Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Aerospace Technology Institute has provided grants using public funds to (1) British Airways, (2) Airbus, (3) Polvair Plc, (4) Farnborough International, (5) Cadence Design Systems, (6) GKN Aerospace, (7) Spirit AeroSystems, and (8) Bombardier, since 2014; and if so, how many grants in each case.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is an independent advisory organisation to government and industry and does not itself award grant funding. Grants under the ATI Programme are awarded by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to support innovation in the UK aerospace sector. Details of all ATI Programme grants, including recipients and values, are published by Innovate UK and can be accessed online at: https://www.ukri.org/publications/innovate-uk-funded-projects-since-2004/

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Office for Investment is taking to help promote the North East as an investment destination.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Office for Investment is piloting an Investment Opportunities Accelerator with North East Combined Authority to unlock and accelerate investment opportunities working in collaboration with regional partners, Whitehall departments and industry. The North East’s designation as the UK’s first AI Growth Zone—with sites in Northumberland and North Tyneside—positions it as a national leader in AI innovation. NECA is also receiving support through DSIT’s £30m Innovation Accelerator Fund to strengthen its R&D ecosystem and drive commercialisation in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital sectors.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Office for Investment is taking to help promote Northumberland as an investment destination.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Office for Investment is piloting an Investment Opportunities Accelerator with North East Combined Authority to unlock and accelerate investment opportunities working in collaboration with regional partners, Whitehall departments and industry. The North East’s designation as the UK’s first AI Growth Zone—with sites in Northumberland and North Tyneside—positions it as a national leader in AI innovation. NECA is also receiving support through DSIT’s £30m Innovation Accelerator Fund to strengthen its R&D ecosystem and drive commercialisation in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital sectors.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Sherlock on 13 October (HL Deb col 12), whether there is academic research to evidence that the Employment Rights Bill will be a driver of productivity; and, if so, what the research shows.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On Monday 21 October 2024, the Government published the Employment Rights Bill: economic analysis and summary impact assessment. The analysis shows that the Employment Rights Bill could have a small but direct and positive, impact on economic growth. It cites academic evidence linking stronger employment protections to improved productivity and highlights that better job security, wellbeing, and reduced undercutting of good employers may lead to a more productive workforce.

This assessment is grounded in the best available evidence developed in consultation with experts, including academics.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Green Paper consultation on the Future of the Post Office, which ended on 6 October 2025. what progress he has made on holding joint discussions with the Post Office and banks on potentially expanding the range of banking services available at post offices.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave to Question 83450 on 23 October 2025. As I stated in that response, together with the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, I plan to co-chair a roundtable with the Post Office and key banks which will provide an opportunity to discuss where future potential collaboration, on a commercial and voluntary basis, may be in the interests of both parties. This will take place in due course.

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 help support the aluminium industry in the context of (a) US tariffs and (b) global competition.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Thanks to the strength of the UK-US partnership, the UK remains the only country to benefit from a preferential 25% tariff on steel and aluminium exports to the US, avoiding the global rate of 50%. The UK is therefore uniquely positioned as the only country to have secured this commitment, giving our companies a 25% competitive advantage over global competitors.

After US global tariffs were introduced in May, the Business Secretary instructed the Trade Remedies Authority to work with the aluminium industry to gather and assess evidence for possible trade protection measures.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he plans to take legislative steps to place a statutory duty on leaders in the (a) public and (b) private sectors to embed (i) inclusive governance and (ii) protective leadership practices.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Companies Act 2006 requires directors to have regard to employee interests and to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. The UK Corporate Governance Code includes provisions that support inclusive governance, including mechanisms to enable the workforce to engage with directors and for workers to raise concerns in confidence. The Public Sector Equality Duty in the Equality Act 2010 requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on progress towards meeting the targets of the Mission Boards for (a) safer streets, (b) tackling violence against women and girls and (c) reducing antisocial behaviour and building safer communities.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any potential reforms on safer streets, tackling violence against women and girls, and reducing ASB and building safer communities. The Government is currently inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system. As part of this we are reviewing a number of reform proposals recommended by the Licensing Taskforce in July. Any legislative changes subsequently taken forward will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered (a) banning vaping in pubs, (b) banning 16 and 17 year olds from buying zero alcohol drinks in pubs and (c) raising the drink drive limit to support the economic viability of pubs.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade is not responsible for bans on vaping in pubs, restrictions on zero-alcohol drinks for 16–17-year-olds, or changes to drink-drive limits. These matters fall under the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Transport

DHSC advises that while vapes are less harmful than smoking, they are not risk-free and plans to consult on making most indoor settings vape-free. Many pubs already prohibit vaping voluntarily. In Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to explore prohibiting sales of no- and low-alcohol drinks to under-18s including prohibiting sales to individuals under the age of 18 years old. This policy is being pursued as these alcohol substitute drinks are intended for consumption by adults. DHSC Officials are scoping details and will update stakeholders in due course.

This Government takes road safety seriously. We are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. In 2023 there were 1,624 people killed on GB roads. There were an estimated 260 people killed in collisions involving drink driving, accounting for 16% of total fatalities in 2023. Given the significant casualties caused by drink driving, we have no plans to increase the drink drive limit.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Licensing Taskforce requested assessments of the potential impact of post-pandemic changes to drinking patterns on (a) crime, (b) violence and (c) anti-social behaviour; and whether those assessments were provided to the taskforce.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Licensing Taskforce did not request assessments of the potential impact of post-pandemic changes to drinking patterns on (a) crime, (b) violence and (c) anti-social behaviour; however its membership included the National Police Chiefs Council’s lead for Alcohol Harm. Since the Taskforce reported, a cross-government team has been established to review its findings and a Call for Evidence was launched. This is open until 6 November. We continue to seek a wide range of views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system. Any legislative reforms will be subject to impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

The Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of giving local authorities the power to set up firework free zones; and what discussions he has had with his Scottish counterpart on the provisions on this matter in the Fireworks and Pyrotechnics Act (Scotland) 2022.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

No recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of giving local authorities the power to set up firework free zones or on the impact of restricting the sale and use of fireworks in respect of illegal trade.

The Government regularly engages with its counterparts in Scotland and will continue to discuss the impacts of their Firework Control Zones. The Government is keen to understand the outcomes the changes have made, before considering if similar changes are needed for England and Wales.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of restricting the (a) sale and (b) use of fireworks on trends in the level of the illegal trade in fireworks.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

No recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of giving local authorities the power to set up firework free zones or on the impact of restricting the sale and use of fireworks in respect of illegal trade.

