Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
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 more women into the manufacturing industry.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK Government is aware of the current underrepresentation of women in manufacturing and is committed to advancing diversity within the sector. In the recently published Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan we state our intent to improve the equality profile of the sector through a Make UK-led equalities taskforce and by sponsoring an Equality Charter. This will be co-developed with industry stakeholders, including the aim of achieving 35% representation of women in the UK manufacturing sector by 2035.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if her Department will publish information on the planned role of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Industrial Strategy Council.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Industrial Strategy Advisory Council (ISAC) supports the government's objective of delivering a long-term Industrial Strategy. Members have been appointed based on their expertise and wide-ranging experience and there is extensive business experience on the Council across a wide range of sectors and sizes of businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises.
The ISAC will make and publish recommendations on the development and implementation of the Industrial Strategy, including an annual report on its work.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
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 Small and Medium Enterprises in (a) manufacturing and (b) other sectors, as part of the Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Industrial Strategy's Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan sets out this government's plans to support manufacturers to grow and thrive, boosting jobs and increasing prosperity across the UK. SMEs will benefit from a range of policies, including skills, energy, scale-up and innovation, for example directly benefitting from the expansion of Made Smarter Adoption, with up to £99m of funding.
The Industrial Strategy will complement the recently published SME Small Business Plan that will span this Government's whole approach to driving small business growth and productivity - from boosting scale-ups to supporting budding entrepreneurs.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will request that the British Business Bank make an assessment of the potential merits of support for a central finance facility for credit unions.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
Credit Unions offer vital support, advice, and affordable finance to members. While there are no immediate plans for a central finance facility for Credit Unions, the government is committed to supporting underserved communities in all the nations and regions of the UK. In December 2024, the British Business Bank launched the Community Enable Funding programme, which is aimed at Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) serving smaller businesses in underserved communities. Unlike Credit Unions, CDFIs are unable to raise customer deposits and so this central financial facility is expected to boost the growth of the social lending sector.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contract regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposals on cooling-off rights on the (a) film and (b) television sectors.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Consultation on the implementation of the new subscriptions contract regime closed on 10 February 2025. We are analysing the responses, including submissions from the film and television sectors. Officials have also met with relevant trade associations and individual businesses in those sectors to hear their views.
The impact assessment for subscriptions chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act can be found here: Subscription traps: annex 2 impact assessment. Together the subscription measures are anticipated to provide £400m of consumer benefits per year and the estimated net cost to businesses is £171m per year.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contract regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposals on cooling-off rights on the (a) film and (b) television sectors.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Consultation on the implementation of the new subscriptions contract regime closed on 10 February 2025. We are analysing the responses, including submissions from the film and television sectors. Officials have also met with relevant trade associations and individual businesses in those sectors to hear their views.
The impact assessment for subscriptions chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act can be found here: Subscription traps: annex 2 impact assessment. Together the subscription measures are anticipated to provide £400m of consumer benefits per year and the estimated net cost to businesses is £171m per year.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department is taking steps to help tackle class pay gaps in the private sector.
Answered by Justin Madders
We are committed to delivering better life chances for all - breaking the link between background and success.
The National Minimum Wage has been one of the most successful economic policy interventions over the last quarter of a century. In 2024, the percentage of employees in low-hourly paid jobs was 3.4% - a record low, and compared to 21.9% in 1999, when the National Minimum Wage was introduced.
In April 2025, over 3 million workers are expected to receive a pay rise due to the increase to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
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 ensure that the Digital Markets Unit can make effective market interventions.
Answered by Justin Madders
On 1 January the pro-competition regime for digital markets entered into force. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will operate the regime, as the UK’s principal independent competition regulator.
The Government has designed and implemented the regime, which provides the CMA with powers to make effective interventions. These include powers to investigate and to impose remedies that are specifically designed for the markets and firms involved, as well as requirements to carry out in-depth investigations and consult relevant stakeholders before intervening. This tailored, participative and evidence-based approach will ensure that interventions are proportionate and effective.