Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that websites such as Checkatrade are vetting tradespeople appropriately to reduce the risk of fraud to platform users.

Checkatrade is a private company providing a UK-based online platform that connects homeowners with vetted and approved local tradespeople. Government is not directly involved in the vetting process or checks undertaken by Checkatrade.

TrustMark is a UK government-endorsed quality scheme that covers work carried out in or around the home. It was established to ensure that consumers can find reliable and trustworthy tradespeople for various home improvement and repair tasks. TrustMark operates under a Master Licence Agreement held by the Department for Business and Trade. Consumers seeking tradespeople to undertake work in their home should consider checking for TrustMark certification.