Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
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 on (a) small businesses and (b) insurance premiums of changes in the levels of high street thefts.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers to do this. We will not stand for this, everybody has a right to feel safe on the job.
We will end the effective immunity, introduced by the previous Government, granted to low level shoplifting of goods under £200.
We have announced £100 million of new funding to kickstart the recruitment of 13,000 additional neighbourhood officers, community support officers and special constables into neighbourhood policing teams, as announced by the Prime Minister earlier this month.
Whilst Government does not generally intervene in the commercial pricing decisions of insurers, we are determined that insurers should treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority rules.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what financial services the Post Office provides at (a) Crown post offices and hosted Crown post offices, (b) franchise post offices, (c) Main post office, (d) Post Office Locals, (e) traditional sub-post office and (f) other types of post office branches.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Customers can deposit cash or cheques, withdraw money and check their balance at all the branch types listed as well as at Banking Hubs operated by the Post Office.
Customers can use the Post Office Branch Finder tool online to find out what services are available at their local branch.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
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 support workers facing potential job loss in the event of Crown Post Office (a) closures and (b) franchising.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No decisions have yet been taken on the future of any Crown, or ‘Directly Managed’ Branches. Although staffing is an operational matter for the Post Office, we would expect any changes to be carried out in line with due process including engagement and consultation.
Post Office has committed to working with the unions to discuss the Chair’s transformation plans over the next three months. A new Consultative Council will also be introduced to work with the Post Office on how these new plans are taken forward, to provide genuine challenge and to make sure the plans remain focused on the needs of postmasters and the communication they serve.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will consult on the closure and franchising of Crown Post Offices.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No decisions regarding Crown, or ‘Directly Managed’ Branches, have been taken. The Post Office works with local communities to consider how to best meet needs for Post Office services in a local area. The Post Office will continue to deliver on the 11,500 minimum branch requirement set by Government.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if the Government will take steps to ensure Crown Post Office Staff will not be (a) made redundant and (b) moved to roles with (i) poorer working conditions and (ii) lower pay after their branches are franchised.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No decisions regarding Crown, or ‘Directly Managed’ Branches, have been taken.
Any decisions on staffing are a matter for Post Office but we would expect any changes to be carried out in line with due process, including engagement and consultation.
One of the central aims communicated within Post Office's recently announced transformation plan was to prioritise postmasters, including increases in postmaster pay.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the report by Jean-Christophe Rufin entitled Report on the socioeconomic, humanitarian and human rights situation in the PalmaAfungi-Mocímboa area, published by Total Energy in May 2023, whether she has made an assessment of the extent to which the recommendations from that report (a) have been implemented and (b) will be implemented before any work resumes on the Mozambique LNG project.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Mozambique LNG Project sponsors have developed, and are currently implementing, an Action Plan to address the recommendations set out in the report by independent expert, Jean-Christophe Rufin. M. Rufin has been commissioned monitor the implementation of the Action Plan.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress UKEF has made on (a) determining scope one and two and (b) estimating scope three emissions in its portfolio until 2050.
Answered by Greg Hands
UK Export Finance (UKEF) publishes a partial scope one and two emissions inventory in its Annual Report and Accounts (ARA), consistent with the Greening Government Commitments.
The ARA also includes a partial scope 3 emissions inventory, including emissions associated with business travel, and (since financial year 2020/2021) estimates of its financed emissions. UKEF’s ARAs are laid in Parliament annually and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-export-finance-annual-reports-and-accounts.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions (a) her Department and (b) UKEF have had with Total Energies on (i) lifting the force majeure and (ii) restarting work on the Mozambique LNG project.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is currently in talks with project sponsors and other lenders, including export credit agencies, and other stakeholders, regarding the latest status of the Mozambique LNG project.
Given these discussions, I am unable to comment further for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make it her policy to undertake a (a) reassessment of and (b) civil society consultation on UKEF's support for Mozambique LNG before any work on the project restarts.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is currently in talks with project sponsors and other lenders, including export credit agencies, and other stakeholders, regarding the latest status of the Mozambique LNG project.
Given these discussions, I am unable to comment further for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to encourage UK-listed companies to pay the real living wage set by the Living Wage Foundation.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The Government is responsible for setting the statutory minimum wage rates. The Low Pay Commission (LPC) has gained international respect for their high-quality work. Therefore, it is right that we continue to take the expert and independent advice of the LPC when setting the minimum wage rates. The key distinction between the LPC rates and the Living Wage Foundation’s Voluntary Living Wage, is that LPC calculations consider the impact on businesses and the economy.
We commend employers who pay above the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage when they can afford to do so. The Living Wage Foundation are clear their measure is voluntary.