Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of hazardous waste was exported by the type of hazardous waste in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The regulation of hazardous waste is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Waste exports are reported using a different classification system to domestic movements of hazardous wastes. The two datasets are therefore not directly comparable meaning the precise information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

In 2023, 6,017,823 Tonnes of Hazardous waste were produced in England. Of this, 256,518 Tonnes (4%) was exported for treatment and recovery overseas. There are robust systems and processes in place to ensure that these wastes go to the right place and are treated appropriately.

The top 5 categories of hazardous waste exported overseas from England are as follows:

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of EU Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on shipments of waste.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In May 2024, Defra officials were asked by the previous Government to prepare a briefing note for the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Democratic Scrutiny Committee on the implications for Northern Ireland of EU Regulation 2024/1157 on shipments of waste. The briefing note is published here:

https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/committee-blocks/windsor-framework-democratic-scrutiny-committee/reg-eu-20241157/a-response-from-the-uk-gov-by-defra---30-may-2024.pdf

Defra officials continue to assess the implications of EU Regulation 2024/1157 for businesses in Great Britain that trade with the EU.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) his officials have had with DP World since 1 October 2024; and whether any incentives have been (i) discussed and (ii) agreed since that date.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Officials from the Department for Business and Trade engaged with DP World in advance of the International Investment Summit, on both the 10th and 13th October, to finalise communications plans surrounding their investment announcement at the Summit. Ministers also engaged with DP World as an attendee of the International Investment Summit. In relation to DP World, no benefits – financial or otherwise – have been offered, discussed, or agreed since the date specified.

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 implications for his policies of the Second Report of Session 2024-25 of the House of Lords Constitution Committee on Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, HL 24, published on 18 October 2024.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade is grateful for the Select Committee’s observations.

The Committee’s concerns about the use of delegated powers in the Bill were also raised by the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee in its report of 15 October

The Government responded to that report on 28 October and will respond to the Constitution Committee in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with (a) how many and (b) which businesses he has met to discuss the Employment Rights Bill before its First Reading.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since July, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken an extensive programme of engagement around the Employment Rights Bill and broader Plan to Make Work Pay.

Such engagement has been underpinned by a strong commitment to working in partnership with businesses and trade unions to ensure policy is firmly pro-business and pro-worker.

This approach to engagement has received praise from businesses and trade unions alike and will continue throughout and beyond the passage of the Employment Rights Bill.

Details of Senior Officials’ and Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for how many hours he has discussed the Employment Rights Bill with businesses since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since July, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken an extensive programme of engagement around the Employment Rights Bill and broader Plan to Make Work Pay.

Such engagement has been underpinned by a strong commitment to working in partnership with businesses and trade unions to ensure policy is firmly pro-business and pro-worker.

This approach to engagement has received praise from businesses and trade unions alike and will continue throughout and beyond the passage of the Employment Rights Bill.

Details of Senior Officials’ and Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for how many hours he has discussed the Employment Rights Bill with trade unions since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since July, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken an extensive programme of engagement around the Employment Rights Bill and broader Plan to Make Work Pay.

Such engagement has been underpinned by a strong commitment to working in partnership with businesses and trade unions to ensure policy is firmly pro-business and pro-worker.

This approach to engagement has received praise from businesses and trade unions alike and will continue throughout and beyond the passage of the Employment Rights Bill.

Details of Senior Officials’ and Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with (a) how many and (b) which trade unions he has met to discuss the Employment Rights Bill before its First Reading.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since July, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken an extensive programme of engagement around the Employment Rights Bill and broader Plan to Make Work Pay.

Such engagement has been underpinned by a strong commitment to working in partnership with businesses and trade unions to ensure policy is firmly pro-business and pro-worker.

This approach to engagement has received praise from businesses and trade unions alike and will continue throughout and beyond the passage of the Employment Rights Bill.