The Government regularly engages with its counterparts in Scotland and will continue to discuss the impacts of their Firework Control Zones. The Government is keen to understand the outcomes the changes have made, before considering if similar changes are needed for England and Wales.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Government funding provided to the Pub Is The Hub organisation on pubs in (a) Northumberland and (b) the North East.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Government recognises the important role rural pubs and those in deprived areas can play in supporting their communities and the work of Pub Is The Hub in helping them improve their resilience by providing additional community services.

That is why the Government has provided £440,000 to help Pub Is The Hub continue this important work. In its 2025 report: PiTH-Social-Value-of-Pubsfinal.pdf, Pub Is The Hub highlighted over 40 diversification projects that could not be delivered due to a lack of funding. Pub Is The Hub operates across the UK and applications for funding are assessed using its criteria.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what data his Department holds on (a) the number of claimants and (b) the total value of payments of (i) Statutory Maternity Leave, (ii) Statutory Paternity Leave, and (iii) Shared Parental Leave by occupation for each of the last three years.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Information provided by employers to HMRC shows that the total value of payments made to individuals in receipt of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (SShPP) for 2024/25, the latest year for which full year data is available.

The table below presents a breakdown of the value of payments made to individuals by the region, based on recipient residence.

Table 1. Total value of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (SShPP) payments by claimant resident region, 2024/25

Source: HM Revenue and Customers (HMRC) Real Time Information (RTI) system 2024/25

Notes:

1. All figures are based on HMRC RTI system and were extracted in Aug 2025. RTI is subject to revision and there may be small fluctuations in figures reported - these figures should not be considered “final”.

2. Figures for the total value of parental payments (£m) are rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.

3. Government Office Regions (GOR) are determined by matching the most recent postcode from the previous tax year with the Office for National Statistics’ postcode lookup table. If a partial postcode is provided an assumption is made based on the postcode district or area. The GOR with the most postcodes of a given district is returned. If no postcode is listed then region is marked as unknown.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not hold data on the number of individuals in receipt or the value of payments of SMP, SPP and SShPP by occupation. However, the Government commissioned the Parental Rights Survey which provides the best source of data on the occupation of parents who have taken parental leave, the findings are published here - https://www.employment-studies.co.uk/resource/parental-rights-survey-2019 .

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the value was of (a) Statutory Maternity Leave, (b) Statutory Paternity Leave and (c) Statutory Parental Leave in each region in the 2024/25 financial year.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Information provided by employers to HMRC shows that the total value of payments made to individuals in receipt of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (SShPP) for 2024/25, the latest year for which full year data is available.

The table below presents a breakdown of the value of payments made to individuals by the region, based on recipient residence.

Table 1. Total value of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (SShPP) payments by claimant resident region, 2024/25

Source: HM Revenue and Customers (HMRC) Real Time Information (RTI) system 2024/25

Notes:

1. All figures are based on HMRC RTI system and were extracted in Aug 2025. RTI is subject to revision and there may be small fluctuations in figures reported - these figures should not be considered “final”.

2. Figures for the total value of parental payments (£m) are rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.

3. Government Office Regions (GOR) are determined by matching the most recent postcode from the previous tax year with the Office for National Statistics’ postcode lookup table. If a partial postcode is provided an assumption is made based on the postcode district or area. The GOR with the most postcodes of a given district is returned. If no postcode is listed then region is marked as unknown.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not hold data on the number of individuals in receipt or the value of payments of SMP, SPP and SShPP by occupation. However, the Government commissioned the Parental Rights Survey which provides the best source of data on the occupation of parents who have taken parental leave, the findings are published here - https://www.employment-studies.co.uk/resource/parental-rights-survey-2019 .

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 consider feedback provided during the public call for evidence on Reforming the licensing system, published on 7 October 2025; and what assessment he has made of the level of (a) opposition and (b) concern within responses that might prompt him to reconsider his proposals.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

Representations including any opposition or concern will be reviewed fully as part of this process and will be helpful in shaping the development of proposals.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps did the Licensing Taskforce take to consult (a) local authorities, (b) police forces, (c) Police and Crime Commissioners, (d) directors of public health and (d) local licensing committees on proposed reforms to alcohol licensing.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

In July this year, the Licensing Taskforce concluded a review of licensing and its report is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/licensing-taskforce-report-and-government-response/licensing-policy-sprint-joint-industry-and-hm-government-taskforce-report

The report lists the members of the Taskforce, including representatives from the Local Government Association, the Institute of Licensing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council, and gives an indication of how they went about their review. The Government responded to that report welcoming its recommendations and setting out next steps. As part of the current Call for Evidence and subsequent policy development, the Government is committed to engaging with local authorities, police forces, Police and Crime Commissioners, directors of public health, local licensing committees and members of the public among others.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he had with experts on (a) alcohol licensing and (b) the Licensing Act 2003 on the proposals set out in the call for evidence entitled Reforming the licensing system, published on 7 October 2025.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Earlier this year the Government established a Licensing Taskforce which was co-chaired by the then Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, Gareth Thomas MP. The Taskforce held discussions with experts on the licensing regime in reaching its conclusions.

The Government welcomed the Taskforce report and is inviting further views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to encourage bereavement leave uptake among (a) shift workers and (b) carers.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Employment Rights Bill will introduce a new right to Bereavement Leave for those grieving the loss of a loved one or a pregnancy.

A consultation was launched on 23^rd October, and was widely shared. We will invite a range of groups, including business, charities, trade unions and others who represent caregivers and shift workers to roundtables to discuss the questions raised by the consultation and how the entitlement can best be constructed to meet the needs of those they represent.

This approach will ensure the entitlement is constructed with the needs of employees and employers at the forefront.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on the workstreams of each of the five Mission Boards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

While no assessment has yet been made of the impact of any reforms to be taken forward, that would form part of the further stages of this work.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Royal Mail on the timeliness of their deliveries of (a) penalty charge notices, (b) NHS appointment letters, (c) other time-sensitive and (d) other legally important correspondence; and whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of that level of timeliness on people receiving those communications.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards and decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether each Mission Board was (a) represented, (b) involved in and (c) consulted as part of the Licensing Taskforce workstream; and what their level of involvement was.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Licensing Taskforce reported its findings in July and relevant Government departments were involved in determining the response to that report. That included the Department for Business and Trade, the Home Office, HM Treasury, the Department for Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. A cross-government team has been established with the involvement of those departments to take forward a review of the proposals and subsequent implementation where appropriate. That further stage of activity has led to the Call for Evidence which will inform next steps.

