Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help support high street businesses in Epping Forest.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
At Budget the Chancellor announced a number of measures to support high street businesses, ideally in Epping Forest’s regeneration including permanently lowering tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties from 2026/27, extending RHL relief and the Small Business Multiplier for another year and additional funding to tackle retail crime through additional training for police and retailers and programmes cracking down on organised gangs.
The Government also announced its intention to bring forward a Small Business Strategy Command Paper in 2025. This will set out the Government’s vision for supporting high street businesses including measures that will address access to finance, investment opportunities from overseas and domestic markets and building business capabilities.
This will complement the Government’s work to give local leaders and communities greater powers over empty properties and powers to revitalise their high streets.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what (a) steps she is taking and (b) discussions she has had to support businesses prepare for the full implementation of the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
In recent months, the Department for Business and Trade has met with a range of business representative organisations, as well as other stakeholders, to discuss the new tipping legislation and address any remaining concerns. Businesses and other stakeholders also had the opportunity to respond to the public consultation. The responses are currently being analysed to inform the final version of the statutory Code of Practice.
The final version of the Code will be published in the coming weeks, to ensure businesses have sufficient time to ensure they are compliant, ahead of coming into force in the summer.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made a recent assessment of the impact of the disruption to shipping in the Red Sea on international trade.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
My department is closely monitoring the situation and is working with key stakeholders, businesses and across government to identify and mitigate supply chain issues. We have held regular roundtables with industry exporting and importing into the UK, shipping companies, port operators and maritime representatives to hear their concerns and inform government. The Critical Import and Supply Chains Strategy is helping businesses work in partnership with the Government to build secure and reliable supply chains vital to the UK economy, national security, and the delivery of essential services.
We continue to monitor the Houthi attacks and activity in the Red Sea and are committed as a government to ensuring the Red Sea is safe for seafarers and traders to use, as shown through our commitment to Operation Prosperity Guardian.