Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when his Department plans to respond to the consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government is committed to protecting consumers who enter subscription contracts. Chapter 2, Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 sets out a new regime for subscriptions contracts. Secondary legislation is required to implement it and the government ran a 12-week consultation on regulatory proposals (Consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime - GOV.UK). We are analysing the responses and carefully considering the points raised. A government response will be published in due course.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to increase the level of hydrogen and fuel cell technology exports.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As a frontier sector in the Industrial Strategy, the government has committed targeted support to boost exports of hydrogen technologies by showcasing UK capabilities through our global network, greater access to international supply chains and — as outlined in the new Trade Strategy — by expanding clean energy sector agreements, like the UK-Germany Hydrogen Partnership. To support these opportunities, UKEF aims to deliver £10bn in clean growth financing by 2029, DRIVE35 will provide £2.5bn for zero-emission vehicle manufacturing including fuel cells, and the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme offers grants to UK fuel cell manufacturers investing in UK-based research and development.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has for the future composition of the Steel Council.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following the publication of the Strategy, the Secretary of State intends to continue to convene the Steel Council throughout this Parliament, so we can make sure we drive implementation of the Strategy. Discussions will be held with members of the Council regarding its future composition.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference of the oral contribution by the Rt hon. Member for North West Essex of 12 April 2025, Official Report, column 846, what estimate his Department made of the potential impact of the proposed commercial deal with Jingye on (a) jobs and (b) cost to the public purse.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has not been able to assess the potential impacts of the last Government’s proposed commercial deal with Jingye given it does not exist. We do know there had been a lack of progress before this Government took office.
This Government has worked intensively with Jingye to try and reach a co-investment deal that met our public accountability and legal requirements, worked for local people and UK taxpayers, safeguarded as many jobs as possible, and put British Steel on a sustainable footing for the future. When Jingye rejected an offer of substantial financial support and took steps to enact pre-emptive blast furnace closures, we took prompt action which resulted in British Steel cancelling the consultation on a potential 2,700 redundancies.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 25524 on UK International Consumer Centre, if he will place a copy of the agreement referenced in the Commons Library.
Answered by Justin Madders
I regret that the grant funding agreement cannot be submitted to the Commons Library. Grant letters and details are commercially sensitive for both the parties.
Releasing these details would, or would be likely to, prejudice the interests of those concerned by damaging the confidence which customers, suppliers or investors have, threatening their ability to obtain supplies or secure finance, and potentially weakening their position in a competitive environment by revealing market-sensitive information or information of potential usefulness to others such as its competitors.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what contracts (a) BFS Group Limited and (b) subsidiary companies of BFS Group Limited hold with (i) his Department and (ii) agencies of his Department.
Answered by Justin Madders
I can confirm that the Department does not hold any contracts with BFS Group ltd or any of its subsidiary companies. Likewise, the Department’s agencies also do not have any direct contracts with the company or its subsidiaries.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
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 adequacy of (a) funding and (b) staffing capacity for the UK International Consumer Centre.
Answered by Justin Madders
The government funds the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) to deliver the UK International Consumer Centre. The funding agreement for the current financial year is £456,000. This figure is reviewed annually and agreed with the CTSI each year alongside an agreement over what is to be delivered. The Centre provides information, advice and
assistance to consumers in the UK who are experiencing difficulties resolving disputes with traders based outside the UK.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to Section 132 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, whether any employers' associations maintain a political fund.
Answered by Justin Madders
Unincorporated employers’ associations are able to maintain a political fund in accordance with the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. None currently maintain a political fund.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21859, on Flexible Working Taskforce, on what dates that taskforce met in each year from 2018 to 2022.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Flexible Working Taskforce met on fourteen occasions between 2018 and 2022.
The dates of these meetings were:
29 March 2018; 09 May 2018; 11 July 2018; 12 September 2018; 16 November 2018; 16 January 2019; 27 March 2019; 02 July 2019; 22 September 2020; 14 April 2021; 27 April 2021; 07 July 2021; 13 October 2021; 07 February 2022.
The Government is committed to regular engagement with stakeholders on the topic of flexible working and other related issues.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20334 on Flexible Working, on what dates the Flexible Working Taskforce met in 2023.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Flexible Working Taskforce met once in 2023, on April 24th. The government has continued to engage with stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss flexible working and related issues.