The Call for Evidence is open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether members of the Licensing Taskforce were given (a) advanced sight of and (b) input into the wording of the licensing call for evidence questions.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

In the course of developing the Call for Evidence questions a number of stakeholders were consulted and saw drafts of the call for evidence before this was finalised. This included some members of the Licensing Taskforce.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential challenges of launching the current licensing call for evidence with a rapid 4-week window for responses.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A four week Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

A rapid evidence gathering exercise is appropriate at this stage in the development of policy relating to licensing reforms. Further consultation and engagement with stakeholders is anticipated at later stages of policy development and implementation, dependent on the specific proposals that are being taken forward. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he received representations on his proposed changes to the Licensing Act 2003.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Changes to the Licensing Act 2003 were proposed as part of a Licensing Taskforce which concluded its work in the Summer. Consideration of those proposals and options for implementation, where appropriate, is currently underway. To inform that work, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

Representations are being received through the consultation and these will be reviewed fully.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what review process the Department has in place to assess the suitability of (a) the UK-Singapore Bilateral Investment Treaty and (b) other trade and investment treaties.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK’s International Investment Agreements (IIAs) aim to enhance opportunities for UK businesses to expand overseas, with commitments that seek to limit the barriers they face, make it easier to navigate local rules, and ensure investments are treated lawfully, and protected against unfair or arbitrary action.

The UK draws on the full range of investment commitments and international best practice in our international investment agreements to promote growth, deliver our clean energy goals, and continue to uphold the UK’s right to regulate and build strong trade and investment relationships. There is no specific review process within such Agreements.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their funding plan for the implementation of the Fair Work Agency.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department has received its funding allocation as part of the most recent Spending Review. Detailed funding arrangements for the implementation of the Fair Work Agency are currently being worked through.

This government is committed to ensuring that the Fair Work Agency is fully resourced and well equipped to do its job. Further information on funding plans will be published in due course

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department considered including policies on the aluminium sector within the Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I refer the Member of Parliament for Warrington to the answer I provided to UIN 72881 on 17^th September, which was in response to a similar question she previously tabled: “To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason the aluminium sector was not included in the Industrial Strategy.”

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 help support the aluminium industry through its negotiations on free trade agreements.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We have taken decisive action to support the UK aluminium industry through recent trade agreements that reduce barriers and enhance market access by removing tariffs.

Additionally, thanks to the strength of the UK-US partnership, the UK remains the only country to benefit from a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium exports to the US, avoiding the global rate of 50%. The UK is the only country to have secured this commitment, giving our companies a competitive advantage.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 59033 on Liquefied Natural Gas: Mozambique, whether the UK Export Finance due diligence in relation to UK support for the Mozambique liquefied natural gas project has concluded.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

UK Export Finance is currently in talks with project sponsors and other lenders, including export credit agencies, and other stakeholders, regarding the latest status of the Mozambique LNG project. I am unable to comment further during these talks for reasons of commercial sensitivity, but I will update the House once discussions conclude.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make a statement on the (a) timing and (b) outcome of the Trade Remedies Authority’s investigation into imports of US-produced Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and set out the steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK biodiesel producers are not placed at a competitive disadvantage resulting from unfair trading practices.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK’s independent arms-length body responsible for the conduct of trade remedy investigations. They make recommendations to the Secretary of State as to whether any such measures should be introduced.

On 17 March 2025 the Trade Remedies Authority initiated a subsidy investigation on the import of HVO Biodiesel of US-origin. As the investigation remains ongoing, I cannot comment further. The TRA will publish relevant information on the public file as the review progresses.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the level of the UK's exposure to Investor State Disputes in the fossil fuel industry.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. An independent Tribunal will determine the level of liability, if any, in Investor State Dispute proceedings. The Government has never faced a successful ISDS claim.

The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party.

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 help ensure Royal Mail complies with its legal obligations on the delivery of post.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Universal Service Obligation requires Royal Mail to deliver letters six days a week and parcels five days a week to every address in the UK at a uniform price.

Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, is responsible for monitoring Royal Mail’s performance and ensuring that Royal Mail complies with its legal obligations. It sets Royal Mail enforceable targets to deliver a certain proportion of items on time each year. Ofcom takes compliance with its regulatory targets seriously and this involves conducting thorough investigations where failures have been identified.

In October, Ofcom fined Royal Mail £21 million for failing to meet its quality-of-service targets and has told Royal Mail it must urgently publish and deliver a credible plan that delivers major and continuous improvement.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to regulate, and mandate independent testing of, period products following recent reports of harmful chemicals and heavy metals being found in such products.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Period products are already regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 which require that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, are placed on the market. There are obligations on producers and distributors to, where reasonable, sample test products to check safety. The Government employs a risk-based approach to product testing, targeting categories with a high potential for danger and do not test period products. We have no plans to independently test them.

However, during the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, the Government committed to consult on period product safety, and as part of this Officials are also reviewing the need for any further research and testing for harmful chemicals and heavy metals in period products to complement the consultation.

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.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

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.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to strengthen consumer protection in the short term lets market.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, traders must carry out a service with reasonable care and skill, and within reasonable time. Where a trader fails to meet the standards required, this could be a breach of contract and the consumer is entitled to ask for a repeat performance of the service or a price reduction.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) new administrative powers, and the CMA and courts the ability to impose significant monetary penalties of up to 10% of turnover.

DBT also funds Citizens Advice to provide the consumer service which supports consumers to resolve disputes and assert their rights.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77460 on Department for Business and Trade: Social Media, on which campaigns influencers were used.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade used influencers as part of the National Minimum and Living Wage campaign, to raise awareness of the wage rate increases for workers that came into effect from 1st April 2025. This ensured workers understood their new entitlements and encouraged them to check their pay and act if they were paid incorrectly.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support his Department is providing to UK companies in the (a) events and (b) logistics sectors affected by EU visa and travel restrictions under the Schengen 90/180-day rule.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) recognises the challenges UK businesses face in complying with the Schengen 90/180 day rule. I note many of these stem from the botched Brexit deal which he supported. Any changes to the rule are a matter for Member States and the EU. However, DBT publishes guidance for UK nationals travelling to the EU and EFTA countries for business purposes (Travelling to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for work - GOV.UK). DBT will continue to listen to concerns raised by businesses affected by these rules, to advocate for UK companies abroad, and to explore mutually beneficial improvements to short-term business mobility between the UK and EU.

