Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) vineyards producing and (b) retailers selling wine in pint measures since January 2024.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department does not hold this information. The sale of prepacked wine in 568ml ‘pint’ quantities will be permitted after the Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) (amendment) Regulations 2024 come into force on 19th September 2024.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) human rights and (b) environmental protections are incorporated in the critical minerals supply chain strategy.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Last year my Department published the UK's Critical Minerals Strategy to accelerate domestic production, collaborate with international partners, and enhance international markets to strengthen supply chains.
The Strategy commits to boost global environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance to support a more transparent, responsible, and sustainable critical minerals and mining industry. The UK is playing a leading role in international efforts to drive up ESG performance through its bilateral and multilateral engagements, including the Minerals Security Partnership. The UK is also a strong supporter and implementing country of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
Further, we will ensure UK domestic mining complies with permitting and planning regulations that protect the interests of communities and our natural environment.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions she has had with Royal Mail on the compatibility of decreasing operating hours at customer service points with the universal service agreement.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Decisions on the opening hours of Royal Mail’s customer service points are an operational matter for the business. The Government does not have a role in Royal Mail's operational or commercial decisions.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the report entitled The results are in: the UK's four-day week pilot, published by Autonomy in February 2023, whether she has made an assessment of the implication for her Department's policies on working practices of the conclusions of that report.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department routinely considers the implications of evidence from a range of sources when assessing the effectiveness of its policies on working practices. The government has no plans to implement a four-day week but has recently supported the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023.
The Act makes changes to the right to request flexible working to better support employers and employees to agree flexible working arrangements that work for everyone.