Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of UK Export Finance support for the tooling and working-capital requirements of automotive suppliers.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
UK Export Finance (UKEF) can offer guarantees through its Export Development Guarantee (EDG) and General Export Facility (GEF) to help current and prospective exporters of all sizes and in all sectors, including the automotive industry, access working capital loans to support or extend their export activities.
For instance, in July 2025, UKEF announced it was providing a £1 billion EDG to Ford UK, supporting its long-term growth ambitions and helping its transition towards manufacturing electric vehicles. Meanwhile through the GEF, UKEF can offer support to smaller businesses looking to access working capital finance. Since its introduction, UKEF has provided over £1 billion in support to hundreds of exporting businesses through the GEF.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps he is taking to prevent tariffs being imposed on UK-EU trade in electric vehicles from 1 January 2027.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Stricter rules of origin for electric vehicles and batteries are scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2027 under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. We are engaging closely with the automotive sector to understand readiness for these changes. We continue to work with industry and the European Commission to find a solution that supports the competitiveness of the UK automotive sector, protects investment and maintains tariff-free access to one of the UK’s largest export markets. That includes, as a priority, looking to finalise joint guidance on the origin requirements related to Cathode Active Material.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on UK vehicle manufacturing of the Rules of Origin requirements for electric vehicles and batteries due to apply from 1 January 2027 under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
New rules of origin requirements for electric vehicles under the TCA are scheduled to come into force on 1st January 2027. The UK Government recognises and shares the growing concern from industry about the potential impact of the upcoming rule changes on both UK and EU production. We are engaging with the European Commission and the UK automotive sector on the issue with a view to finding a mutually satisfactory solution. That includes, as a priority, looking to finalise joint guidance on the origin requirements related to Cathode Active Material.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with businesses on the length of the reference period of the guaranteed hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Ministers and officials have engaged extensively with businesses and representative organisations on the guaranteed hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025, including on the length of the reference period.
We will continue this engagement as we move into the next stage of implementation. A full public consultation will seek views on all key elements of the right to guaranteed hours, including the length of the reference period.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to ensure the guaranteed hours provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 support access to (a) seasonal workers, (b) agency workers and (c) people seeking flexible employment in the retail sector.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Employment Rights Act 2025 includes flexibility to address issues of seasonal demand, for example, enabling employers that operate seasonally to use fixed-term contracts where the demand for work is genuinely temporary. We will consider further ways to cater for seasonal work through regulations following consultation, as well as application to agency workers. Workers and agency workers will also be able to decline a guaranteed hours offer if they wish.
All employees also have a day one right to request a flexible working arrangement, and through the Employment Rights Act we are making it more likely that flexible working requests are accepted.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that workforce training provision aligns with the needs of major industrial investments, including the battery gigafactory by Agratas under construction in Somerset.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan sets out how government is supporting industry to develop a highly skilled workforce for the future. Measures include the £182 million Engineering Skills Package which will fund Technical Excellence Colleges including four in Advanced Manufacturing, £47 million to fund engineering skills for adults and £2 million to increase the number of engineering T Levels.
Through the Battery Innovation Programme, the Department directly supports skills centres in the Northeast, Midlands and the South West to develop a pipeline of skilled technicians for the UK’s battery electric vehicle supply chain.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress has been made in the statutory review into the right to time off work for special constables established under the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The government is continuing to progress the review into the right to time off work for public duties. The main evidence-gathering and analysis stages of the review have been completed. I will consider findings of the review, including that of special constables, in the first half of this year and subsequently publish before 18 December 2026. We are grateful to officials from across government for providing evidence in support of this review and we will continue to engage as the review and any subsequent steps progress.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the UK-Morocco agriculture tariff review is expected to be completed.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
It is still ongoing and will conclude when an agreement can be reached that benefits both the UK and Morocco.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the role of the UK-Morocco Association Agreement in increasing levels of cooperation and trade between the UK and Morocco.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Since the UK-Morocco Association Agreement entered into force in 2021, bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.6 billion in the 12 months to the end of June 2025, an increase of 18.8% or £730 million in current prices, from the previous 12 months. The Agreement underpins bilateral political, economic and social cooperation and facilitates bilateral trade. The UK held the third Association Council meeting on 12 November, reaffirming commitments to deepen trade, investment, and collaboration on education, renewable energy, and security, in line with the step-change in relations following June’s bilateral strategic dialogue.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what financial support his Department provides to the recycled plastic industry.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Government is committed to improving the business environment for the recycled plastic industry. This includes support for eligible firms through the Energy Intensive Industry relief schemes, depending on scheme eligibility criteria and firm levels of electricity usage. Other mechanisms include the market-based Packaging Waste Recycling Notes (PRN) system that provides direct funding to the reprocessing sector.
DEFRA’s collection and packaging reforms will also stimulate investment in recycling services and provide feedstock certainty, and while we cannot endorse individual technologies, Government have a range of funding sources available to support innovative and emerging technologies within this space through Innovate UK.