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 support the parents and carers of children with severe health conditions.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Supporting children with severe health conditions can be a heartbreaking time for families. The Department for Business and Trade is currently developing a consultation on employment rights for carers, including specific measures for the parents and carers of seriously ill children. This will consider what employment rights may help families in such distressing situations. The consultation will take place in 2026.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of whistleblower protections.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government recognises that the whistleblowing framework in the Employment Rights Act 1996 may not be operating as effectively as intended. My Department in July published an independent review into the framework, which did not make formal recommendations for reform but did provide some useful analyses on the functioning of the framework based on stakeholder engagement and a literature review.

The review is a helpful contribution to the governments ongoing assessment of the framework, and the Government welcomes the continued engagement of parliamentarians and stakeholders on this important area of public policy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade used influencers as part of the National Minimum and National Living Wage campaign in 2025 and 2026. We are unable to provide details of how much was paid to each influencer due to confidentiality provisions in the individual agreements. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37801 on Conditions of Employment, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of allowing local authority employers that adopt a four day week to contact employees by (a) email, (b) text and (c) phone on their fallow working day in the proposed draft Statutory Code of Practice under the right to switch off on those employers.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government believes in the importance of a good work life balance, which is why we are improving access to flexible working through the Employment Rights Bill.

If employees have different working patterns, it is important to agree an approach that works to meet business needs and support employees.

As we develop the right to switch off we will consult with local authorities, employers and trade unions to ensure it strikes the right balance, to support both businesses and the workforce.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing exemptions to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (2024) to enable people who pay for charity subscriptions to continue to claim gift aid on membership subscriptions.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government understands the vital role that Gift Aid income provides for charities. The government intends that charities will be able to comply with both the consumer protections in the subscription chapter of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and, where eligible, continue to claim Gift Aid. HM Revenue and Customs are working through the technical details and will continue to engage with the charity sector as this work progresses. Individuals, where eligible, will also be able to continue to complete Gift Aid declarations.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions she has had with (a) animal welfare charities and (b) other stakeholders on the potential impacts of fireworks use on (i) pets and (ii) livestock.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Building on the work of my predecessor and to inform any future decisions in relation to the regulation of fireworks, I will engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues and impacts of fireworks on livestock and pets.

The insights from these discussions, as well as from animal welfare campaigns and correspondence helped to inform the public campaign on fireworks safety that I have launched for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign features new guidance for those running community fireworks events, as well as social media materials that encourage the public to consider the welfare of animals when using fireworks.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on reducing remaining tariffs on British-produced steel.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Thanks to the strength of the UK-US partnership, the UK remains the only country to benefit from a preferential 25% tariff on steel and aluminium exports to the US, avoiding the global rate of 50%. The UK is therefore uniquely positioned as the only country to have secured this commitment, giving our companies a 25% competitive advantage over global competitors.

We continue to work closely with our US counterparts to reduce tariffs further and secure the best possible outcomes for UK manufacturers.

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 potential impact of the application of consumer law to charitable membership subscriptions under the Digital Markets, Consumer and Competition Act 2024 on the finances of those organisations.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Charities are not excluded from existing core consumer law on the basis of their charitable status. The government is engaging closely with the sector in relation to the subscriptions regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024.

The impact assessment for the subscriptions chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act can be found here: Subscription traps: annex 2 impact assessment. Together the subscription measures are anticipated to provide £400m of consumer benefits per year and the estimated net direct cost to businesses is £171m per year. Sector-specific analysis has not been conducted.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of pubs adding service charges for the sale of alcohol without table service on consumers.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCCA) Act 2024 requires traders, including pubs, to display prices inclusive of all taxes and unavoidable charges before payment is made. Prices must be accurate and not misleading. Failure to do this may be taken as an unfair trading practice and constitute an offence.  Pubs can offer consumers a tipping facility to use should they wish to support the local pub and staff.

The department has no plans to assess the impact of any voluntary arrangements.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2025 to Question 78201 on Cement: Production, which cement producers are supported by the Energy Intensive Industries compensation scheme; and what representations he has received from the minerals and construction industry on inclusion in that scheme.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Cement production is not classified as an eligible sector under the Energy Intensive Industries (EIIs) compensation scheme, so there are no cement producers supported through the scheme. The sector, however, benefits from the Supercharger. I regret the drafting error in 78201, this has now been corrected.

My officials are in regular contact with the Mineral Products Association (MPA) and individual cement businesses to discuss issues affecting the sector. The Government will review the eligibility criteria for compensation in 2026 to ensure any support provided is for those sectors deemed most at risk of carbon leakage due to indirect carbon costs.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the policy paper entitled Licensing taskforce report and government response, published on 31 July 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on public health.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any reforms on public health. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what was the change in the number of jobs in the retail industry between 2023-2024 and 2024-2025; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

According to ONS data, between 2023-24 and 2024-25, retail employment fell by around 94,800 jobs (-3.3%), from 2.9 million to 2.8 million [1]. This continues a longer-term downward trend in retail employment seen since 2016.

The decline reflects structural shifts (e.g. e-commerce, automation), macroeconomic pressures (e.g. inflation, interest rates), and workforce challenges. In response, DBT is supporting retail transformation through business rates reform, the Help to Grow scheme, and the recently announced Small Business Plan, which aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to help small businesses, including retailers, grow and thrive.

[1] Not seasonally adjusted and were averaged to produce annualised estimates. Self-employment figures are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) JOBS04 tables. LFS has known limitations, including sampling variability and response rate challenges, which may affect precision. Estimates for March 2025 are provisional and subject to revision. Retail is defined as SIC 47 – “Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles”.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what conversations his Department has had with relevant stakeholders to improve access to finance for small and medium businesses in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Representatives of the British Business Bank’s UK Network hold regular discussions with relevant stakeholders to improve access to finance in the North-East, as well as providing intelligence that helps inform future market interventions.

