Mike Reader

Our Strategy is unreservedly pro-business, engaging on complex issues that are barriers to investment, like skills, recruitment of international talent, data, R&D, technology adoption, access to finance, competition, regulation, energy prices, grid connections, infrastructure, and planning – all through the lens of promoting investment.

Our Industrial Strategy will channel support to eight growth-driving sectors – those in which the UK excels today and will excel tomorrow, and which present the greatest opportunity for output and productivity growth over the long-term.

We will also look across the growth-driving sectors, progressing value chain analysis to identify ‘foundational’ sectors which are critical to a growth-driving sector’s value chain.

The Trade Strategy will support businesses trade and drive economic growth. Further details on this will be published in due course.

This Government continues to follow EU regulatory developments with interest, engaging with the EU on key regulatory developments via TCA structures. I also recognise the importance of maintaining an effective dialogue with UK industry leaders and civil society to understand the passive impacts.

DBT’s Assimilated Law Dashboard and Report captures changes to UK legislation inherited from the EU which will create active UK-EU divergence. These are updated biannually per requirements of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.

Government departments proposing regulatory reform consider the impact of those changes through impact assessments or proportionate analysis.

The department knows that using mobile phones in schools can lead to online bullying, distraction and classroom disruption, which can lead to lost learning time, while research also suggests that excessive screentime can have a negative impact on children’s wellbeing.

Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from school premises. In February 2024, the department published non-statutory guidance for schools on how to develop, implement and maintain a policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime. As has been the longstanding policy of successive governments, headteachers remain responsible for deciding how they choose to implement this policy, including choosing to prohibit children from bringing mobile phones on site entirely.

Our checks are intelligence-led and based on biosecurity risk. To protect the integrity of this approach, we cannot share operational details, including the exact timelines for scaling up checks.

Traders should continue to follow the published guidance which sets out Border Target Operating Model inspection rates. However, we continually review our enforcement approach, and are seeing generally good rates of compliance, and are continuing to push towards a fully enforced regime.

The first milestone - health certificates - happened on 31 January 2024. Physical and documentary checks began on April 30th. Medium and high-risk goods posing the greatest biosecurity risk are being prioritised as check levels are scaled up in a sensible and controlled way.

The controls introduced under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) protect the country from biosecurity threats. We continue to monitor and review the impact of controls introduced under the BTOM. We are seeing regular instances of biosecurity threats being intercepted or prevented from entering the country. Meanwhile we are working closely with industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to minimise disruption and costs to trade, and to ensure checks are completed efficiently. We are not seeing any routine queues or delays.

As you will appreciate, the new Government is still in its early stages, and I am carefully considering next steps for the e-scooter trials and wider micromobility rental and what legislative changes may be required in future.

However, road safety is a top priority for this Government and any regulations will consider how to protect vulnerable road users and pedestrians, including the enforcement of any safety guidelines.

As you will appreciate, the new Government is still in its early stages, and I am carefully considering next steps for the e-scooter trials and what legislative changes may be required in future.

The Government believes that local transport authorities and local leaders are best placed to prioritise and take forward transport projects which are most appropriate for the areas they serve, particularly where they will support economic growth, job creation, more and better housing, and, ultimately, demonstrate a good business case. I would encourage him to continue to engage with local stakeholders further on this.

The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health.

Notwithstanding these positive outcomes from work, the Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department will consider the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.

The installation of qualifying energy-saving materials in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a relevant charitable purpose benefits from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027.

Last year, a Call for Evidence (CfE) seeking views on additional technologies to potentially include within this relief was run. Heat batteries were one of the technologies put forwards by respondents. As set out in the Government response to the CfE, at that time, the Government was unable to identify sufficient independent data regarding the efficiency of heat batteries, making it difficult to assess the technology’s energy-saving properties objectively.

The Government currently has no plans to add further technologies to this VAT relief. Nevertheless, the Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process. Changes to the tax system are announced at fiscal events in the usual way.

We have implemented the ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes approved by Parliament earlier this year. The ban came into force on 24th September.

We will also be pressing ahead as soon as possible with a ban on Ninja swords, following the tireless campaigning of Pooja Kanda whose son Ronan was killed with one of these lethal weapons. We will be launching a consultation shortly and plan to introduce the legislation shortly afterwards when Parliamentary time allows.

The implementation of the EU Entry Exit System (EES) has been postponed by the European Commission while they review their plans, with an updated roadmap to be announced in due course. We are continuing to work with the EU and its member states, as well as industry, to understand their plans and potential impacts.

Comprehensive freight traffic management plans are already in place on the Kent road network, and HM Government is closely aligned with the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum to manage any disruption and keep both passenger and freight traffic flowing through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

Once the EU has set out its plans, we will be able to continue to work to understand the impacts of EES on the UK, including on freight traffic and goods trade across the Short Straits.

The implementation of the EU Entry Exit System (EES) has been postponed by the European Commission while they review their plans, with an updated roadmap to be announced in due course. We are continuing to work with the EU and its member states, as well as industry, to understand their plans and potential impacts.

Comprehensive freight traffic management plans are already in place on the Kent road network, and HM Government is closely aligned with the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum to manage any disruption and keep both passenger and freight traffic flowing through the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

Once the EU has set out its plans, we will be able to continue to work to understand the impacts of EES on the UK, including on freight traffic and goods trade across the Short Straits.