Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department has spent on measures to achieve net zero targets in the last five years.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The department does not maintain records of expenditure on measures to achieve net zero.
The department’s estate is managed and maintained by the Government Property Agency (GPA). The GPA is responsible for investment in energy efficiency measures that relate to the department’s office estate.
Details of the department’s sustainability performance can be found in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
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 net zero policies on (a) UK manufacturing competitiveness and (b) jobs in carbon-intensive industries.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The transition to net zero is critical for driving growth and delivering new jobs. We have been clear that decarbonisation should not mean deindustrialisation.
Many companies that have decarbonised become more efficient and productive. The challenge can be the capital costs of transitioning and that is why the government is providing extensive support and access to funding for industry, including through the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, Aerospace Technology Institute and Advanced Propulsion Centre UK. At the same time, the number of jobs in the low carbon and renewable energy economy grew by 27% between 2020 and 2022, more than 5 times faster than overall UK employment (source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-power-2030-action-plan-assessment-of-the-clean-energy-skills-challenge/assessment-of-the-clean-energy-skills-challenge#fn:6)
Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an estimate of the annual cost of regulatory compliance for businesses in each of the last five years; and if she will make a comparative estimate of the cost of regulatory compliance (a) in the UK and (b) across the G7.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Business Impact Target, which was repealed by the previous government through the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act, was the principal mechanism through which government made an estimate of the total annual cost of regulation to business. In its place, the reformed Better Regulation Framework encourages an earlier and more thorough assessment of impacts of individual regulatory proposals. This government will use the framework to ensure that new regulations achieve their objectives, with the lowest possible cost to businesses and households.
Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
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 reliance on imported rare earth minerals for net zero technologies on national security.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Critical minerals, including rate earth elements are crucial for the UK in terms of security, clean energy, industry and emerging technologies. That is why the Government is developing a critical minerals strategy to ensure we are diversifying our supply chains, delivering the security we need and supporting the many UK-based companies that mine and process around the world. The strategy will be published this year.
Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what contingency measures his Department has should negotiations with Jingye on the future of steel blast furnaces collapse.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is in negotiations with British Steel’s shareholder regarding the company’s commercial plans to transition to productive and efficient methods of steel production.
As with any responsible Government, we continue to consider all possible outcomes, and we stand ready to support local workers and local communities as needed.
The steel industry declined more than 50% in the last decade because there was no strategy to protect and grow this strategically important sector. We are developing a Steel Strategy which we will publish in Spring 2025, and we have committed up to £2.5bn of investment to rebuild the UK steel industry.
Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
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 impact on national security of the level of steelmaking capacity in the UK between the (a) closure of blast furnaces and (b) establishment of electric arc furnaces; and what steps he is taking to ensure (i) the security of steel supply for critical infrastructure and (ii) value for money in the purchase of steel for such projects in that transitional period.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the important position our steel companies play in the supply chains for a number of key industries. This is why we are developing a steel strategy. With regards to the transition of Port Talbot, Tata will be importing steel slab and coil for a temporary period whilst the new electric arc furnace (EAF) is being built. We continue to prioritise engagement with British Steel.
Neither Tata Steel nor British Steel are currently critical suppliers into UK defence programmes. High quality steel, including for the Royal Navy’s new Dreadnaught class submarines, is already being made by EAF steel producers.
Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many reports have been received by the Citizens Advice consumer hotline on the illegal sale of (a) tobacco products, (b) vape and c) alcohol products in each of the last five years.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Set out in the table below are the number of cases reported to and collected by the Citizens Advice consumer service over the past 5 years.
Cases | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
Tobacco | 1376 | 1471 | 1184 | 944 | 787 |
E-cig/Vape | 459 | 1883 | 3757 | 2398 | 1400 |
Alcohol | 1719 | 1749 | 1746 | 1014 | 766 |
Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential (a) economic, (b) security and (c) supply chain risks posed by the potential closure of the UK's remaining blast furnaces.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK government recognises the strategic importance of the steel industry for economic growth and national security. We are committed to developing the sector.
Many countries, particularly across Europe, are replacing aging blast furnaces with Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs). While the future of the remaining blast furnaces ultimately lies with British Steel, as I recently conveyed to the Hon Gentleman, the government is reviewing innovative technologies, such as Direct Reduced Iron, to support primary steelmaking in the future.
EAFs will also bolster our economic security by reducing our reliance on imports. This shift will enable us to use the abundant supply of scrap metal available in the UK, thereby increasing the resilience of our steel sector and the wider UK supply chain from global shocks.