North-East businesses benefit from a range of Government finance market interventions, including the £660 million Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II which provides debt and equity finance. From 2012 to 30 June 2025 a total of 6,442 Start Up Loans worth in aggregate £62.4 million had been issued to businesses in the North East, of which 251 loans worth in aggregate £2.7 million were to businesses in Hexham constituency.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the policy paper entitled Licensing taskforce report and government response, published on 31 July 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on violence against women and girls.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any reforms on violence against women and girls. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the policy paper entitled Licensing taskforce report and government response, published on 31 July 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on anti-social behaviour.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.

No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any reforms on anti-social behaviour. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the number of small and medium sized businesses that have secured angel investment in the last 12 months in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Surveys by the UK Business Angels Association indicate that around 90% of business angels invest using either the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) or Small Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). Therefore, while the Department does not collect data on angel investment directly, usage of EIS and SEIS is a reasonable proxy. These figures are available at a regional level.

The number of small and medium sized businesses that have secured investment using EIS and SEIS in the North East, in the last three years for which data is available, is as follows:

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support small business owners in Broxtowe constituency.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government’s Plan for Small Businesses, published in July, sets out the measures that Government is taking to support small businesses across the UK. This includes tackling late payments, boosting access to finance, and removing red tape to enable small businesses, including those in Broxtowe constituency, to grow and thrive. SMEs can access DBT’s wealth of business and export support via business.gov.uk.

The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Growth Hub is where small and medium businesses in the Broxtowe constituency can benefit from specialist business advice and help on how to grow and access new markets.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the average time taken was for the Insolvency Service to investigate civil offences in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The average time taken by The Insolvency Service to investigate corporate civil misconduct, in the 6-months to 30 September 2025, was 188 days from allocation to an investigator to the investigation being completed.

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 (a) engage with and (b) educate postmasters on the practical implications of the potential mutualisation of the Post Office.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

My department has been actively engaging postmasters through the Green Paper consultation on the future of the Post Office, which closed earlier this month. This included two postmaster focus groups to ensure postmaster voices are clearly heard on the full range of issues covered by the Green Paper, including mutualisation and other governance options.

The Green Paper itself included information on mutualisation as one potential future ownership model, and the department is continuing to analyse feedback on this and other options. However, it is worth noting that decisions on long-term governance will not be taken until the second volume of Sir Wyn Williams inquiry has been published. In the interim both the department and the Post Office will continue to actively engage Postmasters on this topic.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has had discussions with relevant stakeholders on supporting businesses to create well-paid jobs in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government’s Plan for Small Businesses, published in July, sets out the measures that Government is taking to support small businesses across the UK. This includes legislation to end the scourge of late payments which costs the UK economy £11bn annually and proposals to increase access to finance through the British Business Bank

The development of this plan was informed by a wide range of consultations across England, including specific input from businesses across the North East, and engagement with officials from the North East Combined Authority, the North East Chamber of Commerce and the regional teams of the Confederation of British Industry and Federation of Small Business.

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 support the growth of small and medium businesses in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government’s Plan for Small Businesses, published in July, sets out the measures that Government is taking to support small businesses across the UK. This includes legislation to end the scourge of late payments which costs the UK economy £11bn annually and proposals to increase access to finance through the British Business Bank.

Businesses across the North-East, including those in Hexham constituency, Northumberland, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne can also access specialist advice on how to scale up, access new markets, and receive financial support to grow through the North-East Growth Hub, delivered in partnership with the North-East Combined Authority.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK–US trade deal on bioethanol imports on the UK’s sustainable aviation fuel sector.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As part of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, the UK created a preferential duty-free quota for imports of US ethanol of 1.4bn litres per year. The UK already imports a significant amount of ethanol from the US. DBT officials continue to work closely with other government departments to monitor and assess risks across the supply chain. The Government is actively supporting the Sustainable Aviation Fuel sector. We have allocated £63m in this financial year to support SAF producers through the Advanced Fuels Fund and committed further support throughout the Spending Review period.

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 secure UK-specific country quotas for steel exports under the European Commission’s proposed import quota system.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is actively assessing the potential impact of this proposal, and we are in active dialogue with the European Commission on the details of their proposal and next steps.

We will continue to take a cool-headed approach to any possible tariffs and remain prepared to defend the UK’s national interest where it is right to do so.

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 potential impact of the expiry of tariff free quotas under the former UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement on (a) levels of investment in the UK and (b) economic growth.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, and the UK-Canada Trade (TCA) Continuity Agreement underpinned £28 billion worth of bilateral trade in 2024.

Several of the TCA’s provisions, as negotiated by the previous government, were time limited and expired in 2024 .

We continue to work with the Canadian Government to resolve this, including at the WTO and through the new UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 83308 on Export Controls: Israel, whether his Department has considered introducing a formal (a) certification and (b) verification mechanism for importers to demonstrate that goods originating from Israel are not produced in illegal settlements.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences. Where there are doubts about the declared origin of goods, HMRC undertakes checks to verify the origin and ensure fiscal compliance. Separately, we are conducting a review of Responsible Business Conduct, focusing on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK, as outlined in our Trade Strategy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to (a) review or (b) update his Department's guidance to UK businesses on trade with entities based in the West Bank following the Government’s recognition of the State of Palestine.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Overseas Business Risk service provides information on various risks in overseas markets. The Government keeps this advice, available on gov.uk, under constant review. We intend these pages to support and guide businesses alongside other sources of information, and the UK government does not advise on or undertake due diligence for individual companies.

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 UK technology companies working with Israeli companies in the (a) defence and (b) surveillance sectors comply with UK (i) human rights and (ii) export control policies.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Where an item, including technology, is specified in the UK’s Strategic Export Control list, its export or transfer by electronic means is subject to export control. Exporters of such items must seek an export licence from the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU), who assess applications against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.

These criteria include ‘respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms’, and consideration of where there is a clear risk an export may be used to commit or facilitate internal repression, or a serious breach of international humanitarian law.

All licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard. We are able to suspend, refuse or revoke licences as circumstances require.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement on manufacturing output in the North East.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

A wide variety of manufacturing companies in the North East will benefit from this FTA, including those producing cars, who will benefit from tariffs reduced from over 100% to 10% under the quota, and wind turbines, whose tariff will drop from 11% to 0%.

In addition, SMEs in the North East, who account for 99.9% of all businesses, will benefit from simplified customs and digital processes, helping them to take advantage of a rapidly growing market in India.

