Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 fair and timely compensation payments for wrongly (a) accused and (b) convicted sub-postmasters.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As of 2 June 2025, £1.039 billion has been paid to over 7,300 claimants across the Horizon schemes. This represents a more than fourfold increase since July 2024, with more than 4,500 victims receiving compensation for the first time.
We continue to seek the views of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board to ensure fairness and consider ways we can speed up redress.
We are taking a variety of measures to increase the pace of the delivery of redress across our schemes. For example, we recently announced that we are reintroducing facilitated discussions in the GLO scheme – as requested by claimants’ lawyers. This should provide significant help in increasing further the pace at which compensation can be paid.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 all wrongly (a) accused and (b) convicted sub-post masters are offered compensation.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As of 2 June 2025, £1.039 billion has been paid to over 7,300 claimants across the Horizon schemes. This represents a more than fourfold increase since July 2024, with more than 4,500 victims receiving compensation for the first time.
We continue to seek the views of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board to ensure fairness and consider ways we can speed up redress.
We are taking a variety of measures to increase the pace of the delivery of redress across our schemes. For example, we recently announced that we are reintroducing facilitated discussions in the GLO scheme – as requested by claimants’ lawyers. This should provide significant help in increasing further the pace at which compensation can be paid.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 improve working conditions for people who work in distribution centres.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Government cares about working conditions and employment rights, that is why we are delivering the Employment Rights Bill. The Bill will deliver significant benefits, including better working conditions, more secure work, reducing inequalities and improving industrial relations. Stronger employment rights for workers will ensure a fairer and more equal labour market. For example, over 2 million people on zero or low hours contracts could benefit from the right to guaranteed hours, and the right to payment for shifts cancelled, moved or cut at short notice.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 impact of the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate on towns with large vehicle production industries.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government does not hold data on how the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate has impacted on towns with large vehicle production industries specifically. However, we speak regularly to all the major UK automotive stakeholders to take the temperature of the sector and their concerns. The government is committed to ensuring the transition to zero emissions works for the industry. That is why we introduced significant changes to the Mandate in April 2025, allowing for greater flexibility in meeting ZEV targets and extending the sale of hybrid vehicles to 2035.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 impact of trade union access proposals on SMEs that employ less than 200 people.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is committed to modernising industrial relations and as part of this we are moving away from a reliance on outdated, ad-hoc access arrangements by providing a formal right of access for trade unions in the Employment Rights Bill.
We will be consulting on specific details of the access framework before they are set out in secondary legislation. We encourage businesses and unions of all sizes to share their views. An impact assessment on the Bill was published last year.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps is he taking to support the steel industry.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Steel is a top priority for this Government. As shown with the passing of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act, this Government will not hesitate to take unprecedented steps to safeguard the future of steelmaking in the UK, protecting jobs, national security and supply chains.
We have completed the roll out of the British Industry Supercharger, which from this month means our steel industry will save an estimated £320mn – £410mn this year. This is on top of continuing the network charging compensation scheme.
We have taken action to make public procurement of UK-made steel easier and increased support for businesses to report unfair international trade practices. We have continued to develop the policy and approach for the steel strategy.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what diversity, equality and inclusion targets his Department has for staff recruitment.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Appointments to advertised vacancies in the Department for Business and Trade are made on the basis of fair recruitment open to all. The Department does not operate recruitment targets in relation to diversity, equality and inclusion. The Department does have an internally published Diversity and Inclusion plan that is focussed on embracing fairness for all.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the total cost was of providing translation services in his Department in the last year.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We can confirm the Department for Business and Trade spent £53,491.37 on translation services from April 2024 – 25th March 2025.
As the department for economic growth, we support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country. This figure includes providing translation services and also where the Department required translations or interpreters.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to re-shore manufacturing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Reshoring, alongside progressive key trade agreements, will be important of our national resilience, and we are determined to make the UK a prime location for globally competitive manufacturing.
The Industrial Strategy this spring will set out an ambitious long-term vision for UK manufacturing competitiveness and will detail how we intend to boost R&D, skills, and fast track adoption of new manufacturing technologies here in the UK.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has commissioned a cost-benefit analysis on providing additional support to prevent the closure of key strategic steel plants.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our commitment to the steel industry remains unwavering. On Sunday 16 February we published a consultation on our Plan for Steel. Along with work already ongoing across Government, this will provide a clear evidence base on the needs of the steel sector and its customers. This work will ensure the best use of our funding commitment of up to £2.5bn to deliver change and unlock private investment, ensuring a bright and sustainable future for UK steelmaking.