Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK expectations on responsible business conduct address the role of purchasing practices, including price, contract length and flexibility, in low pay in global agricultural supply chains; and will these steps include issuing guidance for businesses to align procurement and commercial decisions with progress towards living incomes and living wages.

The Government expects all UK businesses to respect human rights and the environment throughout their operations and supply chain relationships, including in agriculture, in line with the OECD Guidelines and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Companies should align their purchasing and procurement practices with these expectations.

In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review of the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct, focused on addressing human rights abuses, labour abuses and environmental harms in global supply chains. The review is objective and evidence‑based, examining both existing policies and alternative approaches to support responsible business practices, including guidance for businesses. We hope to publish our conclusions soon.