The department has published a full impact assessment, that outlines the sectoral and regional impacts of the agreement.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the recent state visit by the President of the United States of America on business in the UK, in particular in Scotland.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

The historic state visit by President Trump demonstrated the unique depth, breadth, and importance of the UK-US relationship.

Businesses across the UK are set to benefit from over £150 billion of inward investment announced during the visit – the largest amount ever linked to a visit of this kind.

Businesses across Scotland are set to benefit from major new investments announced during the state visit, including a £1.5 billion commitment from CoreWeave to boost data centre capacity, which will include them partnering with DataVita in Lanarkshire to build one of Europe’s largest, most efficient AI data centres and significant expansion plans from BlackRock in Edinburgh nearly doubling their workforce to 1400. These investments will support jobs, innovation, and long-term growth in Scotland and across the UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to restart negotiations for a free trade agreement between the UK and Canada.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There are no plans to resume FTA negotiations, but growing our bilateral trade remains a shared priority, which is why the two Prime Ministers established the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with the objective of growing bilateral trade, including by addressing existing market access barriers and building on existing arrangements, including digital.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase trade between the UK and India.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK has signed a landmark trade deal with India which it is estimated will boost the UK’s GDP by £4.8bn and increase bilateral trade by £25.5bn each year, supporting the Government’s Plan for Change.

We are working to bring the deal into force as quickly as possible.

We are helping businesses to prepare to seize the opportunities from the agreement, including through bespoke guidance and trade promotion sessions. The Prime Minister recently led a major trade delegation to India to drive trade, investment, and growth across the UK.

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 allow businesses to (a) engage with and (b) support the process of drafting a free trade agreement with Canada.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, with the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement underpinning around £28 billion worth of bilateral trade last year.

There are currently no plans to resume FTA negotiations. However, growing bilateral trade remains a shared priority and we have established the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with the objective of growing bilateral trade, addressing existing market access barriers and building on existing arrangements.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on trade deals.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Secretary of State met his Indian counterpart, Minister Goyal, in Mumbai as part of the recent trade mission led by the Prime Minister, and had productive discussions on our joint ambition to bring the UK-India free trade agreement (FTA) into force as soon as possible.

I held meetings with German, Emerati, Saudi, Greek and Indian counterparts at the Berlin Global Dialogue and attended the GCC Trade Ministers Meeting in Kuwait in October, reaffirming shared, strong political will to conclude a UK-GCC trade deal.

I visited Argentina and Brazil and discussed how best to strengthen our trading relationship with a series of ministerial counterparts, including potentially through an FTA. I have also held meetings with my Uruguayan, Paraguayan, and Ukrainian counterparts online.

There have been further ministerial-level discussions with counterparts in the US, EU, Switzerland, Republic of Korea, and Turkey.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to review Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions in UK trade and investment agreements.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation.

The Government is aware of the interest in this important policy area and, in line with HMG’s Trade Strategy, the UK will continue to work with trading partners multilaterally, such as the OECD and the UN, to pursue opportunities to improve ISDS practice.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase trade between the UK and Canada.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, with the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) underpinning our £29 billion worth of bilateral trade which has increased by 16.2% on the previous year.

In June, our Prime Ministers issued a Joint Statement making it clear we want to enhance this important relationship in a number of areas – including on trade, defence, digital, quantum, and critical minerals. They established the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with the objective of growing bilateral trade, including by addressing existing market access barriers and building on existing arrangements.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the UK's potential financial exposure to Investor-State Dispute Settlement claims.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation.

The Government is a respondent in two active arbitrations. The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party and has never faced a successful ISDS claim.

The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further at this stage.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) cases are active against the UK; and what the total value of claims is in those cases.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation.

The Government is a respondent in two active arbitrations. The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party and has never faced a successful ISDS claim.

The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further at this stage.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his policy is on including Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions in trade agreements under negotiation; and whether such provisions are being proposed in negotiations with (a) India and (b) the United States.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK will draw on the full range of investment commitments and international best practice in our international investment agreements to promote growth, deliver our clean energy goals, and continue to uphold the UK’s right to regulate.

Negotiations for the UK-India bilateral investment treaty have not yet concluded, and the content of the agreement remains under discussion. As set out in the General Terms for the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, the UK and the US have announced the intention to cooperate on the effective use of investment security measures.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they have allocated to the Aerospace Technology Institute in each financial year since 2014.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is an independent organisation that is co-funded by government and industry to support innovation and growth within the UK aerospace sector. The Government grant allocations to the ATI for each financial year since 2014 are as below. These grants are for administration and do not include the cost of grants for R&D awarded to industry and the research base.

• 2014/15: £2.7 million
• 2015/16 to 2018/19: £2.3 million annually
• 2019/20: £3.1 million
• 2020/21 to 2021/22: £2.9 million annually
• 2022/23: £3.6 million
• 2023/24: £4.4 million
• 2024/25: £4.7 million
• 2025/26: £4.9 million

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what representations he has received from stakeholders on reforms to the Constitutional Reform and Governance process for approving trade deals.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Although the department has received representations from NGOs, academia, trade bodies and Parliamentary Committees on this subject over the year, we believe the scrutiny provisions under CRaG remain fit for purpose and have no plans to reform these mechanisms.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has received representations from the Welsh Government on the amount of funding to allocated to Wales from the steel fund.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK Government has committed up to £2.5 billion to support the steel industry, which is being delivered in part through the National Wealth Fund. This is in addition to £500 million towards Tata’s transformation of Port Talbot steelworks. The National Wealth Fund, which is operationally independent, is already engaging with companies across the UK on projects that meet its investment principles.

The Welsh Government is represented on the Steel Council, which is a key body for developing our Steel Strategy, to be published later this year.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2025 to Question 67823 on Overseas Trade: Germany, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the lighthouse projects agreed with Germany on economic growth in the UK in the next 12 months.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Kensington Treaty signed between the UK and Germany commits the parties to mutually supporting economic growth, job creation, digital transition and innovation, working with our businesses and mobilising investment to grow our economies. As part of implementation, DBT is leading on the planned UK-Germany Business-Government Forum, which will draw on business insights to identify growth-driving opportunities.

