Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK's franchising framework.

The self-regulation of franchising through the British Franchise Association has generally served the UK well, with the franchise sector contributing significantly to our economy.

However, the government is not complacent and is concerned to maintain fairness in business relationships and will continue to monitor developments in this area. Government is dedicated to implementing an ambitious regulatory reform agenda. In March we published our Action Plan for Regulation outlining changes to streamline rules and regulations to support growth. Our modern Industrial Strategy also includes an ambitious package of regulatory reforms that will support our growth-driving sectors and the wider economy.