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 discussions he has had with businesses on ensuring customers can contact them on the telephone and not just by email.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, businesses are obligated to provide contact information in a clear and comprehensible manner which is easily, directly and permanently accessible. This includes the business name, the geographical address where the business is established, a telephone number, and email address.
The specific mechanisms businesses use to provide customer services is a commercial decision that the government does not normally seek to intervene in.
While there is no record of a specific discussion on this matter, the Department engages regularly with businesses on consumer law.
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, how many Trading Standards enforcement officers there were in each (a) region, (b) local authority area and (c) parliamentary constituency in each year for the past 5 years.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Trading Standards enforcement officers are the responsibility of individual Local Authorities.
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, how many people have been a) arrested b) charged and c) convicted in relation to (i) underage and (ii) illicit sales of cigarettes each year for the past five years.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this data.
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 their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Civil Service People Plan 2024–2027 commits to attracting and retaining diverse talent. Recruitment follows the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, ensuring fair and open competition based on merit.
Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) supports inclusive recruitment pathways, welcoming individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds, and other categories. GFiE helps participants gain skills, experience, and career opportunities.
From October 2024 to October 2025, the Department supported the Autism Exchange Internship Programme, offering eight placements.
The Department guarantees interviews for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria under the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.
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, if he will have discussions with retailers on the potential impact of trends in the level of business costs on (a) staffing levels and (b) lone working practices.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Staffing levels and business lone working policies are commercial matters for individual businesses to decide. An employer must identify the risks to lone workers and put control measures in place to protect them. It is for the employer to determine the best way to manage those risks taking account of the circumstances of their business and work activity. HSE provide guidance on lone working: Lone working: Protect those working alone - HSE.
The government is protecting the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, more than half of employers see no change or gain overall from this package and employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.
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 help support pubs.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the vital role pubs play in supporting local economies and fostering community cohesion, as well as the pressures they face.
That is why we established the Licensing Taskforce in April, bringing together representatives from the hospitality sector to help shape reforms. We published the Government’s response on 31 July, setting out a new National Licensing Policy Framework to simplify outdated rules and protect long-standing venues from noise complaints. These reforms form part of the recently announced Small Business Strategy, which aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to enable small businesses, including pubs, grow and thrive.
Additionally, we’re creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street and supports investment, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value. We’ve also launched a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects aligned with DBT and Hospitality Sector Council priorities such as Pub is The Hub to encourage local investment.
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, for what purposes their Department has used artificial intelligence in the last year.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In the last year, the Department has expanded the use of artificial intelligence for a growing range of purposes within an AI governance framework consistent with the AI playbook for the UK Government. AI is being used to allow businesses to get tailored advice on export finance via business.gov.uk. A dedicated AI team has been exploring over 30 potential purposes such as conducting rapid evidence assessments and improving correspondence processes. In addition, the Department has made available approved AI tools and training to nearly 4,000 DBT officials around the globe, enabling them to benefit from AI in their own individual work.
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 information they hold on the number of workdays that were completed remotely in their Department in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date.
Answered by Justin Madders
On 24 October 2024 the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time. Due to space constraints the department has set the requirement of 40% for delegated grades.
The department does not hold comprehensive data on the number of workdays that were completed remotely. See Civil Service Headquarters occupancy data for published information covering departmental headquarters building occupancy.
The department introduced a process to record office attendance information from 4 August 2025. This data is not yet available.
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, if he will ensure the long term future of the postal service.
Answered by Justin Madders
The government is clear on its commitment to the provision of a comprehensive, reliable and affordable universal postal service that works for customers, workers and businesses.
Ofcom has reviewed the future of the universal service obligation (USO) and set out changes to put the USO on a more sustainable footing and to push Royal Mail to improve reliability.
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 support post offices.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
The Post Office provides critical services that are valued by communities across the UK and the Government is committed to strengthening the network.
We are backing that commitment with over £500 million of investment during this Parliament, including this financial year up to £136m to invest in new technology and replace Horizon.
Government recently published a Green Paper which seeks to open a dialogue on the Post Office, from the services it provides, how we modernise and strengthen the network, through to how we change the culture at the Post Office. We want to hear from everyone with a stake in the Post Office’s future.