DBT is also supporting projects led by other Departments. A Strategic Science and Technology Partnership will create a framework to support the development of cutting-edge critical technology in areas including quantum, AI, space and clean energy. We will also work towards expanding North Sea Energy cooperation and developing infrastructure to generate greener, cheaper, more secure energy. Finally, we will move towards strengthening collaboration between UK and German public financial institutions to contribute to boosting investment in growth-driving sectors.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what engagement they have had directly with companies in Northern Ireland to ensure they are directly represented in trade negotiations between the UK and Israel.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

The UK Government is responsible for negotiating international trade agreements on behalf of all the nations and regions in the UK.

This Government, however, suspended trade negotiations with Israel on 20^th May, owing to the actions of this Israeli Government in Gaza and the West Bank.

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 potential impact of (a) pubs and (b) other hospitality businesses extending their Bounce Back Loans for (i) an additional five years beyond the current maximum limits and (ii) at the same rate of interest.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Pay As You Grow (PAYG) was introduced to give businesses that borrowed under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) greater flexibility, including extended repayment terms and short-term interest only payments. The Department’s multi-year published evaluation of the Covid-19 Loan Guarantee Schemes indicated that closure rates among BBLS borrowers using PAYG were relatively low compared to others, suggesting PAYG may have had an important role in ensuring the survival of some businesses. The department has not conducted a sector specific assessment in relation to PAYG impact.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-Japan Investment Memorandum of Cooperation on the UK’s digital transformation.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK-Japan Investment Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) aims to strengthen bilateral investment relations and drive economic growth by creating opportunities for UK businesses to grow and scale in the Japanese market, particularly in sectors such as those driving green innovation and digital transformation.

Through the MoC, DBT will champion UK investors and exporters by showcasing success stories, by addressing market access and business environment challenges directly with Japan’s Cabinet Office, and by providing a direct channel for UK businesses to access DBT expertise on the ground in Japan. This cooperation supports the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, which sets out plans to transform the UK’s clean energy and digital and technologies sectors over the next decade.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-Japan Investment Memorandum of Cooperation on the UK’s clean energy sector.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK-Japan Investment Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) aims to strengthen bilateral investment relations and drive economic growth by creating opportunities for UK businesses to grow and scale in the Japanese market, particularly in sectors such as those driving green innovation and digital transformation.

Through the MoC, DBT will champion UK investors and exporters by showcasing success stories, by addressing market access and business environment challenges directly with Japan’s Cabinet Office, and by providing a direct channel for UK businesses to access DBT expertise on the ground in Japan. This cooperation supports the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, which sets out plans to transform the UK’s clean energy and digital and technologies sectors over the next decade.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential economic merits of a UK-EU mutual recognition of conformity assessments agreement.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Ahead of the UK-EU summit in May 2025 we explored a number of proposals with our EU partners on manufactured goods. To inform these discussions, the government assessed the potential economic benefits of a range of measures, including a mutual recognition agreement, which indicated that such an agreement would be mutually beneficial for both the UK and EU. What was announced at the UK-EU summit reflects the outcome of these discussions.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has had recent discussions with representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises on the UK- Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

My department is working closely with the Taiwanese authorities to embed stakeholder views into the delivery of the UK–Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP). This includes industry’s feedback on the ETP from the British Office Taipei’s annual business survey, which includes perspectives from small and medium-sized enterprises.

The ETP includes a Pillar on Energy and Net-Zero. My department will continue to engage with offshore wind stakeholders including business throughout the implementation of the ETP, as well as around the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s annual Energy Dialogue and the UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Roundtable.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on (a) the UK- Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership and (b) offshore wind.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

My department is working closely with the Taiwanese authorities to embed stakeholder views into the delivery of the UK–Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP). This includes industry’s feedback on the ETP from the British Office Taipei’s annual business survey, which includes perspectives from small and medium-sized enterprises.

The ETP includes a Pillar on Energy and Net-Zero. My department will continue to engage with offshore wind stakeholders including business throughout the implementation of the ETP, as well as around the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s annual Energy Dialogue and the UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Roundtable.

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Found: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection Department for Business and Trade

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Found: Under-Secretary of State Minister for Small Business & Economic Transformation Department for Business and Trade

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Found: others were conducted under non-disclosure agreements that organisations have with the Department for Business and Trade

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising Statutory Sick Pay for the parents and carers of children with severe health conditions.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Statutory Sick Pay provides financial support to individual employees who are sick or incapable of work. It is not designed to provide financial support for parents or carers who are not able to work because their child is sick or has a health condition.

Parents who cannot work because their child is sick, rather than being directly incapable of work due to sickness themselves, have a number of options open to them such as asking their employer if they can work flexibly or requesting to take emergency leave. Parents may also be eligible to apply for welfare benefits, such as Carer's allowance or Universal Credit, depending on their circumstances.

The Department for Business and Trade is currently developing a consultation on employment rights for carers, including specific measures for the parents and carers of seriously ill children. This will consider what employment rights may help families in such distressing situations. The consultation will take place in 2026.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 82329 on Department for Business and Trade: Mr Money Jar, whether his Department has paid Mr Money Jar for social influence or digital work since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The department has not paid Mr MoneyJar (Rotimi Merriman-Johnson) for any social media content since 4 July 2024.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her counterpart in Ukraine on an extension of tariff-free access for Ukrainian (a) poultry and (b) egg products, which is due to expire in March 2026.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The extension was raised by the Ukrainians during the Foreign Secretary's visit to Kyiv on 12 September. This information was relayed to the Department for Business and Trade who lead on the UK-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement including the question of the extension of provisions for eggs and poultry. The Department for Business and Trade have confirmed that they will review the options on egg and poultry tariffs before March 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the recommendations in his Department's policy paper entitled Licensing policy sprint: joint industry and HM government taskforce report, published on 31 July 2025, on the (a) ill health to prevention workstream of the Health Mission Board and (b) specific priority of tackling alcohol harm within the Health Mission Board.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Following the Licensing Taskforce, which was jointly let by the Department for Business and Trade and industry, the Government is considering which recommendations to take forward. As part of this, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate, and enabling licensing system, including public health considerations. This work is being led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office with support from other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system

Public health considerations will be kept under review. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation, and parliamentary scrutiny.

We will continue to work across Government to consider what other measures might be needed to reduce the negative impact that excessive alcohol consumption is having on health, crime, and the economy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment of trends in the level of post-pandemic changes to (a) drinking patterns and (b) resulting health harms were (i) requested by and (ii) provided to the Licensing Taskforce by his Department to inform their proposed licensing reforms.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Following the Licensing Taskforce, which was jointly let by the Department for Business and Trade and industry, the Government is considering which recommendations to take forward. As part of this, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate, and enabling licensing system, including public health considerations. This work is being led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office with support from other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care.

