Angus MacDonald

Building on the work of my predecessor and to inform any future decisions in relation to the regulation of fireworks, I will engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues and impacts of fireworks on livestock and pets.

The insights from these discussions, as well as from animal welfare campaigns and correspondence helped to inform the public campaign on fireworks safety that I have launched for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign features new guidance for those running community fireworks events, as well as social media materials that encourage the public to consider the welfare of animals when using fireworks.

The Government expects all businesses to treat their consumers fairly. Businesses are required under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 to provide contact information in a clear and comprehensible manner which is easily, directly and permanently accessible. This includes the business name, the geographical address where the business is established, a telephone number, and email address.

As long as businesses comply with this requirement, the mechanisms they use to provide customer services is a commercial decision that the government does not normally seek to intervene in.

The Government expects all businesses to treat their consumers fairly. Businesses are required under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 to provide contact information in a clear and comprehensible manner which is easily, directly and permanently accessible. This includes the business name, the geographical address where the business is established, a telephone number, and email address.

As long as businesses comply with this requirement, the mechanisms they use to provide customer services is a commercial decision that the government does not normally seek to intervene in.

The Department has been engaging with Acas on developing their guidance in the context of both Make Work Pay and wider public policy developments. This has included recent discussions around developing Acas’ guidance on internal disciplinary and grievance (D&G) procedures.

Women returning from maternity, adoption, or six continuous weeks of shared parental or neonatal leave are entitled to enhanced redundancy protection. However, the government is strengthening legal protections, as we know this group continues to face a particular risk to their job security.

We'll make it unlawful to dismiss pregnant women, mothers on maternity leave, and mothers returning to work for a six-month period - except in specific circumstances. This starts with the Employment Rights Bill, with protections in force from 2027. From April 2026, the Fair Work Agency will strengthen the enforcement of rights, with women expected to particularly benefit.

The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages with representatives from the hospitality sector, including through the hospitality sector council to understand the challenges they face, including the impact of VAT on small businesses.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Whilst there are no current plans to reduce VAT, HM Treasury keep all taxes under review.

To support businesses, we are reforming the business rates system and plan to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000.

The government is committed to a sustainable universal postal service for users throughout the UK, including maintaining the one-price-goes anywhere principle including for those in remote and rural areas.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards and decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.

The UK’s Trade Envoys play a crucial role in supporting HMG’s growth priorities, through helping deliver the industrial and trade strategies and attracting foreign direct investment to the UK. Lord Austin, in his capacity as Trade Envoy, visited Israel to continue to support these key UK businesses.

DBT publishes data on export licences issued for military and dual-use equipment. Enquiries related to data on the final exports of specific products should be referred to HMRC.

The most recent publication on export licences covers the quarter up to December 2024: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.

The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) has also on an exceptional basis published further information on the current status of export licences to Israel: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-6-december-2024.

This data shows that licences for the export of all military equipment that might be used in current military operations in Gaza have been suspended, subject to the special measures put in place for exports to the global F-35 programme.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17^th September 2024 to question 4955.

Seasonal businesses in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire can benefit from a range of British Business Bank programmes for example, through the Start Up Loans programme, in addition, the Investment Fund for Scotland also provides debt and equity funding to businesses across Scotland to help them grow and invest.

The BBB's website hosts a 3-step Finance Finder that can help businesses understand the options available to them, while Help to Grow: Management provides practical training to enhance small business productivity and growth.

This government regularly engages with stakeholders including the Federation of Small Businesses to discuss the potential impacts of relevant policies.

In taking difficult decisions to address issues with public finances, the Government increased employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) while lowering the per-employee threshold. Government has protected small businesses by raising the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. Consequently, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs this year, and over half will gain or see no change. While addressing fiscal challenges, the measure will help to alleviate the burden on the smaller businesses.

The UK continues to support the protection of human rights in Colombia, including by improving access to justice, protecting human rights defenders and promoting media freedom.

The UK-Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) includes binding investment protection provisions which protect both UK and Colombian investors against unfair and discriminatory treatment, and expropriation without adequate compensation. These commitments do not remove a government’s right to regulate in the public interest, nor its obligations to comply with other commitments, including with respect to human rights.

Products containing ethylene glycol can only be placed on the market if they are safe. This includes meeting any legal requirements on the concentration within that product so that it is at a level that is safe for both humans and the environment. I have not held, and do not plan to hold, specific discussions with manufacturers at this time.

The Government funds the Citizens Advice Consumer Service in England and Wales, providing impartial advice on a range of consumer issues, including buying online. In Scotland, where consumer advice and advocacy are devolved, a similar service is provided by Advice Direct Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government.

