Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of illegal working and bogus self-employment on businesses that directly employ workers in last-mile delivery.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Clamping down on illegal working is a critical part of this Government's work to restore order and control within the immigration and asylum system. As well, bogus self-employment is unacceptable in any sector. Businesses who follow the rules should never be undercut by those who deny people their employment rights and avoid their legal obligations by claiming someone is self-employed when in reality they are not. The government has published a consultation on targeted reforms to employment status to tackle issues such as bogus self-employment. The proposals will support some of the most vulnerable workers in Britain, including those in sectors like parcel delivery, takeaway delivery, hairdressing, social care and construction.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what is the timetable for the consultation on bogus self-employment, and whether the Fair Work Agency will have a role in enforcing its outcome.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government published its consultation on employment status reform and protections for the self-employed on 14 October 2026. The consultation seeks views on proposals to tackle bogus self-employment, improve compliance with the employment status framework and strengthen protections for the self-employed. This includes the potential role of the Fair Work Agency in tackling bogus self-employment, specifically how the Agency could support greater understanding of employment status and compliance with the law, and how its civil proceedings powers could be used to help determine employment status. It will close on 8 January 2027.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department plans to take with UK Research and Innovation to maintain the UK's international research reputation, in the context of cuts to Science and Technology Facilities Council funding.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government remains committed to maintaining the UK's international research reputation through record investment in science and innovation, including a £38.6 billion settlement for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) core budget is being maintained over the Spending Review period. STFC prioritisation exercise was designed to protect long-term scientific capability, maintain world-class facilities and safeguard major international subscriptions. The UK remains committed to international scientific collaboration, including as a founding member and the second-largest contributor to CERN, and through our £327 million investment in the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), helping to maintain the UK's position at the forefront of global science.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what support his Department is providing to battery manufacturers to ensure their readiness for the rules of origin requirements of the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement’s Rules of Origin for electric vehicles will become stricter from 2027; batteries and key battery components, including cathode active materials, must be manufactured in the UK and EU to avoid 10% tariffs. BIST officials are engaging closely with battery manufacturers and the wider supply chain to understand readiness for these changes, including planned investment and onshoring timelines. We remain focused on supporting the growth and competitiveness of the UK battery sector and continue to work with industry and EU counterparts to explore solutions that support compliance and strengthen UK battery manufacturing capability.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of further delaying of the introduction of rules of origin requirements under the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
New rules of origin requirements for electric vehicles under the TCA are scheduled to come into force on 1st January 2027. We continue to engage closely with the automotive and battery industries to understand challenges with readiness relating to these rule changes. We recognise the need to help protect access to one of the UK's largest automotive export markets whilst also safeguarding the investment efforts of industry. We continue to work with industry and the European Commission on the issue with a view to finding a mutually satisfactory solution.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if he will set out his Department's grant schemes, funds and support programmes available for social enterprises, community interest companies and SMEs working in (a) engineering skills development, (b) vocational and technical education, (c) advanced manufacturing and (d) workshop and productive capital equipment investment.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department supports social enterprises, community interest companies, and SMEs through a range of programmes, including skills and training initiatives, the Business Growth Service, and innovation funding delivered by Innovate UK. More information on support available is laid out in the Small Business Plan launched in July 2025.
Eligible organisations may also access support for advanced manufacturing, engineering skills development and investment in plant, machinery and productive equipment, subject to the criteria of individual schemes.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department plans to take with universities and laboratories to help ensure that staff and expertise are kept in the UK, in the context of Science and Technology Facilities Council cuts to Large Hadron Collider beauty Experiment.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of maintaining UK scientific expertise and supporting future generations of researchers. As part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council prioritisation process, Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear Physics grant postdoctoral funding has been maintained at 2025/26 levels, alongside PhD studentships and fellowships, supporting the UK’s skills base and long-term scientific capability. UK Research and Innovation continues to engage with universities, laboratories and research partners as prioritisation decisions are implemented. The current LHCb experiment at CERN continues to receive UK funding, alongside grants for UK researchers.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how his department is ensuring UK research is protected from increases in subscription fees to international facilities and resources.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department works with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to manage cost pressures on international research facilities and resources through rigorous scrutiny of costs, risks, and value for money. The UK uses its role in international governing bodies to press for cost containment and operational efficiencies, helping to control growth in set fees. UKRI manages foreign exchange risks through hedging, in line with HM Treasury policy, reducing short-term volatility, but not eliminating longer-term currency and economic pressures.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether there will be a review of UK Research and Innovation governance, in the context of recent Science and Technology Facilities Council funding cuts.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its constituent councils are responsible for making funding and investment decisions within the strategic framework and allocations set by Government. The Science and Technology Facilities Council's recent prioritisation exercise reflects its responsibility to place its portfolio on a financially sustainable footing while protecting the capabilities most critical to the UK's long-term research and innovation ambitions. The Government works closely with UKRI through its established governance and accountability arrangements and will continue to do so to ensure UKRI delivers effectively against its objectives and supports the UK's research and innovation ambitions.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps he is taking to protect and enhance UK sovereign capability to design and build satellites.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Through the UK Space Strategy, Government is investing £7.8 billion in the UK space sector to 2029/30, including £2.8 billion in satellite communications to strengthen and scale UK satellite manufacturing and capabilities. Programmes including ESA ARTES, Moonlight and C-LEO will support UK firms to develop and commercialise satellite technologies, strengthen supply chains and secure opportunities in future satellite constellations. The Government is also taking a more interventionist approach to the sector, using grants, procurement and other targeted interventions to support strategically important UK space companies and enhance the UK's ability to design, build and operate satellites, building on our successful heritage in this area.