Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent progress his department has made on the parental leave and pay review.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Parental Leave and Pay Review’s Call for Evidence closed on 25 August 2025 after receiving almost 1500 responses, which are currently being analysed and will go on to inform the review.
We are engaging with a range of stakeholders, including advocacy groups, trade unions and business representatives, including through a series of thematic roundtables to inform our ongoing work. We intend to continue this engagement in 2026.
The Review will be concluded in early 2027 and the Government will outline next steps for taking any reforms forward to implementation.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to respond to his Department's consultation on parental leave and pay review which closed on 25 August 2025.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Parental Leave and Pay Review launched in July 2025 alongside a Call for Evidence which ran until 25 August 2025. We received almost 1500 responses to this Call for Evidence which are currently being analysed with the findings going on to inform the Review. The Government will publish the Review’s findings and a roadmap at its conclusion in early 2027. This will include next steps for taking any potential reforms forward to implementation.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many complaints of package holiday operators failing to provide adequate assistance during accommodation emergencies have been reported to the Competition and Markets Authority in each of the last three years.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Obtaining a definitive figure for the number of complaints would require a manual review, which would be disproportionate. But a search for relevant terms identified only one complaint relating to the provision of emergency accommodation by a package travel operator, which was received in 2025.
The CMA uses complaints, alongside other sources of information and intelligence, to help inform decisions as to the work it undertakes.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that package holiday operators comply with their obligations under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 to provide appropriate assistance to consumers during emergency situations.
Answered by Justin Madders
We are working closely with the industry and regulators to help them understand and comply with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (PTRs). There are also three DBT approved bodies which assess and monitor business insolvency risk and have codes of conduct travel operators must abide by, as well as offering dispute resolution services if needed.
We have recently undertaken a consultation on the PTRs that included several workshops with industry. We will continue to engage with them on possible legislative changes. This includes the development of guidance that will help them to be compliant.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what enforcement action has been taken against operators who have failed to comply with their duties under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this information. The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 are enforced by individual Local Trading Standards Departments with the Civil Aviation Authority overseeing Air Travel Organisers License protected holidays that include flights.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to improve consumer awareness of their rights under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.
Answered by Justin Madders
Currently, the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (PTRs) set out all the necessary information that consumers should receive about the package holiday they are buying before and after the contract is concluded. This includes details on the insolvency protection in place amongst other key details.
We recently consulted on the PTRs and conducted consumer research as part of the process. We are considering how to address the issues identified.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 recognise overseas professional qualifications held by British National (Overseas) migrants.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The government recognises that many British National Overseas (BNO) visa holders have valuable professional qualifications. Recognition of overseas professional qualifications is determined by independent occupational regulators, many of which accept qualifications from Hong Kong.
The government understands the recognition process can be challenging for BNO visa holders and refugees. DBT has worked with regulators to develop the Regulated Professions Register, which Hongkongers can use to access information on entry requirements and relevant regulators. DBT has also published guidance on GOV.UK to support refugees navigating the recognition process. DBT continues to work with regulators to develop further profession-specific guidance.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 help increase awareness of statutory parental leave entitlements among small and medium-sized enterprises in Nottinghamshire.
Answered by Justin Madders
Guidance for businesses on supporting employee work-life balance through measures such as flexible working and parental leave can be found on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website.
We are also publishing an SME Strategy Paper later this year, which will result in positive and practical support for SMEs across the UK.
Paternity Leave and Parental Leave will become ‘day one’ rights through the Employment Rights Bill. We will continue to engage with business, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as these changes are implemented, and through the Government’s Review of the parental leave system.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of barriers to (a) flexible working and (b) statutory parental leave provision in SMEs; and whether his Department plans to bring forward (i) legislative proposals and (ii) guidance to help tackle these barriers.
Answered by Justin Madders
Guidance for businesses on supporting employee work-life balance through measures such as flexible working and parental leave can be found on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website.
We are also publishing an SME Strategy Paper later this year, which will result in positive and practical support for SMEs across the UK.
Paternity Leave and Parental Leave will become ‘day one’ rights through the Employment Rights Bill. We will continue to engage with business, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as these changes are implemented, and through the Government’s Review of the parental leave system.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to take steps to help support SMEs to implement (a) statutory parental leave and (b) flexible working policies.
Answered by Justin Madders
Guidance for businesses on supporting employee work-life balance through measures such as flexible working and parental leave can be found on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website.
We are also publishing an SME Strategy Paper later this year, which will result in positive and practical support for SMEs across the UK.
Paternity Leave and Parental Leave will become ‘day one’ rights through the Employment Rights Bill. We will continue to engage with business, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as these changes are implemented, and through the Government’s Review of the parental leave system.