Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will take steps to help support private gym and health facilities facing rising operating costs.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises pressures from rising operating costs on small businesses, including private gyms and health facilities. From April 2026, we are introducing permanently lower business‑rate multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, worth nearly £900 million a year and benefiting over 750,000 premises.
We remain committed to supporting businesses across the economy by reducing the administrative burden of regulation by £5.6 billion this Parliament and providing a £4.3 billion package to protect ratepayers from increases in business rates bills.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support businesses with their operating costs.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are committed to reducing operating costs for all UK businesses, including those in Eastleigh and across Hampshire.
We are reducing the annual administrative burden of regulation by £5.6bn by 2029, enabling UK businesses to unlock growth and boost innovation.
Introducing e-invoicing will also increase efficiency and streamline tax administration.
Tackling late payments will give the UK the strongest legal framework in the G7, intending to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows. We will publish our response to the late payment consultation setting out the measures we will take forward.
In addition, we are protecting full apprenticeship funding and extending it up to under 25s reducing administrative barriers further.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the World Trade Organisation; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) level of global tariff barriers on the effectiveness of the rules-based international trading system and (b) World Trade Organisation on the (i) enforcement of global trade rules and (ii) enhancement of free, non-discriminatory frameworks for trade between countries.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
World Trade Organization (WTO) membership has resulted in substantial benefits to our, and the global, economy with WTO research showing Members having increased trade by around 171%, between 1980-2016. However, the WTO needs to evolve to address modern challenges. The UK is actively supporting WTO reform efforts, working with international partners towards a reform outcome at March's Ministerial Conference.
The impacts of trade barriers are felt by all countries however the multilateral trading system has shown resilience, with the WTO stating that 72% of global goods trade is conducted under WTO terms as of November 2025.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with relevant stakeholders on the creation of memorials to recognise war-time ammunition factory workers.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government recognises the hard work of the Munitions Workers and is extremely grateful for their input and sacrifices made during both World Wars.
Munitions workers are included on the Women's War Memorial in Whitehall. In addition, several trees have been planted at the National Arboretum in Litchfield and many former factories have memorials including, ROF Swynnerton, ROF Rotherwas and Aycliffe Newton.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 work with the travel industry to help ensure that package holidays sold to UK consumers meet appropriate health and safety standards, and what action is being considered to protect holidaymakers where there are persistent health concerns linked to particular destinations or resorts.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 set the consumer protection framework for package holidays and linked travel arrangements. They require organisers to meet specific standards and provide protections such as redress for substandard or unperformed services, refunds for cancellations, and assistance if issues arise during the trip. The Department is in regular contact with the industry to support standards across the sector.
Travellers are encouraged to research and plan carefully and consider potential risks, for example by consulting the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website which provides up-to-date travel advice to help people make informed decisions before booking and travelling overseas.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support pubs with operating costs in Eastleigh constituency.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department works closely with hospitality businesses to assess impact of rising operating costs across energy, staffing, compliance and taxation.
This includes regular engagement with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council which provides a formal forum to co-create solutions to pressures facing the industry.
We also maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as UKHospitality and the British Beer and Pub Association, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long-term stability.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress his Department has made on assessing the beer market to determine potential structural barriers preventing small brewers from accessing pubs.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises that independent breweries are essential to the diversity and character of our pubs. We have conducted a review of the beer market to determine whether there are any structural barriers preventing small breweries, the findings from which are currently being considered by ministers.
We’ve introduced a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects aligned with Department for Business & Trade and Hospitality Sector Council priorities, such as supporting initiatives like investing £440,000 to help rural pubs diversify as community hubs, delivered with Pub is The Hub to unlock over 40 stalled projects.
We also maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as Society of Independent Brewers, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long-term stability.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 promote the growth of independent brewers in Eastleigh constituency.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises that independent breweries are essential to the diversity and character of our pubs. We have conducted a review of the beer market to determine whether there are any structural barriers preventing small breweries, the findings from which are currently being considered by ministers.
We’ve introduced a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects aligned with Department for Business & Trade and Hospitality Sector Council priorities, such as supporting initiatives like investing £440,000 to help rural pubs diversify as community hubs, delivered with Pub is The Hub to unlock over 40 stalled projects.
We also maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as Society of Independent Brewers, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long-term stability.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 the clarity of guidance available to individuals applying for non-disclosure of address orders in insolvency cases.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Insolvency Service has published guidance on the government website www.gov.uk to explain how an individual can apply for a Person at Risk of Violence order (PARV order) to prevent their address being disclosed in insolvency cases. The guidance relates to bankruptcy applications. The only amendment currently being made to this guidance removes references to a fee being payable to the court when a PARV order application is made.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to monitor the level of administrative charges by Royal Mail applied to unstamped mail.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Royal Mail is an independent business. The government does not have a role in its operational decisions. The operation and administration of Royal Mail’s products and services, including stamps and associated surcharges, is a matter for the business. This includes the authority to apply administrative charges to unstamped mail.