Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to increase apprenticeship opportunities within his Department.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In DBT, apprenticeships remain a core element of the learning and development offer for all employees. We are taking active steps to continue to increase apprenticeship opportunities within the Department, with commitment to our recently launched DBT Apprenticeship Plan for 2025-2026. This includes offering all new Executive Officer (EO) vacancies as apprenticeships, encouraging those at the start of their careers to consider an apprenticeship route as default.
DBT are also committed to support the new ‘Civil Service Career Launch Apprenticeship’ (CLA) Programme which seeks to support individuals kickstarting their careers whilst undertaking the Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship, with placements launching across government and within DBT in January 2026.
DBT also supports the Government’s commitment to improving digital skills through the TechTrack scheme which is committed to supporting 2,000 digital apprenticeships by 2030.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to maintain the level of UK exports.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to supporting UK businesses to export and grow globally. The Export Academy and International Trade Advisers are helping UK SME’s build their capability to export around the world. The International Markets teams in embassies around the world are connecting UK businesses with global buyers and distributors. UK businesses can access DBT’s wealth of export support via Great.gov.uk.
And we are targeting market access barriers in priority markets to open up even more opportunities for UK exporters.
As part of our new trade strategy and small business strategy, we are looking at further proposals to help UK businesses to export more.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to help protect Post Office services in rural areas.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We recognise the key role Post Offices play in their communities, and branches in some rural areas are particularly important as the Post Office often acts as a community hub. We are listening carefully to stakeholders to ensure the whole network, including these important rural branches, is sustainable.
The Government-set Access Criteria ensures that however the network changes, services remain within local reach of all citizens. Government’s minimum access criteria for Post Offices mean that 99% of the UK population must be within three miles of their nearest post office outlet and 90% must be within one mile of their nearest post office outlet.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what fiscal measures he is taking to support the hospitality sector in rural areas.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Pubs and hospitality businesses, including those in rural areas, are at the heart of our communities and are vital for economic growth. That is why the Government is creating a fairer business rate system by introducing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses from 2026-27 and extending the current relief for 1 year at 40%.
The Government is also reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products, representing an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year. This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper which will be published later this year.
Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to (a) protect and (b) enhance the Post Office network in rural areas.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Government recognises the key role that Post Offices play in their communities, and how branches in rural areas often act as community hubs, and so we are listening carefully to stakeholders to ensure the whole network, including these important rural branches, is sustainable.
Government protects the sustainability of the Post Office network – and the rural network in particular – by providing an annual subsidy on the basis that Post Office meets its minimum access criteria to ensure that, across the country, 99% of the population live within three miles of their nearest Post Office.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
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 tackle barriers to export for small businesses.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to supporting small businesses grow and export. UK businesses can access DBT’s wealth of export support via Great.gov.uk. This comprises an online support offer and a wider network of support including the Export Academy, UK Export Finance, the International Markets network and one-to-one support from International Trade Advisers.
DBT is also piloting an enhanced partnership with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, taking a targeted place-based approach to accelerate small business growth through exporting across the region. This will be rolled out to other regions across England over the next 12 months.
We will bring forward further measures in due course.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make the Responsible Car Wash Scheme’s Code of Practice mandatory.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department of Business and Trade does not currently have any plans to make the Responsible Car Wash Scheme’s Code of Practice mandatory.
I also refer the member for South Shropshire to the answer I provided to UIN 21371 on 9 January for further information.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to support small businesses in rural areas with international trade.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Under the umbrella of the recently announced Business Growth Service, UK businesses can access The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) wealth of export support via Great.gov.uk. This comprises an online support offer and a wider network of support including the Export Academy, UK Export Finance, the International Markets network and one-to-one support from International Trade Advisers.
DBT is piloting an enhanced partnership with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, taking a targeted place-based approach to accelerate small business growth through exporting across the region. This will be rolled out to other regions across England over the next 12 months.
We will bring forward further proposals next year.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to establish a licensing regime for hand carwashes.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Hand Car Wash sector is one of Office of the Director of Labour Market Enforcement (ODLME) priority areas. The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) have taken a proactive stance working closely with the Responsible Hand Car Wash scheme and Nottingham Trent University to understand the issues and maximise opportunities to address them within current legislation.
As the scheme has concluded, the Government is assessing these evaluations to understand how both to bolster compliance, and support sector-led initiatives. The Home Office and enforcement bodies, such as the GLAA, continue to support industry initiatives aimed at improving standards.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to improve protections for whistleblowers.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Workers who blow the whistle are entitled to protections from detriment or dismissal as a result of making a protected disclosure and a route of redress through the Employment Tribunals if these protections are infringed.
The Employment Rights Bill will strengthen protections for whistleblowers, by making it explicit that sexual harassment can be the basis for a protected disclosure.