In line with statements made to Parliament on 24^th March 2026, the Department is working with UKRI to launch a trial this winter.

The trial will test the removal of final consumption levies from increased consumer demand that responds to instances where there is abundant local renewable energy in grid constrained areas.

This will enable energy suppliers and flexibility service providers to offer periods of discounted power to households and businesses in such areas so that more of this power can be used.

The Department’s published Energy and Emissions Projections include growth in power demand from computing services like data centres. To ensure a comprehensive view, the methodology projects at a broader sector level, not disaggregating specific estimates for data centres.

Water use comes under the remit of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Its Water Delivery Taskforce is building an evidence base of data centre water use across England. The Government encourages data centre developers to consider use of non-potable water, embed water efficiency or reuse in design, and contact their proposed water and wastewater supplier early in the planning process.

Large AI companies in the UK must report energy and carbon use under The Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework. Many companies also voluntarily report their Power Utilisation Effectiveness, which is the industry standard measure of efficiency of a data centre. Government is assessing the relevant technologies and metrics involved in its drive towards building a sustainable energy system as part of the AI Energy Council.

For operational infrastructure, in England and Wales any noise concerns should be raised to local planning authorities in line with the Environmental Protection Act 1990. You can report an noise nuisance via: Report a noise nuisance to your council - GOV.UK. For Scotland, powers in this act relating to noise and statutory nuisance are devolved to Scottish Government.

In England and Wales where a project meets the threshold for an Environmental Impact Assessment, developers are required to assess and mitigate noise impacts. They are similarly required to do so at the planning stage in accordance with the National Policy Statement EN‑5 and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Noise from electricity network infrastructure is not regulated by Ofgem. Ofgem’s remit covers the economic regulation of network operators and the protection of consumers.

Noise from electricity network infrastructure is not regulated by Ofgem. Ofgem’s remit covers the economic regulation of network operators and the protection of consumers.

The government engages regularly with the Scottish Government regarding community benefits.

As the government explores options for community benefits, we have engaged with stakeholders across Great Britain, including the Scottish and Welsh Governments.

The government is in the process of reviewing responses and intends to publish a response setting out our next steps in due course.

The level of customer credit balances held by energy suppliers is a matter for Ofgem, as the independent regulator.

Energy suppliers use credit balances as a way to smooth customer direct debit payments over a year, accounting for seasonal variations in usage. If a customer has concerns about their direct debit or the level of credit balance they should contact their energy supplier.

Under the terms of Ofgem’s Standard Licence Conditions, customers may challenge increased direct debit payment amounts with their supplier and ask the supplier to justify how amounts have been calculated. Suppliers must explain clearly how they reached the figure they want to charge and give the meter readings used.

Customers can ask their supplier to lower monthly direct debit payments to reflect the energy use more accurately and if a customer is concerned about the size of a credit balance on their energy account, they can ask their supplier to refund it.

The level of customer credit balances held by energy suppliers is a matter for Ofgem, as the independent regulator.

Energy suppliers use credit balances as a way to smooth customer direct debit payments over a year, accounting for seasonal variations in usage. If a customer has concerns about their direct debit or the level of credit balance they should contact their energy supplier.

Under the terms of Ofgem’s Standard Licence Conditions, customers may challenge increased direct debit payment amounts with their supplier and ask the supplier to justify how amounts have been calculated. Suppliers must explain clearly how they reached the figure they want to charge and give the meter readings used.

Customers can ask their supplier to lower monthly direct debit payments to reflect the energy use more accurately and if a customer is concerned about the size of a credit balance on their energy account, they can ask their supplier to refund it.

The level of customer credit balances held by energy suppliers is a matter for Ofgem, as the independent regulator.

Energy suppliers use credit balances as a way to smooth customer direct debit payments over a year, accounting for seasonal variations in usage. If a customer has concerns about their direct debit or the level of credit balance they should contact their energy supplier.

Under the terms of Ofgem’s Standard Licence Conditions, customers may challenge increased direct debit payment amounts with their supplier and ask the supplier to justify how amounts have been calculated. Suppliers must explain clearly how they reached the figure they want to charge and give the meter readings used.

Customers can ask their supplier to lower monthly direct debit payments to reflect the energy use more accurately and if a customer is concerned about the size of a credit balance on their energy account, they can ask their supplier to refund it.

The Department issues no such guidance to energy suppliers.

Requirements for how energy suppliers should treat customer credit balances are included within the Supplier Licence Conditions. These set out consumer standards, rules on credit balances, and what suppliers must do to stay financially stable, as set down by the industry regulator Ofgem.

If a customer is concerned about the size of a credit balance on their energy account, they should contact their supplier and they can ask for a refund.