Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act; and whether he plans to introduce similar legislation.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is committed to tackling forced labour in UK and global supply chains and ensuring that UK businesses are not complicit in human rights abuses. Import bans are one of a range of tools that could be used to tackle forced labour in global supply chains. The review launched in the Trade Strategy 2025 into the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct will consider policy options to complement responsible business practices; this includes import bans. The Government continues to engage with international partners, including the US, to support our shared goal of combatting forced labour in supply chains.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
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 ensure that audit requirements are accessible and affordable for small and mid-sized quoted companies.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government has previously announced its plans to modernise and simplify the corporate reporting framework and expects to publish a consultation on the Modernising Corporate Reporting shortly. The consultation will consider financial, non-financial, remuneration and corporate governance reporting, as well as proposals to reduce burdens on business and to simplify the preparation and audit of accounts and reports, including for quoted companies. The consultation will also consider the appropriateness of the UK’s framework for reporting and auditing by small and medium-sized companies.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans his Department has to reform corporate reporting requirements to support economic growth and competitiveness.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government has previously announced its plans to modernise and simplify the corporate reporting framework and expects to publish a consultation on the Modernising Corporate Reporting shortly. The consultation will consider financial, non-financial, remuneration and corporate governance reporting, as well as proposals to reduce burdens on business and to simplify the preparation and audit of accounts and reports, including for quoted companies. The consultation will also consider the appropriateness of the UK’s framework for reporting and auditing by small and medium-sized companies.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
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 simplify audit requirements for quoted companies.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government has previously announced its plans to modernise and simplify the corporate reporting framework and expects to publish a consultation on the Modernising Corporate Reporting shortly. The consultation will consider financial, non-financial, remuneration and corporate governance reporting, as well as proposals to reduce burdens on business and to simplify the preparation and audit of accounts and reports, including for quoted companies. The consultation will also consider the appropriateness of the UK’s framework for reporting and auditing by small and medium-sized companies.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps are being taken to prevent organisations with extreme proximity to sanctioned groups, individuals, and jurisdictions from establishing UK-registered companies.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The nature of any association with sanctioned persons or jurisdictions can vary considerably, and such links do not, in themselves, prevent an organisation or its directors from establishing a lawful UK company. Nor does the existence of such an association automatically indicate improper intent. Companies House applies a proportionate, risk-based approach and acts where there is evidence of unlawful activity. The Registrar has powers to require information, share intelligence with enforcement partners, and strike off a company if false or misleading information is included in the incorporation application.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the time taken to award compensation payments to victims of the Horizon Scandal.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This Government has greatly accelerated redress. We have launched the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) and Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals process. We have begun payments of a £75,000 fixed offer for those postmasters in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) who want to accept it. We deliver 89% of offers within 40 working days of receiving full claims. The total amount of redress paid under all schemes has more than quadrupled since July 2024. As of 29 August 2025, approximately £1,176 million has been paid in total redress to over 8,600 claimants across the three live Horizon schemes.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the removal of public complaint records from the Hong Kong Ombudsman Office’s online archive on UK businesses operating in that country.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
I am aware of the removal of the historical complaint records from the Hong Kong Ombudsman Office's website. While we recognise the importance of transparency and access to public information for businesses operating overseas, no formal assessment has been conducted on the specific impact of this change on UK businesses in Hong Kong. We continue to monitor developments in Hong Kong closely and maintain regular engagement with UK businesses to understand emerging concerns.
We are also working closely with colleagues across Whitehall, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to ensure a coordinated approach to developments in Hong Kong that may affect UK commercial interests.