Details of Senior Officials’ and Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for how many hours officials in his Department have discussed the Employment Rights Bill with trade unions since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since July, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken an extensive programme of engagement around the Employment Rights Bill and broader Plan to Make Work Pay.

Such engagement has been underpinned by a strong commitment to working in partnership with businesses and trade unions to ensure policy is firmly pro-business and pro-worker.

This approach to engagement has received praise from businesses and trade unions alike and will continue throughout and beyond the passage of the Employment Rights Bill.

Details of Senior Officials’ and Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for how many hours officials in his Department have discussed the Employment Rights Bill with businesses since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since July, the Department for Business and Trade has undertaken an extensive programme of engagement around the Employment Rights Bill and broader Plan to Make Work Pay.

Such engagement has been underpinned by a strong commitment to working in partnership with businesses and trade unions to ensure policy is firmly pro-business and pro-worker.

This approach to engagement has received praise from businesses and trade unions alike and will continue throughout and beyond the passage of the Employment Rights Bill.

Details of Senior Officials’ and Ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it remains her policy to commission an independent review of the Loan Charge.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government announced at Autumn Budget that it will commission an independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers.

Further details about the review will be set out in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many times he has had a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Secretary of State works closely with all his cabinet colleagues, including the Deputy Prime Minister as part of the normal operation of Government. For example, the Secretary of State and the Deputy Prime Minister have jointly met with businesses and trade unions on several occasions.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help raise awareness of the impact of mentoring on the business community.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Small businesses are the beating heart of our high streets, our communities, and essential to our economic success.

Professional mentoring can have a positive impact on business growth. Opportunities to access a mentor are actively signposted through the Help to Grow campaign site at https://helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk/.

The Autumn Budget 2024 confirmed continued funding for Help to Grow: Management, which provides dedicated mentoring support, and to local Growth Hubs, many of which provide access to business mentors.

The Government will bring forward a Small Business Strategy Command Paper in 2025, setting out the Government’s detailed vision for supporting small businesses.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many meetings he has had with representatives of Santander since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Secretary of State has met once with representatives of Santander since 5 July 2024.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the press notice entitled Flagship Government export initiative to be sponsored by Santander UK, published on 22 October 2024, what the total value is of the three year sponsorship agreement between his Department and Santander.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade was delighted to announce Santander UK’s three-year commitment to sponsor a package of trade related events on 22 October. This involves sponsorship rights at International Trade Week, a series of UK Export Academy webinars, and a number of tradeshows over the period. Specific events may vary over the term of the agreement. Santander UK is investing £750,000 over three years and is also hosting additional events at its own cost.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the press notice entitled Flagship Government export initiative to be sponsored by Santander UK, published on 22 October 2024, what the terms of the agreement are with Santander.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade was delighted to announce Santander UK’s three-year commitment to sponsor a package of trade related events on 22 October. This involves sponsorship rights at International Trade Week, a series of UK Export Academy webinars, and a number of tradeshows over the period. Specific events may vary over the term of the agreement. Santander UK is investing £750,000 over three years and is also hosting additional events at its own cost.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many businesses there are per constituency based on new boundaries.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Numbers of VAT and/or PAYE registered businesses in new parliamentary constituencies (2024) broken down by broad industry group, employment and turnover size-bands were published by ONS on 3^rd October 2024, at the request of DBT.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether any businesses have (a) withdrawn and (b) reduced their investment commitments following the International Investment Summit on 14 October 2024.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We are not aware of any announcements that investment highlighted at the International Investment Summit has subsequently been withdrawn or reduced. The Office for Investment continues to support business on all the investment projects announced at the summit among many others.

Housing

Found: Charlie Dewhirst Patrick Spencer Lewis Cocking Mr Richard Holden Jerome Mayhew Rebecca Harris Kevin

Found: Charlie Dewhirst Patrick Spencer Lewis Cocking Mr Richard Holden Jerome Mayhew Rebecca Harris Kevin

Found: State for Business & Trade and President of the Board of Trade and Minister for Women & Equalities Kevin