A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system

Public health considerations will be kept under review. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation, and parliamentary scrutiny.

We will continue to work across Government to consider what other measures might be needed to reduce the negative impact that excessive alcohol consumption is having on health, crime, and the economy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of implementing the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement with the EU on (a) the economy and (b) economic growth in (i) Northern Ireland, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) England.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The information requested is available in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Methodology Note: Assessing the long-run growth impact of a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement. This is available here

This analysis found that UK GDP is estimated to increase by up to 0.14% in the long run (compared to the baseline of no SPS agreement). This increase is equivalent of up to £5.1 billion per year when compared to projected UK GDP levels in 2040.

The Government is committed to representing devolved Government interests in the EU negotiations so that there are benefits for the whole of the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, how the Defence Office for Small Business Growth will interact with the Department for Business and Trade.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) commitment to the establishment of the Defence Office for Small Business Growth has been outlined in the Department for Business and Trade’s ‘Backing Your Business’ plan, published in July this year. The Office will work collaboratively with other MOD and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, Trade Associations and Strategic Partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, whether any new staff will be recruited as part of the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Office for Small Business Growth will work collaboratively with other Ministry of Defence and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, trade associations, strategic partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence as well as non-traditional suppliers that may have offerings for a Defence application.

The exact detail of how the Office will operate, including staffing options, is currently under development. Further detail of how the service will be led and resourced will be released shortly with the aim to deliver a modern, digitally-enabled and user-centric service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, how many staff will be employed as part of the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Office for Small Business Growth will work collaboratively with other Ministry of Defence and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, trade associations, strategic partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence as well as non-traditional suppliers that may have offerings for a Defence application.

The exact detail of how the Office will operate, including staffing options, is currently under development. Further detail of how the service will be led and resourced will be released shortly with the aim to deliver a modern, digitally-enabled and user-centric service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, whether the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth will include service personnel.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Office for Small Business Growth will work collaboratively with other Ministry of Defence and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, trade associations, strategic partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence as well as non-traditional suppliers that may have offerings for a Defence application.

The exact detail of how the Office will operate, including staffing options, is currently under development. Further detail of how the service will be led and resourced will be released shortly with the aim to deliver a modern, digitally-enabled and user-centric service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, who will staff the Defence Office for Small Business Growth.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Office for Small Business Growth will work collaboratively with other Ministry of Defence and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, trade associations, strategic partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence as well as non-traditional suppliers that may have offerings for a Defence application.

The exact detail of how the Office will operate, including staffing options, is currently under development. Further detail of how the service will be led and resourced will be released shortly with the aim to deliver a modern, digitally-enabled and user-centric service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government launches Back British industry call to action to boost UK jobs, businesses and skills, published on 23 October 2025, who will lead the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Office for Small Business Growth will work collaboratively with other Ministry of Defence and Government organisations, including the Department for Business and Trade Growth Hubs, Regional Defence and Security Clusters, trade associations, strategic partners and other suppliers to bring coherence to the total support offering available to SMEs seeking to work in defence as well as non-traditional suppliers that may have offerings for a Defence application.

The exact detail of how the Office will operate, including staffing options, is currently under development. Further detail of how the service will be led and resourced will be released shortly with the aim to deliver a modern, digitally-enabled and user-centric service.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the National Crime Agency is carrying out inspections on cargo flights from the Uyghur region to ensure they are not carrying goods made with Uyghur forced labour.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government remains firmly opposed to the use of state-imposed forced labour. We are committed to working with international partners and businesses to ensure global supply chains are free from human and labour rights abuses.

The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) (2002) provides law enforcement agencies, including the NCA, with a powerful range of powers to seize cash and assets from individuals profiting from criminal activity. Government cannot direct how the POCA powers are used by law enforcement and independent operational decisions are a matter for the NCA.

In the recently published Trade Strategy, the Government announced a review of its approach to Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) policy. The review will consider the effectiveness of the current UK regime and alternative means of supporting responsible business practices, including consideration of mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence laws and import controls on goods made by forced labour. The Department for Business and Trade will engage regularly with stakeholders to develop findings and provide updates.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the (a) removal of the VAT exemption and (b) increase in (i) business rates, (ii) the minimum wage and (iii) National Insurance contributions on specialist (A) music and (B) dance schools.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the value that music and dance schools bring to education in the UK.

In advance of Autumn Budget 2024, the Government conducted thorough and detailed analysis of the impacts of applying VAT to private school fees and the removal of business rates charitable rate relief from private schools in England, including on Music and Dance schools.

The Department for Education provides means-tested bursaries for eligible families as part of the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) if their child has a place at any one of eight MDS performing arts private schools. The Department adjusted MDS bursary contribution for families with a relevant income below £45,000 to account for VAT on fees, ensuring that the total parental fee contributions for families with below average relevant incomes remain unchanged for the 2024/25 academic year.

The Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500, ensuring that over half of businesses with National Insurance liabilities, including those providing specialist education in music and dance, will either gain or see no change this year.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates are recommended by the independent and expert Low Pay Commission (LPC). By seeking advice from the LPC when setting the minimum wage rates, the Government is able to ensure that the right balance is struck between the needs of workers, affordability for employers, including those in the education sector, and the impact on the economy. DBT have published their full Impact Assessment alongside the legislation here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2025/9780348268492/impacts

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to work with the (a) Department of Health and Social Care, (b) Department of Education, (c) Carers Trust and (d) other organisations to ensure young adult carers can receive support through the Youth Guarantee.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The government is determined to provide carers of all ages with the recognition and support they deserve. Ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and the Department for Education (DfE) have convened twice this year to discuss support for unpaid carers and consider opportunities to provide further recognition and support. My Right Hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disability has met with Carers Trust on several occasions, and the department will continue to work collaboratively with groups representing and supporting carers.

DWP and DfE are launching a Youth Guarantee to ensure young people aged 18-21 can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship, or help to find work. As part of the Youth Guarantee we are working with Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSA) to deliver 8 Trailblazers in England which are testing different approaches to identifying, engaging, and supporting young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. MSAs have developed their approaches with consideration to young people in their locality who need more support. As we set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper our Youth Guarantee will meet the needs of those facing disadvantages, including disadvantages related to unpaid caregiving.

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