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 support his Department is providing to independent hospitality businesses to address he potential impact of a)business rates, b)employment costs, and c) VAT on those businesses.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government recognises pressures on independent hospitality businesses and is providing targeted support. On business rates, we have introduced permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, backed by a £4.3 billion support package including transitional relief to help firms invest and grow.
To support employment costs, we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500 and maintained NICs reliefs for younger workers and apprentices. Employers do not pay employer NICs on earnings up to £50,270 for employees under 21, or for apprentices under the age of 25. We have increased and extended the Hospitality Support Fund to £10 million over the next three years so we can continue to help more pubs, help more people into work and find more innovate ways to improve business productivity and sustainability.
The temporary Great British Summer Savings scheme reduces VAT from 20 per cent to 5 per cent on selected hospitality, leisure and visitor economy activities between 25 June and 1 September.
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 he has considered the potential merits of aligning the apprentice minimum wage with the National Living Wage, including the potential impact on (a) recruitment, (b) retention and (c) completion rates of apprenticeships.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
We remain committed to removing the discriminatory adult age band. The latest increase to the NMW of 8.5% continues to close the gap between the minimum wage for 18- to 20-year-olds and the NLW rate, moving towards a single adult rate.
The Department has published an Impact Assessment providing a comprehensive analysis of the 2026 National Minimum Wage rates.
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 merits of aligning the National Minimum Wage with the National Living Wage.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
We remain committed to removing the discriminatory adult age band. The latest increase to the NMW of 8.5% continues to close the gap between the minimum wage for 18- to 20-year-olds and the NLW rate, moving towards a single adult rate.
The Department has published an Impact Assessment providing a comprehensive analysis of the 2026 National Minimum Wage rates.
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 recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the completion of Costa Rica's accession to the CPTPP.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I attended a Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) ministerial meeting in Melbourne in November and a more recent virtual meeting, at which we discussed the progress made by Costa Rica to join the agreement. I have also spoken about this with several of my counterparts in bilateral meetings.
The UK looks forward to Costa Rica’s Accession Working Group concluding soon and continuing the expansion of CPTPP.
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 New Approach to Africa framework, published on 9 January 2025, how his Department plans to promote UK-Africa trade interests and protect import sensitive products.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Our new approach to Africa will place mutual growth at the centre of our relationships with the region. We have strengthened UK-Africa trade by building on the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which will simplify trading rules, boost African exports, and support growth. We support the African Continental Free Trade Area through a Regional Cumulation Group which allows producers to source inputs from up to 50 countries. Our Economic Partnership Agreements with 15 African countries support development by providing duty-free access and, boosting imports into the UK from these countries, while allowing African partners to protect sensitive products through tariffs and safeguards.
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 he has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a working time council to explore the wider implementation of a four-day working across the economy.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A four-day week is an example of a flexible working arrangement. All employees have the right to request flexible working, and we are changing legislation through the Employment Rights Bill to make it more likely that feasible requests are accepted.
The government continues to monitor the impacts of flexible working. As the full results of the latest four-day week trial have not yet been published, it has not been possible to determine any implications for business productivity or government policy.
Employers considering changes in working practices can draw on flexible working guidance on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website, as well as the new Business Growth Service which will launch shortly.
As we have no plans to mandate a four-day week, government is not planning to establish a working time council or business forum focussed on this topic. Our priority is to consult with and support businesses and employees with the planned changes to the flexible working measures as part of the wider Plan to Make Work 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, what assessment he has made of the productivity outcomes of the latest four-day week pilot facilitated by the 4 Day Week Foundation.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A four-day week is an example of a flexible working arrangement. All employees have the right to request flexible working, and we are changing legislation through the Employment Rights Bill to make it more likely that feasible requests are accepted.
The government continues to monitor the impacts of flexible working. As the full results of the latest four-day week trial have not yet been published, it has not been possible to determine any implications for business productivity or government policy.
Employers considering changes in working practices can draw on flexible working guidance on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website, as well as the new Business Growth Service which will launch shortly.
As we have no plans to mandate a four-day week, government is not planning to establish a working time council or business forum focussed on this topic. Our priority is to consult with and support businesses and employees with the planned changes to the flexible working measures as part of the wider Plan to Make Work 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, whether his Department plans to support a structured forum for businesses to share learning on reduced-hour models.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A four-day week is an example of a flexible working arrangement. All employees have the right to request flexible working, and we are changing legislation through the Employment Rights Bill to make it more likely that feasible requests are accepted.
The government continues to monitor the impacts of flexible working. As the full results of the latest four-day week trial have not yet been published, it has not been possible to determine any implications for business productivity or government policy.
Employers considering changes in working practices can draw on flexible working guidance on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website, as well as the new Business Growth Service which will launch shortly.
As we have no plans to mandate a four-day week, government is not planning to establish a working time council or business forum focussed on this topic. Our priority is to consult with and support businesses and employees with the planned changes to the flexible working measures as part of the wider Plan to Make Work 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, what steps his Department is taking to support businesses transitioning to a four-day working week.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A four-day week is an example of a flexible working arrangement. All employees have the right to request flexible working, and we are changing legislation through the Employment Rights Bill to make it more likely that feasible requests are accepted.
The government continues to monitor the impacts of flexible working. As the full results of the latest four-day week trial have not yet been published, it has not been possible to determine any implications for business productivity or government policy.
Employers considering changes in working practices can draw on flexible working guidance on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website, as well as the new Business Growth Service which will launch shortly.
As we have no plans to mandate a four-day week, government is not planning to establish a working time council or business forum focussed on this topic. Our priority is to consult with and support businesses and employees with the planned changes to the flexible working measures as part of the wider Plan to Make Work 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, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of the four-day week pilot facilitated by the 4 Day Week Foundation.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A four-day week is an example of a flexible working arrangement. All employees have the right to request flexible working, and we are changing legislation through the Employment Rights Bill to make it more likely that feasible requests are accepted.
The government continues to monitor the impacts of flexible working. As the full results of the latest four-day week trial have not yet been published, it has not been possible to determine any implications for business productivity or government policy.
Employers considering changes in working practices can draw on flexible working guidance on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website, as well as the new Business Growth Service which will launch shortly.
As we have no plans to mandate a four-day week, government is not planning to establish a working time council or business forum focussed on this topic. Our priority is to consult with and support businesses and employees with the planned changes to the flexible working measures as part of the wider Plan to Make Work Pay.