Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of consumer protection legislation regarding forced obsolescence where manufacturers intentionally terminate (a) software and (b) cloud infrastructure required for physical consumer products to function.

The department considers the current consumer protection framework to be adequate in providing protection against unfair practices.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods or digital content must be of satisfactory quality, fit for a particular purpose and as described by the seller. A trader can upgrade, fix, and improve the features of, or add new features to, digital content so long as it continues to match any description given by the trader. It must also continue to conform with any pre-contract information as to main characteristics, functionality, and compatibility provided by the trader.

Government has also recently given the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) new powers to ensure designated digital firms provide services on fair and reasonable terms. These powers focus on the most powerful firms, supporting competition and tackling harmful practices in UK digital markets. In May, the CMA launched a Strategic Market Status designation investigation into Microsoft's business software, including cloud. This investigation is expected to conclude in February 2027.