthened Companies House’s powers to query or reject inaccurate or suspicious addresses, enabling the Registrar to act swiftly and decisively against misuse of residential addresses.
Many fraudulent or misused registered office addresses have been removed and replaced with default addresses and companies without appropriate addresses are struck off, protecting those whose details were used without permission.
Companies House’s systems improve continuously to detect and prevent unauthorised address use. The Government is considering the Public Accounts Committee’s recommendation for increased powers to verify new and existing company addresses and will respond in November.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much of the £10 billion investment pledged by private firms at the Regional Investment Summit on 21 October 2025 is new investment; and how much had been previously pledged.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All of the £10billion of investment commitments pledged by private firms at the Regional Investment Summit on 21 October 2025 is new investment. Previously pledged investments were not included in this figure.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Mental Health Goals programme on growth in the life sciences sector.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government expects the Mental Health Goals programme to support growth in the UK life sciences sector by creating a strong environment for precision psychiatry research, therefore attracting new industry investment. By fostering collaboration between industry, academia and the NHS, the programme contributes to the Life Sciences Sector Plan’s ambition to grow the sector to £150 billion by 2030 and position the UK as a global leader in health innovation.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what criteria were used by his Department to determine eligibility for funding under the Pub is the Hub scheme.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the important role rural pubs and those in deprived areas can play in supporting their communities and the work of Pub Is The Hub in helping them improve their resilience by providing additional community services. That is why the Government has provided £440,000 to help Pub Is The Hub continue this important work.
In its 2025 report: PiTH-Social-Value-of-Pubsfinal.pdf, Pub Is The Hub highlighted over 40 diversification projects that could not be delivered due to a lack of funding. Eligibility for funding is determined by Pub is The Hub, which administers the scheme.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which organisations have been awarded Pub is the Hub funding to date.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the important role rural pubs and those in deprived areas can play in supporting their communities and the work of Pub Is The Hub in helping them improve their resilience by providing additional community services. That is why the Government has provided £440,000 to help Pub Is The Hub continue this important work
In its 2025 report: PiTH-Social-Value-of-Pubsfinal.pdf, Pub Is The Hub highlighted over 40 diversification projects that could not be delivered due to a lack of funding.
Data on which organisations have been, and will be, awarded funding is held confidentially by Pub is The Hub.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on the provision of consumer information to users of (a) Ticketmaster and (b) similar ticket platforms.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK’s independent competition authority and is independent of government. The department holds regular discussions with the CMA on consumer issues, including as part of its consultation on ticket resale and call for evidence on pricing practices for live events.
The CMA is subject to statutory rules around the disclosure of information about individual companies. Following the conclusion of the investigation and public announcement, the department has discussed the outcome and undertakings secured from Ticketmaster with the CMA. Further information about this case is published on the CMA’s website.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many companies subject to investigation for Bounce Back Loans fraud have been prevented from dissolving in (a) Lancashire and (b) Fylde constituency in the last 12 months.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This information is not centrally held by the Department for Business and Trade.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the press release entitled Record-breaking £150bn investment unveiled during US State Visit, published on 17 September 2025, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of that business investment on economic growth.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No such formal separate assessment will be made, but we expect these investments to have significant economic benefits across the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what responsibilities remain on liquidators of housing developers for resolving (a) legal title and (b) infrastructure issues impacting homeowners.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
A liquidators’ statutory functions when winding up a company are to secure and realise any assets, distribute any funds generated to those entitled to them and generally act in the interests of the company’s creditors. In carrying out their statutory functions, liquidators are also obliged to have regard to their regulatory standards and code of ethics. This may extend to resolving legal title and infrastructure issues affecting homeowners if doing so is in creditors’ interests.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) veterinary certification guidance, (b) trade missions and (c) inclusion in mentorship schemes on Lancashire producers.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We will continue to work with Defra colleagues to support businesses and producers where appropriate.
Trade missions are promoted widely to companies in Lancashire through direct marketing and partners. Following the mission to Food & Hospitality China, in November 2024, Lancashire companies have forecast increased sales from new international business.
International Trade Advisers provide support for eligible businesses that require tailored advice to grow their international sales. DBT has seven Food & Drink Export Champions in the North, one of which is based in Lancashire.