Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment it has made of the practical incentives, other than retention payments, available to ensure good building construction practices.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Since 2023, dutyholders, including clients, principal contractors and principal designers, are regulated through the building control process. Prosecutions may be brought for breaches of the building regulations under Section 35 of the Building Act 1984 where appropriate. The government has also accepted a recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report to introduce principal contractor licensing, to ensure principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings are appropriately competent. We are progressing work to develop this recommendation, which includes a review of the dutyholder regime and whether it is working as intended. This will inform the design of an effective licensing scheme. We expect to publish the findings from the review in late 2026.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish a funding plan for the Small Business Commissioner; and, if so, when they will do so.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government has confirmed that the Small Business Commissioner will have the resources needed to carry out its expanded functions. Detailed future funding arrangements will be determined through the usual departmental business planning and spending review processes. The Government does not currently intend to publish a separate funding plan, but will provide further information on the Commissioner's resourcing as the new functions are implemented.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish guidance for triggering investigations into poor payment practices.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Commercial Payments Bill provides the Small Business Commissioner with the power to investigate a larger business where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that it has persistently engaged in poor payment practices. The Commissioner must consider the extent and impact of the suspected conduct, the resources required for an investigation, and whether an investigation would be proportionate in all the circumstances. Further detail will be set out in secondary legislation.
The Government will work with the Commissioner to ensure businesses understand their obligations and to consider what operational guidance should be published before the new legislation comes into force.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Lloyd of Effra on 13 April (HL16133), on what date they intend to commence their review of the functioning of section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The government has committed to review the functioning of section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 in its entirety. As part of this review, we will engage with relevant and interested stakeholders and publish our findings in Parliament. The review will start shortly and the government will write to interested parties in due course.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of abolishing the Plastic Packaging Tax for food contact packaging where no safe, commercially viable recycled-content alternative is available.
Answered by Lord Livermore
Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) was introduced in April 2022 to provide a clear incentive for businesses to use recycled plastic in packaging, thereby supporting increased recycling and reducing plastic waste.
At Budget 2025, the government announced businesses will be able to use a Mass Balance Approach (MBA) for the purposes of PPT from April 2027. This will enable chemically recycled plastic to qualify for the PPT exemption, which is suitable for food-grade packaging as it produces outputs equivalent to virgin plastic. Chemical recycling can provide a recycling route for plastic waste which is otherwise difficult to recycle using established, mechanical methods, such as plastic films.
Allowing a MBA for chemically recycled plastic will help to create the conditions for the emerging chemical recycling sector to thrive in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of food-safe recycled plastic and other compliant alternatives to virgin plastic packaging for food and drink businesses subject to the Plastic Packaging Tax.
Answered by Lord Livermore
Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) was introduced in April 2022 to provide a clear incentive for businesses to use recycled plastic in packaging, thereby supporting increased recycling and reducing plastic waste.
At Budget 2025, the government announced businesses will be able to use a Mass Balance Approach (MBA) for the purposes of PPT from April 2027. This will enable chemically recycled plastic to qualify for the PPT exemption, which is suitable for food-grade packaging as it produces outputs equivalent to virgin plastic. Chemical recycling can provide a recycling route for plastic waste which is otherwise difficult to recycle using established, mechanical methods, such as plastic films.
Allowing a MBA for chemically recycled plastic will help to create the conditions for the emerging chemical recycling sector to thrive in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to postpone the introduction of modulated fees under Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging until measurable improvements have been delivered in local authority packaging collection and recycling systems.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As required under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, from 2026/27 onwards, The Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) fees will be modulated to ensure that packaging materials that are less recyclable incur higher fees, and packaging materials which are more recyclable incur lower fees. The fee modulation policy will be reviewed every 3 years. PackUK, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme administrator, is working closely with local authorities to ensure the efficient and effective management of household packaging waste.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have that the introduction of modulated Extended Producer Responsibility fees will improve packaging recycling rates in the absence of reform to local collection and recycling infrastructure.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging is part of this Government’s broader Collection and Packaging Reforms, including Simpler Recycling and the Deposit Return Scheme (due to launch in October 2027). These reforms together shift the financial burden of recycling household packaging from the public purse to producers and incentivise more efficient and effective recycling systems to push up levels of recycling across the country. The Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) funding from year 1 of the scheme has already been distributed to Local Authorities providing additional funding to deliver Simpler Recycling reforms across England, ensuring that people can recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school.
From year 2 of EPR (2026/27) onwards, fees will be modulated to ensure that packaging materials that are less recyclable incur higher fees and packaging materials which are more recyclable incur lower fees, incentivising industry to transition towards more recyclable material. PackUK, the EPR scheme administrator, is working closely with local authorities to ensure the efficient and effective management of household packaging waste.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Packaging Recovery Note system in investment in the UK recycling infrastructure and recycling rates; and whether they plan to reform or abolish that system.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Packaging Waste Recycling Note (PRN) system has supported an increase in packaging waste recycling rates from 45% in 2003 to 64.7% in 2023 and has continued to support delivery of recycling targets.
The system generated £322m in revenue from the sale of PRN/PERNs in 2025. Reprocessors and exporters accredited to issue PRN/PERNs are required to report on how they have used this revenue to help build increased capacity across the recycling sector as part of their business plan.
A consultation on reforms to the PRN system has recently closed. Defra officials will review the responses and decide on next steps shortly.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether British Steel Ltd is balance-sheet solvent and cash-flow solvent, both including and excluding Government funding provided since 12 April 2025; and whether they will publish any such assessment.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.