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.
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 support (a) start ups and (b) SMEs in rural areas.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
All businesses can access support through their local Growth Hubs, providing advice and support, shaping the offer around unique needs, whether town or country.
The Secretary of State recently announced the Business Growth Service ensuring businesses across the UK get support and advice from government.
Rural areas offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy. DBT works with other departments such as Defra, helping people living and working in rural areas to realise the full potential of rural businesses and communities placing them at the heart of our policymaking.
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 recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on the effectiveness of Royal Mail's delivery of the universal service obligation on letter delivery delays.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials meet with Ofcom regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the regulatory authority for the postal sector, including the overall provision of the universal service obligation.
It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator, to monitor and enforce Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation.
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 the (a) availability and (b) affordability of Post Office services in rural areas.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
To help ensure that there are affordable post office services in rural areas, the government provides an annual £50m network subsidy to support the delivery of both a minimum number of branches and strong geographical spread of branches in line with published access criteria.
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 steps his Department is taking to help support economic growth in (a) Craven Arms and (b) other rural areas.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Craven Arms lies within Shropshire County Council area which has been allocated a total of £10.8m of core UK Shared Prosperity Funding, as well as a total allocation of £2.6m in Rural Prosperity Funding. Under the UKSPF delegated delivery model, Shropshire Council can choose to invest in supporting economic growth within specific towns like Craven Arms.
In addition, the Council has received Department of Business & Trade funding of £1.2m since FY21/22 for the Shropshire Growth Hub. Growth Hubs provide local business support and advice, to help drive regional economic growth. Growth Hub support is available across England and businesses of all sizes and sectors can contact their local Growth Hubs, including in rural areas.