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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what discussions he has had with the British Retail Consortium on the potential impact of the increase in the National Living Wage announced in the 2026 budget on employment in the retail industry.

The Government engages regularly with a wide range of business representative organisations and trade unions, including the British Retail Consortium, on issues affecting the retail sector.