Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when his Department plans to launch the steel strategy.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is developing a Steel Strategy to be published in 2025 that will set out a long-term vision for a bright and sustainable steel sector in the UK and the actions needed to get there.
The strategy will articulate what is needed to create a competitive business environment in the UK with the aim of attracting new private investment to secure and expand UK steelmaking capability and capacity which is aligned with our Net Zero goals.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing exemptions to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (2024) to enable people who pay for charity subscriptions to continue to claim gift aid on membership subscriptions.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government understands the vital role that Gift Aid income provides for charities. The government intends that charities will be able to comply with both the consumer protections in the subscription chapter of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and, where eligible, continue to claim Gift Aid. HM Revenue and Customs are working through the technical details and will continue to engage with the charity sector as this work progresses. Individuals, where eligible, will also be able to continue to complete Gift Aid declarations.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the Trade Remedies Authority’s recent recommendation to remove anti-dumping measures on e-bikes from China and the potential impact on the UK cycle manufacturing industry.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The UK applies separate anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on imports of Chinese e-bikes. The Trade Remedies Authority is currently conducting transition reviews of both measures and I therefore cannot comment further. Relevant information will be published on the Trade Remedies Authority’s public file as both reviews progress.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
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 Trade Remedies Authority's recommendation to remove anti-dumping measures on e-bikes on the UK Cycle Manufacturing Industry.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The UK applies separate anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on imports of Chinese e-bikes. The Trade Remedies Authority is currently conducting transition reviews of both measures and I therefore cannot comment further. Relevant information will be published on the Trade Remedies Authority’s public file as both reviews progress.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
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 the safety of talc in cosmetic products.
Answered by Justin Madders
Talc is permitted for use in cosmetics. However, to be sold on the UK market, cosmetics must undergo a safety assessment performed by a qualified safety assessor. The assessment is then reviewed by the manufacturer’s nominated “Responsible Person”, whose role is to ensure that cosmetics are safe and comply with the law.
If an unacceptable health risk is identified with talc, its status as a permitted ingredient in cosmetic products will be reviewed. The Office for Product Safety and Standards work with local enforcement authorities to take effective enforcement action where products are identified as not meeting the safety requirements.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate she has made of the annual electric vehicle production capacity of the (a) UK and (b) OECD average.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
According to the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), the UK produced 80,000 battery electric passenger cars and vans in 2022 - forecasted to increase to 970,000 by 2030.
We are investing in the technologies of the future, positioning the UK as one of the best locations in the world to manufacture electric vehicles through the Automotive Transformation Fund and the long-term Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programme.
Globally 8 million battery electric passenger cars and vans were produced in 2022 - expected to rise to 44milllion by 2030.
Source: APC Q1 2023 Automotive Demand Forecast
We do not hold data on OECD electric vehicle production volumes.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many trading standards staff were employed in each local authority in (a) 2023 and (b) 2010.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this information about trading standards, which is a local government service.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of start up businesses closed in the UK in the last five years.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
Of the 1,800,000 businesses that were set up over the five years from 2016 to 2020, 39% had closed by 2021. (ONS, Business Demography, 2022)
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of start up businesses in the creative industries closed in the UK in the last five years.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
Of the 14,500 businesses in the ‘Creative, arts and entertainment activities’ sector that were set up over the five years from 2016 to 2020, 32% had closed by 2021. (ONS, Business Demography, 2022)
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what data her Department holds on the number of UK domestic residential properties owned by individual foreign registered businesses in (a) 2010 and (b) 2022; and what estimate her Department has made of the total value of that property in those years.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
HM Land Registry (HMLR) registers legal ownership, interests, mortgages and other secured loans against land and property in England and Wales. Land Registration is a devolved matter in Scotland and in Northern Ireland.
HMLR does not hold information on the nationality of individuals. While some individuals may provide non-UK correspondence addresses, this does not necessarily indicate nationality.
Published information on overseas companies that own property in England and Wales is accessible here: https://use-land-property-data.service.gov.uk/datasets/ocod.